5th Seat with Three Point Seat Belt

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Basilakios
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5th Seat with Three Point Seat Belt

Post by Basilakios »

Hi,
First time poster here.  I know this topic has been done before in a way but I'm coming at it from a slightly different tack if anyone is able to help.

I've got a VW T25 camper with four seats which have three point seat belts and we need a fifth seat with the same.  When we bought it we swapped out the original rock n roll for a 3/4 one from M1 Campers in Sheffield which has integral 3 point seat belts, removable headrest and even isofix points.  Putting another seat in with the same doesn't look quite so straightforward (not that the above was straightforward though!)
An option would be to swap this out for a full width RnR bed with the same add-ons but this would mean virtually everything I have done and spent on the van to date would be undone so it's not a goer for me.

There are therefore two options as I see it:

1. Replace the passenger seat with a double seat from another van.  I.e. something like shown in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=122871&start=15
Does anyone know of a company (preferably in NW England) which would do this kind of thing?
Is it possible to have a double seat that swivels in a T25? (I'm very doubtful it's possible...)
This is my wife's preferred option although I'm not a fan of cutting off the cab from the rest of the van.

2. Put in a rear facing seat behind the passenger seat.  I.e. like this: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/724657396279767941/
It appears I can get the seat belt from Go Westy: https://www.gowesty.com/product/seat-be ... eat-lh-rh- and that the fixing points are already in every van, but I'm not sure where I'd source a suitable seat? 
Would a non-T25 seat work?
As my kids are currently little and sit on booster seats the lack of headrest isn't an issue at the moment but it does worry me in the long term.  Has anyone managed to put such a seat in with its own headrest?
This my preferred option, however it does mean it there wouldn't be space for a buddy box for the camping toilet.

If anyone has experience of either of these options your opinions/knowledge would be welcome.  Thanks (and apologies for the long post!)

 

davidoft1
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Re: 5th Seat with Three Point Seat Belt

Post by davidoft1 »

That seatbelt isn’t anything particularly special, you could buy something easy enough for much less, the necessity for a three point is less so when not forward facing, I have one of those jumps seats and was just pondering the headrest, not had a chance to properly look but it seems to be a stock seat back n base so adding a headrest would be straight forward, would mean a little less leg room in the front but they are pretty roomy. It’s difficult to fit a 3 point to the front centre belt and just as difficult to make it swivel , but it’s doable if you really want to , I think the bed option is a pretty good one too

Cecil
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Re: 5th Seat with Three Point Seat Belt

Post by Cecil »

I once saw a t25 with a forward facing single seat from a Renault people carrier (complete with integral seatbelt  ,i think) mounted in the sliding doorway . Obviously that restricts the already compact space but might be a solution you are content with.

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Re: 5th Seat with Three Point Seat Belt

Post by Cecil »

The rear facing seat was most commonly, I think fitted to the LHD multivan and had a fold up base and a quick release feature.It appears to me that the back of the headrest on the front seat to some extent performs the function of a headrest for the rear facing seat. They do become available secondhand now and again ,often with the side trims ,floor locators and mounting bracket ( handed ,you would need the correct one) absent.
My concern with a rear  facing seat is it might increase the likelihood of travel sickness .

Basilakios
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Re: 5th Seat with Three Point Seat Belt

Post by Basilakios »

Thanks for the suggestions.

I wouldn't want a forward facing seat in the sliding door area as it would take up too much space.  What I like able the rear facing one is that it would double up for sitting around the table.

Good to know I might be able to get a cheaper seatbelt somewhere else.  I'm only concerned about getting the right fixing for the top point.  I'd want it to be three point fixed though even if just for peace of mind.

I'm not sure I'd rely on two people using the same headrest back to back.  I'd worry about a sudden braking situation where one person's head might go flying into the headrest and the force carrying through to the person behind's head.

davidoft1
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Re: 5th Seat with Three Point Seat Belt

Post by davidoft1 »

Basilakios wrote: 23 Feb 2021, 21:08 Thanks for the suggestions.

I wouldn't want a forward facing seat in the sliding door area as it would take up too much space.  What I like able the rear facing one is that it would double up for sitting around the table.

Good to know I might be able to get a cheaper seatbelt somewhere else.  I'm only concerned about getting the right fixing for the top point.  I'd want it to be three point fixed though even if just for peace of mind.

I'm not sure I'd rely on two people using the same headrest back to back.  I'd worry about a sudden braking situation where one person's head might go flying into the headrest and the force carrying through to the person behind's head.


They would be travelling in opposite directions in relation to the headrest

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tobydog
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Re: 5th Seat with Three Point Seat Belt

Post by tobydog »

davidoft1 wrote: 23 Feb 2021, 21:48 They would be travelling in opposite directions in relation to the headrest

Newton's first law.... :arrow:
Knowledge is power
1970 CU

Basilakios
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Re: 5th Seat with Three Point Seat Belt

Post by Basilakios »

davidoft1 wrote: 23 Feb 2021, 21:48 They would be travelling in opposite directions in relation to the headrest
Headrests were introduced to mitigate whiplash when the force of a sudden stop combined with the seatbelt would send the person flying back into their seat.

In a sudden stop situation the person in the rear facing seat would be pushed back into the seat and headrest, while the person in the front seat would go forwards before the seatbelt stopped them and they would return at some force back into their seat and headrest.
The front seated person would effectively be headbutting with the back of their head the headrest which would have the other person's head resting on the other side.  I've no idea if this force could enough to cause injury but I'm not up for experimenting to find out.
 

davidoft1
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Re: 5th Seat with Three Point Seat Belt

Post by davidoft1 »

Basilakios wrote: 24 Feb 2021, 10:07
davidoft1 wrote: 23 Feb 2021, 21:48 They would be travelling in opposite directions in relation to the headrest
Headrests were introduced to mitigate whiplash when the force of a sudden stop combined with the seatbelt would send the person flying back into their seat.

In a sudden stop situation the person in the rear facing seat would be pushed back into the seat and headrest, while the person in the front seat would go forwards before the seatbelt stopped them and they would return at some force back into their seat and headrest.
The front seated person would effectively be headbutting with the back of their head the headrest which would have the other person's head resting on the other side.  I've no idea if this force could enough to cause injury but I'm not up for experimenting to find out.


by the time the front seat person recoiled the back person would have also, so only one on the headrest again 

mariner
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Re: 5th Seat with Three Point Seat Belt

Post by mariner »

Hi Basilakios. Can I just ask about your headrests on your r&r bed. We’ve just put an order in with M1campers and the headrests will be shaped from the plyboard attached to the bed and the the foam cut to match. They didn’t mention removable ones that they do - can you just explain what they did for you? I might get back in touch with them and look to amend the order. Cheers.
1985 Super Viking with Subaru EJ22 (formerly 1.9 petrol DG)
1981 air-cooled 2.0 high top

Basilakios
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Re: 5th Seat with Three Point Seat Belt

Post by Basilakios »

mariner wrote: 24 Feb 2021, 19:18 Hi Basilakios. Can I just ask about your headrests on your r&r bed. We’ve just put an order in with M1campers and the headrests will be shaped from the plyboard attached to the bed and the the foam cut to match. They didn’t mention removable ones that they do - can you just explain what they did for you? I might get back in touch with them and look to amend the order. Cheers.
The removably headrests were provided in steel which you'd then need to get upholstered as with the rest of the RnR bed.  They were a £60+vat extra.  They effectively work like any headrest on a car (but a lot stiffer - furniture polish will ease them up.
Image
I don't have a photo of it upholstered to hand but Trim Shak did that for use and you might be able to spot a photo on their facebook page.  It was done spring last year (I think!).

Basilakios
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Re: 5th Seat with Three Point Seat Belt

Post by Basilakios »

Image
One from the back.
It's not clear from the photo (or indeed just looking at it - you need to actively remove them to see how they work) but essentially they are just metal plates with two tubes welded on.  The tubes then slot into larger tubes fixed onto the frame.  
They need removing to put it into the bed position.

Something to note if you're making you're own furniture next to the RnR: leave a bit of space between the edge of the RnR and the furniture.  I didn't quite leave enough space so the seatbelt socket you can see in the photo can get trapped in the mechanism as you fold the bed between sitting and bed positions.  I now have to push the belt socket down and out of the way before I can move it into the bed position but it's a right pain if I forget.

mariner
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Re: 5th Seat with Three Point Seat Belt

Post by mariner »

Thanks for the replies and the details. Can't see the pics for some reason but have gone ahead and amended the order anyway. If you're able to PM me the pics that would be really useful. Cheers.
1985 Super Viking with Subaru EJ22 (formerly 1.9 petrol DG)
1981 air-cooled 2.0 high top

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