Hi,
Hope you don't mind me jumping right in with questions - My dad bought a T25 on something of a whim about 6 months ago, and he's been working on his area of expertise ever since and now all the mechanicals are sound. Engine, gearbox, brakes etc - all running great.
The problems have started as he's started looking inside, and we need some advice.
We have 3 kids, and frankly lap belts are just not going to be acceptable to any of us. I'm sure others are the same and this won't be an unusual request.
How are people doing this?
Replacing the stock belts and fitting a 3 point system to the existing RnR seat?
or Replacing the entire RnR seat with a crash-tested type system?
Also, we have the single rear-facing seat (toilet box!), is there anyway to get a 3 point belt fitted there?
Thanks, and hope this isn't too daft a question.
UPDATE: WELL.
So in the time from him telling me he was thinking about giving up due to this issue and me posting this, he listed it for sale, someone came, bought it, and drove it away. So I guess this isn't worth discussing anymore!!
Thanks anyway.
First Post - New owner, need help with belts
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ptrichardson
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First Post - New owner, need help with belts
Last edited by ptrichardson on 30 Sep 2025, 18:15, edited 1 time in total.
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clift_d
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Re: First Post - New owner, need help with belts
Different people take different approaches.
Our Westy was based on a van body and so it already had OEM seat belt mounting points below the bench and on the D-pillars, so we installed three point belts back to these locations - take a look at the seat-belt kits that Brickwerks sell. This approach did not require us to fit a crash tested bench. If your camper is based on a panel van then it won't necessarily have these OEM fixing points and so you'll be a couple of steps back, but it should still be possible to do a similar fitout.
The backwards facing seat is a bit more tricky. I believe that the original intention in these installations was for a seat belt that doubled up to the existing seat belt mounts for the front seat that it back on to, but my understanding is that you'd also need to have a proper "jump seat" in that location for it to be considered a safe seating position - it wouldn't be sufficient to add a seat belt to a toilet box. The other thing you'd need to check is your V5 as this states how many seats your vehicle is supposed to have - if you add an extra seat then you'd probably want to change your V5 to reflect that fact.
There are plenty on threads on here already about this issue which should pop up in a search, so I'd start by reading through those.
Our Westy was based on a van body and so it already had OEM seat belt mounting points below the bench and on the D-pillars, so we installed three point belts back to these locations - take a look at the seat-belt kits that Brickwerks sell. This approach did not require us to fit a crash tested bench. If your camper is based on a panel van then it won't necessarily have these OEM fixing points and so you'll be a couple of steps back, but it should still be possible to do a similar fitout.
The backwards facing seat is a bit more tricky. I believe that the original intention in these installations was for a seat belt that doubled up to the existing seat belt mounts for the front seat that it back on to, but my understanding is that you'd also need to have a proper "jump seat" in that location for it to be considered a safe seating position - it wouldn't be sufficient to add a seat belt to a toilet box. The other thing you'd need to check is your V5 as this states how many seats your vehicle is supposed to have - if you add an extra seat then you'd probably want to change your V5 to reflect that fact.
There are plenty on threads on here already about this issue which should pop up in a search, so I'd start by reading through those.
1988 LHD T25 1.6TD Westfalia Club Joker Hightop syncro
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Basilakios
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Re: First Post - New owner, need help with belts
Bit late now your van has been sold but in case you decide to re-join the club:
As has been said there are plenty of threads and posts on this already so just a quick overview.
You won't find 'crash tested' seats for T25s like you would for a T5 or T6 but I was told by a RnR seat manufacturer (who also made crash tested seats) that the principles are the same.
The easiest option is my opinion is to buy a new RnR bed with integral seatbelts. You can buy a 3/4 width two seater one or a full width three seat one from somewhere like Tins Kustoms. This will then need to be upholstered. (I've just had this done on my new T25). No messing about with fixing points at the rear or belts running through cupboards.
For the rear facing seat you would need a proper multivan jump seat with bracket. They are hard to come by though. They have two nibs at the bottom that go in the floor but the bracket does the heavy lifting.
GoWesty make a three point seatbelt kit for this. The lower fixing points use the passenger seat points (longer bolts provided) and there will already be a spare top fixing point just below the passenger top point.
As has been said there are plenty of threads and posts on this already so just a quick overview.
You won't find 'crash tested' seats for T25s like you would for a T5 or T6 but I was told by a RnR seat manufacturer (who also made crash tested seats) that the principles are the same.
The easiest option is my opinion is to buy a new RnR bed with integral seatbelts. You can buy a 3/4 width two seater one or a full width three seat one from somewhere like Tins Kustoms. This will then need to be upholstered. (I've just had this done on my new T25). No messing about with fixing points at the rear or belts running through cupboards.
For the rear facing seat you would need a proper multivan jump seat with bracket. They are hard to come by though. They have two nibs at the bottom that go in the floor but the bracket does the heavy lifting.
GoWesty make a three point seatbelt kit for this. The lower fixing points use the passenger seat points (longer bolts provided) and there will already be a spare top fixing point just below the passenger top point.
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ptrichardson
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Re: First Post - New owner, need help with belts
Basilakios wrote: ↑06 Oct 2025, 12:38 Bit late now your van has been sold but in case you decide to re-join the club:
As has been said there are plenty of threads and posts on this already so just a quick overview.
You won't find 'crash tested' seats for T25s like you would for a T5 or T6 but I was told by a RnR seat manufacturer (who also made crash tested seats) that the principles are the same.
The easiest option is my opinion is to buy a new RnR bed with integral seatbelts. You can buy a 3/4 width two seater one or a full width three seat one from somewhere like Tins Kustoms. This will then need to be upholstered. (I've just had this done on my new T25). No messing about with fixing points at the rear or belts running through cupboards.
For the rear facing seat you would need a proper multivan jump seat with bracket. They are hard to come by though. They have two nibs at the bottom that go in the floor but the bracket does the heavy lifting.
GoWesty make a three point seatbelt kit for this. The lower fixing points use the passenger seat points (longer bolts provided) and there will already be a spare top fixing point just below the passenger top point.
Thanks. I'm a bit gutted tbh, I was looking forward to borrowing it. I was sure it was all fixable, but I think he got an offer he couldn't refuse to take his problems away!
I need to find a new solution for my festival plans now, because a tent at my age is a nope! LOL