3 Point seatbelts in rear of Westfalia Campmobile

[Graham L]

OK, I'm sure this must have been discussed before, I've fitted one 3 point rear seatbelt to Hank but Wifey would prefer there to be a second one.

Obvious problem is that the wardrobe and cupboards are in the way of the mounts and the belts would not be long enough anyway.

So my question is has anyone come up with a way of putting a second 3 point belt on the cupboard side of a campmobile?, and if so can they share the secret

 

[Graham L]

Come on someone must have tried this already or found a solution, I can't believe I'm the only one that has tried to fit 2 x 3 Point Inertia reels in the back of a Westy Campmobile??.

Over 24 hours without any response to a post, is this a record

 

[faux]

Hi

There was a thread about fitting one to a T25 in one of the magazines a while back. It may have been VW Camper and Bus. It was not an easy task as I rember but the idea may be able to be adapted for a bay. If I find the article I will post the details.

 

[Clem]

I can only imagine the solution is to cut an opening in the wardrobe If not too impracticle you can fit a three pointer to the rear facing buddy seat .... then they can face each other, over the table?
Not perfect, but better than butchery :shock:

 

[tintintin]

Graham,

I'm putting one 3 point & a lap belt on the R/Roll seat and then doubling up the fixings from the front driver seat (LHD) to incorporate a 3 pointer for the buddy seat.

Unless you cut the wardrobe there isn't really another option I could think of.

 

[Araon]

Doubling up on the mountings can be some what frowned upon.... plus the geometry is all wrong your better off welding in new mounting threads and setting them up properly to the seat.

Again with regards the 2nd rear 3 point you should have several mountings already and to get the upper your probably as well welding in new mounting threads.

I did see someone at vanfest with a bloody hefty bar traversing the bus with three x 3 point inertias fitted only problem with that is they couldnt use the over engine to form the main bed.

 

[tintintin]

Tks,

Maybe I'll re-think that one then..............

 

[dp]

Has anyboby considered using 3 point harnesses instead of a standard 3 point belt? No need to cut the cabinet for the middle seat then, and if you use a locking mount on the rear fixing point, it can be moved out of the way when you want to use the bed. You'll just have to drill a hole in your rear cargo area somewhere for the 3rd mounting point.

My consideration for using the harness is also that there then seems little point in using child booster seats / cushions (group 2 / 3 child car seats) as there is no diagonal belt to go around a childs neck. It definitely appears safer than a lap belt with a booster seat. It would then mean I wouldn't need to keep 2 booster seats in the van the whole time (asuming I used 3 point harnesses on both rear seats). Of course the new laws about child car seats don't differentiate between a harness and diagonal belts so I could be faced with a fine.

Anyone have any thoughts on this????

Cheers,
Dan.

 

[Graham L]

OK' I've had a play over the last couple of weeks and have devised a bracket that would mean I only have to drill I seatbelt bolt size hole in the Westfalia interior that could be then covered over later.

The bracket would bolt to the mounting thats hidden in the cupboard and then this extends the point to enable the Inertia Reel to be mounted on the side of the cupboard.

Am I missing something or is this going to work, pics below

 

[Graham L]

Anyone got any views on this please?

 

[Clem]

Graham, its a good idea, but seatbelt mounts must be surrounded by a certain amount of metal, I think? Hence the MOT requirement not to have corrosion within certain distances of mounts. The bracket you show is only fixed at one point, so wouldnt meet this criteria? .... unless Im missing something?

 

[Graham L]

Clem

Thanks for the input, too be honest had not thought about that as an issue hence why I posted the pictures before drilling & fixing, i'm not sure what the requirement are for the surrounding area of metal round a seat belt mount, does anyone else know?,

 

[Araon]

Nice idea/solution to a problem though I suspect you may need to provide more support at the weakest point bracing across the two open corners or some where within the two sides atleast.

 

[Graham L]

Thanks Aaron, will try a bit more fabrication and post some new pictures once I've made a revised version,

 

[shane r]

Graham,

I'm putting one 3 point & a lap belt on the R/Roll seat and then doubling up the fixings from the front driver seat (LHD) to incorporate a 3 pointer for the buddy seat.

Unless you cut the wardrobe there isn't really another option I could think of.

Mine has been like this for a couple years, and has passed the MoT. I have a 3 point static belt on the R&R, a lap belt beside the 'drobe and a 3 point inertia belt on the buddy seat.

 

[rev]

I've had seatbelts put in and they work fine. I think this method is better as I didn't need to chop the cupboard and they pack nicely away. I'll get a better pic. The seat belts are secured by the mounting points under the rock and roll bed. the first belt on the window side is a single point belt and the second belt is a three point belt and is anchored from the same side as the first and located just under the first. see really crap pic!!!! note that the belt reels are pulled from right by the tailgate. I needed belts for the boys car seats and its been fine. I'll get better pics over the weekend.

 

[noddy]

Hi

I just saw your thread on seat belt installation.

Can I ask have you fixed into the seat belt mounting poits provided for all the attachments?

I only ask as I am an automotive engineer, is the belt that is mounted high and to the rear in a seat belt mounting?

I think from memory the fixings for seat belts are 16UNF (safety belt specific fixings), be cautious of using any point which is not designed for a safety belt, the forces which go through these points is enough to distort the body at 35MPH.

Is it not possible to fit a lap belt in the center seating position and a three point no the out side using the waste rail mount for the top?

Ian

 

[CamperLamb]

I'm glad someone posted this - I have been scratching my chin about this... Him Indoors is worried about the lapbelts (bugger to adjust!) so was wondering what the options are... sorry to need hand holding, but which 3 points did you go for in the end?.... Just interested as I have to put in the connector to the buddy seat - weirdly it only has the long strap going from the side of the driver (LHD) seat base, and nothing to put it into... so I need to make sure that that is MOT safe too. Mine is a '72 Westy Campmobile, too, and I would like her to look as original as possible. Any help with the belts would be very much appreciated, ta muchly! You could also ask (as I will!) Vdub cos wot he dont know about MOT's aint worth knowing... :mrgreen:

 

[KateLovesPurple]

I have yet to put the belts in the back of my bus, but I have a pair of inertia rear belts from a BMW which I thought might do the job. The box mounts flat, below shoulder height and runs over a bar behind the seat. I considered mounting the belts on the rear deck, suitably reinforced of course. Good idea???