Front Bench Seat Conversion (1 Viewer)

Willmart

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Jul 23, 2014
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Hi
Anyone know where to get hold of seat belt fixture to convert bench seat to front facing with seat belts.
Mo Ho to be converted on is a Bailey Approach 740 have already asked advice and to purchase from Bailey but nothing doing
 

Riverbankannie

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Not so easy I think, plenty of posts on the subject if you search, here is one
Quote
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...9/changes-to-seatbelt-installations-guide.pdf

For DVLA purposes you basically need the work signed off by an MOT tester.

For insurance purposes you need to talk to you insurance companybecause they will all have their own different criteria. After an accident is not the ideal time to find out that you haven't met them (y)

Its up to you of course but I wouldn't take any garages word for it, especiallyif they think they're getting some work out of it. I would speak to both theDVLA directly and my insurance company and find out exactly what theyrequired.

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Sep 26, 2013
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Are you looking to turn a side facing seat forwards just for travelling and to have seat belts fitted. If that's the case then it's a non starter.
 
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Willmart

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That is exactly what i would like to do, BUT why is it a non starter?

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Sep 26, 2013
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That is exactly what i would like to do, BUT why is it a non starter?
For one your side facing seat is not designed to take seat belts neither is the surrounding structure so having a seat that moves and has seat belts securely fixed to a crash resistent structure is not achievable.
Check out the supporting steelwork that you will see on a forward facing seat that has seat belts in other vans.
 

Minxy

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Unfortunately you're unlikely to find any one that would even consider doing it, even if they had the 'skills' to do so, as it would be a big risk for them to guarantee such a modification - it would need a steel frame to be made for the base of the 'new' seat, plus an upright for the top of the 3-point seat belts to attach to, and it would all have to be somehow securely attached to the chassis ... even if you DID find someone who would do it it would likely cost a large amount of money so not making it worthwhile - sorry.

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Sep 26, 2013
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If you wanted to change the layout and have a fixed double seat facing forward then you would have more chance. I would do it the same way that I did my conversion and that us by buying a double mini bus seat which has its own steel frame and integral seat belts and then bolt it through the floor to the chassis in accordance with the VOSA guidelines.
 
Nov 2, 2008
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You can buy forward facing crash tested approved seat bases from people such as Sportscraft. They come with all the structural calculations for the seat and fixings required but all in German as has to be original document copy. Its not a cheap option but DVLA and insurance companies are happy.
 

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Willmart

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Thanks Ranger you answered my original question I only needed to know where to source the seat belt from the rest is relatively easy

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Sep 26, 2013
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Thanks Ranger you answered my original question I only needed to know where to source the seat belt from the rest is relatively easy
No he hasn't, he has given you a source of a new seat which has to be fixed in place, a mini bus seat will do the same job. You cannot turn them round.
 

PeteH

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Google "O`leary Motorhomes. Near Hull. He buys lots of "surplus" stock from the manufacturers, usually end of runs, and sells to the DIY build trade. At one time they also constructed their own "Bespoke" Motorhomes. My current Rapido, has a massive frame bolted through to the Alko Chassis, to which the forward facing seat belts are fixed.

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Oct 2, 2008
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You might want to consider a seatbase with integral belts that swivel and fold and slide as fitted to something like Mazda bongo , would need suitable fixings to floor, with transfer links to chassis , if you have enough room
 

Minxy

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No he hasn't, he has given you a source of a new seat which has to be fixed in place, a mini bus seat will do the same job. You cannot turn them round.
The seat is to go in the rear of the MH, not in the cab.
 
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Don't forget the possibilities afforded by using "unwin tracking"

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Geo

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Once again for the record MoT testers are not qualified to report on the constructional integrity of seat belt mounts
beyond the MoT testing procedure this to say "a short sharp tug on the belt itself"

Once again I find my self correcting peoples conception of what makes for a safe seat belt mount
Take a look at the flimsy Manf approved and tested rear seat belt mount and rest assured if your crash
caused even this flimsy little mount that to break away, you would be dead anyway due to internal injuries
so no real purpose in making them from Girders welded to the chassis is there:rolleyes:

Second pic is a set of racing seat belt mounts designed to fit either side of a single skin of floor pan
I personally have crashed and rolled with these @ 60mph believe me you would not want to try and pull theses trough the floor with your body either
(No Girders were harmed during this indecent)

seatbelt mounts.jpg
s-l1600.jpg
either
 
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Second pic is a set of racing seat belt mounts designed to fit either side of a single skin of floor pan
I personally have crashed and rolled with these @ 60mph believe me you would not want to try and pull theses trough the floor with your body either
(No Girders were harmed during this indecent)

View attachment 207175 View attachment 207177 either


Around about 1960 I fitted a set of seat belts to my dads A35 - you could get kits then, telling you where to put the anchor points

The fixings and mounting plates were very similar to the STR ones
 
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Willmart

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Hi Mikeco I don't want to retain the side seat but to convert to a rear front facing only.
My MoHo is a Bailey Approach 740 which has 2 side facing seats I want to convert to the same set up as the Bailey Approach 745 which is identical to mine with the exception of the 1 offside bench (mine) to the rear front facing with seat belts
This is so we can accommodate our grandchild to travel with us in her car seat hope that explains in detail :):)
 

TheBig1

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HAS NOBODY HEARD OF VEHICLE TYPE APPROVAL?

All this advice is irrelevant on a recent vehicle as the seats need to be crash tested and meet type approval. then the v5c updated with DVSA to take account of more designated travel seats. Then TRY and insure the modified vehicle
 
Sep 26, 2013
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Hi Mikeco I don't want to retain the side seat but to convert to a rear front facing only.
My MoHo is a Bailey Approach 740 which has 2 side facing seats I want to convert to the same set up as the Bailey Approach 745 which is identical to mine with the exception of the 1 offside bench (mine) to the rear front facing with seat belts
This is so we can accommodate our grandchild to travel with us in her car seat hope that explains in detail :):)
That's clearer then, if you buy a new double seat on its own steel frame and built in seatbelts, ( I used a new mini bus seat ), and fixed it through the floor to the chassis in accordance with the guidelines on the VOSA website then that would work. Panel vans such as mine are exempt from Type Approval but as yours is a coach built you would have to try for Individual Type Approval. This means having it inspected and approved by VOSA. You could then tell your insurers and also change your V5 to show the extra travel seats.
No doubt someone will be along to say that I have it all wrong but that's the way that I see it.
Very easy to do on a panel van though.
20170807_144115.jpg

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Gellyneck

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More than toes wet now!
To try and give you some idea of what would be required before you even look at type approval. We've got an Auto-trail Savannah with the type approved optional half dinette belted travel seats fitted.
This is what they look like -

upload_2018-1-16_17-12-38.jpeg


upload_2018-1-16_17-13-44.jpeg
 
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Willmart

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Thanks all and to gellyneck that's the type of set up that i'm looking at
 

Minxy

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I've had an idea ... yes it happens occasionally ....! :rolleyes:

Instead of altering the existing seating why not instead get a removable one that can be installed in the centre aisle when needed - I've just spotted this on Ebay as an example, the beauty of this is that it has the 2 side arms to keep the seat in place (which can be a problem fitting car seats in MHs) and has a really good seatbelt so the child seat shoudl be well secured to it, when not in use the seat part flips up so it could be stored between the cab seats on site:


s-l1600.jpg

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Last edited:
May 29, 2013
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To try and give you some idea of what would be required before you even look at type approval. We've got an Auto-trail Savannah with the type approved optional half dinette belted travel seats fitted.
This is what they look like -

View attachment 207240

View attachment 207242

This looks exactly like the seat belt mountings fitted on the rear seats of our Chausson Flash 10, so I'd hazard a guess that MH manufactures go for a standard seat belt fitting frame (the black metal in the photos) and build the rest of the seat round it. Ours is totally filled with the fresh water tank in the base of the seat. Therefore could you not get a frame either new or somehow secondhand and then build your seat round it. Or fit an entire seat from a different MH ?
 

PeteH

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To try and give you some idea of what would be required before you even look at type approval. We've got an Auto-trail Savannah with the type approved optional half dinette belted travel seats fitted.
This is what they look like -

View attachment 207240

View attachment 207242

Virtually Identical to the Rapido Layout.(y)(y)(y)(y)(y). Except the Fresh Water tank is moulded to fit around the "construction". Edit "snap" Geordies!!:D
 
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PeteH

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HAS NOBODY HEARD OF VEHICLE TYPE APPROVAL?

All this advice is irrelevant on a recent vehicle as the seats need to be crash tested and meet type approval. then the v5c updated with DVSA to take account of more designated travel seats. Then TRY and insure the modified vehicle

Provided the "Modification" has the structural integrity, The issue of insurance would be no greater than a "home build"? Surely?

The Alternative would of course be to Change the Motorhome for a model With the seating layout?. For example my Rapido 7099F, has that Forward facing belted seating. Very useful for strapping SWMBO`s Lightweight Portable scooter. But never, or rarely, used for "people transport".!

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