Additional seat-belted seating

[Bully]

We have bought a Mercedes sprinter van and need to travel 5 (not sleep 5!). Have spoken to our insurers and we just need to let them know. thinking a backward facing double seat with integrated seat belts behind the front seats would be best, layout wise. Is it ok to buy secondhand bus seats? Any advice on fitting, please. Is it ok to fit them ourselves and then get them checked out at the local garage? Thanks

 

[Sprinter 1 cup]

All now 3 point seats belts.I think any removable seat s are ok as tested. have you looked at chysler voyger rear bench seats as there color coded to sprinter .

 

[Bully]

All now 3 point seats belts.I think any removable seat s are ok as tested. have you looked at chysler voyger rear bench seats as there color coded to sprinter .

Will look thanks

 

[Squiffy]

I've fitted a few seats now with no hassle from the authorities. They must be fitted so that they are not liable to go through the floor in the advent of collision. I.e. bolted through the floor with the bolts going through strengthener plates if fitted to just the steel floor on the front legs and strentheners under the floor at the rear legs. The plates would not be necessary if bolted through chassis members. Welding the plates into position is not really required. On mot all the tester requires is that the seats are rigidly mounted and seat belts are fitted and working properly, how you fit the belts will depend on what seats are used. Obviously some insurance companies will want to know how many passengers you might carry and the V5 should in theory be changed as to the seating capacity. Though in the past I've sent off 3 seat V5 to be changed to two and the V5 has been sent back with the same three seat capacity. Phil

 

[Bully]

Thanks Phil

 

[trevskoda]

I did my own seats from a taxi and one set from a ford which swivels, one thing I must point out is inertia belts or fixed don't work backward, hence my two forward ones turn to the front when driving, and lock, plates are a must with high tensile fixing bolts, wooden floors are exempt.

 

[Bully]

Thank you for this - great photos. I hadn’t thought about the inertia reel issue when backward facing. I was just thinking of buying bus seats with seatbelts - wasn’t planning to buy turning ones. Perhaps will need a re-think.

 

[trevskoda]

Thank you for this - great photos. I hadn’t thought about the inertia reel issue when backward facing. I was just thinking of buying bus seats with seatbelts - wasn’t planning to buy turning ones. Perhaps will need a re-think.

Yep takes a we bit of thinking before getting the tools out, good luck.

 

[wildebus]

Thank you for this - great photos. I hadn’t thought about the inertia reel issue when backward facing. I was just thinking of buying bus seats with seatbelts - wasn’t planning to buy turning ones. Perhaps will need a re-think.

If you get seats using Unwin rails, you could have them facing forwards (the best option) when travelling, and when arrived, easily remove, turn 180 degrees and clip them back in place. A lot easier than some kind of swivel mechanism

 

[Bully]

If you get seats using Unwin rails, you could have them facing forwards (the best option) when travelling, and when arrived, easily remove, turn 180 degrees and clip them back in place. A lot easier than some kind of swivel mechanism

Thanks for your suggestion. I’ll google this