Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2002 04:25:29 EST
Reply-To: BenTbtstr8@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ben T <BenTbtstr8@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Child seat/jumpseat compatibility?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
In a message dated 11/17/02 11:53:49 PM Pacific Standard Time,
jessica@LUNULA.COM writes:
<< I have another question for your collective wisdom. Do any of you have
experience putting a child safety seat into the rear-facing jumpseats
found in Carat & Wolfy Vanagons? The year of the van is '87 Wolfsburg.
Seats and belts are in good shape.>>
I did not know that the 87 Wolfsburg Edition haad rear facing jumpseats. The
only ones I have ever seen have a single rear facing seat with storage or an
ice box underneath. It is just to the rear of the driver's side. The back of
the passenger side usually has the removable 12c/110ac mini-fridge. Maybe
this is the seat that you are talking about. It is bolted to a steel box
which is bolted to the floor. Come equipped with one set of seat belts. If it
is equipped to handle the weight of an adult, it should have no problems
handling the weight of a child plus the properly attached child safety seat.
<< Just wondering if there are any safety issues I should be aware of.
For example, are the jump seats large enough to hold a full-sized
toddler carseat (not infant seat)? Are the seats bolted to the frame,
or just to the sheet metal floor of the van? (Actually, that last
question applies to the rear bench as well.) All info received with
gratitude. >>
For clarification purposes, I am defining "jumpseats" as those seats which
can be folded up and removed by pulling on it's attachment knob. I want to
clarify this so that there is no misunderstanding as to method of attachment.
This is different from the Wolfsburg rear facing seat as that is bolted to a
box which is bolted to the van sheetmetal floor.
Jumpseats are bolted to a frame which is bolted to the front wheel
housing/battery box structure. There is a bottom stud made to fit into a
receptacle which is welded to the floor. Care should be taken by those who
want to add jumpseats to vans not so equipped. Please pmail me before you do
so. Anyway, jumpseats came on both aft of the driver's side as well as the
passenger side.
Care should be taken to attach the child's seat as the belts face "the wrong
way". I'm not sure what you mean by a "full size child's seat". If it is
similar in attachment methods to the infant seats, you would have to belt
them in facing backwards. I would think that should be fine if it is just a
form of a booster seat. Infant seats are another story as many are designed
to be rear facing to begin with. There should be a rear anchor made to secure
the rear of the seat to the floor while the belt is used to secure the front
part of the seat. I may not be making sense to most of you. I'm trying to say
infant seat on jumpseat should have the infant facing forward instead of
back. Has to do with the direction the belts are designed to work. Should
anchor rear of seat (nearest child's head) to the floor using auxiliary
anchor. How's that?
IMHO the rear seat in can be used like any other automotive bench. In which
case the rear of the child's seat should have the rear anchored by an
auxiliary belt as well.
I am a firm believer in child safety seats. My eldest daughter was entrapped
in an infant seat when a 3/4 ton truck the back end of my ex-wife's bug. The
bug was literally folded over in back. When they cut the car away, she was
safety ensconced in that Strolee brand car seat. I promptly bought several
Strolee seats for each of my vehicles. Six years later, my second daughter
was in my ex's 320i BMW when a Chevy El Camino broadsided them. The car was
totaled. The passenger side door was hit and pushed almost clear to the
middle of the car. My daughter's car seat was push 2 feet inwards. She came
through unscathed thanks to the car seat.
Each time, it was determined that the car seats were highly effective because
the seats were properly anchored. Seat belts with locks on the bottom.
Auxiliary anchor to the rear.
BenT
father of two husband to none. bane to mike miller