Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (September 1998, week 4)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Fri, 25 Sep 1998 11:49:26 -0700
Reply-To:     YauMan Chan <YauMan@CCHEM.BERKELEY.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         YauMan Chan <YauMan@CCHEM.BERKELEY.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Shoulder belts for back seat
Comments: To: Ssittservl@AOL.COM, Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

I retrofited my 87 GL with the shoulder harness 3-point seat belt on the window side middle seat. Ordered the parts from the dealer but had to do the work myself. The dealer would not do it - cited liability, insurance etc excuses.. yes.. I am in California, land of law suits... The retrofit I got came with no instructions.. wish I was on this list 5 years ago when I put it in.. could really use the instructions posted by Helmut (http://www.relitech.com/helmut/rearseatbelt/RSFB_002.htm). So it took me half a day going at it blind by trial and error.. removing a lot more of the inside stuff than I really needed to..

Anyway, my daughter at 5 then was too big for baby car seat but still a bit too small for the shoulder harness/belt. I bought a "kangaroo seat" for her via some baby product mail order catalog. It's a booster seat cushion with back and side support for head to flop over when she falls asleep in the van. The cushion basically lifts the child up about 2"-3" and push her forward about 3" to make the total mass fit an adult size shoulder harness seat belt. Set it on the seat, put the child on it and bucket her up with the shoulder harness/seat belt and it fits great.

.. I just look at the label on it again.. and it did say "Kangaroo" .. don't remember where we got it but my wife said she think recently she saw this type of car seat cushion sold in some upscale (yuppie?) baby store..

Yau-Man Chan 87 GL

>>> S Sittservl <Ssittservl@AOL.COM> 09/25 11:02 AM >>> > Subj: Shoulder belts for back seat > Date: 98-09-25 05:15:18 EDT > From: lahorgue@IX.NETCOM.COM (Frank LaHorgue) > > I am facing controversy in my family because I don't have shoulder belts for > the rear seats in my 86GL. There seems to be an impression that car seats > made for kids who are still small but over forty pounds MUST have shoulder > belts...

I believe it depends on the style of car seat - some do require a shoulder belt, and some don't. If you check around, you can probably come up with an over-40-pound that can get by with just a lap belt. (On the other hand, of course, the shoulder belts will be a good idea anyway once the kids are too big for a car seat.)

-Steven Sittser


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.