3 point seat belts

portybongo · Post by **portybongo** » Wed May 30, 2007 12:26 am

Hi,

We have a 96 Bongo with full rails, one bench seat and a rear conversion. All 3 point belts are present, and the rear conversion is small enough that I can have the bench seat right back, or midway, utilising the belts at the rear or middle. Now, there's only a lap belt in the middle of the bench seat, and my missus is adament that our 3 kids are safe (can't argue), so I need to know a (cheap) way of getting another seat in the van that (a) allows our third child to use a 3 point belt and (b) doesn't take up all the room.

Thought I could fit a single flip-up seat, but am told it is virtually impossible with my model of van. Someone may know different.

Come on, someone must have had this problem. I could put another full bench seat in, but we need the space for luggage for our grand tour of Europe, and I ain't putting a roof box on if I can help it.

What do you reckon? Is there a non-Mazda seat that might fit?

Please let me know, as my missus says no 3 point belt and we have to go in the VOLVO! Don't make me!

Neil

Griffin · Post by **Griffin** » Wed May 30, 2007 9:15 am

Hi, I think you are right that it is a common problem and I'm afraid I dont ever recall seeing an easy (cheap) solution. A fellow member whose name escapes me has fitted new rails and made a single seat which I guess is an option although likely expensive.
You cant retrofit a flip up seat onto a later van, there aren't the correct mounting points on the wheel arch (a much discussed topic). I think the final outcome was that it could be done with welding and a donar vehicle but this sounds more difficult than I suspect you would want.

The only thing I can think of that may provide an answer is an additional mounting point being made for the 3rd seat, I know Ford Galaxy's etc have a belt from the roof but I'm not sure if that could be mounted on a Bongo roof.

I'll be watching the thread with interest as I would also like the 3 seat option.

Good luck, hope someone else can add something more positive.

portybongo · Post by **portybongo** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:36 pm

Just to keep you up to speed, this is what I am up to.

Bought a second hand bench seat to fit, but gather I have to remove our rear kitchen to get the thing in! God, is nothing simple?

At least this will sort us out with the 3 point belts, but I am biting the bullet and putting a roof box on. Have bought Thule bars by the way, as recommended by BongoFury, but it should be noted that these particular fittings are no longer being made according to my Thule dealer, and he just happened to have old stock.

Anyway, I digress. My main point of writing, is to ask whether it is a fairly simple job to fit the new seat once the kitchen is out at the back?. Do I just take some kind of keeper off the end of the rails and slide the seat in? Could do with some advice please. Pressure is on. Europe here we come in July....

Thanks

Neil

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:22 pm

I fitted a 3-point (non inertia belt to min on the middle bench seat using the exact same mounts as the lapbelt (which I removed). Easy peasy. I think you could probably do the same trick on the split rear seats (mine is a 95 and has those). Inertia belts is a diff. ball game but could still be done I think but I wouldnt bother - too much hassle and £s. Meet the missus half way

vanvliet · Post by **vanvliet** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:35 pm

Can you remind me where you sourced the 3 point belt Mike?

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:11 pm

It was a long time ago, done by a garage for our Spacewagon, and I moved it across to the Bongo. However, before I bought the Bongo I was doing some research to see if I could source a 3-point inertia belt and came across this site

http://www.securon.co.uk/

...dont know if they sell direct but might provide a starting point to find out how they are distributed. I did also come across some 3-point belts on ebay I think so worth a check there. But fitting is simple. I keep the over the shoulder bit in position (from memory) by running it between the headreast posts. You cant expect a garage to fit these as approved and be liable should anything happen, but once you strap into them, there can be no little doubt they will work as they should. I have to keep explaining that to the kids of course as they will just put them on loose and think thats fine.

vanvliet · Post by **vanvliet** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:21 pm

I am a man for hunting in car 'scrappies' I posted on new belts a long while ago ( a bit pricey) but I wondered if any were fitted as standard to any vehicles which might now be being broken up

vanvliet · Post by **vanvliet** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 12:09 pm

Hi M - any chance of some pics of the inertia belt and illustrating how it fixes to the seat .There seem to be a number of different mounting types and styles of belt Some look like 'rally car' belts with straps over both shoulders joined to one mounting point while others have a lapbelt and one diagonal strap

LittlePorker · Post by **LittlePorker** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 1:40 pm

Guess it depends how big your kids are. We have three and in the citroen have to use a baby/toddler seat in the middle as it can be fitted with a lap belt and has its own restraint built in (Britax ClubClass).

I'm assuming that since you're asking this isn't suitable for yours and that they'll need boosters? I think you can use them only with a lap belt but I'd be with your wife on this one and insist on a three point belt...

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 5:36 pm

Van - I'll try and find time to take pics and post them. But its dead easy, they just mount on the same points the lap-belt does.

I'll get back to you.

Mike

vanvliet · Post by **vanvliet** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 7:17 pm

for those of you with child seats - -
I replaced the lap belt in our Mondeo with a special quick release belt .It was longer than a standard lap belt and narrower It alowed me to kneel on the seat and tug on the belt to get it really secure in the middle of the rear seats . I gave it away to someone on the forum and they seemed really pleased with it Might be worth looking into . We had the dabate about lap belts in rear facing seats some time ago and i decided that I would never let anybody , child or adult , use a two point lap belt !

ICB · Post by **ICB** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 8:41 pm

Had a discussion about all this before getting our middle seats reversed.

The view I came to after some thought and research is that rear-facing seats are (statistically) significantly safer than forward facing regardless of belts, none or lap, because of the nature of the vast majority of RTAs: rapid deceleration due to frontal impact.

We let our kids travel on coaches and buses that only have lap belts and forward facing seats, they wouldn't get to school otherwise.

vanvliet · Post by **vanvliet** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 9:02 pm

Yes , this is a personal decision . There is no legal requirement to have any belt fitted to a rear facing seat at present . My view is that I have no control over buses etc but I do have a decision to make over the use of seatbelts in my own vehicle. I have reversed the middle seats but they are only used when the vehicle is parked. I am trying to fit a three point belt in the centre of the middle seat .

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 10:37 pm

...and f course they are only of much use if the occupant keeps them firmly done up, which I constantly have to remind my kids of the importance of

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