Baby seat in my van

[Vanner68]

Krispy!

This is an excellent idea!
Do you think it's safe and legal to mount a baby seat on those?
Is it safer to have a back rest like a regular bench seat?


Attachment 38587

I would check with the manufacturer of the baby seat to see what kind of seat mounting is approved.
After all, they are the ones who would get sued.

[kookykrispy]

As long as that seat and the seat belts is installed securely and bolted to something substantial, like the ribs or frame of the van, I think it would be fine. It seems like that upholstery company makes them custom for your van. If bolting through thin metal, I would reinforce the mount with a thick washer or flat plate underneath, so the bolt cannot pull through in the event of a crash.

I am also considering the options for child seats, since I have a 9 month old daughter and 6 year old son and would like to take them in the van.

[lvjjj]

45 years ago, I stupidly sat my daughter's car seat on the dog house lid. I did mount seat belt ends on the sides of the doghouse, so did have a seat belt keeping the car seat from sliding off. Wouldn't have done nothin' in the case of a crash. By the time the twins came along, I had a rear seat anchored in.

[VanSandy]

Just my two cents, I wouldn't want to put the car seat in sideways. And like someone else pointed out, the car seat is required to face rearward for a I think a whole year, maybe more. You can make brackets with angle iron and a welder to modify any bench seat's legs so that you can use those stock plates, they are designed so that when you remove the nuts, the bolts slide out for easy seat removal and a flat floor. And as others have pointed out, modern child car seats are designed to be used with modern seating. They need to be very tight to the seat. Even if it doesn't detach, in a serious accident the car seat could be whipping all around causing serious injury to a young child. Our local police department had a free service to come check installation for new parents and I was amazed how tightly the guy secured that seat using his full body weight to press it down then tighten the seat belts. It would not budge at all. One other thing, all modern cars have the third anchor point for the top of the seats which are critical as your kids become bigger and face forward.

Another option if your camping trips aren't too far is to just have mom follow you in the car with baby and leave your van as is.

[monkeykongking]

Thanks for the input.

Driving separate car might be an option if i can't figure out a car seat.

Right now, the best idea is to extend the original seat mount then mount a bench seat to it.

I am still researching bench seat mount that has quick releases. It would be nice to be able to quickly remove the bench seat and use it around the camp site.

Just my two cents, I wouldn't want to put the car seat in sideways. And like someone else pointed out, the car seat is required to face rearward for a I think a whole year, maybe more. You can make brackets with angle iron and a welder to modify any bench seat's legs so that you can use those stock plates, they are designed so that when you remove the nuts, the bolts slide out for easy seat removal and a flat floor. And as others have pointed out, modern child car seats are designed to be used with modern seating. They need to be very tight to the seat. Even if it doesn't detach, in a serious accident the car seat could be whipping all around causing serious injury to a young child. Our local police department had a free service to come check installation for new parents and I was amazed how tightly the guy secured that seat using his full body weight to press it down then tighten the seat belts. It would not budge at all. One other thing, all modern cars have the third anchor point for the top of the seats which are critical as your kids become bigger and face forward.

Another option if your camping trips aren't too far is to just have mom follow you in the car with baby and leave your van as is.

[lvjjj]

In order to take a bunch of kids on camping trips with us, I got two small jump type seats out of a Scout (I think), mounted them facing backwards right behind the two front seats. Built a steel frame to mount them on. Also installed seat belts. Worked great, might work good with a car seat too.

[65dream]

Discountvantruck.com has the quick bolts in van section

[monkeykongking]

That was my original idea. Weld a steel frame right behind the passenger seat to secure the baby seat.
Do you have any pictures of your set up?

In order to take a bunch of kids on camping trips with us, I got two small jump type seats out of a Scout (I think), mounted them facing backwards right behind the two front seats. Built a steel frame to mount them on. Also installed seat belts. Worked great, might work good with a car seat too.

[lvjjj]

kong, unfortunately I don't think I have photos. That was back in the early '90's and my iphone wasn't working very good at that time.

I remember that I took a 6' long piece of that gray angle steel (heavy duty type) with all the pre-drilled holes and bolted it to the back of the dog house for the front of seat support. Of course supported it at each end with a vertical support bolted to the floor. Then a couple of either "L" shaped or 3/4" square steel stock and bolted it down into the rear front seat bolt hole and then a similar rod to the side of the dog house. Just invented as I worked. Was pretty strong.

[Russell]

I had 2 of these seats in my first van.


The flat base sat well on the floor, I had it behind my drivers seat facing towards the back.(not bolted down) just to have a third seat.
I think it would be easy to mount a plate to it to attach to the floor brackets and ad seat belts to the lower frame.
The wood base in the picture has wheels under it for using in my garage.

You can have it if we can figure out how to get it to you or you can probably find one out of a later model van in your area. I don't know what it came out of? It did have armrests on it.