RB 150S rear seat and seatbelt questions

[mikemikemike]

Some questions are arising here as I narrow in on details:

1) Can anyone with time in the RB 150S sprinter build comment on how comfortable the rear seats are for longer trips? The look nice enough for sitting on as a couch, but they don't have headrests, for example, or the support of more shaped car seats. I assume they are not adjustable/tiltable once in place in the seating configuration. Thoughts would be welcome on how this has worked traveling with four or five in this van.

Perhaps more importantly, I didn't realize until just recently that there is only one shoulder belt on the right side seat, and only lap belt on the left. On this:

2) What are the safety implications of riding with seat belt only, not shoulder belt? Or of these RV seat setups in general?

3) SMB tells me that I'd have to go full width on the seat (i.e., no left side cabinets) for them to install a shoulder belt on the left side. Does anyone have any sophisticated thoughts about how to attach a shoulder belt after the fact on the left side, with cabinets in place? I get that there would likely be aesthetic impacts, but that might be hacked somehow? Would there be a way to do this that was structurally and functionally sound?

Note that I would intend to build the left cabinets as in the attached (i.e., with a bit of a cutout in front of the left rear seat) rather than full width the whole way as here, as that full width cabinet build seems like it might be a good thing to hit ones head on in an accident or even under very hard braking.

I realize I may come off as a bit of a weenie here, but it's coming up and can't think of a better place to ask these questions.

[carringb]

I agree that the left back seat should have a shoulder belt, to keep the person's face out of the kitchen cabinet!

I also agree with SMB that structurally this is prohibitive, because their sofa is not at all designed for restraints. Or probably for any sort of crash loads. I think your only feasible option is OEM non-bed seats. I don't even think the Sprinter has engineered accommodations for body-mounted shoulder belts.

Maybe Michael G aka ExpVans can design and build a back seat for you meeting your requirements? He's got some Transit stuff in the works.

[rockbender]

Could you extend the counter back past the back of the seat allowing access to the body for a shoulder belt? You'd lose a little storage, but you could add another window if you wanted.

[LosAngeles]

I would assume you do not get headrests with this sort of a setup.

Whiplash is bad enough even with headrests... i would hate to think how bad whiplash (or worse) would be without headrests.



just a thought.....

John

[tlg]

Mike,
Our solution to this under engineered dilemma is below. Other threads out there. Just search headrests, bench seat, etc. Good luck.

http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...eat-19312.html

[mikemikemike]

@tlg - thank you! Very much appreciated and that settles my mind about this considerably.

[MtShasta]

Originally Posted by LosAngeles

I would assume you do not get headrests with this sort of a setup.

Whiplash is bad enough even with headrests... i would hate to think how bad whiplash (or worse) would be without headrests.



just a thought.....

John

SMB Fresno did not recommend the head rest and pointed us to having higher seat back option. Great for our kids (<5'6").

[mikemikemike]

Originally Posted by MtShasta

SMB Fresno did not recommend the head rest and pointed us to having higher seat back option. Great for our kids (<5'6").

Whoa, didn't know that option existed. Asked them about it... Any downsides to the high back option?

Edit. From SMB: "We do not have a higher backed seat that can work in that space. That is the only seat that we have that can install there and fold into the bed."

[tlg]

Would love to know why SMB Fresno didn't recommend the head rests. Its not that hard to do right. The Europeans have been integrating them into bench seats/beds for awhile (RIB Altair, etc).