Large Family Sportsmobile - Page 6

jage · 02-01-2010, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jessenej

The risk is there will obviously be no crash testing. My wife and I are ok with that, as long as it is done like the Hoover Dam (10x stronger than it needs to be).

You aren't by any chance an actuary are you?

You don't want a vehicle built like the Hoover Dam, because you're not built like the Hoover Dam- in a crash all parts of the Hoover would just stop at the same time (assuming the dam hit something that would stop it), and all your momentum would be transferred into a structure that does not give. Essentially you and a cement wall moving a few feet apart. The wall stops and you keep going.

The sum is not necessarily safer than the parts. My point is it might be safer to have the seat break off, or the seat column crush, or NOT keep you upright in the event of a rollover. I'm not sure exactly what happens to the Ford seats, but if they remained in place and upright in a rollover then all of the people who lived through a crushed top probably wouldn't have. Which like you said is the danger of no crash testing...

I just still don't see that a stock van is so statistically deadly in its existing configuration as to mess with it and risk making it worse. Highway rollover is a risk, certainly, but are the injuries and death associated with rollovers really bad enough to monkey with the design and gamble with making it worse? Is it possible that you're slightly reducing the overall risk of death in a severe accident, but greatly increasing the risk of serious injury in a minor collision? Or vice- versa?

(I'm aware that the Sprinter seats have the LATCH system and that's part of your decision, which is obviously glossed over/ignored in my grandstanding here... I'm also aware that I'm

, but I don't see that the van is unsafe as-is, or needs to be safer, yadda-yadda.)

carringb · 02-01-2010, 12:47 PM

The stock Ford seat will not go anywhere. In the newest vans, the seat mounts are one of the burliest parts of the van.

TwoVans · 02-01-2010, 06:25 PM

Sorry, the point of the Sprinter seats got lost once the discussion got focused on safety. More flexability without giving up safety is the point. Here's a quick list of the advantages:

1. Floor brackets are nearly flush mounted. Ford's brackets are massive. Better for cargo if I need it.
2. Seat belts are attached to the seats. Again, when I pull the seats in favor of cargo it is a cleaner area for the cargo.
3. Brackets for the three and four person benches are the same (both in type and location). So, if I want seating for nine, I can pull the middle bench and move the four person bench one forward. If I only have my family of six and need maximum cargo space, I can pull both three person benches and move the four person bench all the way forward.

Those are the big reasons. LATCH and headrests are a bonus.

When I say "like the Hover Dam", I'm talking about the strength with which I want the brackets installed to the floor. IMO, I wouldn't ever want them to be the failure point.

jage · 02-01-2010, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jessenej

When I say "like the Hover Dam", I'm talking about the strength with which I want the brackets installed to the floor. IMO, I wouldn't ever want them to be the failure point.

It seemed like a handy example to illustrate my point about things giving appropriately... an opinion based largely on watching crash test videos.

Regardless I'm looking forward to photos... maybe you can get the installers to shoot some before sending it on to SMB.

TwoVans · 02-01-2010, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jage

You aren't by any chance an actuary are you?

It would be more accurate to say that I cheat death for a living.

TwoVans · 02-01-2010, 11:28 PM

CMI didn't get to it today.

Not really a big deal as I've got a business trip coming up and can't pick it up for three weeks. However, I'm very anxious to find out if the whole Sprinter seat thing is going to work out. I REALLY don't want to go back to the drawing board on the seat plan.

TwoVans · 03-01-2010, 09:30 PM

Finally picked up my van! Sprinter seats are in. Pics are posted:

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=4081&start=15

So far the seem to be exactly what we were looking for. Now I'm just hoping that SMB West will be able to integrate their floor with the brackets.

I'm at SMB North to have the PH top installed tomorrow.

Then, 40 hr drive back to Fresno. Rest of interior is scheduled to start 31 March. Good stuff.

PearGrove · 03-16-2010, 01:47 PM

Jessenej, do you have a sense of whether it would be possible or practical to have brackets installed that enable the forward-most bench to be reversible, facing forward or rearward? Rearward-facing could be nice so that, when combined with a forward-facing bench farther back, you could have 6-7 people around the same table. Forward-facing would be nice because, well, people generally like to face forward. I have a similar situation as you: three kids (not four), and I'd like to be able to have all five of us (1) ride in seats that have shoulder belts and don't face sideways, (2) sit around the same table, and (3) sleep in the van. Those Sprinter seats seem great for flexibility, given the integrated shoulder belt and low mounting brackets.

TwoVans · 03-16-2010, 04:22 PM

PearGrove,

Here's some more detailed thoughts:

1. Would require another set of brackets. CMI charged me $1000 in labor for each set.

2. In order to make the brackets flush mounted, SMB is going to have to make their floor about an inch thicker. Steals some headroom. Adds weight to the van. Not a show-stopper, just something to know.

3. Sprinter has more headroom than Ford. Point is the seats are tall. Sitting under PH without bed in place is ok. Under bed I have to slouch so my head doesn't touch the ceiling (bed). I'm 6' tall.

4. Seats are big and heavy. Point is it would be a two person job to pull the seat out of the side cargo doors and swap it around. Not too hard, just something to know.

5. I'm accepting some risk by going with the Sprinter seats in the Ford van. Don't know if I would take the next leap of faith and drive with a bench facing rearward.

6. If you are thinking about sleeping everyone in there after they grow, EB for sure. I'm more focused on the 4x4 piece vice the RV aspect. So, my compromise was to go RB. Once the kids grow into real-sized people, no way we will all fit.

That being said, the idea certainly has potential. Good luck.

Hope that helps.

carringb · 03-16-2010, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PearGrove

Jessenej, do you have a sense of whether it would be possible or practical to have brackets installed that enable the forward-most bench to be reversible, facing forward or rearward?

You could probably install a 2nd set of brackets, offset towards the driver side wall. The seats are offset on their legs, so the 2 set of offset brackets would allow you to still have space to move around the passenger side when the seat is backwards.