5th Seat, legroom, bed, driving and camping

[Olly]

I have recently bought an extra single seat - so we can tour and camp with 2 adults and 3 kids. I have successfully fitted the single seat (thanks to reading info in forum articles). However in order to have legroom in all rear seats I need to push the double seat way back - and to do so have to remove the rear mattress and bed board from their fast position. So question is firstly, have I got the set-up right? Secondly, if so, where and how in the van is it best to store mattress and bed board?

Oh and by the way, the 5th seat is heavy so I put some wheels on a pice of Mdf to make it easier to move about.

Look froward to response

 

[Max-Felix]

Errrrmmmmmm....you've got it the wrong way round! Face the front and stick your legs in the gap between the front seats.

 

[Olly]

Errrrmmmmmm....you've got it the wrong way round! Face the front and stick your legs in the gap between the front seats.

Hi Max. I tried the seat both ways. Of course the legroom for extra seat was fine )as you say between the front seats) but that in the back was very tight. Have you tried it yourself? With the bed board still in place? Cheers

 

[RighiG]

Hi Olly, I have your same situation, 3 kids on board.
I bought also the extra seat, but I have installed it close to the door, so the access to the kitchen cabinet is easier and with view front of the street (opposite way of your picture).
My youngest kid is very still small, he is 16 months old, he is sitted with his car child seat on the bench so I can keep the single rear seat very close to the rear bench and so there is enough space for the legs of the oldest kid without move back the bench and with this configuration I can leave installed the bed with his net.
With this kind of configuration in camping site I have to remove and take out the extra seat for preparing the lower bed, otherwise it's impossible to sleep down.
Instead when we go around just for the weekend or 2/3 days without go in a camping site or when we have not the possibility to install the tent and put inside to it the extra seat, I leave the mattress and net at home, and for sleeping I use just the bench (with one kid) and put my legs on the extra seat closed. the rest of family sleep in the upper part of hotel.
For having more space between rear seat and bench, like you said, it is necessary put more back the bench, when I did this, I fixed the net with the mattress, directly on the back of the bench, using like anchorage/fixing points the headrests on the bench. In this position it was stable and I had n't problems during the driving.
To be honest, when i did so, I thought why the VW didn't tought an original support or something, for keeping the net and mattress in vertical position with the single extra seat installed.
Unfortunately I have not pictures available now about my solution, but hoping to be useful, I'm sure you have understood what I have done.
Bye

 

[Olly]

Hi Olly, I have your same situation, 3 kids on board.
I bought also the extra seat, but I have installed it close to the door, so the access to the kitchen cabinet is easier and with view front of the street (opposite way of your picture).
My youngest kid is very still small, he is 16 months old, he is sitted with his car child seat on the bench so I can keep the single rear seat very close to the rear bench and so there is enough space for the legs of the oldest kid without move back the bench and with this configuration I can leave installed the bed with his net.
With this kind of configuration in camping site I have to remove and take out the extra seat for preparing the lower bed, otherwise it's impossible to sleep down.
Instead when we go around just for the weekend or 2/3 days without go in a camping site or when we have not the possibility to install the tent and put inside to it the extra seat, I leave the mattress and net at home, and for sleeping I use just the bench (with one kid) and put my legs on the extra seat closed. the rest of family sleep in the upper part of hotel.
For having more space between rear seat and bench, like you said, it is necessary put more back the bench, when I did this, I fixed the net with the mattress, directly on the back of the bench, using like anchorage/fixing points the headrests on the bench. In this position it was stable and I had n't problems during the driving.
To be honest, when i did so, I thought why the VW didn't tought an original support or something, for keeping the net and mattress in vertical position with the single extra seat installed.
Unfortunately I have not pictures available now about my solution, but hoping to be useful, I'm sure you have understood what I have done.
Bye

Super - thanks for the info. I also thought it would be a good idea to have some support for mattress and board behind the bench seat (I will try and figure something out).

 

[Trev]

Hi yes we have 5th seat and had to remove rear bed frame to give enough legroom. Without doing that it's almost unusable for those in the rear. Nice idea for the trolley. The seat is certainly "well engineered" (heavy).

 

[andyinluton]

If using the fifth seat & camping we put the mattress off the shelf upright behind the bench with the bed frame also upright secured round the headrests by bungee straps.

In day to day mode the frame and mattress are usually found leant against the wall in my office.

I did buy a spare bed frame with the intention of shortening it by 6 inches or so to give some extra leg room whilst in place but never got round to it.

If I had one of the earlier mdf boards I would certainly make up a shorter replica, if you have children sleeping downstairs you don't need the bed length & the extra available floor space is welcome - you can leave a portapotti under the sink & still be able to get it out with the bed made up for example.