Rear seat positions when driving

[apatchee]

Hi Seasonal Greetings!!

I would like to know is it safe to use the rear bench seat in my T4 Westy in its furthest position forward while driving? Also carrying passengers in this position?

I’ve just tried it and the seat belt is a little short, but I know Just Kampers sell belt extenders which bolt together to extend the seat belt.

Also I’m thinking of getting a 3 point harness to replace the lap belt on my early Westy.
I did speak to a chap who used Dubworks in Petersfield, they bolted the 3 point harness to the rear seat as the early Westys don’t have access through the rear units to secure the harness.

Any advice would be great
Cheers

 

[zennorboy]

T4 or T5?

 

[apatchee]

T4 or T5?

T4

 

[zennorboy]

The manual for the T4 California (2002) says that when the vehicle is in motion with rear seat passenger, the rear ‘bench’ seat should be in the rearmost position.

I think it’s something to do with the angle of the seat belt over the shoulder as the ‘top’ anchorage points are way in the back.

On the T5, the seat belts are integral with the seat ‘box’.

Check your manual.

 

[mrcheesbrough]

Seatbelt length allowing I would think you could use the rear seat for passengers in its most forward position. We’ve used ours in the ‘dining’ position with back seat passengers but as we’ve the later type of Westy the belt length doesn’t accommodate anything much more. If your belts are full attached to the seat then I would think you could bring them right forward. Westfalia used to make a second row of seats that mounted in the floor rails with seatbelts mounted directly to it so you effectively would be doing the same thing but with the bed seat. Only thing I’d add is the bed seat top isn’t as substantial as the optional second row of seats due to the hinge mechanism so a three point belt might not be quite as solid/crash resistant.


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