Club 80-90 Forums

Apologies for a random post. My wife has her heart set on a T25 camper, and I'm trying to figure out how feasible it would be to fit a properly pull-tested r&r bed. As far as I can see, the main issue will be finding one that fits around the raised engine compartment in the back. So, my daft question: how high is the engine compartment relative to the floor of the van?

Cheers!

Or buy a factory made bed from Westy

Cant help with the measurement sorry, van not here. about 18" at a guess

if your buying then be cautious, there was a firm on here a few years back that claimed pull testing etc but could offer no details as to how their test was done
if you want absolute piece of mind then ensure r & r is tested to EC Directive 76/115/EEC for M1 loading,
google it, not cheap but correct
mm

I wonder what percentage of r&r beds in these vans have been pull tested.

most havent Rob,
but the op for whatever reason requested this, and to comply with this adds ££££££ to the price, my issue is with companies that purport to have "pull tested" their product with the attendant extra ££££ when in fact they havent been able to supply documentation.

The same as fitting seatbelts to some of these rear benches , where the shoulder belt is anchored to either the floor or seat base and then up and over the shoulder diagonally, there is plenty of reading as to the folly of this.

mm

Thanks for the replies, very helpful.I'm concerned about the rear seat as I'll be using it for my two kids and want it to be safe. Obviously, the old r&r beds might be totally fine, or they might not be - as they haven't been tested there's no way of knowing. None of the pull-tested beds I've found seem to be designed for the T25 though, so perhaps I should just try contacting one of the manufacturers directly. Are there any brands you'd particularly recommend or warn against?

I will pm you later today
mm

sorry to hijack the thread but I would be interested in any tips regarding fitting a rear seat. I have fitted a rear seat belt using this guide https://www.brickwerks.co.uk/rear-seat-belts but would like to upgrade the seat and mount an isofix bracket from a ford focus any tips.

It is my understanding that the requirement / desire for a 'pull tested seat or bed is based on the seat belts being fitted to the seat. This is appropriate in something like the T4, T5 etc since the seats are often mounted on long sliding fixings and so can be used in various locations along the length of the van.

However, in a T3 (or T25 if you insist) the R&R seat is in a fixed position and the belts are mounted to the body shell. Therefore there is no significant pull on the seat itself other than it's own weight. The factory rear seats (Caravelle, Multivan, etc) all bolt to the side frames of the shell and are therefore as secure as the belt mountings.

It is my belief / understanding that the requirement for 'pull tested' seats and mounts is not appropriate for a T3.

Can anyone suggest a reason why this is not correct?

well perfectly correct.......
in the case of our vans the rear seat be they r & r bed or fixed are there to carry people, the seatbelts whether sourced from simon or other suppliers fit to the factory anchorages and are perfectly suitable for the task ,
I think the issue here is where folk look to buy a seat with the belts mounted to the seat frame (god knows why)as there is zero need, indeed i have been sent pickies of some of these seats and as seats they are fine but the use of the over shoulder diagonal that fixes to the floor or base of the seat and then goes vertically up the seat back and over the occupants shoulder and then diagonally down to their lap, this offer no forward restraint and would also likely cause injury , the over shoulder belt can locate at the floor but must be looped through an anchorage at around shoulder height thence appx 'horizontally to the shoulder.

so save money , fit a seat/bed of your choice and buy a purpose made belt kit

mm

Thanks for the replies - I hadn't realised that seatbelts were intended to be anchored to the bodywork as all the online information is for R&R beds for the T4 and later. Helpful to know!