Date: Wed, 19 May 2004 03:08:31 EDT
Reply-To: Oxroad@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jeff Oxroad <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: jumpseat brackets
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
In a message dated 5/18/2004 7:30:37 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
jeffg@MIKOEXOTICWEAR.COM writes:
> does anyone have any of the floor mounting brackets to mount a rear facing
> jumpseat..i have a 1989 Vanagon Westfalia.
>
>
I thought someone posted not so long ago that these were available from the
VW Dealer. Although I'm guessing you checked that since I think the 2,3,4 you
note is from ETKA parts list.
Just because I was looking I'm going to note the part numbers here, and
hopefully open up or fan the heated debate on the safety issue.
ETKA notes "reinforcement for wheel housing" for mounting the bracket that
holds the jumpseat. That is the bracket that mounts to the battery compartment
or the storage compartment under the driver's seat depending on which side the
seat is to be mounted. These reinforcements look to go inside the battery box
and seem to have two holes to accept the bolts that the bracket-(let's call it
the upper bracket even though the lower bracket is no more that the mounting
plates with holes welded to the floor) to accept the 2 bolts that mount the
upper bracket at each end. (two bolts at each end means four bolts for the
entire upper bracket).
These upper bracket reinforcements would seem to be in line with BenT's
concern about proper and SAFE mounting of the seat. Seems VW assessed a need for
these reinforcements, most likely to reduce injury in a collision. I guess this
because the seat would seem to mount fine on the battery box and storage box
without reinforcement--thereby suggesting it was to keep the seat from tearing
free in the unlikely event of a collision. "Seems" I say as I've never even
been to VW headquarters since they moved from Englewood, NJ.
And in addition I beleive the seat belt mounts into the battery box or
storage box with the same bolts that mount this upper bracket. So again additional
reinforcement would be helpful to prevent the seatbelts from tearing out at
their mount in a collison.
I'd be concerned about this sort of thing for the safety of all occupants of
the bus in the unlikely event of a collision. Obviously a person in the 5th
seat, should the seat or seat belt tear loose, could be injured by being tossed
about the cabin. But in addition unbelted persons or those torn from their
belts persons become projectiles in said collision and can hit those in front
causing bodily injury to both. (Take this as a public service announcement to
wear seatbelts even in the back seat. I saw a study recently where an unbelted
rear passenger flies forward in a collision and crashes their head into the head
of the person in the front seat leaving both with head injuries. I know the
headrest should be between them, but apparenlty it tears loose or gets moved
enough with the force of the unbelted rear persons entire body weight crashing
into it.)
Anyway here are the part numbers:
Retaining plates that are welded to the floor (could these plates be bolted
to the floor? I don't know. who has seen them?)
255 887 225 retaining plate left outer
255 887 225A retaining plate right outer
225 887 225C retaining plate inner (looks like right and left use same
inner plate)
These are the reinforcements that mount in the battery box or storage box
255 887 401A reinforcement for wheel housing left
255 887 402 reinforcement for wheel housing right
These are the plastic caps that fit over the metal pins that stick into the
floor and mouting plate
253 887 465 (needs 2 caps for the two pins)
Here, just for the heck of it, are the part numbers for the upper mounting
braket
255 887 371 support tube left
255 887 372 support tube right
And then there's the storage tray which looks like it goes behind the seat
back and could be used to hold gum and other forgotten items.
253 887 499 tray
That's all I've got.
BEst
Jeff
83.5 Westfalia
LA,CA
