

| Subject: | Re: '90 Vanagon Jump Seats |
| From: | Budd Premack |
| Date: | Wed, 22 Mar 2000 22:25:18 -0600 |
Last summer I installed jump seats into my 86 Syncro. The following tips should be helpful. When you do the jump seat install, first place ALL components together in the van for rough location measurements. Next, drill holes and bolt the bracket to the battery box, being sure to use a flat steel plate inside the battery box for reinforcement. Then temporarily insert the seat so that the spring loaded pin is secure in the catch of the battery box bracket. Next, place the interior floor brackets (with protruding pipes) on the floor with the seat in its intended position (cushion flipped up is easiest for measuring) with the leg pegs inserted into the unfastened floor brackets. This allows accurate measuring of the floor bracket location, since it is not quite as critical a fit as is the spring pin/battery box bracket. If you permanently mount the floor brackets first, you run a distinct risk of being ever so slightly off in the measurement for the battery box bracket, which results in the spring pin not fitting easily into the battery box bracket. (BTDT!) This technique should be followed regardless of the type of mounting (bolts or welding) used on the floor brackets. For those of you (like me) who obtained a used set of belts minus the floor brackets, don't despair. You can easily fashion them by using flat steel of appropriate size, unto which you (or a shop) have welded a short length (3/4" or 2 cm) of steel piping that will fit around the pegs on the seat legs. Since the floor of our vans is not flat, be sure your steel plates are properly shaped, as a simple rectangle will not quite fit. A note about seat belts. It is not necessary to use the OE belts. You can use any standard lapbelt, as it bolts into the existing hardware. The OE belts mount exactly the same as a belt available from your FLAPS. The belt for the outer side of each jump seat bolts into the outer L shaped (*) part of the battery box bracket. The inner belt for each side shares its mounting bolt with the existing front seat inner belts. The only advantage of the OE belts is that the outer belt has an automatic reel for tension and the inner belt is very stiff so that it doesn't get in the way of the center passageway. These are nice benefits, but hardly worth the dealer price for me. (*) Note: If you don't have the L shaped part, it can be easily fabricated out of a flat steel piece, by giving it a right angle bend and drilling holes for the bolts that secure it to the outer end of the battery box bracket, and a hole for the seat belt bolt. Remember to always use appropriate size and strength bolts for all of these connections. Since these seats are mounted backwards, the forces of a frontal collision push the passenger into the seatback. Thus the need for a shoulder harness is reduced, IMHO. Although I understand the desire to safeguard any precious cargo, a discussion of shoulder belts is not covered here. This install can easily be done in a few hours by anyone who would even consider the attempt. Careful measuring and a few tools are all that is required. It is a wonderful convenience to be able to remove/install the seats in a matter of seconds without using any tools. These jump seats really are a pleasure, especially if you have passengers who don't mind riding backwards. Budd Premack 86 Syncro, 73 Super Minneapolis, MN (Land of Sky-Blue Waters)
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