Inward Facing Fold up Seats - Seatbelts 90

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mtliddle

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Hi All
I'm looking at installing rear seats to my 90. The Exmoor high back inward facing fold ups are looking to be my best option at the moment as the full seats are way too $$$$$$.
I'm looking for some help/advice; the recommended seat belts are the lap ones which I'm sure is OK but,
1. Are they suitable for children from the age of 7?
2. Is it possible to install 3-point belts?
3. What is the law regarding lap belts? (cant seem to find a definite answer anywhere)
4. Do you have to get V5/MOT altered to reflect the increase in seats?

Its a lot of questions, any help/advice will be greatly appreciated.
Apologies if this has been covered in another thread.

Many thanks
Mark
 
Not sure about the law on seatbelts but I don't think i'd put a 7 year old in the back of a Landy with a lap belt unless he/she was directly behind the drivers/passengers seat. and even then i'd be nervous... there isn't really anywhere to hook up a 3 pointer in the back. The lap straps are fixed to the tub with a plate underneath.

I've got a spare seat if you are interested. It's got the seatbelt but you would need to get the bolts and plates https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rov...785263?hash=item5452e1d72f:g:Y2IAAOSwyGZaGEk0
 
What country are you in?

in short if there are belts no. Children cannot use them. If there are no belts they can legally use them. I have a letter from the powers that be. Have posted it on here before. But will try and dig it out for you.
 
300bhp/ton said:
What country are you in?

in short if there are belts no. Children cannot use them. If there are no belts they can legally use them. I have a letter from the powers that be. Have posted it on here before. But will try and dig it out for you.
Click to expand...
In Scotland
Ok thanks for info.
I would be fitting the belts if I go ahead with install.
 
miktdish said:
Not sure about the law on seatbelts but I don't think i'd put a 7 year old in the back of a Landy with a lap belt unless he/she was directly behind the drivers/passengers seat. and even then i'd be nervous... there isn't really anywhere to hook up a 3 pointer in the back. The lap straps are fixed to the tub with a plate underneath.

I've got a spare seat if you are interested. It's got the seatbelt but you would need to get the bolts and plates https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rov...785263?hash=item5452e1d72f:g:Y2IAAOSwyGZaGEk0
Click to expand...

Thanks for reply.
I think I know realistically that I need full seats to make it right, but just don't want to lose the space when needed in the back.
I am reluctant to spend the big bucks for full size fold away's as the only time they will get used is if the weather is so bad in the winter that my wife needs to drives the kids 3 miles to school!
But also need to justify to her that we need it!! which we absolutely do
 
The side facing seats are not really safe for adults never mind children, every time you turn a corner anyone sat in theses type of seats are pushed inwards, depending on which side they are on to the direction the vehicle is turning. its a real struggle sitting in them. Anyone who has sat in them will know what I mean.
 
Scooby22 said:
The side facing seats are not really safe for adults never mind children, every time you turn a corner anyone sat in theses type of seats are pushed inwards, depending on which side they are on to the direction the vehicle is turning. its a real struggle sitting in them. Anyone who has sat in them will know what I mean.
Click to expand...
Yeah i totally understand.........should really have bought a 110.
 
mtliddle said:
Hi All
I'm looking at installing rear seats to my 90. The Exmoor high back inward facing fold ups are looking to be my best option at the moment as the full seats are way too $$$$$$.
I'm looking for some help/advice; the recommended seat belts are the lap ones which I'm sure is OK but,
1. Are they suitable for children from the age of 7?
2. Is it possible to install 3-point belts?
3. What is the law regarding lap belts? (cant seem to find a definite answer anywhere)
4. Do you have to get V5/MOT altered to reflect the increase in seats?

Its a lot of questions, any help/advice will be greatly appreciated.
Apologies if this has been covered in another thread.

Many thanks
Mark
Click to expand...
It's not straightforward to actually fit them. You will need to put reinforcing bars in, connected to the chassis. They are hard to get hold of.
Then you have the practical and legal aspects mentioned in the other posts.
If you use the search function, there are A LOT of threads on the subject.
 
Scooby22 said:
The side facing seats are not really safe for adults never mind children, every time you turn a corner anyone sat in theses type of seats are pushed inwards, depending on which side they are on to the direction the vehicle is turning. its a real struggle sitting in them. Anyone who has sat in them will know what I mean.
Click to expand...
Nonsense. Done 100’s of miles in the back of Land Rovers growing up. And a fair few in adulthood too.
 
Last edited:
You can't fit three point seatbelts to inward facing seats, they are designed for forward facing seats.
Inward facing seats are 5hite, there is a reason why they stopped fitting them Land Rovers after the late 1990's.
When Land Rover fitted inward facing seats to the station-wagons they fitted a substantial frame that tied the seatbelt mounts to the chassis.
Irrespective of whether you inform DVLA, I'm sure your insurance company would be interested and may refuse to cover you.
 
In summary:
  • Lap belts only in this type of seat. 3-points are only of use on a forward or rear-facing seat- going sideways the forces on the shoulder strap are all in the wrong direction and it may do more harm than good.
  • If kids need a booster seat, legally they can't sit there. They aren't allowed to just use the lap belt (even if it can be adjusted to suit!) and no kids' seats are approved for going sideways. It's an example of the law not being thought out with old Land Rovers in mind. If there are no belts, kids over 3 can ride in the back which makes even less sense.
  • You need a substantial steel spreader plate under the wheel arch to bolt the anchor points to. Otherwise they will tear through the aluminium in a crash.
  • It's up to you to decide whether going sideways is unsafe or not.
I'll add that IMO, it's not worth fitting forward-facing seats. They just don't fit properly and many retrofits end up with them so close together that you can't get out without folding up one of them. Any seat from which you can't rapidly vacate the vehicle without assistance is simply dangerous in an accident. A rear-facing bench across the bulkhead would be better.
If forward-facing it must be, I'd trade up to a 110!
 
I would also add to the above (which I completely agree with no point fitting forward facing seats) that if you fit side ways facing seats there is no point fitting a seat belt. A lap belt in a sideways facing seat will do very little to prevent you moving in an accident due to the direction of travel and by fitting one you introduce other laws dictating who can sit in them. Seat belts are not a legal requirement in sideways seats, IMO do not improve the safety of sideways seats, and if fitted become mot testable items, must be worn by anyone sitting in the seats, and because of this, limit who can sit in the seats, I would not fit them and do not have them fitted to my sideways facing seats.
 
dag019 said:
Seat belts are not a legal requirement in sideways seats, IMO do not improve the safety of sideways seats, and if fitted become mot testable items.
Click to expand...

Side-facing seats aren't a testable item on the MOT test, seat belts or not. My 90 had all four with factory-fitted belts, and several MOT testers ignored them completely. Like reversing lamps or front fog lamps, they just aren't on the list.
 
FlyingPete said:
Side-facing seats aren't a testable item on the MOT test, seat belts or not. My 90 had all four with factory-fitted belts, and several MOT testers ignored them completely. Like reversing lamps or front fog lamps, they just aren't on the list.
Click to expand...
I was under the impression all seat belts are testable items if fitted regardless of the seating configuration, but they do not need to be fitted and are not a legal requirement for side facing .
 
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