Adding extra seats to an already converted/ registered campervan

XsApollo · 05-04-2024 6:38pm #1

Hello,

I have 2011 T5.1 transporter campervan,

Fully converted and registered as a camper with 2 seats on the vehicle cert.

I want to remove the bench seat in the back and add a rock and roll bed with seatbelts.

How do I go about getting the vehicle cert updated to 4 seats?
I think the van was a shuttle before so no VRT should be due? Or would that even come in to play?

TIA

06-04-2024 11:43am

The seat would need to be pull tested and certified as such. Pricey at over €2k.

Then it would need a SQP report again and he may actually insist on a physical test of anchorage.

Finally you would need to get it recertified on the logbook for the new seats.

Can't imagine you would get it all done for less than €3k.

XsApollo · 06-04-2024 3:12pm

thanks for the reply. Yea I can see it’s not gonna be cheap, but I can see some M1 tested rock and roll beds around the 1500 mark.

I’m thinking I could fit it myself.

How much is the SQI, I thought I read before they were between 100 to 200 euro for a full conversion?

The recertification aspect is just sending in the required documents , SQI report and photos to revenue/ VRT ? If the van is a shuttle then no VRT should be due right?

I think my main concern is going back to revenue with the van, wether they think the seats increase the value and ask for some cash :-P

I’m gonna call a place or 2 during the week that do reports for camper conversions, have you any recommendations?

06-04-2024 4:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121984436#Comment_121984436

You need to find a local SQP and talk to him before you do anything. He will lay out what you need to show him so you can anticipate any issues in advance. Shop around as some are used to dealing with disability conversions and they will break your heart.

I would be surprised if you could get a suitable rock and roll for anything like €1500. Almost all will come from the UK and you will be hit by VAT Duties and postal fees. Been pull tested doesn't mean that your installation inherits the pull test as it's all about the actual fitting when it comes to safety.

A full conversion report is very rudimentary, he has a simple tick list for are the required features present, if there is a safety cert needed for anything you have added he will want to see that to apply his tick. The actual safety checks could be far more difficult and expensive than the conversion report.

XsApollo · 06-04-2024 6:45pm

sound advice, I will have a look for a local SQP and report back.

Thanks

XsApollo · 09-04-2024 2:43pm

well found someone that will give me a report.

M1 tested bed will do, and I can install myself.
And it will just be a visual inspection.

So now on to find a rock and roll bed. I see a couple of place in the north where I can get a rock and roll bed for 16-1700 euro I think.
calling them is next.
I would love a RIB seat/bed but can’t push myself to spend the extra on them.

11-04-2024 2:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121997571#Comment_121997571

Great.

dubbrin · 19-04-2024 10:23am

I'm looking at a similar route to you, except that I'm installing the certified seats fixed, not a r&r or RIB (cost prohibitive), and installing a non-seatbelt r&r bench/bed length ways to the back of the van with furniture/kitchen etc to the opposite side at the rear. Front seats, then double seatbelted bench behind, then length ways bed on one side with furniture opposite. LWB give enough space for a six foot me + wife/child on the bed once pulled out.

Me seatbelted seat is a factory Ford Custom rear bench + floor rails/fixings which I've fitted myself with spreader plates below. A combination of bolted through the chassis and the floor. Pretty solid to be fair.

Interested to hear what the SQI requires from here considering it's a factory seat/fixing system and moves away from the more expensive all-in-one RIB solution.

Please share your experience @XsApollo as it unfolds!

XsApollo · 19-04-2024 11:10am

my experience so far is, i will more than likely drive up north and get a rock and roll bed fitted up there and according to the engineer I found , once it’s fitted then he will only do a visual inspection, actually I might give Shannon a ring and see what’s required to get the number of seats updated.

I’m also looking at changing the front seats to captain seats.

My van has VW Passat seats in the front, whoever put them in then modified the bases , and cut the threaded mounting bolts for the original seats off. So now I need to remove the base and see if I can get the bases fixed.

Captain seat are a lot of money , I can find a pair in Europe with no bases, so upon my research I see my van was shuttle and the seat come with airbags, so if I put some seat without an airbag I will have to do something to stop the airbag lights coming on.

It’s a slippery slope 😁

I will keep updated for sure.

memaul · 09-08-2024 7:11am

Hi XsApollo. I'd love to hear how you got on and if you went ahead with the rock and roll bed installation? I'm thinking I'm going to go ahead with a van conversion and I have the same plans

XsApollo · 09-08-2024 7:20am

hey, I actually sold the van.

I’m going to do my own conversion from scratch at some point.

celtic_oz · 09-08-2024 8:37am

I have a Peugeot boxer, I left the passenger bench seat in, so certified with 3 seats.

It occured to me I could change the bench to a single swivel and create a belted seat in the rear without involving any re-cert ?

dubbrin · 09-08-2024 9:41am

My friend just had his large van inspected by an SQI and forms completed then sent off to Revenue. SQI was happy with the double bench seat he added to the rear. Factory OEM seat with belts, base etc. He fabricated up his own floor brackets and plates underneath. A good decent job that's clearly done right. SQI was happy with this approach and signed off on the conversion. Seems to be a common sense approach. The seat has certification info on it and belts are properly labelled as well.

I'll be getting my own conversion inspected in the coming month and can report back here. I'll ask the question above that @celtic_oz has put down. I'll be going from 2+1 in front to 1+1 front and 2 rear (factory OEM belted bench seat + factory floor rails and fixings. Only difference will be I made up floor plates underneath. I don't expect a problem.

10-08-2024 6:48am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122482550#Comment_122482550

I doubt an insurance company would look favourably on that.

mrbacco · 23-09-2024 6:14pm

hi. @XsApollo could you share the SQP name and number (in private), cause I am about to do the same thing. thanks

DinneyC1 · 15-11-2024 11:25pm

Hi there all! Looking for any assistance in something that I think is related to this thread. I have a Bailey Advance Motorhome on a Peugeot Boxer chassis. It’s a 4 berth camper with only 2 seatbelts in the front. As the family has expanded I’m looking to add 1 or 2 seatbelts in the rear.

Admittedly it’s not in my skill set to design/fabricate/install what’s needed so any direction in which you can point me to get to the right people would be greatly appreciated! Below image will give you an idea of current layout.

Thanks in advance.

Adding extra seats to an already converted/ registered campervan

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