3rd front seat?

[treesprite]

I was came briefly across something about installing a 3rd front seat/jump seat in a van. It would solve my need for a 3rd seatbelted seat, but it would also take away ability to get to the back from the front without going outside.

Has anyone done such an addition to their van, or swapped for a bench seat? If so, how has it worked out?

 

[Uncle Todo]

On the Astro forum I'm on, my van is a Chevy Astro, someone was just asking about installing a bench seat.
Someone had but in the smaller Astro the middle seat was way to close to the center console/engine cover for any practical legroom.
In your full size van that may not be the case.
I believe you'd have to modify the seats and/or brackets but may also require seat removal for interior engine access.
You could always up and over the seat back lol.

 

[MrNoodly]

Well, first off, any seat that would fit between the other two seats would need to be a special narrower seat. Or maybe replace all of them with a bench seat out of something, and the three of you can squiggle up snug to each other.

But that still leaves the rear access problem. Darned old two-different-things-can't-occupy-the-same-space-at-the-same-time rule. Darned old lack of magical portals. I assume you don't want to put the third seat behind one of the others because that would leave less space in the back for other things. By the way, where are the three of you going to sleep?

 

[tradesman]

You can purchase used seats that have been pulled out of new vans (ford transit seats seem most readily available) that have the shoulder seatbelt built in and have two floor mount brackets. The seat is removable with a pull of the lever(s) from the brackets.

 

[BelgianPup]

How about installing the third seat behind the driver's seat, facing backwards?

 

[bullfrog]

If you are a migrant worker being transported in a old school bus you can use a folding chair under federal law. How about that for equal treatment under the law! Most applications that are not in factory locations are difficult and expensive because they require extra reinforcement required to meet DOT specs. I bet your insurance wouldn’t cover you in an accident if you just add a seat and someone in it gets hurt in an accident.