Car seats in Interstate?

[jarreau]

Hi. I'm looking to purchase a 2016 Interstate. I prefer the Grand Tour without the the second row captains chairs, but am concerned I won't be able to hook up a child's seat to the rear bench. Has anyone ran into this problem? We intend to take our 3 year old grand child camping this spring, but want to make sure I have the ability to add a car seat. Thank you.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by jarreau

Hi. I'm looking to purchase a 2016 Interstate. I prefer the Grand Tour without the the second row captains chairs, but am concerned I won't be able to hook up a child's seat to the rear bench. Has anyone ran into this problem? We intend to take our 3 year old grand child camping this spring, but want to make sure I have the ability to add a car seat. Thank you.

Welcome to the AirForums!

Given the low ride quality in the rear seating area reported by several members of the AirForums in other threads, I'd be reluctant to put a child safety seat in the rear, unless you attach it to a side-facing seat directly over the wheel well. There's less bouncing motion the farther forward you go. In any event, you'd need a seat that can attach to a lap belt only— the rear seating area does not have safety seat latches or shoulder harnesses. Fortunately, such child safety seats do exist, intended for use on airplanes and buses that also have no shoulder straps or safety seat latches.

[Mjgman]

Do not put a child in a side seat.. Unless they are of appropriate height and weight.. They need to be facing the correct way in case of an accident..

I have put my child in the rear, you will need the seat belt fastener that will keep the seat belt tight on the car seat..

When installing a car seat you want to put your body weight into it while tightening the seat belt.. If you are unsure about how to do it, go to the sheriffs office, fire department or most hospitals offer a free service on how to correctly install the car seat..

Here is a picture of the fastener you need of there is not a latch system or a shoulder belt.. These usually come with the car seat.. Good luck and happy travels..

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Mjgman

Do not put a child in a side seat.. Unless they are of appropriate height and weight.. They need to be facing the correct way in case of an accident..

I stand corrected. Thank you.

[Titus]

We put our grandson's car seat in the rear bench seat. No complaints from him or Grandma about the ride. The top tether can be run over the top of the seat back and fastened to the floor brackets that hold the seatbelt. Put a movie in the rear TV and didn't hear a peep from him.

[InterBlog]

Children are not always as sensitive as older adults when it comes to comfort or discomfort. It depends on the child whether they will mind the rear ride conditions. I don't get any complaints out of my teenager, who sleeps back there. Of course that's the same child who snored all the way through Ike, the third costliest hurricane in U.S. history, when we were holed up in a thinly-boarded second floor room just seven miles from the eye, so...

[Mjgman]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

I stand corrected. Thank you.

I used to ride in the ledge on the back window of the car, I don't think my brother or I ever rode in a car seat.. When my mom came to a stop her arm came up to keep us from going forward.. Much has changed since those days... 😁

[Boxster1971]

My two teenage grand daughters ride in the back bench seat often and say the ride is fine with them. But then they are always on their devices and mostly oblivious to their surroundings.

I don't think the ride back there is that bad unless you are on really rough roads. I've taken naps on that back seat several times while my daughter drove us down the Interstate. No problems.

- - Mike
2013 Interstate Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

[jarreau]

Great forum... I really appreciate the quick responses. I agree on the side seats... probably a big flaw in most RV designs, even with belts. The body doesn't do well moving side to side.

So, any regrets purchasing an Interstate? I think they get better and better every year. It's a big commitment, so just trying to make the right decision.

Thanks again.

[jarreau]

Originally Posted by Mjgman

I used to ride in the ledge on the back window of the car, I don't think my brother or I ever rode in a car seat.. When my mom came to a stop her arm came up to keep us from going forward.. Much has changed since those days... 😁

[rmkrum]

Didn't have seat belts until they became required. I installed them in my 59 Chevy Biscayne because of San Francisco traffic paranoia in 1966 or so. (Yep huge tail fins, power nothing, tube radio and bench front seat. 283 V8 beast. )


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[UKDUDE]

Originally Posted by jarreau

Hi. I'm looking to purchase a 2016 Interstate. I prefer the Grand Tour without the the second row captains chairs, but am concerned I won't be able to hook up a child's seat to the rear bench. Has anyone ran into this problem? We intend to take our 3 year old grand child camping this spring, but want to make sure I have the ability to add a car seat. Thank you.

If after all this you're still leaning towards an Interstate, you might also consider the VB air suspension option which provides a MUCH more comfortable ride in the rear. At a cost of course!

[73shark]

Originally Posted by Mjgman

I used to ride in the ledge on the back window of the car, I don't think my brother or I ever rode in a car seat.. When my mom came to a stop her arm came up to keep us from going forward.. Much has changed since those days... 😁

We even rode bicycles w/o helmets and yet here we are.

Originally Posted by rmkrum

Didn't have seat belts until they became required. I installed them in my 59 Chevy Biscayne because of San Francisco traffic paranoia in 1966 or so. (Yep huge tail fins, power nothing, tube radio and bench front seat. 283 V8 beast. )


Sent from my pocket Internet using Airstream Forums

Put seat belts in my '59 Impala after clipping a guy's rear end after he ran a stop sign. Fortunately I was alone so no one in the suicide seat riding shotgun. Was surprised when I found factory attachment points. Been a seat belt believer ever since.

Now back to the car seats in AI thread.

[Amg]

I agree, if going to have regular passengers in rear get air suspension. I have it and the ride in the rear is as good as in the front

[InterBlog]

Old thread, but I have an off-forum question from a potential buyer asking about the second-row seats in NCV3 Interstates, and so I wanted to confirm.

Those seats are frame-attached, correct? They are regular automotive seats mounted to the vehicle frame in the same manner as the driver's and passenger's seats?

As opposed to, for instance, the rear seats in older Interstates, which are NOT frame-attached (sidebar omitted for brevity, but we discussed that on a previous thread several years ago).

Protag noted in this old post that the second-row seats are regular MB seats but mounted on swivel bases. Do the swivel bases affect the crash-worthiness or child seat usage suitability?

I cannot find info about this on Airstream's website. There is a generic "safety" page and video, but no confirmation of that feature.

[Titus]

We have a three--seat floor plan, with the second row seat being on the curbside. This seat does appear to have a similar mounting pedestal as the front two seats. The pedestal is bolted to the floor with four large bolts, but I cannot attest as to what these bolts connect to on the bottom side. (I recall a thread regarding removing the second row seats, and I think that thread referenced them being bolted to the frame.) I cannot see that this second row swivel would e any less crashworthy than the swivel on the front two seats.

Side-bar: The pedestal is about 1" too far back to be able to swivel the seat - it hits the bathroom wall behind it. It also sits about 1-2" lower than the front row seats. I have thought about putting in a spacer bracket of some sort that raises the seat (comfort) and moves it forward 1" (swivel). I suspect that any such bracket I fabricate would not be as crashworthy.

The biggest issue i see with using a car seat to this third seat is no place to hook the strap that goes over the back of the seat. You could use a booster seat - which is only held in place with the lap/shoulder belt. We have used a car seat in the middle of the lounge seat. the strap goes over the back of the lounge seat and down to the floor, attached to one of the seat belt anchors. The seat belts get fed through the gap between the back and seat cushions.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

Old thread, but I have an off-forum question from a potential buyer asking about the second-row seats in NCV3 Interstates, and so I wanted to confirm.

Those seats are frame-attached, correct? They are regular automotive seats mounted to the vehicle frame in the same manner as the driver's and passenger's seats?

As opposed to, for instance, the rear seats in older Interstates, which are NOT frame-attached (sidebar omitted for brevity, but we discussed that on a previous thread several years ago).

Protag noted in this old post that the second-row seats are regular MB seats but mounted on swivel bases. Do the swivel bases affect the crash-worthiness or child seat usage suitability?

I cannot find info about this on Airstream's website. There is a generic "safety" page and video, but no confirmation of that feature.

Hi

If the question is about a new AS then the GL would be the only one I know of with that "second row" seating setup. Is this indeed what they are looking at?
(just trying to focus on what they are after .....)

Bob