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5 Things to Know When Shopping for Cargo Van Seats

Henry G - JMG SYSTEMS • September 28, 2020

Shopping for Cargo Van Seats

This article is not for everybody. It’s for those people who value and prioritize the safety of their family and friends traveling with them. Those people who want to ensure they buy seats that meet US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards aka DOT/FMVSS Safety Standard. So they can focus on driving and not have to constantly glance back in the mirror wondering if the seat they just bought and bolted down in the back of their van will hold up in a panic stop or major accident.
If you are one of these people keep reading...


1) What is FMVSS and does it apply to me and my van?
Short answer, yes if you are driving a vehicle of any sort in the US it applies to you. Learn more about the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards with the link below:
https://www.nhtsa.gov/laws-regulations/fmvss
 
2) Why do I need to install a passenger seat with integrated (3-point) seat belts?
It’s a federal requirement per US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS): Vehicles that weigh less than 10,000 lbs must have 3-points seat belts for every forward facing passenger seating position.
 
3) What do I need to know when shopping for a passenger seat?
All passenger seats must meet FMVSS Seat Structure and Seat Belt Anchorage Points strength requirements. This means the seat frame, seat belt mounting points and seat base/pedestal has to be strong enough to withstand the forces applied during a pull test per FMVSS 207/210 normally done in an engineering test lab. That is 6000lbs + 20x the weight of the seat + base applied to the seat frame which must be held in place to the test station by the mounting base or pedestal. The bottom line, when shopping for seats ask the vendor /manufacturer if the seats you are interested in are FMVSS 207/210 compliant.
NOTE: ECE tests and standards are not the same or equivalent to US FMVSS standards. Forward Passenger Seats used in US vehicles have to meet US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards!
 
4) OK, I bought an FMVSS certified passenger seat, bench seat, or captain chair but how do I mount it in my van?
Ah, good question! There are seat manufacturers out there that have gone through the process of designing and testing their seats to FMVSS safety standards but then leave it to the upfitter or customer to figure out how to install and reinforce the vehicle top floor and underside to ensure it is mounted properly. If you paid good money for a certified seat but have no help or support on how to install and reinforce your van’s floor to ensure a safe installation what good is it?

5) What is a tested and certified cargo an seating solution?
A tested & certified cargo van seating solution is a combination of the passenger seat frame(s), mounting base plus a top side floor mounting plate, and underside support brackets that have been designed to work together in order to successfully pass an in-vehicle pull-test per FMVSS 207/210 requirements.

Note: What does NTEA, The Association for the Work Truck Industry, have to say about adding passenger seats to a cargo van; “Many companies are interested in the flexibility modern cargo vans provide in transporting both cargo and people, electing to add seats behind the front row. Adding seats to a cargo van requires planning and engineering to accommodate the extra safety standards applicable to carrying passengers. All passenger seats in a vehicle are subject to safety standards that apply to seat belts, seat belt anchorages, seating systems (the seat itself and how it is attached to the vehicle), and flammability resistance of the seat materials. Seat structures/belts are subject to FMVSS 207/210 pull tests which require certain attachment systems designed to interact with a specific OEM’s van floor design. Any modifier or seating system supplier should have specific instructions about seat and seat belt attachment points and the method used to affix the seat to the vehicle floor -- all based on testing of the specific cargo van model.”
 

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