Safest place for kids in an 88

[Stolidog]

I installed a Bestop fold and tumble seat orignally designed for a Jeep Wrangler. Its designed to mount to a flat surface which makes fitting easy, fits exactly between the rear wheel arches for a good fit and is a fold and tumble so I can get it out the way if I need to.

I modified the seat itself by adding a bar along the base at the bottom and making up latch points out of steel rod. This means teh kids seats are very securely mounted and avoided the issue of trying to fit seatbelts. Its really a kids only seat.

They are about as safe in the rear tub as you can be in a series 88 and very well secured.

Oh, and I've rolled one at 40mph and walked away with nothing more than a bunch of embedded galss from sticking my elbow through the driver's foor window. The truck held up suprisingly well all things considered. That was with modern 3 point inertia belts mind you.

Greenmeanie,
I have the same setup in the rear with the fold and tumble bestop seat but mine is facing backwards. I have a 4 year old right now and I have his car seat next to me but were expecting a newborn this october and was wondering how hard it is getting the baby seat in and out?
thanks
Jeff

[RoverForm]

I welded a piece of square tube stock into the base of the seat back frame. I then drilled through this and used steel rod bent to shape to form a set of LATCH points. The kids seats have straps that hook into them.

If you carefully at the picture above you'll see the strap from my son's seat running down the back to hook into one and the ends of the straps from my daughter's infant seat hooked inot it on the other side. I did this as I feel it secures the seats more securely than any seat belt mounting I could come up with.

green... do you have any close-up photos of your set-up?

thanks!

[luckyjoe]

I have a Bestop fold-n-tumble in my 109. This is a softtop with lap belts for child/booster seats. I'm in the process of upgrading to three point inertia belts all around - which will require a hardtop...

[greenmeanie]

green... do you have any close-up photos of your set-up?

thanks!

Yes, but it will take a couple of weeks to get at them. They are on a hard drive somewhere on the Atlantic right now. I've moved to Switzerland.

[Cutter]

Oh nice, they have good rovers there . Yeah I'm curious about taking the kid in and out, do you load from the front seat back or climb in the back?

[RoverForm]

Yes, but it will take a couple of weeks to get at them. They are on a hard drive somewhere on the Atlantic right now. I've moved to Switzerland.

no problem. i'd like to see them whenever they are available.

thnx!