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Cowgomooo · 04-08-2019, 01:15 PM

I have scoured the internet looking for the best way to travel in our Class A Gulfstream Crescendo with our family that consist of a wife, 14, 11, and 3 year old. Most blogs and such simply say don't do it. I have finally "engineered" a solution for those looking for a way. For the sake of this conversation I will concede that most Class A motorhomes built on rail chassis are boxes on wheels and that we are working on risk reduction and not tragedy elimination here.

Our toddler is required to be in a car seat in many states (and the wife insist), plus toddlers are not very good at staying in their seats. The only option was to either put them in the front passenger seat or side face them on the couch as there were no seat belts in the dinette and the sofa only has lap belts. The problem with a side facing car seat is that in event of a sudden stop the other kids slam into it and it just didn't fit correctly no matter how much adjustments we made.

Our Solution:

We bought a SafeRider Plus harness (amazon link)
This has a place on the shoulders to attach a tether strap. I added a tether point to the seatbelt bolt in the floor of the sofa (bought here).

I also added a lap belt in the dinette for older passengers.

You'll want the kit with the added neck pillow as the metal tether points are uncomfortable. Also, there are some metal buckles in the back that were uncomfortable as well and we used a washcloth on each until our final solution, a seat belt neck guard we cut to fit. You'll also want some pillows to help them prop on and to help them as they wiggle around and sleep so they can be comfortable.

In the end, it works pretty well and she withstood an 8 hour trip (better than in her car seat). We had one pretty good hard breaking moment and she didn't fly off the sofa - success.
Also, this can be used as a carseat replacement when the bulky regular carseat is inconvenient.

I hope this helps others in their travels.

Peace and Roll on!

Jean n Steve · 04-08-2019, 01:40 PM

Indeed it is helpful! We plan to have our granddaughter (3yo today) with us as much as is legal and I've been scratching my head about her safety for a while.
I'll be looking hard at your solution - THANK YOU.

Steve

Bahamaniac · 04-08-2019, 02:04 PM

Great idea! We will be traveling with our 4 year old granddaughter next month. Keep them safe and happy!

HamboneTHW · 04-08-2019, 09:21 PM

We’ve had good luck with our Graco seat for our little man. I haul down on the straps. The seat has stayed secured for our trips. I feel the car seat provides good safety. He’s right at the weight to be forward facing and that allows me to connect the rear tether to the support bar bolted to the floor.

Dutch Star Don · 04-08-2019, 11:17 PM

We've hauled the grandkids on a couple of occasions, but only one at a time. We used the seatbelts on the sofa to attach the car near the end of the sofa, closest to the front of the coach, which has a slide wall there. I then place a large pillow between the car seat and the slide wall. In a front impact, the car seat will stay in place and the pillow while provide protection from hitting the slide wall.

153stars · 04-08-2019, 11:48 PM

I have been looking at one of these.... Other brands as well single or double.I was thinking about putting along table . could be used a dinette seating.
http://fmsseating.com/seats_and_acce.../325_foldaway/

bobbelcher · 04-09-2019, 09:55 AM

I have been thinking about this as I am about to have a newborn in June and we will have trips 6 hours one way to the inlaws a couple times a year in the coming years. I have a 3rd captains chair on the passenger side behind the passenger seat that i cant for the life of me understand why i cant put the car seat in that seat. is that how it would normally done?

Momma was thinking that we could some how put the car seat on the sofa but the sofa only has lap belts and I couldn't for the life of me picture how that would be better than putting him in the 3rd seat. he could be front or rear facing in this seat where as the couch, he would be side facing. She was thinking we could turn the car seat sideways and strap it in but I didn't think it would work that way.

153stars · 04-09-2019, 10:24 AM

The link is poor . its a fold down fold up an away bus seat.... bolts to floor.. Might need bracing under floor. Or add a single diskette booth bench with lap belts.

foundwaldo · 04-09-2019, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbelcher

I have been thinking about this as I am about to have a newborn in June and we will have trips 6 hours one way to the inlaws a couple times a year in the coming years. I have a 3rd captains chair on the passenger side behind the passenger seat that i cant for the life of me understand why i cant put the car seat in that seat. is that how it would normally done?

This is actually what i believe the seat is meant for. In my coach you can turn the chair all the way to face any direction. I was told that the child does not have to be in a car seat, but I am finding that to not be true in all states.

bobbelcher · 04-09-2019, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foundwaldo

This is actually what i believe the seat is meant for. In my coach you can turn the chair all the way to face any direction. I was told that the child does not have to be in a car seat, but I am finding that to not be true in all states.

I couldn't imagine not having a child in a car seat. My plan at this point is to use this 3rd seat for the car seat. the 3rd seat i know spins 90 degrees but could spin 180 degrees i suppose. just never used it like that. I also think some may not have the 3rd seat which then would really pose an issue with car seats.

hohenwald48 · 04-09-2019, 02:15 PM

In TN the law does not require seat belts or car seats in vehicles over 10K pounds. I'm not saying you shouldn't use them. Just that they aren't legally required regardless of what a bunch of internet pages might say. You have to dig pretty deep into the TCA to find that the definition of a "Passenger motor vehicle" does not include vehicles over 10K.

Here's the actual wording from TCA 55-9-602 - "(h) As used in this section, unless specified otherwise, "passenger motor vehicle" means any motor vehicle with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of ten thousand pounds (10,000 lbs.) or less, that is not used as a public or livery conveyance for passengers. "Passenger motor vehicle" does not apply to motor vehicles that are not required by federal law to be equipped with safety belts."

foundwaldo · 04-09-2019, 04:42 PM

If anyone is interested in the laws by state. Always look it up to make it hasn't changed.

https://rvshare.com/blog/things-need...eat-belt-laws/

Gordiegaffer · 04-15-2019, 02:20 PM

Our dinette has seat belts on both sides so we are good front or back

foundwaldo · 04-15-2019, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordiegaffer

Our dinette has seat belts on both sides so we are good front or back

Just keep in mind even though the seatbelts are mounted to the frame, the reason they are not considered the best is because the benches are considered a fail point because they can break. They are made of wood or osb. I hear it is also unusual for seatbelts to be on the one that faces the back because it is not safe to be facing backwards.