Lay-z-Boy for my Co-Pilot ?

[Dapplecreek]

Ours is a combo RV/Moving Van, and I need a copilot chair for my dear wife. We also need to move her smallish Lay-Z-Boy recliner. Why not add a seat belt, secure the recliner, and use that as her co-pilot chair?

She will not be reclining in it for safety reasons, and I will be strapping it so it doesn't go "pwang" and open in a hard-braking situation. But I believe I could easily snake the seatbelts along the inside of the arms and just outside the reclining back. The chair and the belts would be secured with Grade 8 bolts and big washers through the floor using the holes kindly provided by Mr. Thomas. I assume I could also do a shoulder belt mount to the side above the windows, too.

Thoughts?

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by Dapplecreek

Ours is a combo RV/Moving Van, and I need a copilot chair for my dear wife. We also need to move her smallish Lay-Z-Boy recliner. Why not add a seat belt, secure the recliner, and use that as her co-pilot chair?

She will not be reclining in it for safety reasons, and I will be strapping it so it doesn't go "pwang" and open in a hard-braking situation. But I believe I could easily snake the seatbelts along the inside of the arms and just outside the reclining back. The chair and the belts would be secured with Grade 8 bolts and big washers through the floor using the holes kindly provided by Mr. Thomas. I assume I could also do a shoulder belt mount to the side above the windows, too.

Thoughts?

My thought is that the frame of a recliner is not strong enough to hold either the seat, or your wife, in an impact.

She needs a vehicle seat. You could use one of the original bus seats if you still have them ... or just pull one from a salvage yard. It doesn't need to be fancy.

[PNW_Steve]

Originally Posted by Twigg

My thought is that the frame of a recliner is not strong enough to hold either the seat, or your wife, in an impact.

She needs a vehicle seat. You could use one of the original bus seats if you still have them ... or just pull one from a salvage yard. It doesn't need to be fancy.

I completely agree.

I would lean towards a captains chair out of a van mounted SECURELY with grade 8 bolts and reinforcement under the floor.

I saw one install where they cut a piece of 3/16" plate slightly larger than the seat mounting base and drilled matching holes. The plate went under the floor and grade 8 bolts went through the base, the floor then the reinforcing plate.

I have seen a number of RV's and buses that have been involved in accidents and seen how critical it is to secure everything in your rig.

[Dapplecreek]

Thanks - ya sold me!