Gday Sam,
I guess if your Westfalia rear seat is structurally inferior to the
approved seats installed in Australia, then you have a problem. If
however the seat is structurally equivalent to approved Oz ones (and
with no visible compliance as with mine), then clearly you need to
establish whether or not a camper conversion done around about the time
your Syncro was first registered, did or did not have some sort of
visible compliance on the seat or somewhere else in the vehicle. Go
check some other vehicles for this. If your Syncro is an older one, then
more likely than not, no proof of compliance in the vehicle was afixed
... simply that the seats were manufactured to the required standard by
licenced converters. In which case, when push comes to shove, installing
an approved but unmarked rear seat should be aok or install the
Westfalia seat if it is structurally equivalent, including the
fastenings. Your real issue is ensuring the seatbelts are installed to
necessary specs of the Dept. of Motor Transport. Maybe you need to
contact them and ask for their specs. At worst, they can only say no.
Only you can decide whether or not you need the bureaucrats to inspect
your installation and seek compliance.
I'd be very surprised if ALL equipment in Australian vehicles requiring
compliance by bureaucrats has in fact got it. Bit like all the building
work done around Australia that hasn't gained Council approval. Cheers.
Ken
--- In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, "pootaguru" <me@...> wrote:
>
> Emailed Trakka and they no longer sell anything t3. Bummer. Thanks
> for looking at your seats guys.
>
> Anyone else who might sell this seat?
>
> Hey where do I get (and what are) 'S' bars ?? Any tips on putting the
> seat belts in myself? Drill a hole, tap it? They are just lap belts,
> so only four bolt holes required. Or do you think I should try asking
> some body shops if they would do it?
>
> Thanks guys, Sam.
>
> --- In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, "hdvwoc" plander@ wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > > I don't know if this will hinder or help you. Let me explain. I
have a
> > > full trakka conversion in my Syncro. I've searched all over the
rear
> > > Trakka folding seat and there is not a trace of any markings,
labels,
> > > stampings or whatever verifying ADR compliance.
> > >
> > > Then when I check the vehicles compliance plate, it specifically
> > states
> > > that this vehicle has a seating capacity of 2. So in other words,
were
> > I
> > > to present this vehicle to your pedantic engineer, he wouldn't
pass
> > it.
> > > Anomaly? Silly? Bureaucracy inept?
> > >
> > > As well, there is no reference to seating capacity on the
registration
> > > certificate either, nor that it has been converted.
> > >
> > > Begs the question, after an empty new van is first registered and
then
> > > an aftermarket camper conversion is installed, what makes anyone
think
> > > any inspections are carried out for compliance anyway?
> > > Cheers
> > > Ken
> >
> >
> > Trakka is a licenced converter as are the seat
manfacturers/installers
> > and they do not require inspections. The laws changed during the
syncro
> > years and depending on what year the van was converted depends on
> > whether there is a sticker, a compliance plate or nothing. All years
> > must have the "S" bars to mount the seat belts and use approved
belts.
> >
>