HOw safe is it to have the 3rd row in an unlimited? Any research done? What if you added a heavy duty rear bumper?

 

Lots of threads on this

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...&highlight=row

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...tle-Seats-quot

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...w-seat-install

 

Those are great for info no safety data though.

 

I had posted in an older thread and was hoping to find out if they actually do seat three it comes with seatbelts for three but can see how but the smallest of children could squeeze three across.

JJ

 

Short Answer: Not very safe.

You're not going to find "research" because the gov't and manufacturers do not test every homemade seating arrangement in every vehicle. The JKU was not designed for a 3rd row. Just because you can do it . . . .

A rear HD bumper would only afford protection in limited circumstances and not provide any extra in the event of a rollover, side-impact, etc. Anyone riding in a third row would have there vitals outside of the safety cage. Not exactly where you would want to be.

 

How safe is it to roll around without doors. Not very but mine haven't been on in 3 months. It will suck when I'm broadsided by ram 1500 or a f150. Like other have said there is no data out their. It is up to you to decide if it is a risk your willing to take for yourself and passengers. With that being said it appears looking at pics that jeeps that are rear ended do very well in accidents.

Rollovers are another story. Low speed as well as high speed rolls can be very violent. I have been in two , both no seatbelt. The camaro I wrecked was an end over end roll ejected out the back window. The jeep was a slow roll.

If you have passengers in the third seat and roll what would be the outcome? I would probably do a new cage before a full steel bumper. Then again what will the outcome be if the passengers were just in the back seat and you don't have doors or a top on.

In conclusion I would say extremely safe.

 

I have the TeraFlex seat brackets with a 2 door JK rear back seat in my jeep. Instead of using the kingserts it came with I used bolts (which there are 8 in each bracket.) I keep mine in the rear facing position when offroading due to the face that the passengers heads fit just inside of the roll bar. There isn't much feet room, but the kids sit crosslegged. I installed 4 point seat belts to keep them from flying forward in the event of a collision. In my own safety opinion after running the seat...I feel that if there was a roll over they would be just fine. The majority of the weight is going to be distributed in the front due to the engine and the windshield and frame are going to die! For a rollover to affect the 3rd seat you would have to somehow put a weight to the rear...going noses over end. And hopefully my rear bumper and tire carrier can aid in giving protection. In a collision you would have to get rear ended. Side to side they have the axle and body to protect them, which if you have your doors off they are going to be safer than you! And even running with your doors on...they are just element protectors, they offer no protection in collisions. With this said...This is my opinion and you have to drive safe all the time keeping in mind that you have passengers back there. And if you are doing some serious offroading and run the risk of hurting your kids back there...you should ask yourself the question...do my kids even need to be there for it? Pisses me off to watch videos of people on the internet pulling there kids out of the jeep after a rollover...really people? Get a babysitter if you are going to be putting your kids at risk like that!!! If I ever get hasseled by anyone with this I am going to shoot out that there are thousands of convertibles out there that offer less protection than what my jeep offers. By the way the kids love it! Just like we loved the rear facing seat of the station wagon!

 

^^I have the same setup and agree with this.^^

 

Guess I should chime in. Here's why I was asking in the first place.

My wife loves my jeep and was wanting to get rid of her traverse and me get a new jeep.

We have 3 kids fit fine no problems. I was inquiring into this just in case we had to pickup some one else's kids from school or to spend the night. We are not talking about offloading interstate or roadtrips just aroun town.

Also my front doors come off all the time not the back due to the kids but if you take yours off that's up to you not judging or saying your wrong for it. This jeeper is a non-judger of any other jeeper!

 

I'm sorry, but I just have to jump in and play Devil's Advocate.

Your Jeep did not come equipped with a 3rd seat. Although there are aftermarket parts to install the rear seat from a 2dr, it's still not a factory option. That being said, what do you think would happen IF there was an accident and the passengers of the extra seat got injured? Think liability. Do you think your insurance would cover you for (technically) a modified fitted seat? If the seat adapters were to fail or if the seat could be blamed in the least, who do you think holds the liability? Do you think the manufacture of the adapter would be liable. The disclaimer that I got with my lift comes to mind. It's there for THEIR benefit, not ours.

Now I'm not saying that we all don't take risks, but you got to weigh the risk vs. the benefit and make an educated decision.

Depending on the circumstance and distance, I may take that calculated risk. Some may not. It's a personal decision where the ramifications of that decision may come back to bite you on the butt.

Just my