Camping Interior self build beds - Revision history

Ghost123uk: /* Steel-frame R&R bed base */

2014-06-17T06:51:54Z

Steel-frame R&R bed base

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:51, 17 June 2014
Line 35:		Line 35:
	I am indebted to Big Gordon (my neighbour) for his help throughout. When making the seat base and back, I designed it so that with the seat base down, I can be sure it won't move an inch and locks into place firmly. I feel that the rear seat now far exceeds safety requirements and has provided extra strength across the width of the van without compromising storage space in any way.		I am indebted to Big Gordon (my neighbour) for his help throughout. When making the seat base and back, I designed it so that with the seat base down, I can be sure it won't move an inch and locks into place firmly. I feel that the rear seat now far exceeds safety requirements and has provided extra strength across the width of the van without compromising storage space in any way.

	Horizontal bars don't bend (even with my weight) as they're heavy ~~guage~~ box 3mm steel (had to compromise weight on these to get required strength) but the rest is angle iron - all galvanised as thats all I had to hand and original hinges from my old MDF bed.		Horizontal bars don't bend (even with my weight) as they're heavy gauge box 3mm steel (had to compromise weight on these to get required strength) but the rest is angle iron - all galvanised as thats all I had to hand and original hinges from my old MDF bed.

	You could use lighter ~~guage~~ steel for horizontal seat base if you added support struts but I have tank underneath so wanted space clear. If you have no tank, you gain a lot of storage space with this design!		You could use lighter gauge steel for horizontal seat base if you added support struts but I have tank underneath so wanted space clear. If you have no tank, you gain a lot of storage space with this design!

	Note: leaving back open makes it much easier to fit than a wooden one which has to be cut to fit exactly. You can take the whole seat further back, simply by grinding the ends off the angle iron at rear and repositioning hinges. This one sits an inch back from sliding door opening - ample.		Note: leaving back open makes it much easier to fit than a wooden one which has to be cut to fit exactly. You can take the whole seat further back, simply by grinding the ends off the angle iron at rear and repositioning hinges. This one sits an inch back from sliding door opening - ample.

CovKid: /* Steel-frame R&R bed base */

2013-07-01T10:04:02Z

Steel-frame R&R bed base

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:04, 1 July 2013
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	The front of the seat can be infilled with a board or made into a cupboard with doors for storage. I just happen to have a tank under mine. The front horizontal was set back on mine so I could just screw in a framed board.		The front of the seat can be infilled with a board or made into a cupboard with doors for storage. I just happen to have a tank under mine. The front horizontal was set back on mine so I could just screw in a framed board.

	A final note about base and back (in case you're wondering). Seat base is easy - a thickish ply board screwed to seat part of hinge is fine and a thin strip of wood screwed to underneath (hard against one of the steel horizontals) enables me to lock it so it can't move forward when in seat position. The back ~~shouldn't~~ flex, so ~~what I did was have a friend put a lenth of wide flat steel into a folder~~ to ~~give~~ it ~~strength along the length but not so it ended up too thick in profile and~~ this ~~became a stengthening rib~~ for ~~the back as opposed to bendy ply on its own. It works well and as soon as~~ I ~~have pics of this I'll add them~~ but ~~noted it here as a solution. You~~ may come up with a better ~~one!~~		A final note about base and back (in case you're wondering). Seat base is easy - a thickish ply board screwed to seat part of hinge is fine and a thin strip of wood screwed to underneath (hard against one of the steel horizontals) enables me to lock it so it can't move forward when in seat position. The back will flex so you need to introduce some rigidity to it - see further down this page for how I did it, but you may come up with a better solution.

	[[Image:rz3.jpg]]		[[Image:rz3.jpg]]

CovKid: /* Steel-frame R&R bed base */

2013-07-01T09:55:35Z

Steel-frame R&R bed base

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:55, 1 July 2013
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	To get a better idea, cut the back board, bolt it on then raise and lower bed a few times to work out where the bracing piece should go and with what material.		To get a better idea, cut the back board, bolt it on then raise and lower bed a few times to work out where the bracing piece should go and with what material.

	[[Image:~~bedbrace1~~.jpg]]		[[Image:bedbrace.jpg]]

	Cutting foam:		Cutting foam:

CovKid: /* Steel-frame R&R bed base */

2013-07-01T09:50:59Z

Steel-frame R&R bed base

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:50, 1 July 2013
Line 80:		Line 80:

	[[Image:Seatfinished.jpg]]		[[Image:Seatfinished.jpg]]

			To strengthen the seat back, I used ply but added a horizontal bracing piece (bar/profiled strip) behind to stop the back flexing. It bolts right across back to RnR brackets. but just short enough so that when seat folds down flat, this bracing section drops neatly into the seat base without fouling anything. In actual fact I used a length of 'M' or 'W' profile galvanized fencing stuff (see photo below). No way can it bend because of its shape. You often see it around industrial units with three spikes on the top? It was what came to hand but I'm sure other things could be utilised to achieve same effect.

			To get a better idea, cut the back board, bolt it on then raise and lower bed a few times to work out where the bracing piece should go and with what material.

			[[Image:bedbrace1.jpg]]

	Cutting foam:		Cutting foam:
Line 94:		Line 100:

	Many are just screwed with tiny L brackets and as she found after a shunt, the seat departed company, ripping the wood in the process. No surprise there. I'm not a fan of wooden seats particularly when fixings have been a last thought. You CAN fix to the bulkhead no problem. All you want is two big L brackets and bolt each to bulkhead by drilling a hole for the bolt and using a piece of thick steel as a washer underneath, run the bolt through. Once tightened up, the washer stops the bolt ripping out of the bulkhead providing a firm fixing. The weak point with wooden seats will always be where any bracket is screwed/bolted to the wood so if you make sure these too have big washers or some way of spreading any tugging force, you'll reduce the chance of the bolts/screws ripping out of the wood. As stated above, if two strong fellas can rip out the rear seat with their bare hands, its not fixed properly so add whatever reinforcement is needed and DON'T rely on small L brackets and self tapping screws - it is not enough. Those that tell you they are clearly don't value rear passenger safety.		Many are just screwed with tiny L brackets and as she found after a shunt, the seat departed company, ripping the wood in the process. No surprise there. I'm not a fan of wooden seats particularly when fixings have been a last thought. You CAN fix to the bulkhead no problem. All you want is two big L brackets and bolt each to bulkhead by drilling a hole for the bolt and using a piece of thick steel as a washer underneath, run the bolt through. Once tightened up, the washer stops the bolt ripping out of the bulkhead providing a firm fixing. The weak point with wooden seats will always be where any bracket is screwed/bolted to the wood so if you make sure these too have big washers or some way of spreading any tugging force, you'll reduce the chance of the bolts/screws ripping out of the wood. As stated above, if two strong fellas can rip out the rear seat with their bare hands, its not fixed properly so add whatever reinforcement is needed and DON'T rely on small L brackets and self tapping screws - it is not enough. Those that tell you they are clearly don't value rear passenger safety.

	~~Additional notes (March 2012):~~

	I was asked specifically about the seat back. I used ply but added a horizontal bracing piece (bar/profiled strip) behind to stop the back flexing. It bolts right across back to RnR brackets. but just short enough so that when seat folds down flat, this bracing section drops neatly into the seat base without fouling anything. In actual fact I used a length of slightly profiled galvanized fencing stuff - hard to describe but the end profile is a rather loose 'M' shape. No way can it bend because of its shape. You often see it around industrial units with three spikes on the top? It was what came to hand but I'm sure other things could be utilised to achieve same effect.

	~~To get a better idea, cut the back board, bolt it on then raise and lower bed a few times to work out where the bracing piece should go and with what material.~~

	==Bed bases==		==Bed bases==

CovKid: /* Steel-frame R&R bed base */

2013-07-01T09:48:09Z

Steel-frame R&R bed base

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:48, 1 July 2013
Line 80:		Line 80:

	[[Image:Seatfinished.jpg]]		[[Image:Seatfinished.jpg]]

			Cutting foam:

			If you're fortunate enough to get a double bed-sized piece of foam, first cut it to fit with bed down so you fill the space from front of what was the seat edge, to rear door lock. You'll need to taper foam slightly towards rear hatch as these vehicles are not square! You'll need a marker pen and an electric carving knife to make any cuts.

			Now remove foam completely, put bed into seat position and measure seat base. Remember, the foam for the upright part of the seat will sit ON TOP of this foam so make it a fairly good fit. Cut this from one edge of the large piece of foam. Put this seat base in place and measure the backrest height - from edge of backrest to top of seat foam you just put in place. Cut that. Now whats left will be the wedge-shaped bit that always sits behind seat over engine bay.

			Do it in that order and all will be well. Do it any other way and it'll cost you

	NOTE		NOTE

CovKid: /* Steel-frame R&R bed base */

2012-03-10T08:28:43Z

Steel-frame R&R bed base

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:28, 10 March 2012
Line 86:		Line 86:

	Many are just screwed with tiny L brackets and as she found after a shunt, the seat departed company, ripping the wood in the process. No surprise there. I'm not a fan of wooden seats particularly when fixings have been a last thought. You CAN fix to the bulkhead no problem. All you want is two big L brackets and bolt each to bulkhead by drilling a hole for the bolt and using a piece of thick steel as a washer underneath, run the bolt through. Once tightened up, the washer stops the bolt ripping out of the bulkhead providing a firm fixing. The weak point with wooden seats will always be where any bracket is screwed/bolted to the wood so if you make sure these too have big washers or some way of spreading any tugging force, you'll reduce the chance of the bolts/screws ripping out of the wood. As stated above, if two strong fellas can rip out the rear seat with their bare hands, its not fixed properly so add whatever reinforcement is needed and DON'T rely on small L brackets and self tapping screws - it is not enough. Those that tell you they are clearly don't value rear passenger safety.		Many are just screwed with tiny L brackets and as she found after a shunt, the seat departed company, ripping the wood in the process. No surprise there. I'm not a fan of wooden seats particularly when fixings have been a last thought. You CAN fix to the bulkhead no problem. All you want is two big L brackets and bolt each to bulkhead by drilling a hole for the bolt and using a piece of thick steel as a washer underneath, run the bolt through. Once tightened up, the washer stops the bolt ripping out of the bulkhead providing a firm fixing. The weak point with wooden seats will always be where any bracket is screwed/bolted to the wood so if you make sure these too have big washers or some way of spreading any tugging force, you'll reduce the chance of the bolts/screws ripping out of the wood. As stated above, if two strong fellas can rip out the rear seat with their bare hands, its not fixed properly so add whatever reinforcement is needed and DON'T rely on small L brackets and self tapping screws - it is not enough. Those that tell you they are clearly don't value rear passenger safety.

			Additional notes (March 2012):

			I was asked specifically about the seat back. I used ply but added a horizontal bracing piece (bar/profiled strip) behind to stop the back flexing. It bolts right across back to RnR brackets. but just short enough so that when seat folds down flat, this bracing section drops neatly into the seat base without fouling anything. In actual fact I used a length of slightly profiled galvanized fencing stuff - hard to describe but the end profile is a rather loose 'M' shape. No way can it bend because of its shape. You often see it around industrial units with three spikes on the top? It was what came to hand but I'm sure other things could be utilised to achieve same effect.

			To get a better idea, cut the back board, bolt it on then raise and lower bed a few times to work out where the bracing piece should go and with what material.

	==Bed bases==		==Bed bases==

CovKid: /* Cushions and foam */

2011-07-02T08:54:17Z

Cushions and foam

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:54, 2 July 2011
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	[http://forum.club8090.co.uk/index.php?title=Internet_Links_New_Parts_suppliers Cushions - 80-90 Wiki Suppliers links]		[http://forum.club8090.co.uk/index.php?title=Internet_Links_New_Parts_suppliers Cushions - 80-90 Wiki Suppliers links]

	[http://www.pluss.org.uk/~~index.php?id=1~~ Pluss Organisation Exeter] make-up cushions. [http://forum.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=24201 See 80-90 thread] Here are some pictures of cushions made-up for club80-90 members from that thread:		[http://www.pluss.org.uk/textiles-and-re-upholstery Pluss Organisation Exeter] make-up cushions. [http://forum.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=24201 See 80-90 thread] Here are some pictures of cushions made-up for club80-90 members from that thread:

	[[Image:Pluss_Cushions_VL_01.jpg]]		[[Image:Pluss_Cushions_VL_01.jpg]]

CovKid: /* Steel-frame R&R bed base */

2011-05-22T11:23:43Z

Steel-frame R&R bed base

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:23, 22 May 2011
Line 27:		Line 27:
	==Steel-frame R&R bed base==		==Steel-frame R&R bed base==

	And added here by Covkid for anyone who wants to make their own rock n roll bed. It is predominantly steel but is also a useful guide for any DIY seat/bed - including wooden ones. Its only a design outline (not a blueprint) and actually easier to make than try and explain but hopefully my efforts here may save you some time. This seat is very bespoke, so you'll need to do your own measurements but due to its design it also means you can cut and weld to suit any width, depth or length. Construction pics should help you define measurements. Seat base and back can be ply but seat back will need strengthening (more about this later). Up to you how you finish the bed/seat but carcass is here for reference. The slope of van sides gives the room needed for hinges to move freely.		And added here by Covkid for anyone who wants to make their own rock n roll bed.

	~~Firstly I removed the rock n roll hinges from the existing MDF~~ seat, ~~threw~~ the ~~MDF in the bin~~. I ~~then set about welding together~~ a ~~strong seat base that is bolted through~~ the ~~floor and rear bulkhead with chunky spreader plates~~. ~~Spreader plates are basically massive washers or pieces~~ of ~~flat steel bar with a hole drilled through them~~. ~~They take~~ the ~~strain and stop bolts being ripped out~~ of ~~bulkhead~~. ~~Fit stronger than you need - best way!~~		This seat/bed is predominantly steel but is also a useful guide for any DIY seat/bed - including wooden ones. Its only a design outline (not a blueprint) and actually easier to make than try and explain but hopefully my efforts here may save you some time. This seat is heavy-duty and very bespoke, so you'll need to do your own measurements but due to its design it also means you can cut and weld to suit any width, depth or length. Construction pics should help you define measurements. Seat base and back can be ply but seat back will need strengthening (more about this later). Up to you how you finish the bed/seat but carcass is here for reference. I made a ply facia for the front which I can remove easily if I need to. The slope of van sides gives the room needed for hinges to move freely. Any wood seen in pics is purely cosmetic and plays no part in the strength of the seat whatsoever.

	I ~~am indebted to Big Gordon (my neighbour) for his help throughout. When making~~ the seat ~~base and back~~, I ~~designed it so~~ that ~~with~~ the ~~seat base down, I can be sure it won~~'~~t move an inch~~ and ~~locks into place firmly~~. ~~I'm very happy~~ with ~~the result and it strengthened the bed base in the process~~. ~~I feel that~~ the ~~rear seat now far exceeds safety requirements~~ and ~~has provided extra strength across the width~~ of ~~the van without compromising storage space in any~~ way.		Firstly I removed the rock n roll hinges from the existing MDF seat, threw the MDF in the bin. I then set about welding together a strong seat base that is bolted through the floor '''and''' rear bulkhead with chunky spreader plates. Spreader plates are basically massive washers or pieces of flat steel bar with a hole drilled through them. They take the strain and stop bolts being ripped out of bulkhead. Fit stronger than you need - best way! Mine were about 2"x3" and 1/4" thick.

	~~Horizontal bars don't bend~~ (~~even with~~ my ~~weight~~) ~~as they~~'~~re heavy guage box 3mm steel (had to compromise weight to get required~~ strength~~) but~~ the ~~rest is angle iron - all galvanised as thats all I had to hand and original hinges from my old MDF bed~~.		I am indebted to Big Gordon (my neighbour) for his help throughout. When making the seat base and back, I designed it so that with the seat base down, I can be sure it won't move an inch and locks into place firmly. I feel that the rear seat now far exceeds safety requirements and has provided extra strength across the width of the van without compromising storage space in any way.

	~~It bolts down to bulkhead with spreader plates on reverse~~ (~~5mm flat steel~~ with ~~holes for bolt~~) ~~so won~~'~~t be going anywhere~~. You could use lighter guage steel for horizontal seat base if you added support struts but I have tank underneath so wanted space clear. If you have no tank, you gain a lot of storage space with this design!		Horizontal bars don't bend (even with my weight) as they're heavy guage box 3mm steel (had to compromise weight on these to get required strength) but the rest is angle iron - all galvanised as thats all I had to hand and original hinges from my old MDF bed.

			You could use lighter guage steel for horizontal seat base if you added support struts but I have tank underneath so wanted space clear. If you have no tank, you gain a lot of storage space with this design!

	Note: leaving back open makes it much easier to fit than a wooden one which has to be cut to fit exactly. You can take the whole seat further back, simply by grinding the ends off the angle iron at rear and repositioning hinges. This one sits an inch back from sliding door opening - ample.		Note: leaving back open makes it much easier to fit than a wooden one which has to be cut to fit exactly. You can take the whole seat further back, simply by grinding the ends off the angle iron at rear and repositioning hinges. This one sits an inch back from sliding door opening - ample.

	These are Marcle Leisure Hinges http://www.marcle-leisure.co.uk/information/rock-n-roll-hinges.htm however not all hinges are the same so it pays to clamp or tack-weld them on until you've found the best position for seat up/down movement then fix them permanently with bolts. The same applies to DIY wooden seats if you're building from scratch - make a test dummy box base to work it all out ~~fiorst~~. I ground what appeared to be a stop pin off the Marcle ones - not needed on a steel seat base but on a wooden one the pin drops into a recess to presumably lock the seat down.		These are Marcle Leisure Hinges http://www.marcle-leisure.co.uk/information/rock-n-roll-hinges.htm however not all hinges are the same so it pays to clamp or tack-weld them on until you've found the best position for seat up/down movement then fix them permanently with bolts. The same applies to DIY wooden seats if you're building from scratch - make a test dummy box base to work it all out first - doesn't need to be as wide as finished one. Better to waste a bit of wood testing than build a complete seat that doesn't work. I ground what appeared to be a stop pin off the Marcle ones - not needed on a steel seat base but on a wooden one the pin drops into a recess to presumably lock the seat down.

			I'd built two wooden rear bed/seats in the past which whilst serving their purpose at the time, had inherent weaknesses and even if a seat belt fixing is sound, if the seat can give way under serious deceleration, you introduce a whole new set of problems, more so when the vehicle is loaded with stuff above the engine that can push on the back of the seat. Hence my 'this is going nowhere' solution.

	~~I'd built two wooden~~ rear bed/seats in the ~~past which whilst serving their purpose at~~ the ~~time, had inherent weaknesses and even if~~ a seat ~~belt fixing~~ is ~~sound, if~~ the seat ~~can give way under serious deceleration~~, you ~~introduce a whole new set of problems~~, ~~more so when the vehicle is loaded with stuff above the engine~~ that can ~~push~~ on ~~the back of the~~ seat. ~~Hence my solution~~.		Various ideas and designs have appeared over the years for more robust rear bed/seats, and you can buy seats ready made but at the end of the day its about having a seat that is firmly fixed (when in the seat position), properly anchored with chunky bolts and spreader plates, belts properly anchored, and affordable. Thats as much as you can reasonably aim for. I chose to build my own, and one that I felt would absolutely meet those requirements, even if it meant a weight increase here and there. In materials it cost well under £100 and I don't see how I could possibly improve upon it. I'm 17 stone (ish) and I can jump on that rear seat, and three hefty blokes couldn't tear it out with their bare hands (a good acid test for wooden seats). I am very happy to seat three children on it and it simply will not move. I'd argue that it has far more strength than stock VW front seat fixings.

	Various ideas and designs have appeared over the years for more robust rear bed/seats, and you can buy seats ready made but at the end of the day its about having a seat that is firmly fixed (when in the seat position), properly anchored with chunky bolts and spreader plates, belts properly anchored, and affordable. Thats as much as you can reasonably aim for. I chose to build my own, and one that I felt would absolutely meet those requirements, even if it meant a weight increase. In materials it cost well under £100 and I don't see how I could possibly improve upon it. I'm 17 stone (ish) and I can jump on that rear seat, and three hefty blokes couldn't tear it out with their bare hands (a good acid test for wooden seats). I am very happy to seat three children on it and it simply will not move. The rear bulkhead and floor offer good places to create fixings. The seat should end up level (without boards or cushions) with the rear engine hatch level. The frame is very easy to make and hinges can be mounted or even welded to the sides of the frame as appropriate.		The rear bulkhead and floor offer good places to create fixings. The seat should end up level (without boards or cushions) with the rear engine hatch level. The frame is very easy to make and hinges can be mounted or even welded to the sides of the frame as appropriate.

	Heres the finished seat carcass, freshly painted and drying in the sun prior to installation. ~~Closeups~~ of the construction follow.		Heres the finished seat carcass, freshly painted and drying in the sun prior to installation. Close-ups of the construction follow.

	[[Image:rz4.jpg]]		[[Image:rz4.jpg]]

CovKid: /* Steel-frame R&R bed base */

2011-05-22T11:09:27Z

Steel-frame R&R bed base

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:09, 22 May 2011
Line 81:		Line 81:
	Have added these points as I was asked this directly by a member. Not everyone will agree with me but my answer was in reply to a question about the security/fixings of a wooden (ply or MDF) seat base and in this instance she had a seat that only had floor fixings and the person who installed it said it couldn't be fixed to the rear bulkhead as there was nothing to fix to. This seems a lame excuse to me.		Have added these points as I was asked this directly by a member. Not everyone will agree with me but my answer was in reply to a question about the security/fixings of a wooden (ply or MDF) seat base and in this instance she had a seat that only had floor fixings and the person who installed it said it couldn't be fixed to the rear bulkhead as there was nothing to fix to. This seems a lame excuse to me.

	Many are just screwed with tiny L brackets and as she found after a shunt, the seat departed company, ripping the wood in the process. I'm not a fan of wooden seats particularly when fixings have been a last thought. You CAN fix to the bulkhead no problem. All you want is two big L brackets and bolt each to bulkhead by drilling a hole for the bolt and using a piece of thick steel as a washer underneath, run the bolt through. Once tightened up, the washer stops the bolt ripping out of the bulkhead providing a firm fixing. The weak point with wooden seats will always be where any bracket is screwed/bolted to the ~~brackets~~ so if you make sure these too have big washers, you'll reduce the chance of the bolts/screws ripping out of the wood. As stated above, if two strong fellas can rip out the rear seat with their bare hands, its not fixed properly so add whatever reinforcement is needed and DON'T rely on small L brackets and self tapping screws - it is not enough.		Many are just screwed with tiny L brackets and as she found after a shunt, the seat departed company, ripping the wood in the process. No surprise there. I'm not a fan of wooden seats particularly when fixings have been a last thought. You CAN fix to the bulkhead no problem. All you want is two big L brackets and bolt each to bulkhead by drilling a hole for the bolt and using a piece of thick steel as a washer underneath, run the bolt through. Once tightened up, the washer stops the bolt ripping out of the bulkhead providing a firm fixing. The weak point with wooden seats will always be where any bracket is screwed/bolted to the wood so if you make sure these too have big washers or some way of spreading any tugging force, you'll reduce the chance of the bolts/screws ripping out of the wood. As stated above, if two strong fellas can rip out the rear seat with their bare hands, its not fixed properly so add whatever reinforcement is needed and DON'T rely on small L brackets and self tapping screws - it is not enough. Those that tell you they are clearly don't value rear passenger safety.

	==Bed bases==		==Bed bases==

CovKid: /* Steel-frame R&R bed base */

2011-05-22T11:05:46Z

Steel-frame R&R bed base

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:05, 22 May 2011
Line 29:		Line 29:
	And added here by Covkid for anyone who wants to make their own rock n roll bed. It is predominantly steel but is also a useful guide for any DIY seat/bed - including wooden ones. Its only a design outline (not a blueprint) and actually easier to make than try and explain but hopefully my efforts here may save you some time. This seat is very bespoke, so you'll need to do your own measurements but due to its design it also means you can cut and weld to suit any width, depth or length. Construction pics should help you define measurements. Seat base and back can be ply but seat back will need strengthening (more about this later). Up to you how you finish the bed/seat but carcass is here for reference. The slope of van sides gives the room needed for hinges to move freely.		And added here by Covkid for anyone who wants to make their own rock n roll bed. It is predominantly steel but is also a useful guide for any DIY seat/bed - including wooden ones. Its only a design outline (not a blueprint) and actually easier to make than try and explain but hopefully my efforts here may save you some time. This seat is very bespoke, so you'll need to do your own measurements but due to its design it also means you can cut and weld to suit any width, depth or length. Construction pics should help you define measurements. Seat base and back can be ply but seat back will need strengthening (more about this later). Up to you how you finish the bed/seat but carcass is here for reference. The slope of van sides gives the room needed for hinges to move freely.

	Firstly I removed the rock n roll hinges from the existing MDF seat, threw the MDF in the bin. I then set about welding together a strong seat base that is bolted through the floor and rear bulkhead with chunky spreader plates. I am indebted to Big Gordon (my neighbour) for his help throughout. When making the seat base and back, I designed it so that with the seat base down, I can be sure it won't move an inch and locks into place firmly. I'm very happy with the result and it strengthened the bed base in the process. I feel that the rear seat now far exceeds safety requirements and has provided extra strength across the width of the van without compromising storage space in any way.		Firstly I removed the rock n roll hinges from the existing MDF seat, threw the MDF in the bin. I then set about welding together a strong seat base that is bolted through the floor and rear bulkhead with chunky spreader plates. Spreader plates are basically massive washers or pieces of flat steel bar with a hole drilled through them. They take the strain and stop bolts being ripped out of bulkhead. Fit stronger than you need - best way!

			I am indebted to Big Gordon (my neighbour) for his help throughout. When making the seat base and back, I designed it so that with the seat base down, I can be sure it won't move an inch and locks into place firmly. I'm very happy with the result and it strengthened the bed base in the process. I feel that the rear seat now far exceeds safety requirements and has provided extra strength across the width of the van without compromising storage space in any way.

	Horizontal bars don't bend (even with my weight) as they're heavy guage box 3mm steel (had to compromise weight to get required strength) but the rest is angle iron - all galvanised as thats all I had to hand and original hinges from my old MDF bed.		Horizontal bars don't bend (even with my weight) as they're heavy guage box 3mm steel (had to compromise weight to get required strength) but the rest is angle iron - all galvanised as thats all I had to hand and original hinges from my old MDF bed.
Line 74:		Line 76:

	[[Image:Seatfinished.jpg]]		[[Image:Seatfinished.jpg]]

			NOTE

			Have added these points as I was asked this directly by a member. Not everyone will agree with me but my answer was in reply to a question about the security/fixings of a wooden (ply or MDF) seat base and in this instance she had a seat that only had floor fixings and the person who installed it said it couldn't be fixed to the rear bulkhead as there was nothing to fix to. This seems a lame excuse to me.

			Many are just screwed with tiny L brackets and as she found after a shunt, the seat departed company, ripping the wood in the process. I'm not a fan of wooden seats particularly when fixings have been a last thought. You CAN fix to the bulkhead no problem. All you want is two big L brackets and bolt each to bulkhead by drilling a hole for the bolt and using a piece of thick steel as a washer underneath, run the bolt through. Once tightened up, the washer stops the bolt ripping out of the bulkhead providing a firm fixing. The weak point with wooden seats will always be where any bracket is screwed/bolted to the brackets so if you make sure these too have big washers, you'll reduce the chance of the bolts/screws ripping out of the wood. As stated above, if two strong fellas can rip out the rear seat with their bare hands, its not fixed properly so add whatever reinforcement is needed and DON'T rely on small L brackets and self tapping screws - it is not enough.

	==Bed bases==		==Bed bases==