Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)
  • Another bike van question – Rock n Roll beds
  • Rik
    Free Member

    After all the threads about bike vans. I have amother.

    Going to get a VW caddy maxi life in the new year. Looking to take out the rear seats and replace with a 3/4 width rock n roll bed. I know there is enough room and space for 2 bikes.

    Does anybody know of any good websites to buy the beds from (either frame only or complete)?

    Also what effect if any would this have on insurance? Dont ever intend to carry rear passengers anyyay on the rock n roll seat (and the seatbelt points will remain from the old seats)? Will if effect the MOT as well?

    Cheers in advance

    mick_r
    Full Member

    Caddy Maxi Life – make sure your wallet is full – the dealer prices / discounts / attitude were awful when we had a look last year. Also a bit over-trimmed for mtb use (light grey fabric and carpets ffs) and body is not very wide and tapers in towards the roof. VW did a swb Caddy camper in europe but nothing I know of for the maxi.

    In the end we went for a Citroen Dispatch Combi – much wider square body, rubber flooring, properly removable seats plus sensible discounts / spares / servicing costs. Only drawback is a bit slow with the 1.6 HDI.

    I work in a lab where we test seat installations – I wouldn't travel in a lot of the rock roll beds I see on the market. It really is a case of strong, cheap, stylish – choose 2. Reimo seat is good, as is the RIB seat from France. Scotseats can probably provide something strong but maybe not very pretty.

    You also need to get the height right – anything for a VW T5 etc will have long legs = travel sick passengers that can't see out the windows in a Caddy.

    Legally, an installation fitted after the vehicle is registered does not have to be subjected to a pull test (as it would trash the bodyshell!) However it should be a tested seat (will be an "M1" seat for that vehicle) and should be installed in a manner that could pass the test (i.e. more than just a few bolts in the floor and big washers). I know from experience that insurance will be a hassle but brokers can help. It may be possible to do something using the existing belts that could avoid needing an M1 seat.

    Basically – thinks very carefully and do lots of research.

    addy6402
    Full Member

    I have a T4 and a chap by the name of T4bedsrgr8 on the T4 Forum installed a very solid steel framed bed in mine including 3 point belts. Not crash/pull tested (due to cost) but a nice bit of kit. As above, think carefully on your attitude to risk and if you will be carrying passengers. I've not had any trouble at MOT time with mine though.

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    tracknicko
    Free Member

    how about insurance? you still got your t4 insured as a 3 seat bench? or 6 man vehicle?

    Lucas
    Free Member

    I'd be interested in the insurance implications of having standard seats installed in a panel van?

    Rik
    Free Member

    Thanks for the help.

    Will def be a Caddy Maxi as we need it to fit in the garage as it will only be used on weekend trips away.They are classed as a car so full mph on A roads too.

    Price arent to bad as they are coming down closer to the 10k mark now they've been around over a year.

    Like i say the rear seat/bed will NEVER be used for the transporting of passengers. Does this make a difference classification with MOT and insurance?

    There is a company called Wellhouse Lesuire who convert Caddy's and can provide a custom make bed for £700 furnished, but this seems steep compared to the frame only onptions and do the rest ourselves.

    As far as carpets etc I was going to buy a removable bath tub molded rubber floor hold the bikes.

    Any more advice welcome

    zomersetglider
    Full Member

    Rik

    I have a T4 & got several quotes for rock n roll beds and was suprised at the cost. I was reluctantly walking around Ikea one day (like you do) and stumbled across a FUTON for £100, measured up and hey presto fits a treat. Have had several good zzzz's in it during some stormy winter nights in Cornwall!

    Not sure how it would fit in a Caddy but worth a look mate.

    tracknicko
    Free Member

    have a look on vwt4forum this is the single most talked about subject on there.

    with some serious rants thrown in too!

    gavtheoldskater
    Free Member

    have a look on the t4 forum, loads and loads about rr beds.

    the company that addy6402 mentions are canons forge near derby (they do a very good discount for paid up t4 forum members, worth joining for that alone), their bed is very well regarded. it bolts into the pre existing lashing points in the rear of the vw vans to be fixed down so very secure. there are a lot of inferior copies to this design.

    as i understand the classification of a van goes from light goods vehicle to car if seats/windows fitted, and thus road tax can get very expensive. however you can classift as camper which is the same as lgv. do a google search, loads of info out there,

    gavtheoldskater
    Free Member
    mick_r
    Full Member

    If you are never carrying passengers then that opens up a lot more options.

    A professional conversion might be a bit easier to insure and cushions etc will be much higher quality than you can manage. Do you really need rock / roll? Could just do a frame and loose cushions job for eating / sleeping options. Google Amdro

    Some pretty trick spray on coatings are available for the bike storage bit http://www.linexmorecambe.co.uk/news/

    Don't bother about getting reclassified with DVLA. You are already an M1 passenger vehicle and best to keep it that way. Only do this if you want to change a panel van to a motorhome or dual purpose vehicle to get around the speed limit restrictions (which needs a VOSA inspection and lots of hassle plus your conversion probably won't have enough features to class as a motorhome anyway and not enough seats to be a DPV).

    Rik
    Free Member

    cheers everybody.

    Mick. It doesnt have to be a rock n roll but i didnt know there was an alturnative. Due to limited space in the caddy it def needs to be convertable.

    As long as we a are not carrying passengers and permantly remove the rear seats. If the bed we put in is removable it will not effect the mot/insurance then?

    We are only going to be sleeping in it occasionaly and use it more as a living area with table, seats etc and to make sure the bikes are locked away at night. Most of the time we'll sleep in a tent.but if the weather craps out we'll have another option.

    mick_r
    Full Member

    MOT shouldn't be a problem. We had a panel van Scudo with 2 x bolt in rear seats. They check seatbelts if they are there but otherwise aren't bothered.

    You must tell your insurer of everything you change or remove and it can be a right faff first time round. Try a specialist van / camper van broker. Some of the camper conversion sites might have negotiated special rates or ask at that caddy conversion company.

    I really don't recommend this but….
    It is might actually still be legal to have side facing seats and no seatbelts in a motorhome! (I think the rules are / were changing but can't remember when). The only reason for this was it was slightly less lethal to be loose in the vehicle than it was to be tethered by a seatbelt (spine and lobes of brain don't like lateral deceleration…..)

    andrewh
    Free Member

    I've gone the other way as it were, removing seats to install a bed. Insured with ibuyeco, they were very good. Slight premium increase (about £70) but otherwise no problems. Try them.

    Stoner
    Free Member

    how about fitting some bulkhead anchors and a hammock or two? 🙂

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