2014 T5.1 Caravelle - How do I remove rear seat track covers?

[T51Caravelle]

Hi all,
We're just starting a campervan conversion on our 2014 T5.1 Caravelle. We've removed the rear seats leaving the long silver-grey seat track covers which sit proud of the carpet and have black rubber dust strips either side of the seat channel. We'd like to remove these covers so that we can put down a flat wooden flooring (we'll be leaving the heavy-duty black tracks in the floor as they're recessed, we just want to remove the metal strips that cover them). It looks like the track covers are separate from the black channels but we can't see how they are attached - screws/spring clips/rivets/welds? Do any of you have info/photos/videos of how to remove these without bending or breaking them? Many thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

Regards

 

[Skyliner33]

Thread 'Removing Aluminium Plates From Caravelle Rails.'

10 Jun 2019

I've just fitted some caravelle rails.
Now when all the aluminium cover plates are in place I can see its easy how to remove the short front pieces, however I cant work out how to remove the long rear pieces.

Thanks for any help.

• Skyliner33
• caravelle floor rails
• Replies: 10
• Forum: Interiors, Seating, Lining

 

[T51Caravelle]

Solved!

For anyone else needing to remove the seat slide-rail covers in a T5.1 Caravelle, here's how to do it (the job is pretty simple – I’m just being really thorough describing it here):

First take out the seats. You do this by opening and removing the little metal flaps in the rail covers near the front. Pry them upwards from the rubber edge and they’ll ping open. You can then remove them, leaving a large rectangular hole in the seat track cover. Slide the seat forward until its four anchor points are visible in the freshly made holes (two in each rail), then lift the seat out. If you’re tempted to lean it towards the doors make sure you are definitely over the holes or the seat anchors will bend the track cover.

Now you have the seats out the rest is relatively simple. It’s well worth remembering that the slide rail covers are separate from each other. For example in the outside tracks you have two covers, one each side of the rail. They are not magically connected together so you need to remove each one independently. The middle rails comprise three covers each: one either side and another down the middle. All must be removed separately - there are 10 in all and each one is held in place by clips down one side only.

Pry out the decorative black plastic end-caps on each slide rail.

Unscrew and remove the anchor points at the rear ends of the outside rails by the tailgate.

All you should have left now are the metal slide rail covers and you should be able to clearly see the heavy-duty black slide rails under them.

The covers are held in by black metal clips on the main black slide rails. They have a little ledge that runs their entire length and it clips into these black clips (see pics). There are 6 or 7 clips along the length, depending on the rail.

Get a tack remover and starting with the middle rails at the rear, slide it under the edge of the slide rail cover where it presses into the carpet. Slide the tool forwards until you bump into a black clip. Making sure you're not on the clip but just in front or behind it, lever the cover upwards. Be brave, it takes effort but finally you will hear and feel a very loud crack as the clip releases the cover. It won’t break it, it just clings on quite well.


Move along the rail from the rear forward, releasing each clip. For the outer rails, the plastic body trim is in the way towards the rear so start in the middle and move forward, then backwards when the front section is free. Avoid starting near the seat-removal holes you made earlier as these holes leave very little seat rail cover and you can easily bend them there.

I removed all 10 covers in about an hour.

Pic #1 shows the black clips
Pic #2 shows them either side of the rail
Pic #3 shows the ridge that clips into these black clips holding the cover in place
Pic #4 shows the same thing from a different angle

Be brave, have fun!

(I should probably say that these notes are for friendly guidance only, I don't pretend to be an expert so please don't take these notes as fool-proof instruction!)