Fitting Caravelle seat rails

[Stumacher]

I know who can - Colin @VWVC

You’re best ringing him as he’s a busy man who probably doesn’t get online much. He helped me with advice with mine even though I never bought them from him - 07799626310

Hi ,Yes I have been to see Colin he's smashing chap but I haven't ended up purchasing from him. I did intend to collect up my parts and go back and see him for fitting but with a busy life and lack of days holiday to spare on road trips to oxford. I thought jack the van on the drive and attempt what on the whole should be a fairly straight forward task carried out over the period of a few evenings.

I now feel guilty to call Colin for his Knowledge when the Guy is trying to run a business not give free info.
I'm kind of hoping someone who has carried out this task will know, if they had to drill the 2 holes for the centre rails in the very rear cross member as well as the floor skin. This is one that lives above the centre of the spare wheel without any markings.
All the other holes seem to have a pre stamped hole that's a bit bigger than a 5p coin and you just have to drill the floor skin and job done.

Possibly I'm over thinking this, i just don't want a balls up .

 

[t6blo]

@Coradia63 when you did your rails - and you took the underbody pictures - I see the exhaust still appears to be fitted. Can the heat shields be removed without taking the exhaust off?

I have the 4x Kombi brackets to fit for the 3 seater bench in my panel van and really don’t fancy dismantling half the van to get to the underside of the bolts.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Coradia63]

Hi @t6blo

No I didn't have to remove the exhaust I just had to remove the flexi rubber mounts on the rear section this allows the exhaust to drop down a few inches and the heat shields will come out ok.

Good luck!

 

[Skyliner33]

How did you set the rail flat when this is in the way? It’s a bolt hole for the middle floor tie down point.

 

[Coradia63]

View attachment 44527 How did you set the rail flat when this is in the way? It’s a bolt hole for the middle floor tie down point.

Mine didn't have that extra hole on the left only the hole on the right hand-side which isn't in the way of the rail is the hole on the left side raised off the floor? Is that why the rail wont sit flat looks like someone has added that afterwards rivnut?

 

[Skyliner33]

Mine didn't have that extra hole on the left only the hole on the right hand-side which isn't in the way of the rail is the hole on the left side raised off the floor? Is that why the rail wont sit flat looks like someone has added that afterwards rivnut?

Thanks for the reply and for writing the thread. As for the mounting in my van I think thats standard on a panel van.

Hmmmm, now do I drill it out or just fill it with Tiger seal.

Im struggling to work out how many strengthening plates I need.

Is it:

7HO 803 547 A for Left rail x4
7HO 803 548 A for right rail x4

And then for the 2 centre rails same but plus 1 double plate each rail?
7HO 803 547 A for centre rails x2

How did you fix the plates to the chassis?

 

[Skyliner33]

2 More questions, sorry.

1. Where did you get the plug that fits the socket in the caravelle step light?
2.Is there a tailgate step protector trim specific to the caravelle?

Thanks

 

[Deaky]

1, from @Pauly
2, yes there is a caravelle specific step

 

[Skyliner33]

1, from @Pauly
2, yes there is a caravelle specific step

Thanks, @Pauly how much would a replacement plug be to replace the kombi one on the loom I got from you.

I cant seem to find the Caravelle step anywhere. Is a case of go the the main dealers?

 

[Coradia63]

Thanks for the reply and for writing the thread. As for the mounting in my van I think thats standard on a panel van.

Hmmmm, now do I drill it out or just fill it with Tiger seal.

Im struggling to work out how many strengthening plates I need.

Is it:

7HO 803 547 A for Left rail x4
7HO 803 548 A for right rail x4

And then for the 2 centre rails same but plus 1 double plate each rail?
7HO 803 547 A for centre rails x2

How did you fix the plates to the chassis?

Hi @Skyliner33

I have attached a picture of the positions and part no's of the brackets I have used (I'm not say this is correct as I have had to work it out!) the problem I had is the all 4 bolts at the tailgate end I still don't know which are the correct brackets so I just used the same brackets I used on the outer rails for now the part No I have shown with the question marks may be the correct one but I don't know it would be good to find out as I would like to fit the correct ones the light grey boxes shows which side of the cross members the brackets are on, as for fixing the brackets they do have rivets but you cant get to all the rivet holes so not all the brackets can be fixed I don't believe this is an issue its more for ease not having the brackets drop off when you take the bolts out hope this helps if anyone knows any different or has the correct bracket part No's let me know and I can update the diagram to make it easier for others in the future

 

[Skyliner33]

Thanks for that. However I thought the ones ending 7A were for the left and 8A for the right.

Why are the back 4 different?

I thought the double ones I've highlighted with a box are part #7HO 802 763 A?

Did you only put the front and back in the middle 2 rails?

Finally how did you manage to get a bracket on the ones I've circled? I cant even get my hand anywhere near those?

 

[Coradia63]

Your right the brackets are handed but its relevant to which side of the cross member they fit due to the shape of them it becomes obvious when you try to fit them however thats assuming the rails you have are the same as the ones I had mine came out of a 2018 Caravelle I think rails that have come out of older T5 may have more bolts used or possibly holes in slightly different places?? I don't know for sure only what I've picked up of the web


You don't fit reinforcing brackets to the middle rails as the cross members are of adequate strength I believe they increased the strength of these on the T6 compared to the T5 with the exception to the first front bolt and the rear last bolt the cross members are thin and require reinforcing and thats also the reason the rear 4 are different to the rest its doesn’t have the same cross member arrangement as the rest

As for the ones you circled it’s awkward but you can get the brackets in

 

[Skyliner33]

Your right the brackets are handed but its relevant to which side of the cross member they fit due to the shape of them it becomes obvious when you try to fit them however thats assuming the rails you have are the same as the ones I had mine came out of a 2018 Caravelle I think rails that have come out of older T5 may have more bolts used or possibly holes in slightly different places?? I don't know for sure only what I've picked up of the web


You don't fit reinforcing brackets to the middle rails as the cross members are of adequate strength I believe they increased the strength of these on the T6 compared to the T5 with the exception to the first front bolt and the rear last bolt the cross members are thin and require reinforcing and thats also the reason the rear 4 are different to the rest its doesn’t have the same cross member arrangement as the rest

As for the ones you circled it’s awkward but you can get the brackets in

Thanks. I will try to do a bit of research tomorrow. I have been told you need a couple of the "double" brackets, but not sure where for as I haven't checked the middle rail positions underneath the floor yet. As for rivits, the cross members have the holes in place for some of the brackets but not all. I will make a note of which do/don't when next under the van.

Have you looked into why the middle rails dont need the strengtheners when the outer ones do in the same chassis rail? I thought if the rails is strong enough in one place it should be in the others also.

 

[Coradia63]

The outer rails don’t go through the same thickness cross member that only goes in between the main chassis my drawing probably a bit misleading its thinner on the outer edges thats why they need the brackets, yes your right you need two double size brackets thats the 763A ones

 

[Coradia63]

Top photo is of the cross member, bottom you can see the outer bracket fitted

 

[Skyliner33]

Hi @Skyliner33

I have attached a picture of the positions and part no's of the brackets I have used (I'm not say this is correct as I have had to work it out!) the problem I had is the all 4 bolts at the tailgate end I still don't know which are the correct brackets so I just used the same brackets I used on the outer rails for now the part No I have shown with the question marks may be the correct one but I don't know it would be good to find out as I would like to fit the correct ones the light grey boxes shows which side of the cross members the brackets are on, as for fixing the brackets they do have rivets but you cant get to all the rivet holes so not all the brackets can be fixed I don't believe this is an issue its more for ease not having the brackets drop off when you take the bolts out hope this helps if anyone knows any different or has the correct bracket part No's let me know and I can update the diagram to make it easier for others in the future

View attachment 44662

Regarding the 4 tailgate brackets, I spoke to the parts dept at VW and they said that the number you have is correct, however they also suggested they are sided and there is a part number 7HO802370 which are the right side and they suggested I ordered 2 of each. The problem is if they are wrong then they would not be returnable. So I just ordered 1 x 7Ho802369 as they are more expensive than the others. I should be able to pick it up Fri. Will post when I know more

 

[Skyliner33]

View attachment 9950 View attachment 9951 View attachment 9952 View attachment 9953 Decided just to fold the carpet over the edge in the end

How did you get the Aluminium rails off again when they had been fitted? Thanks

 

[Coradia63]

How did you get the Aluminium rails off again when they had been fitted? Thanks

The covers are a bit of a pain to get of and I haven’t done it for awhile for the long sections I think you remove the rear end caps the you have to gently lift the rear end of the cover up slightly to get it clear of the locating pins circled in the photo then its either push or pull the cover to slide it back or forwards about an inch and it should just pop out I think.... the front short pieces come out the same way

 

[Skyliner33]

Here is the stuff I used to re carper my caravelle floor.

View attachment 8284

Any suggestions of other places where this is available. This place doesn't have stock now.

Edit, I've just realised that its black they do not have stock. Is it Charcoal the best match?

 

[Gilo17]

Where did you buy your rails? They seem to command a very high price!