Recommended Converters in Yorkshire

[Skyliner33]

With the titan you sleep on the seat pad and seat back so the bed is a compromise in padding and sculpting as are most RnR beds. With the RIB you sleep on a surface built solely for sleeping, you can spec it with deeper foam if you like it softer or use a Duvalay sleeping bag which is our choice.

Low profile roofs are to some aesthetically pleasing but the canvas, bed board and mattress have to go somewhere when they close, if you don't want it inside the outer shell then they have to go inside hence the loss of headroom.

It's not just when travelling in a seat when headroom is important, if you are camping and weather for example means you don't pop the roof then spending a damp evening sat on a seat with your head tilted to one side having your tea and watching a film is no fun.

It all boils down to how the van gets used in the end though and of course how tall you all are

Good points. Thats one of the reasons I like the Titan RnR bed. In the seat up position you can angle the back so not sat as upright, more like a sofa. Bad side is sleeping on the front of the seats.

I'm 6' as it happens so tallish.

 

[Jay17cali]

Yes, they made it onto my final list of 3, I was really impressed with the owner, the quality and most of the price. The reason I didn't use them was that at the time they only fitted the HiLo roof which was crazy expensive and didn't play well with the 150 RIB for headroom. I think the interior headroom is a bigger deal than the low profile look, the 'dangling leg' RIB issue for shorter passengers has been solved by an awesome cylinder shaped beanbag from Amazon from £15 and is a small price to pay for high quality, safety and sleeping comfort.

In fact passengers who travel in the back all now like to stretch their legs out and rest them on the beanbag First Class style, it's gone up a fiver but worth it because it doubles as an outdoor seat https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06XDFB8MG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My original thread is a year old now, I bought my own new TSi Highline, bumped the power to 304 with Pendle and had the conversion done by www.skcampers.co.uk just outside Leeds. SK ticked every box, quality build, quality components, great price, attentive personal service and were happy to produce a van to my specs and by that I mean my mm perfect interior plan ( space is tight with a 150 RIB ).

Awsome love this and will bear it all in mind Thankyou

 

[Tommy]

Loving this as ready to commit for a conversion myself. My usage is similar, day van, camper for weekends, passengers etc. My girlfriend is looking for full blown conversion but thats not going to happen only reason being its going to have to be a versatile van

Went to a converter close to me today and talked about beds, roofs etc. He explained everything very well as I'm not familiar with anything related to converting a van and came back with a quote later this afternoon which impressed me, so something as a basis to work from now

Bed wise the Rib appealed to me as you sleep on the underside of the seats and the seat can move 200mm, there is an option for another bed with rail system which dearly appeals but it added something like an extra 2k (think it was a remio)

Roof wise I liked the idea of the Hilo roof as the top is minimal and looks neat but understand the downside penalty internally and what was explained nicely above, just don't like the hump on the roof but guess thats the price I will have to pay - also quality is paramount to me as well and think other brands are slightly better quality (so I was lead to believe). The quote did say colour matching was £600 (Oryx) which I wasn't expecting as high

Carpet line and insulation

12v/240v hookup inc leisure battery

Heater

That was the basis of the quote for now, I am hoping that some sort of small portable pod could be used to offer the facility to make a brew, small fridge and hoping with this sort of setup we could spontaneously disappear camping at a minutes notice. If anyone has any other ideas/tips please feel free to comment as when investing this much on an already expensive van purchase you want to try and get it right 1st time, so will be watching this thread with eagerness

Carbon13 - would love to see some pictures when available and anyone else's for that matter

Thanks in advance

 

[Skyliner33]

I am looking at the same sort of things at the moment ie RnR bed and roof.
I have looked closely at the RIB bed and its been at the top of my list because of sleeping on the 'back'.
Also the Hilo roof is top of my list because of they stealth outside look.
However I have come to the conclusion that RIB bed wont work for me with the Hilo roof due to the negative points of each. ie the height of the RIB gives lack of headroom (not to mention dangling legs) this combined with the headroom reducing Hilo roof (all that canvas etc has to go somewhere) would make it too cramped.

Have a look at the escape pod:
ESCAPE POD | Eclipse Custom Campers

 

[Tommy]

Thanks Skyliner33 for the link, pod looks very neat, stylish and compact. By the look of the pictures am I right in saying that the front drivers seat would have to be fixed ie not swivel and is the pod easily removed if required or a permanent fixture and now fully understand the plus/minus of a Hilo roof unfortunately sounds like its a non starter for me too

 

[Carbon13]

Loving this as ready to commit for a conversion myself. My usage is similar, day van, camper for weekends, passengers etc. My girlfriend is looking for full blown conversion but thats not going to happen only reason being its going to have to be a versatile van

Went to a converter close to me today and talked about beds, roofs etc. He explained everything very well as I'm not familiar with anything related to converting a van and came back with a quote later this afternoon which impressed me, so something as a basis to work from now

Bed wise the Rib appealed to me as you sleep on the underside of the seats and the seat can move 200mm, there is an option for another bed with rail system which dearly appeals but it added something like an extra 2k (think it was a remio)

Roof wise I liked the idea of the Hilo roof as the top is minimal and looks neat but understand the downside penalty internally and what was explained nicely above, just don't like the hump on the roof but guess thats the price I will have to pay - also quality is paramount to me as well and think other brands are slightly better quality (so I was lead to believe). The quote did say colour matching was £600 (Oryx) which I wasn't expecting as high

Carpet line and insulation

12v/240v hookup inc leisure battery

Heater

That was the basis of the quote for now, I am hoping that some sort of small portable pod could be used to offer the facility to make a brew, small fridge and hoping with this sort of setup we could spontaneously disappear camping at a minutes notice. If anyone has any other ideas/tips please feel free to comment as when investing this much on an already expensive van purchase you want to try and get it right 1st time, so will be watching this thread with eagerness

Carbon13 - would love to see some pictures when available and anyone else's for that matter

Thanks in advance

Glad to be useful, I'll post some pics but I'm loaded for a trip on Friday, I'll dig some out from somewhere.

I have a fixed pod built to fit the seat as far back as it goes with a tilt to suit me, it still spins but only 90 degrees, I wanted it to to be removable pod originally
but with a fixed underslung Propex gas tank running the burner it wasn't possible. I really liked the VanGear pods, they will swivel and remove afaik and are a good place to start and get ideas.

A word about your paint quote......from the VW factory Oryx is a three stage pearl paint, most dealers/workshops think aftermarket spraying of Oryx is therefore a three stage pearl and charge accordingly.....the truth is IT ISN'T it's a single and clear coat but spray shops won't tell you and many won't tell the VW dealer if the spray work is outsourced but they'll bill the dealer for a three stage.......cheeky. So your Oryx paint job should cost no more than a standard metallic and clear coat.........the guy who is two toning my van is a contractor for a main dealer, he sprays Oryx and knows the con.

 

[Tommy]

Thanks Carbon13 will check the pod link out tonight when finished work and thanks for the paint spray tip, that may or may not help me save me a couple of quid

Any other tips on something I might have overlooked appreciated as want to try and get it right

Anyone any experience on awnings as may be worth adding that into the equation and also like the idea of changing/lowering the suspension at the same time

Thanks all

 

[czmate1999]

Thanks Carbon13 will check the pod link out tonight when finished work and thanks for the paint spray tip, that may or may not help me save me a couple of quid

Any other tips on something I might have overlooked appreciated as want to try and get it right

Anyone any experience on awnings as may be worth adding that into the equation and also like the idea of changing/lowering the suspension at the same time

Thanks all

Have been recommended VB Air and my understanding is that although it is more expensive than ARB and B14s it offers a better ride and you have the option to auto level at campsites,, etc...

 

[Tommy]

Was trying to google VB air but can’t seem to find any pricing but guessing it’ll be a very expensive option though

 

[Steve H]

£5k and a bit..

 

[Tommy]

Thanks quite a bit more than B14’s

 

[czmate1999]

Thanks quite a bit more than B14’s

Sorry, didn't say cheap... - although by the time you have added in b14s and arbs (from memory) you have gotta be looking at a grand or more...

 

[Tommy]

Guessing we are talking Rolls Royce end of suspension market, very interested in the B14’s though

 

[andys]

Sorry, didn't say cheap... - although by the time you have added in b14s and arbs (from memory) you have gotta be looking at a grand or more...

£1500-1600 fitted. Can you get away with not having uprated ARBs with air suspension then?

 

[czmate1999]

£1500-1600 fitted. Can you get away with not having uprated ARBs with air suspension then?

Can't see it mentioned on the VB Air site, Full air suspension » VB-Airsuspension. But I am by no means an expert and an quite new to all this but with regards to the expense nothing surprises me after a few days here - seeing the handwork, love and utter madness of it all just drives me on...
--
Full air suspension
VB-FullAir is an automatic, adjustable solution for suspension problems. The existing leaf or coil spring suspension is replaced with a full air suspension system. This system includes air springs, shock absorbers, height sensors, a compressor and an electronic control unit (VB-ASCU). The air suspension system filters out unevenness in the road surface, improving ride comfort.

While driving, the vehicle will constantly remain at the ride height set by VB-Airsuspension during installation. The driveability and stability of the vehicle are improved, which in turn increases safety. When the vehicle is at a standstill (in some cases with the handbrake on), the entry/loading platform height can be increased and decreased to comfortably enter and exit the vehicle and for goods to be conveniently loaded and unloaded.

VB-Airsuspension full air suspension is available as the VB-FullAir 2C kit (air suspension system for the rear axle) or as the VB-FullAir 4C kit (full air suspension for front and rear axle).

Benefits of VB-FullAir:

• Constant ride height
• Increased comfort
• Optimum driveability
• Increased stability
• Comfortable ride for passengers
• Kneeling function to facilitate easy entry and exit to/from the vehicle
• Better protection for fragile/delicate goods
• Kneeling function for convenient loading and unloading of goods
• Less wear on tyres/brakes
• More environmentally friendly, reduced CO2 emissions
• Spare wheel remains under the vehicle

VB-Airsuspension full air suspension systems are supplied with a sophisticated remote control that can be used to easily operate all functions of the suspension system.

 

[StewC]

Morning all
The next stage of my conversion is to get a ply floor and RIB bed fitted. Can anyone recommend good fitters in the NE / Yorkshire region. I'm thinking 112cm wide to accommodate units down the offside. Anything I should / shouldn't do?
Any advice welcome
Thanks
Stew

 

[Paul Holmes]

Cube camper conversions in Macclesfield

 

[StewC]

Cube camper conversions in Macclesfield

Thanks Paul. I was looking for domepne a bit closer but I'll bear them in mind.
Thanks Stew.

 

[Skyliner33]

RIB Seat / Bed | Eclipse Custom Campers

Brighouse near Huddersfield

 

[j4ckal]

Aren't they down south. It's exploria that are in brighouse.

RIB Seat / Bed | Eclipse Custom Campers

Brighouse near Huddersfield