T6 Kombi, sliding rear seats.

[Insert Coin]

Hi,

I've almost certainly made my mind up now on which van and who to get it from, but as above, is there a sliding seat option available that will allow the standard Kombi seats to slide back and forth?

I've seen the Caravelle/Cali has them, but it's part of the whole seat/bed mechanism and it's circa £6k.

I stupidly assumed it was as easy as fitting the sliding rails and bolting something onto the bottom of the seats.

 

[GoatBoater]

This was one of the main criteria for our conversion. The main two options we liked were:

Cali seats on rails : A few company's fit Cali seats to either original Cali rails or 3rd party rails. Friends of ours had this done by Celtic Motorhomes and it is very good.
Uberbus flex : Uberbus fit RIB seats to cali rails using their own set-up. I think you lose a bit of headroom vs cali seats, but you have a more comfortable bed. This is the option we're going for

Price wise, neither are cheap.

 

[rod_vw]

This was one of the main criteria for our conversion. The main two options we liked were:

Cali seats on rails : A few company's fit Cali seats to either original Cali rails or 3rd party rails. Friends of ours had this done by Celtic Motorhomes and it is very good.
Uberbus flex : Uberbus fit RIB seats to cali rails using their own set-up. I think you lose a bit of headroom vs cali seats, but you have a more comfortable bed. This is the option we're going for

Price wise, neither are cheap.

Third option is the REIMO 333 or 3000. I have used the REIMO 333 in my current LWB High roof T6. The High roof is also from REIMO.

Rod

 

[DPS]

This was one of the main criteria for our conversion. The main two options we liked were:

Cali seats on rails : A few company's fit Cali seats to either original Cali rails or 3rd party rails. Friends of ours had this done by Celtic Motorhomes and it is very good.
Uberbus flex : Uberbus fit RIB seats to cali rails using their own set-up. I think you lose a bit of headroom vs cali seats, but you have a more comfortable bed. This is the option we're going for

Price wise, neither are cheap.

One major benefit of the Cali seat is that your feet can actually touch the floor when you're sitting on it, and, as a seat, it is very comfortable. However as a bed it is best used with a mattress topper for comfort. The Cali seat has lots of storage underneath and glides really easily on the rails. It is also a nice 'neat' shape, quite a lot of other seats look very 'chunky' to me. Just an opinion! (It's the one I've gone for). I agree, none of the sliding options are cheap, unless they are cheap for a reason.

 

[GoatBoater]

I've not had a problem putting my feet down with the RIB and no comments on the height from the kids. You are right that it does look beefed up though. I'm not sold on that look but it doesn't bother me either.

 

[Insert Coin]

Thanks guys, obviously there isn't a cheap way of doing it, it would have been nice to push the seats all the way back or forwards depending on what I'm carrying.

I just can't quite make my mind up on getting a day van with Reimo bed and pop top with no options or just going for an all out Sport type vehicle and ticking every option box.

Decisions, decisions.

 

[GoatBoater]

The sliding seat was a biggy for us to give us, partly to compensate for not being able to get a LWB van on our drive (I need to get our SWB pulled up to within 2" of the garage door). As it's going to be our family car too it's nice to have the kids up in a car-like position behind us... but still retaining the option to have them right down the back is they get too annoying!

 

[DPS]

I agree I think if you are going to use your van as a family car then a fully sliding seat rear seat gives you the flexibility to have your passengers (inc. dogs) sitting directly behind you in a 'car position'. Not only is it more sociable but I think it is safer too, plus of course you've bot the flexibility as to how you want to use the space behind the seats.

 

[GoatBoater]

I really wanted the 3 seat slider that Uberbus offer. Turned out I'd need to sell at least one of the kids to pay for it though - which would negate the need for the extra seat.

 

[Danger]

It must be possible to install the rails and modify the bottom of the standard kombi seats to fit? Or am I missing something?

 

[John Ward]

Did you get an answer to this? As I would really like standard Kombi seats to slide back a couple of feet in to the extra room given by a LWB. This so I can then turn the front seats round and put a table in between.

We have it converted to to this but instead of sliding I just unclip the seat(s) and put the front feet into the back clips, if that makes sense.

Thanks,

John

 

[Jason Stancliffe]

Did you get an answer to this? As I would really like standard Kombi seats to slide back a couple of feet in to the extra room given by a LWB. This so I can then turn the front seats round and put a table in between.

We have it converted to to this but instead of sliding I just unclip the seat(s) and put the front feet into the back clips, if that makes sense.

Thanks,

John

Hi
That’s just what I do to give more room
I have also bought a set of floor brackets so when fitted I can drive with the seat further back as well

 

[toonaroon]

Hi
That’s just what I do to give more room
I have also bought a set of floor brackets so when fitted I can drive with the seat further back as well

Hi @Jason Stancliffe was it difficult to fit the extra brackets?

 

[Jason Stancliffe]

Hi @Jason Stancliffe was it difficult to fit the extra brackets?

Hi
Not fitted them yet, I will eventually, shouldn’t be too hard especially with help from the forum, just need to wait till weather gets better now !

 

[toonaroon]

Hi
Not fitted them yet, I will eventually, shouldn’t be too hard especially with help from the forum, just need to wait till weather gets better now !

Please let me know how you get on...

 

[DXX]

It must be possible to install the rails and modify the bottom of the standard kombi seats to fit? Or am I missing something?

I think any insurance company might disagree, problem is those kids along with seat weigh a few tonnes in a immediate stop collision.

 

[RyanGerry]

Had a good read of this subject and I was in this position about three months ago having a 9 year old, a 10mth old and another on the way plus a dog and only having the triple seat I was looking into what to do to make more room.

In the end I decided to have full Caravelle floor rails, captain seats in the middle for the baby seats and then a triple seat in the back for the eldest. This still gives me room for a push chair and a dog box.

Pricey yes, but 100% worth it. Fully insurance and approved and a certificate from the installer.

 

[DXX]

Neat job!