Sliding the rear seat back - no stopping me!

[ejmoore]

On our old Cali (T5) I wished we had a bit more space inside, and investigated trying to slide the rear seat back, but it didn't go very far. I found the stops in the rails, but didn't get round to taking them out because we were about to change the van.

Now, new(er) Cali (T6), and after a year and a half I've finally got round to having a look at moving the seat back. Today I cleared everything out of the boot and back shelf and hoovered it all out, and then ran a screwdriver down the rails in the boot to find the stops....there were no stops! I don't know whether the T6 doesn't have any stops, or someone has already taken them out, but that was a nice surprise. So I pushed the seat right back - wow! so much extra space, fantastic.

So now we are intending to leave the folding mattress/back-shelf pad at home, as we always sleep up top. Then we can take the shelf out, stand it vertically, and push the seat back, to make more inside space when we're on a campsite (as long as we don't put too much stuff in the boot). But on rare occasions it can be very windy and we might need to sleep downstairs, so I am wondering now how I can make a thin pad to cover the metal mesh shelf and just bring it up to the thickness of the back and seat of the rear seat.

Has anyone done this? I was thinking of getting a suitably-thick piece of foam, cutting it to shape and making a cover for it. I wouldn't want it to be bulky as it will need to go somewhere if the seat is slid back. A small inflatable pad might be better, but its length would need to be the width of the back shelf (side to side) which would seem to be shorter than a 3/4 inflatable sleeping pad. Any suggestions?

 

[Kernowboy]

A Brandrup iextend pad would serve this purpose. It is much thinner than the standard shelf pad and allows the shelf to be used on the upper setting with a level..ish bed. It wouldn’t fold up as such but would store happily under the upper bed slats ready for use when needed.

 

[ejmoore]

Thanks K - I think this may be more than I need (also more expensive), but your post has reminded me that I could put the shelf on the upper setting and bring up the level that way - I'll have a look at that tomorrow.

 

[WelshGas]

On our old Cali (T5) I wished we had a bit more space inside, and investigated trying to slide the rear seat back, but it didn't go very far. I found the stops in the rails, but didn't get round to taking them out because we were about to change the van.

Now, new(er) Cali (T6), and after a year and a half I've finally got round to having a look at moving the seat back. Today I cleared everything out of the boot and back shelf and hoovered it all out, and then ran a screwdriver down the rails in the boot to find the stops....there were no stops! I don't know whether the T6 doesn't have any stops, or someone has already taken them out, but that was a nice surprise. So I pushed the seat right back - wow! so much extra space, fantastic.

So now we are intending to leave the folding mattress/back-shelf pad at home, as we always sleep up top. Then we can take the shelf out, stand it vertically, and push the seat back, to make more inside space when we're on a campsite (as long as we don't put too much stuff in the boot). But on rare occasions it can be very windy and we might need to sleep downstairs, so I am wondering now how I can make a thin pad to cover the metal mesh shelf and just bring it up to the thickness of the back and seat of the rear seat.

Has anyone done this? I was thinking of getting a suitably-thick piece of foam, cutting it to shape and making a cover for it. I wouldn't want it to be bulky as it will need to go somewhere if the seat is slid back. A small inflatable pad might be better, but its length would need to be the width of the back shelf (side to side) which would seem to be shorter than a 3/4 inflatable sleeping pad. Any suggestions?

Cut up a Camping sleeping pad. No need for a cover as they are waterproof. Thickness, depends on the height you have the shelf at.