Fixing wooden batten to rear garage wall

andyelbac

andyelbac

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Does anyone have any suggestions for fixing wood battens to a garage wall in a motorhome? Here's the issue. We have a Burstener Lyseo 680g. I want to attach tie downs to the upper rear wall so I can fix bungee cords between top and bottom to hold chairs, tables in place. There's a box step that runs the length of the rear wall at the bottom ( i think it hides the cabling and rear housing for the rear light clusters) that is ideal for sitting the above mentioned items on. There is a lashing rail with eye bolts underneath, so I have somewhere to attach bungee cords at the bottom but Burstner unhelpfully do not provide a rail at the top of the rear wall. I thought about screwing tie downs direct to the rear wall but Burstner advise against it. I think it might be relatively thin (10mm or less) ply. I'm wondering if the best solution would be to glue a
wooden batten in place at the top and screw tie downs onto that? Has anyone done something similar. My biggest concern at the moment is whether the batten I have is going to offer enough material for the glue to stick to (its about 2" square).
 
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L' Hobo said:
I used to have a Coach company until I retired and owned a few Vario's.
All of my tracking was made of steel and bonded and bolted into the floor, not sitting proud above and just relying on screws.

I'm surprised too by the California (unless it has some special seat clamps like the Renault Grand Espace) because I also have a 1989 T25 Westfalia California and all the rear seat belts in that are bolted securely to the body, including the middle lap belt?

Edit. Just had a look at the modern California and the tracking is completely different from the the type used in my handicap mini-buses used for securing wheel-chairs and securing loads so I'll say no more.
Click to expand...
This is an example of minibus seats in unwin rail. 2 clips and they are removed .

Screenshot_20230213_210618_eBay.jpg
Screenshot_20230213_210705_eBay.jpg


Seatbelts are attached to the seats and not the van body. 🤷‍♂️

The seat fixing in Jackie's 2017 t6 us the Same idea . I've had the seat out of it while I wired in her solar controller, and again when fixing a headrest. It slides backwards and forwards on the same rail

The rail is bolted through floor in to steel but the rail itself is aluminium.

Aluminium is stronger than a lot of people think. I used to weld it for a living
 
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L' Hobo said:
the link takes one to extruded Ally, although the write up does say 'heavy duty, but the ones we had (over 10yrs ago) were steel.
(not sure I would trust a occupied wheelchair with an ally track and I'm not sure the authorities would sanction it?) probably the reason for the 'inflated' price?
Click to expand...
Sorry to hijack the thread but that track you refer to is called “airline rail”. It is aluminium and there are 2 versions, either surface mount or insert. Depending who the manufacturer is, there are many, these are most likely tested to M1, 20g standards when fitted with a correct installation kit. The surface mounted rail is primarily used for the upper anchorage point on a 3-point belt for a wheelchair occupant. The insert is fitted to vehicle floors for mounting of seats, wheelchairs, stretchers etc. both types are ideal for securing goods in the rear of vans however it’s only as strong as the straps and mountings etc that are used.
 
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Northernraider said:
This is an example of minibus seats in unwin rail. 2 clips and they are removed .

View attachment 716340View attachment 716341

Seatbelts are attached to the seats and not the van body. 🤷‍♂️

The seat fixing in Jackie's 2017 t6 us the Same idea . I've had the seat out of it while I wired in her solar controller, and again when fixing a headrest. It slides backwards and forwards on the same rail

The rail is bolted through floor in to steel but the rail itself is aluminium.

Aluminium is stronger than a lot of people think. I used to weld it for a living
Click to expand...

My Coaches were a bit more up-market than those, not an armrest or track fill in sight (despite the top one looking brand new) :giggle:
 
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I use these on the rear wall of my Carthago garage. Easy to move around if I change my storage arrangements. Obviously not suitable for all types of wall finishes.
www.toolstation.com

Draper Suction Pad

Draws out dents on body panels, pad size 115mm.
www.toolstation.com www.toolstation.com
Edit. Not using for heavy objects but not had any fall off under heavy braking.

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Pausim said:
I use these on the rear wall of my Carthago garage. Easy to move around if I change my storage arrangements. Obviously not suitable for all types of wall finishes.
www.toolstation.com

Draper Suction Pad

Draws out dents on body panels, pad size 115mm.
www.toolstation.com www.toolstation.com
Edit. Not using for heavy objects but not had any fall off under heavy braking.
Click to expand...
No good for cloth lined garages like wot we 'ave tho. 😒

Fortunately our Carthago has some top and middle securing rings and bungee cord strung from them as standard so coupled with the floor rings we manage.
 
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andyelbac said:
Does anyone have any suggestions for fixing wood battens to a garage wall in a motorhome? Here's the issue. We have a Burstener Lyseo 680g. I want to attach tie downs to the upper rear wall so I can fix bungee cords between top and bottom to hold chairs, tables in place.
Click to expand...
I would be worried about piercing the outside skin and how strong any short screws would be.
Can you not keep that side clear and simply fix everything to the inside wall / shelf ?
I have a 690G

DSC02856.JPG
 
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Stealaway said:
I would be worried about piercing the outside skin and how strong any short screws would be.
Can you not keep that side clear and simply fix everything to the inside wall / shelf ?
I have a 690G

View attachment 716480
Click to expand...
I'm not familiar with the 690G. Your garage looks wider than mine. The issue with the 680G cab facing wall is that Burstner have fitted a sliding door between the bathroom area and the garage, making it less usable to fit things to. I popped up to our storage area last night and removed all the screws and then refitted through the tie downs with a spring washer added for good luck. All I'm holding against the back wall are two lightweight ali. deckchairs (total 7.6kg) and next to them, two ali. camping tables (total 7.2kg). I ran a ratchet strap through each and gave a good, hard pull and they appear solid. I'm happy with the result given what the cargo is. The other issue is, I need the back wall space as I have a Honda 125 in the back and space is extremely limited cab side when it is in place.
 
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andyelbac said:
I'm not familiar with the 690G. Your garage looks wider than mine. The issue with the 680G cab facing wall is that Burstner have fitted a sliding door between the bathroom area and the garage, making it less usable to fit things to. I popped up to our storage area last night and removed all the screws and then refitted through the tie downs with a spring washer added for good luck. All I'm holding against the back wall are two lightweight ali. deckchairs (total 7.6kg) and next to them, two ali. camping tables (total 7.2kg). I ran a ratchet strap through each and gave a good, hard pull and they appear solid. I'm happy with the result given what the cargo is. The other issue is, I need the back wall space as I have a Honda 125 in the back and space is extremely limited cab side when it is in place.
Click to expand...
Oh yeah
Very different garage to a 690 and as you say narrower.
Are you still OK with your payload and a Honda 125?
 
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Stealaway said:
Oh yeah
Very different garage to a 690 and as you say narrower.
Are you still OK with your payload and a Honda 125?
Click to expand...
As well as overall payload, the load capacity of the garage, some are a miserly 150kg.
Mike.

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Lenny HB said:
Crickey that's very low.
Click to expand...
Indeed, not always flagged up by those manufactures offering these "huge" garages. It's not insurmountable, but does require an engineered solution of additional chassis rails scabbed onto the existing wimpy support rail offering. This was a solution Watling Engineering used to offer, but they have now ceased trading:( . If you're handy on the spanners, it's not beyond the wit of most home DIYers, just a bit fiddly.
Mike.
 
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Stealaway said:
Oh yeah
Very different garage to a 690 and as you say narrower.
Are you still OK with your payload and a Honda 125?
Click to expand...
Yes (or at least I hope so). I've had semi air fitted on the rear and had the MH uprated to 4,000kg with the rear axle going from 2,000 to 2,240kg. The Honda comes in at 115kg with half tank of fuel. Add 12kg for the scooter rack and that leaves me 23kg for other stuff (Burstner give me a 150kg payload limit in the garage). Same as yours, or do you get more? There is a relatively small underfloor storage area inside the habitation unit so I have had to get creative with carrying additional stuff. Without the Scooter I have loads of payload and room to store what with the garage and all, but with the scooter I revert to a big 175 lt storage box that I picked up from Argos. I've added a few discrete tie downs to one side of the hab seating area (its opposing bench style in the 680G) and the box and its contents get strapped down on top of one of the bench seats. During transit, we can still move about the hab area without the box getting in the way and still sit together at the table on the opposite bench. When we arrive at site, out comes the scooter and the storage box goes in the garage. On the payload issue, when we first purchased the vehicle, we took it to the weighbridge at Crows Metals in Romford. With a full tank of fuel, 20lt water, two 15kg gas canisters, we still came up with 530kg spare payload (did not include my partner, who got out before weighing). I can't recall exactly, but I think we had over 200kg available over rear axle. I'm planning on popping back to the weighbridge in March, fully laden, including my partner and Scooter to get a definitive weight. I'm not expecting problems. On the issue of being creative with the payload though, I ditched the useless black storage box the Fiat jack came in. As it's normal home on a regular Ducato van would be under the front passenger seat (now occupied by hab electrical box(, it was taking up much needed space and weight allowance in the garage. I found myself a long, narrow canvas tool bag from fleabay and it now sits in the underfloor storage in the hab area. One last thing on the payload. I plan on fitting the Ducato under chassis spare wheel carrier later in the year. With a steel wheel (slightly lighter and a lot cheaper than the Ali wheels that are fitted) and tyre it will add about 33kg, right behind the rear axle. I know there are a lot of posts about the usefulness or not of carrying a spare, especially the issue of reaching it if you get a flat, but I want the reassurance of at least a fighting chance of being able to change it if I need to whilst abroad. I don't want to be waiting by the wayside for a few days until the nearest garage can get a new tyre delivered. As this is even more weight over the rear, I plan to buy another said box from Argos, fill it with 30kg of books, place it in the hab right above where it will sit when slung underneath when I take it to the weighbridge. If it's above my limit then I will sadly have to live with the (probably) useless Fiat puncture kit and hope I don't ever get a flat. In case you're wondering, with the Scooter onboard, there's no way I can fit a spare wheel in the garage and certainly not in the hab area without it being in rhe way (can't go under the rear bed because we don't have one. The 680G is a two berth with a drop down central bed).

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andyelbac said:
Yes (or at least I hope so). I've had semi air fitted on the rear and had the MH uprated to 4,000kg with the rear axle going from 2,000 to 2,240kg. The Honda comes in at 115kg with half tank of fuel. Add 12kg for the scooter rack and that leaves me 23kg for other stuff (Burstner give me a 150kg payload limit in the garage). Same as yours, or do you get more? There is a relatively small underfloor storage area inside the habitation unit so I have had to get creative with carrying additional stuff. Without the Scooter I have loads of payload and room to store what with the garage and all, but with the scooter I revert to a big 175 lt storage box that I picked up from Argos. I've added a few discrete tie downs to one side of the hab seating area (its opposing bench style in the 680G) and the box and its contents get strapped down on top of one of the bench seats. During transit, we can still move about the hab area without the box getting in the way and still sit together at the table on the opposite bench. When we arrive at site, out comes the scooter and the storage box goes in the garage. On the payload issue, when we first purchased the vehicle, we took it to the weighbridge at Crows Metals in Romford. With a full tank of fuel, 20lt water, two 15kg gas canisters, we still came up with 530kg spare payload (did not include my partner, who got out before weighing). I can't recall exactly, but I think we had over 200kg available over rear axle. I'm planning on popping back to the weighbridge in March, fully laden, including my partner and Scooter to get a definitive weight. I'm not expecting problems. On the issue of being creative with the payload though, I ditched the useless black storage box the Fiat jack came in. As it's normal home on a regular Ducato van would be under the front passenger seat (now occupied by hab electrical box(, it was taking up much needed space and weight allowance in the garage. I found myself a long, narrow canvas tool bag from fleabay and it now sits in the underfloor storage in the hab area. One last thing on the payload. I plan on fitting the Ducato under chassis spare wheel carrier later in the year. With a steel wheel (slightly lighter and a lot cheaper than the Ali wheels that are fitted) and tyre it will add about 33kg, right behind the rear axle. I know there are a lot of posts about the usefulness or not of carrying a spare, especially the issue of reaching it if you get a flat, but I want the reassurance of at least a fighting chance of being able to change it if I need to whilst abroad. I don't want to be waiting by the wayside for a few days until the nearest garage can get a new tyre delivered. As this is even more weight over the rear, I plan to buy another said box from Argos, fill it with 30kg of books, place it in the hab right above where it will sit when slung underneath when I take it to the weighbridge. If it's above my limit then I will sadly have to live with the (probably) useless Fiat puncture kit and hope I don't ever get a flat. In case you're wondering, with the Scooter onboard, there's no way I can fit a spare wheel in the garage and certainly not in the hab area without it being in rhe way (can't go under the rear bed because we don't have one. The 680G is a two berth with a drop down central bed).
Click to expand...
As an aside to this last post. I checked my weighbridge ticket and we were actually 400kg below rear axle limit and that's before the semi-air was fitted, so am very (touch wood) confident that a full load, including Scooter and spare wheel, will all come comfortably under weight.
 
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If fittings are on the motorhome to (at some point) add a bike rack carrier, is it theoretically possible to utilise the inside mounting bit (sorry for my technical terminology here) to create some sort of higher level tie down point inside the garage? Has anyone done this?
 
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HumBea said:
If fittings are on the motorhome to (at some point) add a bike rack carrier, is it theoretically possible to utilise the inside mounting bit (sorry for my technical terminology here) to create some sort of higher level tie down point inside the garage? Has anyone done this?
Click to expand...
Yes so long as you ensured the fixings are tightened up if you've loosened them to attach a fixing ring, loop etc. Also check that loosening them hasn't broken the seal on the outside which could let water in.
 
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Orion said:
I’ve just done almost exactly what you are proposing in the garage of our Adria and I can’t imagine that the construction of that area differs much from your Burstner. As we have the island bed version there isn’t the height available to put cycles in there, (we have a Thule tow ball bike rack anyway), so I’m looking to maximise the space available.

As there is no great weight being secured I used two lengths of aluminium Unwin ‘L’ Cargo Track from Nationwide Trailer Parts, which I drilled and countersunk at approximately 150mm centres and screwed directly to the back wall. The Unwin ring and other fittings came from eBay seller geocamperuk and I use Stratchit Shorties (which are a cross between a bungee and a ratchet strap) for securing chairs, screens, table, etc.

View attachment 716134

There was enough cargo track left over from the 2x3m lengths to secure my recovery tracks out of the way on the ceiling - already put to good use due to the crappy CP tyres!

View attachment 716135
Click to expand...
Hi Orion, what lenght of screws did you use for mounting to the ceiling? Thanks
 
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Markawill said:
Hi Orion, what lenght of screws did you use for mounting to the ceiling? Thanks
Click to expand...
If you have access to the area above the ceiling of the garage some " Prong T nuts " might prove to give a better anchor.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/easyfix-...-y7VLT1mPeLm3h6rXa4aAuK_EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Rock solid anchor points for ply and chip boards.
Mike.
 
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