New to camper vans having just bought a 1992 VW Trident Auto Sleeper. We need to sort some sort of safety netting to stop the brats (3 yrs and 18 months) from tumbling out of the top bunk (it's 2+2 so top bunk is movable boards). Have not been able to source proprietary kits that are suitable; any advice/tips or information gratefully received. May end up DIY-ing something. The van also doesn't have any of the original manuals which would be nice to get hold of; again, any links or offers of unwanted manuals would be appreciated.
We're collecting 'Tommy' on saturday and can't wait to get out on the road.
I had the same issue with my van and ended up solving it like this:
Take a Tomy bed rail (the white rails, white netting, blue fabric type), dismantle the piece that should slip under the mattress - two arms and a fabric section. (I doubt you can slip it under your bed boards, I couldn't on mine) and take the arms/rails off. This leaves you with the arched section complete with netting etc and a flap of netting/fabric. If you intend using the bed rail on a bed again move on to the next bit, if not cut the flap off! Go to Homebase or B&Q and buy a couple of 19mm Coloroll fixing brackets. (These are originally sold to support rails in built in wardrobes etc. and come in silver, gold, chrome, white etc) Mount them into your van next to where the bed boards go. They consist of a flat bracket and a central threaded turrret into which you can put the bottoms of the arched section of the Tomy bed rail. When you need it you slot the rail across the van into the turrets and when you don't out it comes!
I bought a Tomy bed rail from Ebay for about £10 and the Coloroll brackets were no more than about £5 for the pair.
Well, thanks to excellent inspiration from Phil, I used almost all the Tomy bed rail (only removed the under-bed cross-piece and cut off surplus netting) and mounted the under-bed rails to the underside of the van's bed-board using 4 metal pipe brackets provided by my most hospitable neighbour. The front brackets fit so snugly around the plastic joint of the bed-rail that it's absolutley rock-solid and.. it still swivels down to get the kids in and out. Construction time 40 minutes, cost nil! Mahvellous.
Now I just have to persuade little madam (18 months old and full of 'spirit') that she really does want to sleep on the top bunk - stroppy little mare!!
I looked at pipe brackets too but couldn't find any I thought were rigid enough, all the ones I found in my local DIY store seemed to be too flimsy, otherwise your route would have been my favoured one too!
Glad you got yourself sorted out, happy motoring!!
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Topic: Top bunk safety nets
