Fitting a Rusty Lee Rock n' Roll bed

[Resto-raider]

Hi guys,

While I was at busfest this weekend I bought an R&R bed from Rusty Lee. I read that they are great quality and easy to fit.
Momentarily I am having some some trouble with the 'easy' part. Since everybody else fits these in 10 minutes i'm probably a dumbass. Maybe you can help me on my way because I'm ready to give up.

I didn't realise the angled mount had to be fitted onto the original seatbelt mounts because they are covered with bitumen mats in my van and nobody told me I could use the original mounting points so I aligned the angled brackets on the wheel arch, drilled holes and bolted it on. Perfect...until I made a bed out of it. It wasn't level and did not lign up with the cargo area above the engine.

Clearly I was doing something wrong, so via some forums I found out that it should be bolted in the original seatbelt mounting holes. However when I do this the square frame that should be bolted onto the floor dangles almost 2 inches from the floor and the floor is already raised with a wooden laminate floor.
If i lower the square frame to the floor the bracket doesn't line up with the arch and can't be bolted on.

Am I the only dumbass that doesn't get it?
Any idea what i'm doing wrong?
I already contacted Rusty Lee, but I was hoping someone could help me a bit sooner.

Some pics to go with the story;

The way I bolted it in the bed wasn't level and wouldn't line up.

Tried bolting it to the seatbelt mounting holes but then the frame is way too high above the floor. More than two inches!

When I lower the square frame to the floor the angled bracket doesn't line up with the wheel arch and leaves a gap of about an inch. You can see the lower hole that I drilled but also the original seatbelt mounting hole.

I appreciate your help.
Rick

 

[Rusty Lee]

Hi mate I sent you a pm give me a ring and ill talk you through it. All the beds are made in jigs so they are all the same so it will fit just need to chat to you to see what you've got wrong


Regards lee

 

[Whistler]

Any chance you could post a few pictures once you do have it sorted so the rest of us "dumbasses" can avoid the same problems

Thanks in advance

Haha, this!!

 

[Kustomlifespace]

Fit these all the time never had a problem looks like you have it too high up the tubs! Try a trial fit with self tapping screws and big washers before drilling a big hole the brackets have lots of adjustment in them I clamp a straight edge to the top of frame work when it's in bed mode! You may need to screw support on to the firewall to take the bounce out remember the fuel tank though ! Your seatbelt mount may have been replaced at sometime? Just use bolts and spreader plates instead.

 

[Resto-raider]

Great tip to clamp a straight edge on it and then see how it lines up with the arch. I'll try that in the morning.
Possibly the seatbeltmount is in a different position on my van because it is a 68 or it was put in at a later time?

 

[Kustomlifespace]

Use the straight edge to make sure it's flat with the engine tray! Yep your mounts could be different did a 71 bay the other week which was almost plug n play, as I said your do look high next bed I fit I will take pics n do a walkthrough then post it up.

 

[Resto-raider]

I have been doing some research before but nobody mentioned any problems with these beds. Everybody says they are 10 minutes to fit. I assume that no one else has this problem and that it's just me. I have that all the time with this van.

Thanks for the help kustomlifespace. I know I have to use the straight edge to make sure it's flat with the engine tray, but once I have done that I can check how it aligns with the 2 holes I have now. Looks like I need to drill new holes.

Thanks again

 

[john the horse]

it should fit , i have to admit i was cursing for a while but seeing as i have no seat belt mounts as got rear tubs then that was the reason, if mine can fit yours deffo will.

have to remember that people have different thickness of floor so may have to accomadate?

jth

 

[Rusty Lee]

Always at the end of the phone for advise. I assemble all my hinges and mark them 123 ABC to make it as easy as I can for people.

Lee

 

[Resto-raider]

Assembling it was easy because Lee marked them as he says above and I took pictures at Busfest, so that's a no brainer.
I was thrown of by the fact that people wrote that they fit it onthe original seatbelt mounts.
It is clear to see in the pics that Lee posted above that the brackets should be bolted lower onto the arches.

I'll figure it out now. Simply have to drill new holes.
Thanks for everyones help.

 

[matt-me]

Could your seat belt mounts not be original, or in their original position? I have a bluebird bed which looks pretty much like your bed and fitted on to the og mounts. It would not have fitted if they were in a different position. So it that's the case and your arches are good then you would need to drill and bolt in the correct position.

Good luck

 

[Rusty Lee]

glad this is sorted just to confirm my beds do fit ive sold loads and to lots of traders with no complaints just don't want this thread being taken as my stuff doesn't fit. im always at the end of the phone for advice to anyone who buys one of my products wether its from me or second hand from someone else.

thanks all



Lee

 

[aspro]

Great after sales service Lee. You've got the product and you just showed everyone you can back it up with the customer service too. Wish you all the best.

 

[Shorty]

I had the same problem, its not Lee's fault at all, it's VW's - they haven't put the seat belt mounting points in the same place on all buses.

I set the bed in the right place, measured, marked it with a sharpie, measured again, grew some balls, measured again and then drilled new holes in my bus, the bed went in a treat after that!

 

[Rusty Lee]

Thanks guys hope it's all sorted for the chap now. I want everyone to be happy with what they buy from me.

 

[curly head]

Thanks guys hope it's all sorted for the chap now. I want everyone to be happy with what they buy from me.

Not blowing smoke up your arse but I bought a bed from you and it fitted lovely with no problems

 

[Rusty Lee]

Thanks buddy always nice to here peeps comments

 

[Rusty Lee]

I had a feelin it wouldn't be the "Beds" fault

Can't wait to order and fit mine

Cheers bud

 

[Resto-raider]

Just to make it absolutely clear, the problem was NOT the bed. I only had problems because i read somewhere that it could be mounted onto the original seatbelt mounts and that wasn't working in my case. I'll write a letter to VW to file a complaint

The bed itself is a quality piece of kit, goes together easy and once figured out where to drill the holes it is super simple to fit.

I changed the title of the thread and hope it is helpful to others wit all the pictures Lee and others posted. I will post some more of the hinge assembly later.

Thank you for your service Lee.

 

[thejinx]

Cool pics come in handy when I fit my'n. when I get the flicking van back from the geezer welding it