adding a track in the cab area? (1 Viewer)

[pamella]

can anyone give me any tips for adding a curtain rail in the cab area please?
our passenger seat swivels but it is quite chilly in that area so i was thinking about making a curtain that goes around that area to help keep the heat in along with the internal window covers.
i notice to tracks are straight??can any other type be used?
has anyone done this?

 

[Puddleduck]

Ours came ready fitted so I know it can be done.

 

[chrisboyo]

Not sure about fixing a curtain rail but the best advice I had was to make sure the air inward Lever is set to recirculate, You could also try so silver screens
Hope it helps

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[Trikeman]

I fitted a curtain rail on our old MoHo, same reason as yours. It too required bends in the track which I wanted to follow the internal cab 'geometry'.
This I did by measuring the rail length required and used the steam from a boiling kettle to - warm, bend, - warm, bend and then warm and bend to the shape required (it was a plastic rail). Once it was shaped perfectly, I screwed it to the under pod base - worked great and is still on the old gal.

Regards,

Trikeman.

 

[vwalan]

have a word in a good caravan shop . we used to use silent gliss when converting vw,s . its an ally track that screws /pop rivets above the window . easy to work with .
can be scewed on the roof as well they did several versions .

 

[pamella]

I fitted a curtain rail on our old MoHo, same reason as yours. It too required bends in the track which I wanted to follow the internal cab 'geometry'.
This I did by measuring the rail length required and used the steam from a boiling kettle to - warm, bend, - warm, bend and then warm and bend to the shape required (it was a plastic rail). Once it was shaped perfectly, I screwed it to the under pod base - worked great and is still on the old gal.

Regards,

Trikeman.

that sounds interesting...did you use a reular type of track?
what did you use to fix it to the roof with?

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[sean n maggie]

flexi track.....:thumb:

 

[jhorsf]

outer screen cover make a huge difference if you have not tried them, often available on ebay after people change vans


http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Motorhome-Parts-Accessories-/169486/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=silver+screens

 

[TheBig1]

curtains are great to keep out draughts but when not drawn they can be a real pain and possibly restrict the drivers view. why not use pop studs then you can unpop it and fold up the fabric out of the way

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[Trikeman]

that sounds interesting...did you use a reular type of track?
what did you use to fix it to the roof with?

Yep, I bought the plastic rail (standard kiddies bedroom type) that was an upsidedown U shaped channel with slide in eyelets from Dunelm. Once bent to shape I drilled small holes every few inches and used very small self tapping screws to secure the rail the base of the overhead sleeping pod, which in effect was the cabin area 'roof'.
Worked great and we could pull the curtains (also from Dunelm) from both driver and passenger sides (held behind the driver and passenger seats in the open position) right around leaving the inner of the whole cab for storage, sitting etc. Cosy too.
:thumb:

Hope it helps.

Trikeman.

 

[pamella]

curtains are great to keep out draughts but when not drawn they can be a real pain and possibly restrict the drivers view. why not use pop studs then you can unpop it and fold up the fabric out of the way

thats a good thought.would pop studs hold a full drop curtain?

 

[TheBig1]

thats a good thought.would pop studs hold a full drop curtain?

yes if you fit enough....i did this with a van conversion and made it one piece and shaped to the cab with seams

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[Abacist]

Adding a track in the cab area

The main reason for it being cold in the cab area is because the windscreen is a huge expanse of single glazed glass not like the habitation area windows which are double glazed.

You need an external padded insulated windscreen cover which will stop the heat loss from the window. Silver Screens have been mentioned but we have a Taylor Made windscreen cover with which we are very pleased.

Curtains will be useless in comparison especially if you use your van in the late Autumn, Winter or early spring when there are cold nights and early mornings.

Curtains will only be any good in the summer and will still be awkward as has been said above.

 

[Stewart J]

Is your van based on an x250 if so and its pre 2013 tape over the vents down the back edge of the door if it has them (easy to see just open the door if there are horizontal vent slots) On previous van I used silver duct tape made a significant difference, these vents are only for a commercial van set up and its safe to seal them. Newer x250's do not have them.

 

[pamella]

Is your van based on an x250 if so and its pre 2013 tape over the vents down the back edge of the door if it has them (easy to see just open the door if there are horizontal vent slots) On previous van I used silver duct tape made a significant difference, these vents are only for a commercial van set up and its sfae to seal them. Newer x250's do not have them.

our van is a 1989 peugeot base.

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[Minxy]

We have a half-dinette so use the swivelled driver's seat for meals etc and found the same problem with it being cold at times in late autumn/early spring and obviously in winter, even with the external screens on. To alleviate the problem I made some curtains from a large pair I picked up at a charity shop (or it could have been a car boot sale ... I can't remember!) - they are the thermal backed type material (slightly velvety feel) which doesn't fray and makes it easier to work with as no threads to worry about. Instead of putting up a rail I sewed un-sticky Velcro type tape - the fluffy bit - on the curtains themselves in strategic places sufficient to keep them taught/in place, then used sticky Velcro type hook bit on the van placing it around the top of the cab and down the door 'B' pillars. This means that I can easily put up or take down the curtains so they are not in the way and also when we come to sell the van in the future I can remove the sticky Velcro from the cab and return it to it's original state.

If you do this make sure you use some good quality sticky Velcro type stuff as the cheap stuff will just pull off with the curtains and also make sure you put the hook bit on the cab itself - if you've ever tried to sew the hook part onto anything you'll know just what a swine it is as the thread can soon get taffled up in it no matter how careful you are (either using a sewing machine or by hand) ... I speak from experience! oh:

Also, if you put the hook part on the curtains when you remove them the hooks will grab anything it can and be a b*ggar to get off, usually your jumper etc, not to mention how tangled up it can get when you come to wash them!

 

[Mi58ck]

Last winter we were living in ours,so my wife got a thin double douvet and pegged it all around the cab(to seat belt ,sun visors etc) have to say it worked a treat

 

[mitzimad]

we have the same problem but nowhere to tie the cutains back when driving we are considering making some curtains and using pop studs to fix them in place

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[SUGGY]

We use a spring loaded shower curtain rail to go across the cab,oh:

we can put it across the cab behind the seats or across infront of the seats ,

curtains came from pound streacher the type with the loops .they go right down to the floor .and tie back behind the drivers seat ,

we also have the same at the rear of the van covering the sleeping area , makes the area a lot warmer in winter and darker for sleeping .

By using the shower pole idea you can move the curtain about in the van , we have used them as privacy curtains as well , :Blush:

And you can remove then easily if you change your van :thumb:

 

[pamella]

We have a half-dinette so use the swivelled driver's seat for meals etc and found the same problem with it being cold at times in late autumn/early spring and obviously in winter, even with the external screens on. To alleviate the problem I made some curtains from a large pair I picked up at a charity shop (or it could have been a car boot sale ... I can't remember!) - they are the thermal backed type material (slightly velvety feel) which doesn't fray and makes it easier to work with as no threads to worry about. Instead of putting up a rail I sewed un-sticky Velcro type tape - the fluffy bit - on the curtains themselves in strategic places sufficient to keep them taught/in place, then used sticky Velcro type hook bit on the van placing it around the top of the cab and down the door 'B' pillars. This means that I can easily put up or take down the curtains so they are not in the way and also when we come to sell the van in the future I can remove the sticky Velcro from the cab and return it to it's original state.

If you do this make sure you use some good quality sticky Velcro type stuff as the cheap stuff will just pull off with the curtains and also make sure you put the hook bit on the cab itself - if you've ever tried to sew the hook part onto anything you'll know just what a swine it is as the thread can soon get taffled up in it no matter how careful you are (either using a sewing machine or by hand) ... I speak from experience! oh:

Also, if you put the hook part on the curtains when you remove them the hooks will grab anything it can and be a b*ggar to get off, usually your jumper etc, not to mention how tangled up it can get when you come to wash them!

this is a good idea.something i can do myself too,no need to get OH involved.i made the curtains in the mh and so could try to source the same material again.thanx minx this one i might try first as i can always do the popup or track later.