Arghhhhh! Broken the bed again!!

[mistericeman]

They have to be precise to fit in the rails they slide along in but if you simply had a flat strong surface for them to run along on each side as long as they were taut and held in place when run out they would be fine and you could get rid of the stupid plastic ends or at least the knobbly bit. Its the most stupid design I have ever seen. The only reason I can think of for them doing it this way is that on the earlier vans the slats were not stuck in the rails like a curtain rail so if you were a bit pissed and pulled them out wonky the whole lot could end up on the floor but it was easy enough to just pull them back up, drag them to the end and secure them in the end stopper.

Exactly what I meant by 2 batons.... One down either side at the correct height for the slats...
They look like they would be below the tops of the side panels so couldn't go anywhere laterally
You could use unistrut/Hydra zorb channel of an appropriate size if you wanted to keep them located completely....

Though personally I'd choose some matching timber to the side panels.

 

[barryd]

Exactly what I meant by 2 batons.... One down either side at the correct height for the slats...
They look like they would be below the tops of the side panels so couldn't go anywhere laterally
You could use unistrut/Hydra zorb channel of an appropriate size if you wanted to keep them located completely....

View attachment 149590

Though personally I'd choose some matching timber to the side panels.

They still need to be supported somehow but the problem is who, where and how?

 

[mistericeman]

They still need to be supported somehow but the problem is who, where and how?

Couple of runs of ct1 etc and some M6 gutter bolts/countersunk Allen heads (low profile domed heads to allow laths to pass if it was channel)

Or suitable glue/fixings if you were going with timber.

You could always add bracing inside the seat boxes if needed....

Though the batons/channel would add extra stiffness anyway.