Seat Rail Nuts

[stim]

I'm trying to find some t-slot style nuts to fit the seat rails on a cali beach t6.1. I can't use the usual t shaped threaded shafts with the large plastic knob nuts due to clearance. I would like a square nut that slides into the rail after popping out the plastic rail end trim and then a standard M6 or M8 bolt can be screwed into it and I can recess the bolt head instead of having a huge black plastic knob sticking up (it is to fix down a plate to stop my fridge sliding around). There are plenty of t-slot nuts available but I have no idea what size I need. I'm sure someone must make some already that fit.

Did anyone manage to find some?

Thanks in advance!

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Not sure if these would fit?

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Ask below, they sell them with a small knob on top for Cali floor rails…but they would know the size if you wanted to replace with a nut. They are very helpful:

Campervan kitchen furniture unit pods for camper conversion for sale

Vangear design and manufacture a range of campervan kitchen pods for sale online, from small sink pods to units with a fridge and dometic hob to down the side modular pods. They are a universal fitment into many campervans, including the Volkswagen T5, T6, T6.1, Caravelle, Beach, Ford Transit...

www.vangear.co.uk

 

[stim]

Not sure if these would fit?

Thanks. Something like this could definitely work if the threaded shaft was short enough. I am not sure how short I need it. I also don't know if the square bit is the right size to correctly interface with the underside of the rail (there are plenty of these nuts available for the roof rails but do they also work for the seat rails?).

 

[stim]

Ask below, they sell them with a small knob on top for Cali floor rails…but they would know the size if you wanted to replace with a nut. They are very helpful:

Campervan kitchen furniture unit pods for camper conversion for sale

Vangear design and manufacture a range of campervan kitchen pods for sale online, from small sink pods to units with a fridge and dometic hob to down the side modular pods. They are a universal fitment into many campervans, including the Volkswagen T5, T6, T6.1, Caravelle, Beach, Ford Transit...

www.vangear.co.uk

Thanks for this. I was looking at their website last night. I will email them and see what they say.

 

[calikev]

T5/T6 Multivan - Pack of 4 Brackets, Stainless Steel, Multi Flexboard Locking Rail

T5/T6 Multivan - Pack of 4 Brackets, Stainless Steel, Multi Flexboard Locking Rail.

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[stim]

T5/T6 Multivan - Pack of 4 Brackets, Stainless Steel, Multi Flexboard Locking Rail

T5/T6 Multivan - Pack of 4 Brackets, Stainless Steel, Multi Flexboard Locking Rail.

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Thanks but as mentioned, this is not really what I am looking for. You can see that these threads are far too long. This t-section can work if the threaded section is short enough to only stick out a maximum of 15mm from the top of the rail (I would use an 18mm sheet of ply with a recess for the nut so that neither the male thread or nut stick out above the top surface of the plywood. Ideally I would use even thinner ply.

 

[Stu@rt]

Thanks but as mentioned, this is not really what I am looking for. You can see that these threads are far too long. This t-section can work if the threaded section is short enough to only stick out a maximum of 15mm from the top of the rail (I would use an 18mm sheet of ply with a recess for the nut so that neither the male thread or nut stick out above the top surface of the plywood. Ideally I would use even thinner ply.

View attachment 98249

If there is nothing of the right length available, you could always cut to length with a grinder maybe?

 

[stim]

If there is nothing of the right length available, you could always cut to length with a grinder maybe?

It is a possibility but most of these T shaped things have an allen key in the top which allows you to turn it and hold it in position when tightening so if you shorten the threaded part you will cut this part off.

 

[johna]

The first pic is what I bought from Amazon, for general tie-downs. There's a variety available. You probably won't get exact dimensions before you buy. In the second pic I've replaced with an ordinary M10 nut and this shows the amount of bolt above the nut after tightening. The third pic shows roughly the position of the nut on the bolt with enough depth below in order to push the T-bolt down below the rail. Hence you could cut off the length of bolt above the nut (with a hacksaw, then file the rough end).

You might get enough leeway like this to achieve what you want. You could also probably find thinner M10 nuts.

Oh, and in order to turn the bolt through 90 degrees after pushing down, I cut a shallow slot across the top of the T-bolt - to be able to turn it like a flat-head screw.

 

[stim]

The first pic is what I bought from Amazon, for general tie-downs. There's a variety available. You probably won't get exact dimensions before you buy. In the second pic I've replaced with an ordinary M10 nut and this shows the amount of bolt above the nut after tightening. The third pic shows roughly the position of the nut on the bolt with enough depth below in order to push the T-bolt down below the rail. Hence you could cut off the length of bolt above the nut (with a hacksaw, then file the rough end).

You might get enough leeway like this to achieve what you want. You could also probably find thinner M10 nuts.

Oh, and in order to turn the bolt through 90 degrees after pushing down, I cut a shallow slot across the top of the T-bolt - to be able to turn it like a flat-head screw.

Thanks, this is very useful. Right before seeing your post, I found that if I buy the eyelets, the threaded parts seem to be shorter (because with an eyelet, you are not sandwiching anything to the rail).