Making a big start on the 8020 Framing

 8020 Wall Rails

The main way to anchor the 8020 framing to the floor of the van and to the walls for all the basement frames is with 8020 Single T-Slot.

The rails were measured and drilled as required with 8mm diameter holes and countersunk so that the countersunk bolts would finish flush with the bottom of each T-Slot.

The wall rails were then drilled, 8mm Zinc rivnuts fitted to the the van's mid rail between the Mercedes Wall panels.  Before finally fixing with 35mm M8 Stainless Steel Bolts, each Zinc rivnut was re-taped to clean up each thread, Loctite Threadlocker Blue 242 was applied and each wall rail the length of each rails was fixed to the wall of the van with Soudal T-Rex Extreme.

The a small gap was left at the end of each rail to insert the T-Slot nuts.

 8020 Floor Rails

First to ensure that the rails align with the ribs in the metal floor of the van I measured and taped the rails locations checking and drilling small location holes starting at the rear of the van so that the top of each rib directly supporting the factory floor was at each drill point.  The rail locations were marked with the blue tape.

I then measured the distance to each hole and drilled the hole locations in the 8020 on the drill press, countersunk each rail as per the wall rails and then place each rail in the van before drilling through each rail into the floor and through the metal ribs.  Each drill hole was sealed to prevent rust.  I then used 8mm by 35mm Stainless Steel Counter sunk bolts, Satinless Mudguard wasjers under the van with Nylocks.  Again before placing the rails in filled each hole with Soudal T-Rex Extreme to seal the bolt holes as well.

The frame was designed to aligned with the factory anchoring points (where practical) which are all 8mm as well, I used two 10mm window packers beneath the floor rails and Soudal T-Rex Extreme and anchored the rails to these fixing points.  Again, Loctite Threadlocker Blue 242, Soudal T-Rex Extreme on every bolt and packer.

40mm X 40mm Ultra-Lite T-Slotted Profile – Four Open T-Slots

As the rear floor rails were completed I started to layout the 40 Series 2 Hole – Gusseted Inside Corner Brackets where my 4040 posts would go.  I went for these Gusseted Brackets for all my posts which are far more expensive but their strength and absolutely square fit is worth every penny.

An in went the 40mm X 40mm Ultra-Lite T-Slotted Profile – Four Open T-Slots posts.

Every Post was fixed at every possible face of the 40mm X 40mm Ultra-Lite T-Slotted Profile – Four Open T-Slots posts to provide the most robust stiff joints possible.  I there is ever an accident I have no intention of having over 200kg of equipment that is going under the bed in the rear ending up in the front!!!!

I also made sure to preload all the 8020 profile with the M8 Slide-in Economy T-Nut – Offset Thread and on the front to rear top rail used a more robust heavy duty T-Nut as shown above as well as to add further tie down strength each end of the post was tapped and M8-25 button head inserted with a very small tolerance to allow the rail to slide in along the top of each post.  Overkill I know but strong as.

This was all repeated on the right side of the van and the 120 Litre plumbed up water tank was fitted at the same time.

The hinged bed frame

As I will show later electric actuators will be fitted so the bed frame can be levelled when the van is park on the side of the road.  

I have a dislike for sleeping on a slope, but the first step was to build and fit the hinged bed frame and I then used 8020 brackets to fit 6mm ply across it as the bed base and also to brace the bed frame so that I could eliminate the over use of 8020 framing and keep the weight of the bed base as low as possible.  

I have seen people use 12mm and even 15mm ply as the bed base.  Given the spans involved and that the mattress helps spread the loads that is overkill.  I used 6mm.  If you were worried 9mm is the maximum required.

Well that done the bed frame and the framing supporting the below bed tank and frames for the Victron Equipment and Lithium Battery Bank is in place.

I must say this took be a few days work, taking my time and it being my first introduction to using 8020, the accuracy of the 8020 framing and components meant that it was all very square and true as well as very solid.