digitalzombie
Member
Are the lashing rails that you can order your van with the same as all the L-track people using in their vans? What would be a good setup? Waist high, roof and floor? is there an advantage by going aftermarket?
Lashing rails
- Thread starter digitalzombie
- Start date
Yes, the lashing rails are logistics track, glued and riveted to the van.
Many people install their own, which gives more freedom of location, but also means you have to figure out load ratings on your own.
The BEG says that self-installed L track will be much less strong than factory-installed, and for my skill level, that is true. YMMV.
The BEG also has detailed advice for gluing L track, which is good reading.
I am happy that I got the factory L track. There are probably others who are happier going DIY. It all comes down to your needs and abilities.
Many people install their own, which gives more freedom of location, but also means you have to figure out load ratings on your own.
The BEG says that self-installed L track will be much less strong than factory-installed, and for my skill level, that is true. YMMV.
The BEG also has detailed advice for gluing L track, which is good reading.
I am happy that I got the factory L track. There are probably others who are happier going DIY. It all comes down to your needs and abilities.
digitalzombie
Member
Which locations did you get? I believe there are multiple places you can order lashings for.
kinjachris
Member
if you are looking for legitimate high loads, get the factory ones. If its for recreational use, the L track is fine. for low loads it can just be screwed in place. For medium loads, it can easily be bolted in place. I found that longer pieces of L track were hard to come by at reasonable prices. 4' and under is on Amazon for cheap. at the 6' level the best deal I found was to buy it from RB components. I think I got two 6' sections from RB for $75. I've run it on my rear passenger quarter and twice across my ceiling to hang surfboards from the ceiling. i have only used screws to hold it in place and i'm feeling fine about the strenght factor. I don't plan on holding anything heavy. perhaps a bicycle to the side wall and 2-4 surfboards on the ceiling. Seems fine with just screws for lighter loads. Big stuff would call for bolting it in.
dynaco1
Member
I looked at a 2019 cargo at a MB dealer. It had factory-installed lower and upper L track. These were my impressions:
1) upper and lower wall track were different style (different extrusions).
2) track were attached to wall with RIVETS. Some of the track was loose
3) no adhesive tape or glue between track and wall.
4) Charleston production
5) wall panels attached with self-drilling/tapping screws
I modified my comments 2 & 5 are reading some feedback by Gski in #10, below.
1) upper and lower wall track were different style (different extrusions).
2) track were attached to wall with RIVETS. Some of the track was loose
3) no adhesive tape or glue between track and wall.
4) Charleston production
5) wall panels attached with self-drilling/tapping screws
I modified my comments 2 & 5 are reading some feedback by Gski in #10, below.
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The floor mounted L Track from MB lines up with the chassis rails so it is bolted down (recessed into the OEM Floor material) and strong. 2017 model anyhow.
I wanted to have the option of securing self build cabinetry, fridge etc to the floor as well as the walls.
Maybe buy L Track aftermarket for the walls when you work out what and where you intend securing, if you can't visualise it now?
Aftermarket L Track was the same profile as original MB, you just get to choose surface or recess mount to suit your application.
I wanted to have the option of securing self build cabinetry, fridge etc to the floor as well as the walls.
Maybe buy L Track aftermarket for the walls when you work out what and where you intend securing, if you can't visualise it now?
Aftermarket L Track was the same profile as original MB, you just get to choose surface or recess mount to suit your application.
Sctn
2019 170 4x4 Crew-SMB West
Clean install. Good looking sleds too. Thanks for the picture!if you are looking for legitimate high loads, get the factory ones. If its for recreational use, the L track is fine. for low loads it can just be screwed in place. For medium loads, it can easily be bolted in place. I found that longer pieces of L track were hard to come by at reasonable prices. 4' and under is on Amazon for cheap. at the 6' level the best deal I found was to buy it from RB components. I think I got two 6' sections from RB for $75. I've run it on my rear passenger quarter and twice across my ceiling to hang surfboards from the ceiling. i have only used screws to hold it in place and i'm feeling fine about the strenght factor. I don't plan on holding anything heavy. perhaps a bicycle to the side wall and 2-4 surfboards on the ceiling. Seems fine with just screws for lighter loads. Big stuff would call for bolting it in.
digitalzombie
Member
I wonder if I can order top, side and floor lashings and than mount everything using those rails like a north south bed frame, sink cabinetry, overhead storage etc..
I got all three levels: floor, waist, and head-height.
So far, all of my build is attached to L track. I plan to use rivnuts for mounting 1/8” baltic birch plywood as the ceiling, but didn’t end up with any for structural purposes.
The floor track is perfectly flush with the wood floor and has very high load ratings. It was key to my design.
And if, like me, you discover that what looked good in a drawing doesn’t always look good inside the van, moving an L track mounted cabinet takes only a few minutes (loosen bolts, slide entire cabinet, tighten bolts).
Other people have had success with DIY L track and also with rivnuts. Factory L track is a good option, but not the only good option.
My 2019 Charleston cargo van was glued and riveted. Excess glue makes it clear that every piece was installed as per BEG in my van. There is a fair amount of variation between different cargo vans from Charleston that I have seen, but both vans with L track were glued. I didn’t check the other van for rivets vs self tapping screws though.
My factory wall panels were installed with self tapping screws, and the guy who did the left side over-tightened every single one. The right side worker used correct torque, but had to redrill every third hole to get the alignment right.
The waist level track has flanges like the flush mount floor track, which is very handy for adding paneling. The top L track has a different flange style, which adds strength and stiffness, but is not helpful for installing panels. Again, I have seen only two 2019 vans with this option, so no guarantees that they all match the BEG.
My setup is similar to Gski: floor, waist, and head-height. I use 2 X .25 fiberglass angle pieces to thermally isolate and tie the 8020 to the van. The floor L track is just below the wood floor so no direct metal to metal contact. Works well since I can see a big temp delta between my 8020 and the L tracks. Since the wood floor and L tracks are so integrated: I decided to insulate over the top of my wood floor, instead of under. Didn't really want the wood floor, but now seems fine for the purpose.
Like Gski; also used Rivnuts on ceiling.
I also have the factory wall panels and they were over torqued. Several are striped and fell out.. and several broke though the wall panels from over torque.
Since the panels are crap and broke; I decided to do "normal" thinsulate insulation and also insulate 1.5" over that. That makes the 1st set of 8020 (15 series) as internal wall studs. This gives me a insulated box within a box.
Like Gski; also used Rivnuts on ceiling.
I also have the factory wall panels and they were over torqued. Several are striped and fell out.. and several broke though the wall panels from over torque.
Since the panels are crap and broke; I decided to do "normal" thinsulate insulation and also insulate 1.5" over that. That makes the 1st set of 8020 (15 series) as internal wall studs. This gives me a insulated box within a box.
digitalzombie
Member
Are the top level lashings centered on the ceiling or at the top of the side panels?
Pickleball
2022 2500 144 High roof 4 cyl diesel
Is the top of the factory floor lashing rail (VV2 ?) flush with the wood floor?
Can the wood floor be removed when the factor floor lashing rails are present?
Do the factory floor lashing rails have any lip that rests on an edge of the factory floor?
Are the factory floor lashing rails glued or epoxied to the metal floor or can they be detached? Considering adding insulation between the metal floor and wood floor and thus would like to raise the floor lashing rails to once again be flush with the raised wood floor.
Can the wood floor be removed when the factor floor lashing rails are present?
Do the factory floor lashing rails have any lip that rests on an edge of the factory floor?
Are the factory floor lashing rails glued or epoxied to the metal floor or can they be detached? Considering adding insulation between the metal floor and wood floor and thus would like to raise the floor lashing rails to once again be flush with the raised wood floor.
I can't compare them to factory, as I've never seen the factory version, but the Adventure Wagon wall L tracks are solid - they add framing to the wall that is both riveted and rivnutted into the van before the L-track is screwed into that framing (via the rivnuts). I don't have the ceiling L-track as I just bought the wall kit (which I don't think they are selling as a stand-alone piece anymore)
VanGoSki
Well-known member
Thanks, you are exactly right. I've completed my Adventure Wagon install, so I can comment on this now. Every inch of L track is supported by steel structure that's rivnut'd and riveted into place as you've said. It's well engineered, built and solid. I can't imagine the factory installation could touch it.
OMFG... thread necromancy - I did not realize I was replying to a post from a year and a half ago.
lol?
sorries?
my_vw_sucks
Active member
The floor rails are flush with the top of the wood floor. The rails are screwed into the floor with T45 bolts (no glue), and easily detached. The rail rests on a recessed wood lip in the factor floor, but the metal floor below is what ultimately supports it.
If you insulate, you’ll probably want to add a spacer for support under the rail.