It's really easy to fit bolts into seat belt mounts on the arches, nice and solid, easy to put down and up, you'll need 2 hands to put back into seat position but it's not difficult. Ps I don't work for Lee, only met him once but he's a nice guy.
What we do it use pronged Tees so that the whole upholstered board can be bolted from underneath to the metal frame ...nice and solid!!
Cracking beds aren't they? We see quite a few different sorts come through the workshop, don't sleep on them mind, but Rusty Lee beds are exceptionally solid!!
I have a Rusty Lee 3/4 bed and its great. Nice to see that they are now powder coated, but compared to the basic hinges as sold by all the main suppliers that screw to your own ply bed boards they are, as someone posted "awesome" ! Before my wife went to "powder her nose" while I had a fight with the bed. Now she dares to stay in earshot....and as a bonus, you can sit right on the edge of the bed and it feels secure.
How's your back? Leaning over a long way and picking something up is well known as a no-no if you have back problems. Many beds masquerading as rock and roll beds aren't the full deal. Westy or similar hinges for the win here because you don't have to lean right over and pull the back up to get it started changing from bed to seat. I can easily do mine both ways with one hand standing in the doorway outside the van.
Hi @Dicky. .. I fitted full width Rusty Lee to my bus around six months ago. Good quality powder finish... fully boarded... easy to install onto seatbelt mounting points... easy to operate... comfortable to sit/sleep on... good price. What more can I say? I'd happily recommend them. Good luck with yours.
regarding the T nut thing....this is only of use for people who have upholstered the seat base to incorporate a board... you won't be able to do this with yours Ady...but on the plus side you can flip them over if you spill anything on it, or take them out whenever the mood takes you....which is a bonus in my book...that's why I don't bother....
got a @Rusty Lee bed in kitty - full width- bolted straight to the wheel arches, two screws through the leading bottom edge into the floor - job done. easy mechanism to open and put back. highly recommended
Well that's a bugger then I'm sure I read somewhere (a dangerous thing I know) that it was safer to have the seat base/back attached. Is that not the case?
This Many thanks to all who have contributed. Anymore for any more (always welcome) I do agree with Zed on this. On a Westy when in bed mode you lift the seat front up until it clicks (one hand) then support it gently as you let it drop back down into the seat position. No leaning over to lift the backrest up. I was hoping there was a rock and roll metal frame that did this as its a lot of work to build a westy one and get it right. Still under consideration!
