How to lock the bed in place - PLEASE HELP :)

[Pealicious]

Morning you lovely Bongolians
I really help someone can help me...
I am having some challenges in laying the seats down for the flat bed and locking them in place in our beautiful new bongo, Sally.

If I pull the middle bench seats forwards first I then can't seem to pull the back bench seats forwards because either I am standing in the way in order to reach the lever under the seat which lets them go past the stop on the runner, or else I am leaning in through the side door and not in the way but I then can't reach the lever because my arms aren't long enough. I also find that I can't reach the lever at the side of the seat to pull the back of the back seats down if I am leaning in through the tail gate and conversely if I am standing in the back of the van I can't pull the seats down (although I can reach the lever from here) because I am standing in the way!
What would be really helpful would be if someone could give me a step by step as it occurs to me there must be an easier way!

Secondly - and *far* more importantly (because, by hook or by awkward, clambering crook, I can manage to get the seats down eventually) is the issue whereby once the seats are all down flat they don't lock into position. This caused us an unmitigated nightmare at the mudfest which was Glastonbury last week. We were crewing there for 10 days and parked on a slope facing uphill. We had stuff stored beneath the seats which we could only easily access by opening the tail gate. Each time we did this we couldn't close it again as the seats had slid back a couple of inches and were in the way of the door. This meant putting the seats all back up again and closing the tailgate then performing the whole sorry rigmarole once more. We eventually resorted to wedging a screwdriver into the runner but this can't be the best solution!

Please please can someone offer some advise? I would be forever grateful.

Many thanks in advance
Ali x

[Bob]

Hi Ali

Very warm welcome to the Forum.

We're in Nailsea and if you're anywhere near us I'll have a look for you, also is Sally converted.

I don't mean 'Seen the Light' but is she standard or fitted with a camper conversion?

If so do you know which converter did it?

[Pealicious]

Hey Bob
No, unconverted as she's my every day vehicle too.
Sadly we're in Buckinghamshire and not down your way...
Thanks for your offer of help though

[vitus992]

Another Buckinghamshire Bongo, what part?

[Pealicious]

Hi Vitus
We're in High Wycombe, you?
Any ideas on my bed issue (as it were)?

[vitus992]

Cressex!
Im not sure on the bed, ours just works.
Can you PM me an email address and I will contact you and see if I can help.

Daren

[Pealicious]

I think I've done that, Darren

[vitus992]

I have replied!

[cazzyblues]

Just a thought.....does some of the things stored underneath catch on the mechanism under the seat . If so it may stop the seat moving into the lock position.