Power sliding door

[ferret50]

Old age is creeping up on us!
Whilst I can, mostly, get the side door on our Boxer camper to close first time 'er indoors does find it far more difficult.

I have seen a few other similar vans with a power door, anyone have one, and is it a DiY fitment?

Seen some kits advertised but with a huge price range, is it worth paying more, or will the cira £300 kit be good enough?

TIA

[ferret50]

This is the cheap and cheerful one....

https://www.modifero.com/en/electric-automatic-doo...

[Scrump]

I put a larger internal handle on the sliding door in my parent's boxer van. Mum found it easier with the larger handle, might be worth trying that.

[ferret50]

Scrump said:

I put a larger internal handle on the sliding door in my parent's boxer van. Mum found it easier with the larger handle, might be worth trying that.

It's not the sliding part that 'er indoors finds difficult, it's getting the latch at the rear of the door to engage cleanly, each time!
There's a double link hinge to pull the rear of the door in, unlike on a Ford van where the centre track curves into the frame.

The kit I have seen on other vans and the one I am considering has an internal rack driven by a fixed motor, that then pulls the rear of the door onto the latch, pretty much silently, as apposed to yanking the door at speed to force the latch home!

However, Scrump, thanks for the suggestion, as a longer internal handle would make opening from the inside significantly easier.

[Alicat]

I have just purchased a van with a fully powered side door. It is a revelation, it opens and closes at the push of a button. No more yanking the door hoping to get enough momentum to get it to latch.

I did find with my last van that it was hard to latch due to air pressure in the van. Of I opened the drivers door and then closed the sliding door it was a lot easier.

[ferret50]

Alicat said:

I have just purchased a van with a fully powered side door. It is a revelation, it opens and closes at the push of a button. No more yanking the door hoping to get enough momentum to get it to latch.

I did find with my last van that it was hard to latch due to air pressure in the van. Of I opened the drivers door and then closed the sliding door it was a lot easier.

This is what I am hoping to achieve!

I've ordered the kit from Turkey, price has risen, of course, but I'll try to keep the thread updated.

[ferret50]

Box of bits arrived last week and has been fitted. We had the fridge fitted in the rear half of the door opening so this has been removed to give access to install and I will need to modify the cabinet before it goes back in place.



Door closed.



Control unit at base of the C pillar, spare wiring from the kit is coiled down and tucked in rather than shortening the harness, Power is taken from my main electrical panel mounted inside the n/s rear door.



Door open, yes that is as far as it goes.

The internal operating switch is posirioned above the curtain rail and I seem to have it out of shot!



This is the only slightly naff bit... the motor unit acts as the latch at the rear of the door and that self tapper through the internal handle and it's mount is to keep the stock latch open.

Two ways to open/close, externally via a remote fob and internally via a red pushbutton. Unit seems to be well made and is very much easier to use.

[JulianPH]

The "bionic van" - excellent work mate!