What are these bolts for ?

[lazy_pete]

Hi, I've recently acquired a 2017 B9 van, and am trying to work out how to secure some hand rail type things in the back (as clamp points for bike holders). 

The front end will attach to the ladder behind the driver's seat, but the rear end I thought I'd attach to the rear pillar by the door. To that end I'm wondering whether anyone can identify the purpose of the Star bolts pictured, whether I can remove them and reinstall holding on a clamp, and what size to order if I wanted to use the same process on the empty holes further up the pillar ? 

Any help much appreciated. 

   

[Sol]

They could be M6. That's a common size for the body trim bolts. I can't see why you couldn't use those points as anchors. I've always had vans so no idea what they hold on the cars, but suspect it's thick plastic body trim panels. Someone with a car will know for sure.

[lazy_pete]

Thanks Zion, so you reckon I'd be safe enough to unscrew them and see what happens ?

Cheers,

Pete

[Sol]

I would think so, but check what is behind. I can't see that steel section just being bolted on, it has to be structural so the bolts can't be doing much.

But if you only use one or two, nothing will move.

[Pedronicus]

I've just had a look at our van & we have the same bolts. Can't really see what they might do but if you take the rear light assembly off you may be able to see behind that and get an idea. Haynes only applies to the car variant not the van when it comes to rear doors, etc.

[Matt Haigh]

I've cut and pasted the following from one of my old posts where I made some fixing locations for carrying bikes, I'm fairly sure these body slot locations are on vans and multispaces, this might achieve what you want. You obviously won't have the trim windows!


" ..... I was attempting to use the internal roof bar fixings as cargo anchor points, the attached pics show what I've done: put plate nuts in the body slots, drilled holes in the trim windows, screwed in stainless steel lifting eye bolts with tube and washer spacers. I'm pleased with the result and I'm going to do the front fixings next, they are set deeper into the trim so I'll use lifting eye nuts and studding for these."

Matt

[lazy_pete]

I've just had a look at our van & we have the same bolts.  Can't really see what they might do but if you take the rear light assembly off you may be able to see behind that and get an idea.  Haynes only applies to the car variant not the van when it comes to rear doors, etc.

I unscrewed one of them - big M8? bolt, definitely bolted into some sizeable part on the other side, so I put it right back !

Meantime I've ground the roughly 0.5mm needed out of some of the similar, but empty, holes elsewhere on the same pillar to allow placing some M6 Rivnuts. To these I've attached some F14 Truss clamps, which I'll use to secure a couple of poles along the non-door side to the ladder behind drivers seat. I can add bike rack arms to these to keep bikes both spaced and secure in transit, but without impacting floor space much when there are no bikes inside. 

I'll try and get a pic up once complete.

Cheers,

P