Bongo Fury

Why is is called a cat flap! Nothing cat like about me getting into roof. Think both wife and dog think same as they sleep downstairs due to snoring, me that is,not wife or dog.

'Cos the pioneer of this modification is called Cat AKA Umbongocat

I decided it was easier to move the strut brackets,where they fix to the roof.
I drilled new holes and used rivnuts.

ADAMD wrote:I decided it was easier to move the strut brackets,where they fix to the roof.
I drilled new holes and used rivnuts.

Did you do this without specialist tools?

I assume you drilled through the outer lip in order to drill the inner?

Can you tell me specifically which rivnuts you ordered for this, and how far you moved the mounting hole?

Many thanks,

Steptoe

Sorry,this wasn't clear - I re drilled the two holes either side for the bottom part of the strut where it fixes to the steel roof of the vehicle. I decided against the single point fixing where it mounts the aluminium due to the outer lip issue you mention. The rivnuts are M6. eBay item no. 310404982946. I used a bolt, nut and 2 spanners to install. The correct rivnut tool would make the job much easier.

Thanks, I've ordered some of these. Can you tell me how far you moved the holes? Presumably you moved towards the hinge, not towards the front?
Thanks,
Steptoe

75mm, cant remember which way, but should be obvious. Good luck.

Thanks for the help Adam, will wait for the rivnuts to arrive and get that sorted, but the kids have already given the new layout the thumbs-up. Had to modify the roof mattresses to remove the 'flap' section, but all looking good. I won't need to be lifting the inner flap for a while, so no rush to complete that side of things.

For general info..

321 now quoting £187 for cat flap, inc vat and fitting.

Derek

A further option:-
http://igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/view ... 97#p631397

Tony x wrote:A further option:-
http://igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/view ... 97#p631397

I like the look of this, but being mechanically totally inept, and having a dodgy back into the bargain, I can't see me doing it. Is it 'commercially' available, or the same as the 321 away version? Can't find any pics of the 321 .

Derek

Hello Derek,
Not commercially available as far as I know. The inner roof cost me £100 delivered of ebay. Other costs were negligible, a bit of glue and the like.

Just to add my little bit, I performed this today I would say it's a two man job from the start as the floor is really quite heavy and you need someone to hold it up when you are bolting the hinges back in.
Secondly although it's been said before earlier on you can use one of the inner roof piston holes and only have to drill a single new hole, we opted for a pilot and a 5mm self tapping bolt and the whole thing works perfectly.

Came up with the original idea of doing this last weekend after my 1 year old rolled onto the hatch in his sleep and my 4 year old needed a pee! Should've known the Bongo Fury Forum members would be all over it already...

Just one question...

Why do you need to move the strut mounting points (either top or bottom)? If the top mounting points are roughly central along the edge of the inner roof and all you're doing is spinning the whole inner roof around by 180degress why can't the strut mounts stay in the same place?

Assuming I'm missing something, am I right in thinking that the top mount can stay where it is on the edge of the inner roof and I just need to move the bottom mount forward by the distance between the bolt holes (circa 1"?), utilise the existing front bolt hole as the new rear bolt hole and drill a new hole in the van roof (on either side) as the new front bolt hole position?

Cheers
Ross

If you don't move the struts, the the inner roof won't close. I believe done people have drilled a new lower mount, as you suggest, but then the leverage is different for the struts. I would suggest that drilling a new top mount is easier in a number of ways, as well as training the correct geometry.