Boot -floor rails

 5 November 2020 Update

Added a flush fitting lifting eye to help lift the boot floor. See photos below.

14 November 2020

After seeing other floor rails I decided to look around as to whether I could do it myself.

Found the following 'rub rail' section on eBay, from alum-droitwich. Various lengths can be ordered. Described as Aluminium Herzim Rub rail with PVC insert, 1 inch wide.

The rail is a highly polished aluminium extrusion, 25mm wide and 5mm high with a PVC rubber insert that when in place makes the rail 7mm high. The rail came with a white protective cover that is easily removed.

Measured up and ordered 6 metres of rail. Actually only needed 5 metres but had 3 x 2metre lengths just in case of error. Rail was delivered taped to a thick piece of wood and well packaged. Each rail for the  floor and including the back of the seat needs about 950mm each.

Fixing it was pretty straight forward.

Drilled and countersunk 4 holes on the floor rails and 2 on the back rails. Just need to get the holes central in the extrusion and deep enough to take the screw head. Used 3.5mm diameter x 20mm long S/S Posi drive countersunk fully threaded chipboard woodscrews.

Spaced rails at 180mm apart, centre to centre. Started with the centre rail and worked outwards both sides.

Used masking tape initially to mark out the rail positions as the length of the floor rails varies. Did need to remove the carpet press stud fastenings on the floor as the carpet on mine was not held centrally. The made sure the carpet was central prior to fixing rails. Ran length of rails between the floor and back mat edging tape. Cut the rails, polished the cut ends, and screwed to floor and back. Used a 155mm length of wood as a spacer between the rails as I went along fastening them down. No need to drill the floor as screws made their own holes.

Found it best to heat up the PVC insert with a hair dryer and press in with thumbs. Still got sore thumbs!

Here is the finished job.

Total cost was £80 for delivered rub rail plus the screws and I do have a metre of rail left over!