Fitting electric step to a VW T5

Has anyone experience of fitting a cassette step (Omnistep 12v) to a VW T5.
I have a T5 Topaz. I cannot find a fitting kit. I'm told that they are not available.
The problem appears to be the fuel tank which is immediately inboard of the proposed step position.
Any guidance would be appreciated.

KMRTOPAZ wrote:Has anyone experience of fitting a cassette step (Omnistep 12v) to a VW T5.
I have a T5 Topaz. I cannot find a fitting kit. I'm told that they are not available.
The problem appears to be the fuel tank which is immediately inboard of the proposed step position.
Any guidance would be appreciated.

I confess it's late and I can't be bothered to actually go and look, but the fuel tank is on the other side, isn't it?

I must admit though that I don't really see much point in a slide-out step. It's a lot of work to get something that's probably less than 3 inches lower than the door footwell? A simpler solution with no electrics or complication would be a set of side steps or side bars with step inserts, wouldn't it? E.g.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I should add that I'm not recommending those specific ones, which to me look ugly - there are much more elegant ones out there in powder coated black, which should stand up to road spray better than chrome ever will...

I would find an electric step not wide or staple enough, have looked at them on other motor homes and I would prefer a separate plastic step with a wider footprint.

 I had a Topaz and I found the step where the sliding door is far better than the narrower door on my Clubman, then again it is all swings and roundabouts.
 
Regards,
Margaret

Left it too late to edit my first post, but I remembered wrong. The fuel tank is indeed on the nearside, right under the door, and it hangs down around an inch below the sill, so an electric step isn't an option without major engineering.

As above, one of the wide based plastic steps is hard to beat for stability, though finding somewhere to store it out of the way may be an issue in a Topaz...

I had one, when on site it is outside anyway, when travelling inside just inside where the sliding door is, if you do get one check the height of the step so sliding door can still be opened and closed when it is in place. Experience on this one.

Thanks to all concerned for this series of replies. We had an electric step on a Timberland conversion and, from this experience, are confident that this is what is required on the Topaz. A view wholly supported by a pair of crotchety knees ! We currently use a folding plastic step with a length of string to recover it once aboard. Comical and not very satisfactory. There is an answer to this problem and when I have found it I shall report back.

KMRTOPAZ wrote:There is an answer to this problem

Of course there is! If you spend enough money and effort you can solve any problem.

However, the issue here is that it will be very difficult (but not impossible) to support the innermost part of the step, because you can't fix to the (plastic) fuel tank. It would not be (in engineering terms) hard to design something that would bridge across the tank to the chassis closer to the centre of the vehicle - but that sort of engineering is not likely to be cheap. It will also significantly reduce your ground clearance, though I doubt there are many place where you would notice that.

What is it that you don't like about fixed side steps?

Mojo, there's nothing I dislike about fixed side steps as I have never seen one! It does seem a bit odd that manufacturers go to the trouble of making retractable designs, but it's presumably on the assumption that a fixed design leaves a hazardous projection.
I will look into your suggestion however.

KMRTOPAZ wrote:on the assumption that a fixed design leaves a hazardous projection.

The downside is that they project less than retractable steps, so that they don't create a hazardous projection. On many vans this relative narrowness would be unacceptable, but I suspect that on a T5 it will be less of an issue because you have quite a deep footwell just inside the door.

The thing I liked about the side steps is that not only do you get a step for the sliding door, but also (assuming you fit to both sides) an identical height step for both driver and passenger door. The only thing that stopped me from installing a pair on my van is that I don't like the "bling" factor of too much chrome, and I never found a decent set in black.

My Trident has "bling bars". I'm thinking about changing these for the running board/side step style to help getting in the driver's door. Does anyone have any experience of these, or recommend a make/source?

TiA

Ed

....if fitting side bars, it may be a good idea to consider the possibility that the mounting of them might interfere with the jacking points underneath.
I once bought a T4 with sidebars, got the garage to remove them, they said that they obscured the jacking points.
Don't know if the same applies to the T5, but it's worth a thought.