Removing units 1998 Symphony

I need to get some welding done to the bottom sill area along the drivers side and am concerned about possible heat damage to the cables pipes and units inside. I am therefore looking at removing the seat and kitchen units to be on the safe side. Having looked at the units, the way they are
attached to van is not immediately obvious and I guess that most of the trim and all the domestic units have to be removed first.
Has anyone had experience of this are able to give me some tips. Are the seat and kitchen units made as basic shells, how are the fixed in place and can they be removed without taking up the carpet?
Any help or instruction would be much appreciated.

Welcome to the forum Dave!

Sounds like a lot of work unless it is absolutely necessary. Bear in mind too that the Boxer van conversions have a separate chipboard floor upon which all the units and seats stand. Accordingly, any welding at sill level will probably be beneath the floor too, and you really don't want to have to lift that! I've never so been that deep into my Harmony that I needed to remove the kitchen unit or floor, but I've seen evidence of accumulations of sawdust and other debris which I suppose could light up if heated. However on balance I would have thought that if all the sill welding was below the (steel) floor level then you'd probably be OK. But, please, this is just my view and don't blame me if your van goes up in smoke!

Regarding risk of damage to the wiring, the two harnesses to the rear lights go down each chassis rail which run the full length of the vehicle. These should be sufficiently inboard to be isolated from sill welding. The AS van conversion wiring may however come closer.

Best of luck!


Bartfarst

I will presume its going into a bodyshop who will most certainly use the MIG process for this job. Heat displacement would be no more than 1 to 1 1/2inches either side the joint and not that hot either as its a very quick process. If its going to a diy operator or other dont let them use gas welding on the van.

Thanks for your replies.
Having only just dicovered the problem I'm trying to get as much information to understand what might be invoved so that I can talk sensibly when I go to the local bodyshop.
The area affected is approimately 2ft in front of the wheel arch and involves both inner and outer sections of the sill, around the point where the water filler pipe comes through from the inside of the van to connect with the tank underneath. This pipe will have to be removed which looks as though this means the trim panels behind the seat back will have to be removed to gain access to filler inlet. Having taken off the access panel to the space heater I can see that the pipes and cables to the water heater,which is next to and forward or the space heater, are visible and run along the edge of the metal van floor. Also from removing other panels in the kitchen unit, and exposing the van floor, it does seem that both the seat and kitchen unit bases are about 4ins. lower than the main floor area. However its difficult to see where they are fixed down.
Its interesting that all other sill areas are ok. and that the affected area is where holes have been cut for services. Looking at things more closely I wonder if the main cause is hole where the water pipe comes through the inner sill not being sealed and allowing road water etc. getting inside the sill or perhaps the filler pipe leaking somewhere. Futher investigation might perhaps reveal the scource.
The extent of the required removal will only be determined once Iv'e had a talk with the bodyshop and they can gauge how much rusty metal has to be removed to get back to good. The fun continues!!!