98 Topaz Bed Layout

Hi Everyone,

We've had our Topaz for just over a week now and we're really happy with it - a great first van.

I've been familiarising myself with the bed arrangements and from the AS book that came with the van it implies that the bench seat base cushion should slide towards the drivers seat. I can see that there are some runners under the cushion but I can get the cushion to slide. I'm not sure if there is a catch somewhere that I'm just not seeing of if the runners have seized. Can anyone advise before I start pulling it apart:)

Thanks
Nigel

No the bench seat  doesn`t slide to the drivers seat ,

 on mine a 2002 which I use to have, the cab seats turned around pushed as far back towards the dashboard, and the cab seat  makes up part of the bed, the bench seat has runners that slides the settee  out  ,there is a black catch on the base of the settee which you hold down and then pull with the handle,  small seat pulls out across the sliding door towards the passenger seat and then cushions fit the gaps, I never used the seats as a double, took up too much room. hope you can understand that,
Regards,
Margaret

Thanks Margaret. It's just sliding the bench towards the drivers seat that I'm struggling with. I'll have a look for a black catch tonight. 

Regards
Nigel

Hi Nigel
There have been many tweeks to the Topaz bed layout over the years. On a 1998 model the side seat base does slide towards the driver's seat. This would immediatly be clear on yours if you have an infill cushion that fits between the bench seat and the sink unit. 
 
On the end of the bench seat (near the driver's seat) there is possibly a lever that has to be pushed down to allow the Bench cushion to move towards the driver's seat. There were several changes to this design and it could be that there is no lever and it  just requires a slide to the left to release the frame from its locked position

John

I had this exact problem.
One evening when trying to make up the bed, the seat base (by the sliding door) would not slide forward, which made for interesting sleeping arrangements!
It turned out that one of the sliding rails had jammed (there are two, one on each side).
I bough a new sliding rail (from a furniture parts supplier) - fitting it required drilling some new holes in the seat frame though.

Autosleeper make changes to design in the lifetime of a model.  We have owned two Topaz, a 1999 and our present 2005.  In neither of these does the offside bench seat slide towards the drivers seat. There is a lever situated on the front panel of the base structure which allows the bench to move outwards, ie. towards the sliding door to either widen a single bunk or to form part of a double.
We use two singles by turning the driver's seat to face the rear and pulling it to meet the bench.  The nearside involves reversing the passenger seat and sliding the single seat forward.
Two singles is the only feasible option. Leaves room for movement, mainly for that imperative visit to the rear in the small hours.  Leave the extra cushions at home, you need the storage space they would otherwise occupy.   Keith

Thanks for the responses everyone.

@John, there does appear to be two small sliding rails at each end of the bench but no release mechanism - I'll have to see if I can dismantle it over the weekend and see if they are seized. The AS manual that came with the van shows the bed layout with the infill at the sink end and I do appear to have all the correct jigsaw pieces:)

@Keith, I suspect we'll end up just using the singles but with the double (according to my wife) it gives somewhere for the dog to sleep!!

Thanks for all the help, this is a great site and hopefully in the future I'll be able to assist others rather than just keep asking questions.

Nigel

Thank you this has been most helpful, My Topaz which I collected Yesterday, the OS seat slides towards the drivers seat, I thought the seat wasn`t fitted correctly, also it doesn`t go right back to the wall, have tried to undo screws to alter, easier said than done, my first Topaz a 2002, didn`t do this, just pulled out towards the middle. have left it for tonight, and thought I would try to see if there was info on forum, and there is, so will put screws back tomorrow, and leave as it was. 

There is no mention in the AS book that I have referring to sliding towards drivers seat. it does say 1994 , so probably covers a few years, mine is a 1998.

Should it go right back to the OS wall and back cushion sit on top, or is there suppose to be a 3" gap. ?

Thank you.
Best regards,
Margaret