VW Transporter T5 & T6 Kombi Bed & Narrow Drawer System | Switch Narrow
Switch Narrow is the same system in a narrower footprint, so long items still fit alongside: light stands, tripods, step ladders, surfboards. It fits a T5 or T6 without cutting or drilling, and comes out in under ten minutes.
18mm black phenolic birch ply, A4 stainless hardware, runners rated to 180kg. Secure storage during the week, a full-length bed or load platform at the weekend.
Supplied as standard with our OneTouch drawer system, so the drawer opens with one hand when the other one is full.
It comes out when you sell the van. No holes to fill, no bodywork to make good. The system moves to the next van, or comes off the price of this one.
Made to order in our workshop in Clevedon, and backed by a 2-year Ovano warranty. Free installation here takes about an hour. Prefer delivery? It arrives fully assembled on a pallet and can be in the van within an hour of delivery.
Goes with it
If you do not need the floor space alongside, the Switch XL gives you a wider bed. The rest of the range is in Transporter T5 & T6.
Will it fit my van?
Fitting & delivery
Fitted free at our workshop in Clevedon, near Bristol, in about an hour. Choose installation above and pick a date at checkout.
Or delivered fully assembled on a pallet to mainland UK, and in the van within an hour of delivery. We call within one working day to arrange a date. Extra charge for the Scottish Highlands, islands and Northern Ireland. Self-fitting takes under an hour with basic tools; see the install video.
Removal: under ten minutes, with nothing left behind.
Lead time: about 21 days. Every unit is made to order.
Warranty: two years, full cover, supported by the team that built it.
Dimensions & materials
| SWB | LWB | |
|---|---|---|
| Drawer (inside, L × W × H) | 1,200 × 760 × 495mm | 1,500 × 760 × 495mm |
| Drawer extension | 1,200mm (full) | 1,200mm; rear reachable via flap |
| Cubby | Full length of the unit | Full length of the unit |
| Bed / load platform | 1,900 × 1,475mm | 2,300 × 1,475mm |
| Platform height from floor | 580mm | 580mm |
| Bed to ceiling (standard roof) | 790mm | 790mm |
| Drawer load rating | 180kg | 180kg |
Board: 18mm black Hexa-grip phenolic-coated A-grade birch ply. Every cut edge chamfered and sealed, with a double coat on high-wear areas.
Hinges: surface-mounted flush hinges in A4 marine-grade stainless steel.
Runners: 180kg galvanised steel, 48-hour salt-water tested.
Bulkhead restraint: Dyneema-cored braided line.
Construction: threaded inserts throughout, no wood screws.
Care & Maintenance
Shipping & Returns
Questions people ask
Can I reach everything in the drawer?
Yes. The runners are full extension, so the whole SWB drawer comes out to you. In a LWB the drawer pulls out 1,200mm of its 1,500mm, and the rear flap lifts so you can reach the rest from above.
What fits in the cubby?
Long items that run the length of the unit: surfboards, step ladders, light stands, tripods and fishing rods.
What fits in the drawer?
It's 760mm wide and 495mm tall inside: stacking toolbox systems, power stations and camping kit.
How quickly does it change from bulkhead to bed?
About five seconds. Lower the bulkhead and the bed is there. The animation on this page shows it.
Can I still use the drawer when the bed is down?
Yes. The drawer works in all three configurations, so you never lose access to what's underneath.
Will I fit on the bed?
The SWB bed is 1,900mm long, which suits most people up to about 6 ft 2 in. The LWB bed is 2,300mm.
Is a mattress included?
No. Most owners add the Forty Winks tri-fold (£250), which covers the full van width and folds away behind the Kombi seats.
I have a panel van. Do I need to buy legs?
No. The legs that support the bed in a panel van come with every Switch.
Can I fit it in a leased van?
Yes. It fixes to the factory tie-down points with nothing cut or drilled, and comes out in under ten minutes, leaving the van exactly as it was.
Will it fit with boxed wheel arches?
Yes, though a small notch may need cutting in the boxing so the unit's feet sit in the right position.
If I have it delivered, how long until it's in the van?
It arrives fully assembled on a pallet and can be in the van within an hour of delivery.
Will it rattle?
It's built not to. Threaded inserts instead of wood screws, anti-vibration mounts and side supports as standard. As one owner put it: “I expected some rattling but it's silent.”
How is it different from a kombi bed platform?
A platform gives you somewhere to sleep and leaves whatever you carry on the floor underneath, out of reach. The Switch gives you the bed plus a full-extension drawer and a cubby, so everything under the bed comes out to you. That's the part owners use every day, and it's why Switch owners don't go back to a platform.
Switch Narrow or Switch XL?
Same bed, same bulkhead. Narrow trades drawer width (760mm) for a full-length channel for long items. If you don't carry boards or ladders, the XL gives you the widest drawer (1,085mm).
Can I move it to my next van?
Yes, to any T5, T5.1, T6 or T6.1 of the same wheelbase.
Can I see one first?
Visit us in Clevedon, near Bristol, or see one at Transporter HQ, Leighton Vans, Van Haven or Combe Valley Campers.
So far so good!
Expensive but if you buy cheap you buy twice! Build quality is superb, I expected some rattling but it's silent! All the fixtures are high quality and fitting is easy. I'm using it in conjunction with the forty winks mattress, also great quality although a little hard! The draw has enough space for a total cool fridge and a battery power station with room to spare. I will be exploring the option of adding a second drawer as a kitchen station.
