Reasons behind bulkhead removal?

[cognac]

Hi I noticed in a few builds people are removing their bulkheads. I am just wondering the reasons why? Is it a personal preference or is there other reasons behind it? Is it much noisier without it? Just curious.

I once made an elaborate plywood bulkead for my old T4, it had to be fitted forward of the sliding door but tapered back in two different directions to enable the seat to tilt back. A lot of work but it was satisfying. I had a steel bulkhead in my T5 which possibly saved me from serious injury or worse. I was stopped at a Y junction and a Nissan Almera smashed straight into the front of me. My tools came forward and my chop saw flew into the bulkhead. The base of it punctured the bulkhead right behind where my lower back was. I was uninjured. The worse thing was this was a Tuesday morning and I picked the van up brand new the previous Thursday. Only had 242 kilometers on the clock, gutted.

Anyway, I have a well earned respect for bulkheads, especially if carrying tools or other items that could cause damage in an accident.

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[dan@biali]

I removed mine originally to fit a festool guide rail in and then quickly realised the extra legroom from being able to move the seat further back was worth putting up with the increased road noise. You're right though that a bulkhead is worth having if you carry anything heavy enough that could come flying forward into the cabin in the event of an accident.

[maxx007at]

I removed (well, cut it, so the sides are still in) mine so I had extra legroom. I don't carry that much tools with me, but the ones I do carry, are properly secured to the floor.
Yes it gives some extra road noise, but the extra legroom is more important. (I am 2.03m)

[Mindak]

Iv still got mine in at the moment but that grid really does annoy me in the mirror, tempted to try do a nice job of cutting it out!


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[DomP]

I'm tempted to cut out he grid too but I don't want to ruin it

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[Mindak]

I'm tempted to cut out he grid too but I don't want to ruin it

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If it goes wrong people usually give them away anyway so can get another!! Lol


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[caddywupz]

Taken mine out recently as I just have no need for it as I'm converting my caddy to a camper. Thought it would be useful for easier albeit narrow passage from the front to the back without having to go outside if it's pissing down with rain!

[Relentless]

Took mine out as we carry our dog in a cage in the back and she travels better if she can hear us. The extra reclining room for the seat is good too

[TDean122]

The best reason to take a bulkhead out is because you can park really tight next to something and jump out the side doors. I took mine out I never really have anything in the back and it's all insulated and I've never noticed much difference in the road noise

[Maxi4life]

A guy at work rolled his van at 80mph without a bulkhead with a generator in it amongst the other stuff. The generator completely pushed the body out like an egg.

[bar79w]

Just picked my Caddy up today but it only has a bulkhead behind the drivers seat??? It doesn't look like anything has ever been fitted to the passenger side. Did they come from factory like this??

[Maxi4life]

Yes was an option. It's a mish mash of half of the bulkhead and half of the non bulkhead interior plastics.

[anoneamus]

There are definitely lots of good reasons to have something to stop stuff hitting you in the head (or windscreen) if you have to do a sudden stop. I never had a bulkhead, so I retrofitted the cargo net. Works really well, can recommend.

Has two top mounting points and can be attached to cargo hooks on floor or frame of front seats for 3 separate configurations. Here it's behind the rear seats.