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Our approach to the Volkswagen T7 Transporter conversion
When choosing a Volkswagen T7 campervan conversion, safety should never be an afterthought. At CamperKing, we have made a conscious engineering decision not to remove or cut into the B-pillar roof traverse or interfere with the Safety Restraint System (SRS) deployment zone during our type-approved T7 conversions. While other UK converters may modify this structural component, we believe retaining it reflects our long-term commitment to vehicle integrity and customer safety. We've engineered around this problem, in line with guidance from Volkswagen and Ford, using our extensive knowledge and understanding of the vehicle's architecture, and our widespread access to components suitable for our manufactured solution.
What is the B-Pillar roof traverse?
The B-pillar forms a critical part of the T7’s structural safety cell. The roof traverse (sometimes referred to as the header bow) contributes to:
- Body stiffness and torsional rigidity
- Side impact protection
- Seat belt anchorage performance
- Overall crash energy management
Both Volkswagen (who share the T7 platform with the Transit Custom) and Ford provide clear engineering guidance when structural elements such as the B-pillar reinforcement are altered.
Ford advises that if the B-pillar header bow is removed, converters should reconfirm compliance with:
- ECE R14 – Seat Belt Anchorages
- ECE R17 – Seats, Anchorages & Head Restraints
They further recommend conducting a TÜV back-to-back structural comparison, involving strain gauge testing of the vehicle body at Gross Vehicle Mass to compare donor versus modified performance.
Volkswagen’s own converter guidelines (see below) similarly emphasise maintaining structural integrity and ensuring that any modifications do not compromise original safety standards. Their guidance states: "It is not recommended to shorten/modify/remove the B-pillar roof traverse... however, if this is absolutely necessary and cannot be avoided, the roof traverse must be replaced by a suitable construction with an equivalent structural strength and function as the original construction. All legal requirements must be complied with."
Why we choose not to remove it
Rather than undertake complex structural modification followed by extensive revalidation testing, we take a simpler, robust approach:
We leave the factory-engineered safety structure intact.
By not cutting or removing the B-pillar roof traverse:
- We preserve Volkswagen’s original crash-tested structure
- We avoid affecting certified seat belt anchorage performance
- We eliminate the need for structural revalidation testing
- We ensure no deviation from the manufacturer’s designed safety envelope
In short, we respect the original engineering.
Our commitment to responsible campervan conversion
Our approach reflects our broader commitment to:
- Manufacturer-aligned conversion standards
- Responsible engineering decisions
- Long-term vehicle durability
- Customer confidence and peace of mind
Confidence when you buy
When you purchase one of our type-approved Volkswagen T7 campervans, you are buying a vehicle that retains a key part of its core structural safety architecture. We believe that avoiding unnecessary structural modification is the most transparent and responsible path forward.
If you would like to learn more about our conversion standards or how we approach engineering integrity in our campervans, our team would be happy to explain in more detail.
