Kiravans VW T5-T6 Campervan Curtains and Screens User Guide

: June 15, 2024
: Kiravans

Table of Contents

Introduction
Tips and Tricks for Fitting Kiravans Curtains
Conclusions
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

Kiravans Guide to Campervan Curtains and Screens

Introduction

Kiravans has years of experience in sourcing, using and selling the materials for building campervans. Before we started the website, we were a campervan rental company with a large fleet of home built vans.
We have worked with various different suppliers and their materials over the past 2 decades to find the curtains and screens that we think do the job well at a reasonable cost. We thought we would share our knowledge with you, to help you with your decision making process.
Kiravans Curtains
Firstly, it is important to note that most vans were never designed to be fitted with curtains.
Our vehicle specific designs are best fit compromises taking account of the shape of the bodywork. We think they provide a really good solution in the circumstances, and judging by the vast majority of the feedback reviews and comments, our customers agree.
All Kiravans curtain kits come with a top and bottom rail, screws, runners, tie backs, wall poppers, end stops, and either one or two curtains (depending on the window). The curtain material is very high-quality (the manufacturer also supplies Mercedes with the same fabric and design) and will ensure a wonderful finish in your campervan.
The fabric is stretchy with a fairly dense weave, giving very good light blocking and excellent thermal properties. The stretch feature of these curtains means that they are installed under a little tension to stop the material from flapping around while you drive. The robust aluminium rails are shaped to the curves over the specified vehicle and feature an attractive bevelled edge for a professional finish.
Materials
We offer a range of options for the curtain kits. Please note that not all colour options are available for all vehicles / models.

Black (curtains + rails)
Grey (curtains + rails)
Premium Blackout (double layer: 1 side black / 1 side grey curtains + grey rails)

The Black or Grey curtains are single layers of fabric. The Premium Blackout curtains are a layer of each, 1 black, 1 grey. The result is exceptional thermal insulation and a darker window covering. Please note however that total blackout cannot be achieved with this stretch fabric so strong sunlight is still slightly visible.
The blackout curtains are reversible in most cases, allowing you to choose between the black or grey colour on the inside of your van. The exception is with the Vivaro/Trafic range due to the awkward shape of the centre window.
Compatibility
The curtains will fit the specified windows on the specified vehicles detailed on the associated product page, but please pay attention to the exceptions listed there. Most curtains are not interchangeable as the lefts and rights of the van are not always exact mirror images. Even if they were, just as your left and right hands are mirror images of each other, swapping them over to your other arms would not work too well either.
Most importantly, these curtains were primarily designed to be fitted to vans undergoing conversion from a bare panel van, as opposed to a van manufactured specifically as a camper, with additional fixings and furniture, however they can be retrofitted in some circumstances.
If your van has additional plastic trim fittings around the window frame (like a Caravelle or Viano) the curtain rails will not fit as intended.
Kiravans Universal Curtains
If we don’t stock a curtain for your specific van, the Kiravans Universal Curtain range is what you need. These come with 2 straight rails (140cm each) plus a pair of curtains (width approx. 90cm) with a drop of either 52cm or 70cm. The curtains will comfortably stretch to approximately 64cm and 86cm respectively. They will stretch a little further but it should be noted that the greater the stretch the less the light blocking capability.
This solution allows you to fit the rails wherever works in your van, and fit the curtains accordingly. Remember that you will usually want to fit the curtains under a little tension, so they don’t flap around and allow light to creep around the edges.
Please remember that these curtains are a compromise to help you fit curtains as best you can to the available space around your windows. Please see the fitting tips in this guide to help you consider how best to use this option.
Additional Resources:Video: Universal Curtains
Front Cab Privacy:
Installing curtains for the windows in the rear of your van is relatively straightforward. The front of the vehicle is a different proposition. So how do you get privacy? We have a few possible solutions:
Cab Curtains (VW T5/T6 only)
These cab curtains are made from the same stretch-fabric as our rear curtain kits so they will match up nicely to the rest of the curtains in your vehicle. Instead of using fixed rails around your windscreen and driver/passenger side windows, these rails are secured using poppers to fasten the curtain around the cab at night.
The cab curtain provides around 80% black-out and is plenty dark enough for sleeping and having a lie-in! The curtain drop is 95cm and it falls in front of your dashboard to keep the light out.
When not in use this cab curtain simply rolls up and can be stowed away in a cupboard or under the seat. It is much less bulky than the silver screens and goes up in seconds so it’s perfect for daytime privacy too. When camping in colder weather it’s a good idea to double it up with insulated cab screens.
These curtains are available in black or grey. Additional Resources: BuyCab Curiains Watch Video
Cab Divider (VW T5/T6 only)
This Cab Divider solution simply cuts off the driver’s cabin from the rear of the vehicle from behind the front seats. They are also made from the same stretch-fabric as our rear curtain kits so they will match up nicely to the rest of the curtains in your vehicle. They are double layers with one side grey, one side black.
The curtains come with a single rail (118cm) secured to the roof of the vehicle. The curtains drop down (105cm) from the ceiling. They do not reach the floor, but they are just long enough to ensure privacy in the back of the van.
Additional Resources: Buy Cab Divider Watch Video Kiravans Silver Thermal Cab Screens
Another option to ensure darkness/privacy in your van is to use silver screens. These are a great solution to blocking off the light from the drivers cabin and they also provide excellent thermal insulation for your van to reduce condensation.
We sell thermal screens for a range of vehicles:

VW T5 / T6/T6.1
Vivaro 2014-2018 / Trafic 2014+ / Talento 2014+ / Nissan NV300 2014+
Ford Transit Custom 2016+

There are a number of things to consider when choosing thermal screens.
Internal vs External Screens
This is mostly a matter of preference. Internal screens fit to the window using cuption suckers. External screens are locked in place when you close the vehicle doors.
Screens serve 4 main purposes. Blocking light, privacy, insulation, and prevention of condensation. External screens probably rate higher on each of these measures, especially for insulation and condensation, but as they are exposed to the weather, like a tent or awning, they may need to be dried out before storing for a long period of time.
Mirrors/Sensors
Remember to select the correct screen for your vehicle. Internal screens in particular have to accommodate windscreen sensors and rear view mirrors.
Climat NT vs. Climat NT Thermo?
We offer both the Climat NT and Climat NT Thermo silver screens. Both are for internal fitting, so what is the difference between them? Well, it’s all about the construction.
Climat NT Thermo: The Thermo screens are made from a 3 layer construction with a PVC layer, then a thick foam insulating layer and then PVC. Due to its shape and extra thickness, the Thermo sits really well within the van windows without much help from the suction cups.
Climat NT: The NT screens have a 4 layer system. This extra insulating layer is made from an air bubble construction, which we have found to be more effective than the old system of 6/7 layers without air bubble insulation. The NT screens are also lighter in weight and more compact than the Thermo, making them easier to store after use. Additional Resources: Buy Thermal Screens Video: Thermal Screens

Tips and Tricks for Fitting Kiravans Curtains

Fitting your curtains should be a relatively simple task as most of the curtains we sell are reasonably self-explanatory for fitting. There are sometimes one or two things that catch people out or where you might have to stop and think, so this guide helps you with some tips and tricks to help you get the best fit.
Fitting Curtains to Your Van
What do I need?:

1 x drill
2.5mm drill bits (Cobalt or some other hardened material)
Pozidriv #1 screwdriver

The principle for fitting the curtains is the same for any vehicle and is reasonably self explanatory, especially for the side windows. The video above demonstrates fitting the curtains for a VW T5/T6, and will tell you most of what you need to know to fit most curtains to most vehicles.
Additional Resources:Video: How to Fit Kiravans Curtains
Rails
The rails are labelled as top (T) and bottom (B), with a pictorial diagram showing which window the rail is for. The rail pictured is the top rail for a left centre window. Self-tapping Screws
It is important to note that the screws provided are self-tapping, not self- drilling. You will need to pre-drill the holes before fixing the screws. Use a 2.5mm (Cobalt or some other hardened material) drill bit. In our experience, you may find you need a few drill bits as they have a tendency to break.
Barry’s Top Tip for drilling through your curtain rail is to use a small piece of timber to protect your rails from bending! As your drill breaks through the van metal your drill will almost certainly push through the new hole and if you’re not careful you could end up denting the rail itself. As with any drilling, you should also consider the location of any wiring behind the metalwork. Tie Backs The tie backs come in a colour to match the rails (Grey for the blackout version). Many customers lose their tie backs. The tip for keeping them with the curtain when they aren’t in use at night, is to loop them round the curtain where it is attached to a wall popper (included in the pack). That way, you always know where you left them when you want to tie the curtains up again in the morning.
Gliders
The curtains come with gliders (in grey or black to match the rails) to run along the rails. Barn Door Curtains
For most vehicles, fitting the barn door curtains can be slightly more tricky than the side windows. They are still very simple to fit, it is just not always as obvious where the rails go.
This is because the window is usually much tighter to the frame, and the door does not have a great deal of real estate to attach the rails to, or is a strange shape. As a result, a few compromises have to be made in order to fit the curtain.
VW T5/T6
The rails for these vehicles are slightly fatter than parts of the frame of the barn doors. This often results in a slight overlap, as shown in this video. The overlap is necessary to ensure that the curtain fits right to the edge of the window to help the curtain keep as much light out as possible and avoid any annoying gaps.
Ford Transit Custom 2013+
Here, the window shape is not conducive to fitting the bottom rail to follow the curves. If the rail fitted the window frame precisely, the curtain would be 30% longer on one side than the other and would look slightly odd.
In such a vehicle, the rail is fitted as indicated by the red lines in the image (shown right). The top rail fits the recess of the window (pointing down), but the bottom rail is a straight rail sandwiched between the window and the bottom panel (pointing towards the front of the van). The fitted curtain stretches over the arm of the door. Trafic / Vivaro / Primastar X83 2001-2014
Trafic / Vivaro 2014-2018, Talento 2014+, NV300 2014+ X82
The curtains for these vehicles have a rail with pre-bent ends but the centre section is straight and therefore does not follow the line of the window frame exactly. It is necessary to push the rail down in the middle, where it can be screwed in place. This does result in a slight gap below the rail on either side of the centre fixing screw.
Tailgate Curtains
Tailgate doors come either with or without rear wipers. Depending on the vehicle, some curtains have the same fitting method regardless of the presence or otherwise of the wiper mechanism, but others handle the situation differently.
Trafic / Vivaro / Primastar X83 2001-2014
Trafic / Vivaro 2014-2018, Talento 2014+, NV300 2014+ X82
The curtains for these vehicles are supplied assuming the presence of a wiper. The kit includes a curved top rail to fit inside the window indentation with the slider groove facing downwards. The lower rail sits with the groove facing forwards towards the front of the van.
Lower rails are pre-bent to go around the wiper motor housing box. The bend is central and may need to be slightly altered by hand as the motor housing is slightly offset. (See photo on next page).
VW T5/T6 Tailgate Curtains with wiper
The rails for these vehicles vary depending on whether the wiper is present or not. Please take care to order the correct version on the website.
The kit includes a curved top rail to fit inside the window indentation with the slider groove facing downwards. The lower rail sits with the groove facing forwards towards the front of the van. Lower rails are pre-bent to go around the wiper motor housing box. The bend is central and may need to be slightly altered by hand as the motor housing is slightly offset. VW T5/T6 Tailgate Curtains without wiper
Where the tailgate has no wiper, there is usually an empty dented space where the wiper would have been. The kit for such vehicles includes a curved top rail to fit inside the window indentation with the slider groove facing downwards. The lower rail is straight and should be placed below the wiper mechanism void, pointing outwards towards the front of the vehicle.
The curtain will stretch to reach it.
Ford Transit Custom 2013+
Ford Transit Custom Tourneo 2013+
The tailgate curtains for these vehicles do not have a rail that bends around the wiper motor.
Instead, a straight rail is supplied and it should be fitted below the motor housing (or the void, if no motor is present), and fitted pointing towards the front of the van. The curtain will stretch to meet the bottom rail.
Other Vehicles – Universal Curtains
As stated previously, most vans were never designed to have curtains fitted to them. As such, the van design does not usually provide a simple solution for the placement of curtains. Kiravans universal curtains provide you with the opportunity to find a solution that works for your vehicle. You just need to think about the options available to help you fit the curtains in such a way that provides privacy and light blocking.
Our recommendation for fitting universal curtains is to identify an option that keeps the rail straight. Depending on the location of the window, you may be able to fit the rail above/below the window frame. Perhaps there is a piece of furniture that you can attach the rail to instead. Take a look at all of the options before making your purchase as it may change the dimensions of the curtains you require.
Attaching curtains to doors can restrict these options as it may only be possible to secure the rails to the window frame itself. In this situation, we recommend that you use as much of the straight edge as possible, avoiding the curves. This will of course leave you with gaps around the left and right margins of the window. This can be solved by leaving a few runners outside of the rail groove and using the curtain poppers to attach the curtain to the wall on the sides of the window to pull across the gap.
If you are adventurous, you can try to bend the rails around the curves of the window frame.
It is relatively simple to bend the rails in a linear direction, but your window frames may also require you to apply a twist to the rails, and this will be more difficult for most DIYers. Also, the closer the bend is to the end of the rail, the harder it is to hold the shape and integrity of the rail when you bend it.
If you do try to bend the rails, the trick to creating a linear bend is to place 5 x 1p coins at the point at which you wish to make the bend, and maybe tape them in position while you make the bend. The coins will prevent the tracks from pinching at the bend and restricting the free movement of the curtain gliders. This method will work to around 30 degrees, but after that the rails will start to lose their integrity.
Additional Resources: Video: Universal Curtains
Universal Curtains – Barn Doors
The same techniques can be applied here, but remember that the universal curtain rails come with 1 pair of straight rails, and 2 left and 2 right end stops. You will most likely be cutting the rails in half to cover the two windows. As such you will need extra end stops and these are available for purchase.
Additional Resources:Curtain Accessories Pack
Tailgates
The top rail can be fitted to the long inside edge of the window frame to the point of the curve. The bottom rail can be fitted below the wiper mechanism if there is one. If you want you can try to bend the rail around the wiper housing. It is a much simpler task to make a bend in the middle of the rail than at the end.

Conclusions

Kiravans offer a wide range of curtain and screen solutions to help you maintain privacy in your van. We have sought to find solutions that offer quality and value and we are delighted that most of the customer feedback agrees.
We hope that the information provided here helps you make an informed choice as you make your journey.

Freedom Campervans Ltd,
Pearson Assoc.
Suite E Canal Wharf Eshton Road,
Gargrave, Skipton, North Yorkshire,
England, BD23 3SE
Trading as:
Kiravans
Unit 14 The Crossings,
Riparian Court
Riparian Way, Cross Hills
Keighley, BD20 7BW
Contact us:
www.kiravans.co.uk
help@kiravans.co.uk
Tel: 0113 804 2125
www.kiravans.co.uk