2005 118" Sprinter Conversion for Alexander
- Thread starter PaulJensen
- Start date
VanIsle_Greg
I think I need a bigger truck!
Another kool and interesting project to follow. I love your attention to detail Paul, especially all the remediation to the years of abuse inside the box, and under the floors. Scary what lives under there...
Stalking...er subscribed.
Stalking...er subscribed.
Every Miles A Memory
Expedition Leader
Thanks for the link off of Mike's page. EXPO isn't complete without a Jensen Build going on! Watching you work and being able to see into the inner workings of your creativity always inspires me to go out and finish one of my many projects I've left behind
Chris Sandstorm Fj
Observer
Subscribed!
PaulJensen
Custom Builder
# 6
(above) After finishing the under-seat work, it's time to pre-wire the rear cabin...First up, install a shore power inlet...It might be handy if you are camped out with access to 110 volt AC...Maybe for a heater or a microwave or something power hungry like that...
(above) Installed ground prong up...It's how it's done in hospitals and Alex works in a place like that...Keep it familiar I say...
(above) Inside it looks like this...
(above) Pre-wire for LED lighting...This took a lot of time pulling all the wires over, under sideways and down...
(above) Curb side 12 volt DC pre-wiring...
(above) Driver side tangle...Each and every wire end was stripped, soldered, taped and/or heat shrunk, then metal taped out of sight...Count the wires...Yeah, it took a while...
(above) On the driver side is one area that has a high chafe potential...To remediate that, the wire bundle gets protected as you see...Next it's put in position and taped in place...
(above) Everything connected tight and right, then taped out of the way...The tape is metal fireplace duct tape...Good stuff...
(above) The plan is to have red LED rope light at the front and rear ceiling cross bars and to have white LED rope light at the next two inboard cross beams and at both the driver and curb side side rails near the roof / wall seam...
(above) Another day done, and it was a long one, but I'm stoked how it's turning out...
(above) After finishing the under-seat work, it's time to pre-wire the rear cabin...First up, install a shore power inlet...It might be handy if you are camped out with access to 110 volt AC...Maybe for a heater or a microwave or something power hungry like that...
(above) Installed ground prong up...It's how it's done in hospitals and Alex works in a place like that...Keep it familiar I say...
(above) Inside it looks like this...
(above) Pre-wire for LED lighting...This took a lot of time pulling all the wires over, under sideways and down...
(above) Curb side 12 volt DC pre-wiring...
(above) Driver side tangle...Each and every wire end was stripped, soldered, taped and/or heat shrunk, then metal taped out of sight...Count the wires...Yeah, it took a while...
(above) On the driver side is one area that has a high chafe potential...To remediate that, the wire bundle gets protected as you see...Next it's put in position and taped in place...
(above) Everything connected tight and right, then taped out of the way...The tape is metal fireplace duct tape...Good stuff...
(above) The plan is to have red LED rope light at the front and rear ceiling cross bars and to have white LED rope light at the next two inboard cross beams and at both the driver and curb side side rails near the roof / wall seam...
(above) Another day done, and it was a long one, but I'm stoked how it's turning out...
Last edited:
VanIsle_Greg
I think I need a bigger truck!
A proper wiring job...nicely done. I solder everything now...too many ways to pull apart a joint crimped well or not.
mhiscox
Expedition Leader
Not to hijack Paul's build thread, but . . .
This "a good job requires soldering" advice is all over this forum, but it's worth noting that some codes, for example, the ABYC (American Boat and Yacht Council) Standards, do not allow soldering as the sole means of connecting wires. When subjected to serious vibrations, solder joints can go bad when crimped connections don't. The fact that cheap crimp connectors and crimp tools produce crappy connections doesn't mean you should solder everything; it means you shouldn't use cheap stuff when making crimp connections.
In point of fact, mechanically sound, heat-shrink-covered wire connections, where the solder is for electrical conductivity rather than strength, are undoubtedly fine for our non-critical operations. But don't bad-mouth properly done crimp connections, as at least some knowledgeable groups require crimping. (And from a practical standpoint, crimps make diagnosing and correcting problems easier.)
There's a informative article on the issue here:
http://www.cruisingworld.com/how-to/systems/to-crimp-or-solder
PaulJensen
Custom Builder
# 8
(above) The forecast was less than 50 / 50, so the roof work got finished...The E-Track discs need uncommon bolts...I ground off some tips of the self tappers to get them to work with standard nuts...
(above) Any day you get to make sparks is a good day...
(above) Under the tarp is where the components have been stored...
(above) Confidence is all you need to drill more than a few dozen holes in a perfectly good roof...
(above) Hors d'oeuvre's..???...Non...E-Track discs ready to go topside...3M5200 on the screws...Masking tape over the heads makes it a one man job...
(above) I even washed it when I was done...The SS bars are 42" bolt-on handicap bars from Lowe's...$30 each...Something to keep you from rolling off the roof when you sleep up there...
(above) Van's need some kind of rack, if only for style...
(above) The rear view cam got squeezed up here...No new holes in other than the gutter to mount it...
(above) The forecast was less than 50 / 50, so the roof work got finished...The E-Track discs need uncommon bolts...I ground off some tips of the self tappers to get them to work with standard nuts...
(above) Any day you get to make sparks is a good day...
(above) Under the tarp is where the components have been stored...
(above) Confidence is all you need to drill more than a few dozen holes in a perfectly good roof...
(above) Hors d'oeuvre's..???...Non...E-Track discs ready to go topside...3M5200 on the screws...Masking tape over the heads makes it a one man job...
(above) I even washed it when I was done...The SS bars are 42" bolt-on handicap bars from Lowe's...$30 each...Something to keep you from rolling off the roof when you sleep up there...
(above) Van's need some kind of rack, if only for style...
(above) The rear view cam got squeezed up here...No new holes in other than the gutter to mount it...
PaulJensen
Custom Builder
# 8
(above) With the roof work done, it's back to the inside...I put some L-Track discs up high...They are bolted through, (not just sheet metal screwed) through the high crossbars...This one is over the rear doors...The high rear stop light is removed to get the bolts tightened...
(above) This is over the driver's shoulder in the center...The L-Track and the ring attachments are rated to hold more than a ton...I hang a hammock from mine in my Sprinter...A suspended plywood bed frame could easily be hung from there...
(above) Next on the list is insulating the interior...To reduce noise, I'm going to glue some leftover foam rubber flooring to the interior metal...
(above) It's going to look and sound different soon...
(above) Methodically I measure all the cuts and write them on the wall...
(above) Grey foam flooring, cut with a straight edge and razor knife, sprayed with Wilsonart aerosol contact cement...Handy stuff...One coat on the foam, one coat on the wall, press together, done...
(above) The foam after it's glued to the wall really deadens that empty metal box sound...The hollow resonance is effectively dampened...
(above) Driver's side wall done... Spun fiberglass insulation will go over the foam to add additional thermal insulation...
(above) Up high, backing foam was glued onto the roof sides to bring flush the contact surface for the next layer of foam...
(above) This should make a big difference in the quieting the front cabin...A bit challenging with the curved cuts overhead and one shot to lay it on right...It's best not to over-think it and just do it...
(above) With the roof work done, it's back to the inside...I put some L-Track discs up high...They are bolted through, (not just sheet metal screwed) through the high crossbars...This one is over the rear doors...The high rear stop light is removed to get the bolts tightened...
(above) This is over the driver's shoulder in the center...The L-Track and the ring attachments are rated to hold more than a ton...I hang a hammock from mine in my Sprinter...A suspended plywood bed frame could easily be hung from there...
(above) Next on the list is insulating the interior...To reduce noise, I'm going to glue some leftover foam rubber flooring to the interior metal...
(above) It's going to look and sound different soon...
(above) Methodically I measure all the cuts and write them on the wall...
(above) Grey foam flooring, cut with a straight edge and razor knife, sprayed with Wilsonart aerosol contact cement...Handy stuff...One coat on the foam, one coat on the wall, press together, done...
(above) The foam after it's glued to the wall really deadens that empty metal box sound...The hollow resonance is effectively dampened...
(above) Driver's side wall done... Spun fiberglass insulation will go over the foam to add additional thermal insulation...
(above) Up high, backing foam was glued onto the roof sides to bring flush the contact surface for the next layer of foam...
(above) This should make a big difference in the quieting the front cabin...A bit challenging with the curved cuts overhead and one shot to lay it on right...It's best not to over-think it and just do it...
1leglance
2007 Expedition Trophy Champion, Overland Certifie
For a moment I couldn't find this thread and I was sad to think work had not progressed.
So happy to rear the post above and learn a new way to sound dampen and insulate, very creative and I am sure it makes a difference.
Good to know the inside hooks can handle those loads.
nicely done once again sir
So happy to rear the post above and learn a new way to sound dampen and insulate, very creative and I am sure it makes a difference.
Good to know the inside hooks can handle those loads.
nicely done once again sir
PaulJensen
Custom Builder
# 9
(above) Alex sent two boxes of Roadkill for the floor, and maybe the doors...
(above) Everything should be this easy to install...Peel and stick...Just be careful not to step on the peeled off paper...Like Teflon on ice...
(above) Besides a knife, a hard rubber roller and a soft rubber mallet are good to have to really bond the Roadkill to the sheet metal...
(above) You can notice the difference this stuff makes...Noise dampening...???... Yes...
(above) Up front was covered too...
(above) After the whole floor was done, The sliding side door got the treatment...That door is opened and closed a lot and anything to reduce the rattle is a bonus...It's nice to close the door and have it go "thud", not "clank"...
(above) Now the Sprinter is less like a delivery van, and more of a sound isolation room...
(above) Leftovers...
(above) Alex sent two boxes of Roadkill for the floor, and maybe the doors...
(above) Everything should be this easy to install...Peel and stick...Just be careful not to step on the peeled off paper...Like Teflon on ice...
(above) Besides a knife, a hard rubber roller and a soft rubber mallet are good to have to really bond the Roadkill to the sheet metal...
(above) You can notice the difference this stuff makes...Noise dampening...???... Yes...
(above) Up front was covered too...
(above) After the whole floor was done, The sliding side door got the treatment...That door is opened and closed a lot and anything to reduce the rattle is a bonus...It's nice to close the door and have it go "thud", not "clank"...
(above) Now the Sprinter is less like a delivery van, and more of a sound isolation room...
(above) Leftovers...
PaulJensen
Custom Builder
# 9
(above) The ceiling foam insulation still needed to get finished...Again the spray contact cement cannister and gun made life easier...I did zero masking off of the sheet metal inside, it's that accurate...
(above) This turned out great, considering that with contact cement, you get one chance to install it right...It's nice to know the tricks to make this a low stress job...
(above) Driver side rear door...
(above) The license plate light lamps are now LED, but just to be safe, I ran aluminum tape around the lights to eliminate any foam & lamp contact...Belt and suspenders stuff...
(above) The curb side door already had a factory installed rubber dampener installed in the lower panel...No need to double up there...
Now, that the underlay of foam insulation is complete, the van has a noticeably different feel...There is still fiberglass insulation and thin plywood to go over most of that, which will further keep the noise down and improve the thermal barrier...
(above) The ceiling foam insulation still needed to get finished...Again the spray contact cement cannister and gun made life easier...I did zero masking off of the sheet metal inside, it's that accurate...
(above) This turned out great, considering that with contact cement, you get one chance to install it right...It's nice to know the tricks to make this a low stress job...
(above) Driver side rear door...
(above) The license plate light lamps are now LED, but just to be safe, I ran aluminum tape around the lights to eliminate any foam & lamp contact...Belt and suspenders stuff...
(above) The curb side door already had a factory installed rubber dampener installed in the lower panel...No need to double up there...
Now, that the underlay of foam insulation is complete, the van has a noticeably different feel...There is still fiberglass insulation and thin plywood to go over most of that, which will further keep the noise down and improve the thermal barrier...