Fred the Van. The More We Explore's Adventure Van Build Thread
- Thread starter sixstringsteve
- Start date
sixstringsteve
Explorer
I'm LOVING this van. Adding the high top has completely transformed the vehicle. I can't imagine living without a van now. We're headed back to Utah to get some work done on the van. It's going to be a busy month as I try to get all of the following together. Here's my giant to-do list.
Mechanical
- replace (or at least turn) front rotors
- install a locking fuel door
- maintenance - oil change, fuel filter, tweak glow plug relay
- replace the clockspring
- install rigid dually lights
- replace rear diff sensor
Exterior
- paint the high top
- touch-up paint a few spots
- repaint the frame/axles/undercarriage
Interior
- Peel n seal floor (insulation, sound deadening)
- install a vinyl floor in the back (easier to sweep out when it gets dirty)
- clean up bike mounts (which are working really well)
- build a bed for over the bikes
- install some interior lights (TBD what we go with here)
- rewire the inverter (current wires are too stiff, replace with welding cable)
- consider tweaking the sliding drawer and rear storage solutions
- patch the floor under the spare (where the old HVAC unit was)
- wire in a 12v distribution panel (for fantastic fan, inverter, interior lights, solar one day? possibly a 20A shore power connection?)
- install a fantastic fan
If there's time (and budget)
- upgrade rotors
- build a roof rack
- install a Helton Hot Water Heater/Shower
- install a better passenger bench seat and seatbelts (still trying to decide what this will look like)
Stuff we won't have time for, but I'd love to do one day
- install a solar panel or two
- install a few house batteries
- install a solar charger
- trim out the interior
- install windows in the high top
- extend the fender flares to go back another 3" so the tires don't rub at full stuff
- install an aux 55 gal fuel tank behind the rear axle
- get power lock wiring working perfectly (it's intermittent)
- replace tint with limo tint
- upgrade headlights to something high-power
Mechanical
- replace (or at least turn) front rotors
- install a locking fuel door
- maintenance - oil change, fuel filter, tweak glow plug relay
- replace the clockspring
- install rigid dually lights
- replace rear diff sensor
Exterior
- paint the high top
- touch-up paint a few spots
- repaint the frame/axles/undercarriage
Interior
- Peel n seal floor (insulation, sound deadening)
- install a vinyl floor in the back (easier to sweep out when it gets dirty)
- clean up bike mounts (which are working really well)
- build a bed for over the bikes
- install some interior lights (TBD what we go with here)
- rewire the inverter (current wires are too stiff, replace with welding cable)
- consider tweaking the sliding drawer and rear storage solutions
- patch the floor under the spare (where the old HVAC unit was)
- wire in a 12v distribution panel (for fantastic fan, inverter, interior lights, solar one day? possibly a 20A shore power connection?)
- install a fantastic fan
If there's time (and budget)
- upgrade rotors
- build a roof rack
- install a Helton Hot Water Heater/Shower
- install a better passenger bench seat and seatbelts (still trying to decide what this will look like)
Stuff we won't have time for, but I'd love to do one day
- install a solar panel or two
- install a few house batteries
- install a solar charger
- trim out the interior
- install windows in the high top
- extend the fender flares to go back another 3" so the tires don't rub at full stuff
- install an aux 55 gal fuel tank behind the rear axle
- get power lock wiring working perfectly (it's intermittent)
- replace tint with limo tint
- upgrade headlights to something high-power
bknudtsen
Expedition Leader
That's a good list! Can I make one suggestion tho? Stay away from the asphalt based peel and seal or sound deadener products. The way you use your van and the warm environments you are in will have that stuff all stinky and gooey in no time. Also, the asphalt based adhesives don't do well over time with heat cycles and will eventually let go.
Butyl rubber backing is the only way to go, IMHO, if you will be living in the vehicle. I've used FatMat (asphalt) and Raammat (butyl) and there is no comparison in performance, durability, and odor. I would shoot for 25% coverage of Raammat and spend the rest on Ensolite.
http://www.raamaudio.com/
Anyway, glad you are enjoying the van!
Brad
Butyl rubber backing is the only way to go, IMHO, if you will be living in the vehicle. I've used FatMat (asphalt) and Raammat (butyl) and there is no comparison in performance, durability, and odor. I would shoot for 25% coverage of Raammat and spend the rest on Ensolite.
http://www.raamaudio.com/
Anyway, glad you are enjoying the van!
Brad
sixstringsteve
Explorer
Thanks for the suggestions. I'd love to use a quality sound deadener, but budget is a big issue. I've had friends use peel n seal and after a month or two, they said the odors went away. I appreciate your feedback though, I may need to rethink my design on that.
Heck man, with that list completed, you would end up with a camper van and.... a camper 
x2 on the asphalt and stay away from Dynamat too; there are better and cheaper products on the market.
Changing the resonant frequency of the body/van is your goal as you probably know. Covering your entire interior in Dynamat, as I have seen MANY people do, certainly does change the resonant frequency, but now it is all the same again. For those who may not know, the best method for damping sound (vibration) is to have several products spread throughout the vehicle to handle different situations.
I would hate to see you install a budget fix and then either redo it later or if it is a PITA, it may never get redone. Do it once and do it right, even if that means doing it in stages or changing your plans a bit. It is literally the foundation of your interior and if you are spending more time in the van camping, it is not something that I would personally want to cut any corners on.
That said, Fred is not my van.
Hopefully your shirt made it to you before you left Moab...damn post office...
x2 on the asphalt and stay away from Dynamat too; there are better and cheaper products on the market.
Changing the resonant frequency of the body/van is your goal as you probably know. Covering your entire interior in Dynamat, as I have seen MANY people do, certainly does change the resonant frequency, but now it is all the same again. For those who may not know, the best method for damping sound (vibration) is to have several products spread throughout the vehicle to handle different situations.
I would hate to see you install a budget fix and then either redo it later or if it is a PITA, it may never get redone. Do it once and do it right, even if that means doing it in stages or changing your plans a bit. It is literally the foundation of your interior and if you are spending more time in the van camping, it is not something that I would personally want to cut any corners on.
That said, Fred is not my van.
Hopefully your shirt made it to you before you left Moab...damn post office...
sixstringsteve
Explorer
I'm going to give this a try, thanks for the recommendation! In reading the how-to, I'm trying to understand the difference between Raammat and Ensolite. I'm about to put flooring in, and I figured it'd be good to insulate under the flooring. I don't know enough about acoustic properties to know where to put it and where not to put it. I have a bit of road noise with the big tires, but I'm really just putting deadener in because it's what I've seen so many other people do. I figure it'd be good for insulation and sound deadening, but maybe I don't need it...
Last edited:
sixstringsteve
Explorer
We just went to check the mail and it was here today. We couldn't stop laughing when we got it. Thanks again!
LukeD
Observer
Would love to hear your plans for this, mines looking pretty shabby and need to tackle this myself without full disassembly
Luke
sixstringsteve
Explorer
I always paint the undercarriage of my vehicles using rustoleum. I'll usually take a wire wheel to any rusty areas, then prime it with self-etching primer, the touch it up with some semi-gloss rustoluem black spraypaint. Gloss is too glossy, and flat black gets too dirty. It keeps everything from getting rusty, it keeps it clean looking, and it helps me know if something got hit on the rocks (due to it not having paint on it anymore).
LukeD
Observer
so just a thorough power wash, dry , wheel, spray paint? How to address all the nooks and crannies in the nuckles, etc?
bknudtsen
Expedition Leader
Based on my experience with my Tacoma, if I could only use ONE product, I would go with the self adhesive Ensolite. It will dampen resonant frequencies pretty well on its own, while still absorbing road noise.
My install starts on this page.
http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/131913-Manny-A-Taco-Build/page11
Last edited:
sixstringsteve
Explorer
I painted the knuckles when I rebuilt the axle. I just need to touch up the bits that have been blasted from road debris.
luthj
Engineer In Residence
If you are looking for a product that is easy to install, and provides a good mixture of thermal insulation, and sound absorption and panel deadening, Thinsulate bonded with 3M 90 insulation is hard to beat. As a plus it meets the federal standard for flammability in vehicles. Obviously it is not suitable for floors. On floors a closed cell foam covered with a plywood layer is a good compromise. Adding a layer of mass loaded vinyl above the foam is even better, but its heavy and adds cost. Thinsulate can be cut into strips and pulled through the body structure for additional insulation value.
Focusing on the firewall and doghouse will make the biggest difference in engine noise. Using thinsualte or similar absorber (closed cell foam for example), followed by mass loaded vinyl will make a huge difference.
On the high top you have a few options. I would suggest bonding rigid foam to all the flat areas. do the curved sections in a softer closed cell foam of the same thickness. Make a headliner using vinyl or headliner fabric (foam backed is nice). Depending on your curves, you could also use some flexible panels. Coroplast, 2-3mm plywood, or plastic sheets would work well. I would suggest 1.5-2" of insulation on the pop top if possible. You may find it easier to put furing strips on the top, and attach the roof panels to them. The space between can be filled with insulation.
Neoprene sheets (1/2-1" thick) check foambymail.com, can be used for sound dampening and insulation. They work well under factory carpet, and can be easily glued to the inside door sheetmetal. They don't readily absorb water, and are easy to work with.
Don't waste your time with constrained layer dampers on everything. They only work on large flat-ish panels. On these surfaces only 25% coverage is needed. Curved panels, or those which are already stiff, don't need it. On these types of surfaces bonding a foam covered with a heavier layer (MLV, carpet, headliner etc) will provide the most benefit. The foam absorbs sound and isolates the top layer. The heavier top layer reflects the sound back down.
Focusing on the firewall and doghouse will make the biggest difference in engine noise. Using thinsualte or similar absorber (closed cell foam for example), followed by mass loaded vinyl will make a huge difference.
On the high top you have a few options. I would suggest bonding rigid foam to all the flat areas. do the curved sections in a softer closed cell foam of the same thickness. Make a headliner using vinyl or headliner fabric (foam backed is nice). Depending on your curves, you could also use some flexible panels. Coroplast, 2-3mm plywood, or plastic sheets would work well. I would suggest 1.5-2" of insulation on the pop top if possible. You may find it easier to put furing strips on the top, and attach the roof panels to them. The space between can be filled with insulation.
Neoprene sheets (1/2-1" thick) check foambymail.com, can be used for sound dampening and insulation. They work well under factory carpet, and can be easily glued to the inside door sheetmetal. They don't readily absorb water, and are easy to work with.
Don't waste your time with constrained layer dampers on everything. They only work on large flat-ish panels. On these surfaces only 25% coverage is needed. Curved panels, or those which are already stiff, don't need it. On these types of surfaces bonding a foam covered with a heavier layer (MLV, carpet, headliner etc) will provide the most benefit. The foam absorbs sound and isolates the top layer. The heavier top layer reflects the sound back down.
sixstringsteve
Explorer
Thanks, we've loved this van. Still trying to balance budget with wants/needs. I'd love an espar heater/water heater for warm showers, but it's probably not worth the expense for how little we'll use it. I also want a 55 gal behind-the-axle fuel tank, but $$$. It's super functional as is. Once we add the bed and the fantastic fan(s), it'll be even more versatile. Super happy with our decision to get a 7.3L and an EB.