Our Box Truck RV Conversion

[southpier]

... Seeing as I have some down time.......

not to keep being a pecker-head, but let me throw this out there: wouldn't it make sense to make something a little smaller (a drawer, cabinet, toolbench, anything really) to get some experience working with things and understand their physical properties? you're going from hurdle to hurdle and this process isn't going to stop through-out the project. we all start someplace, but from the collective experience here, is a project of this magnitude the best place to begin?

 

[The Artisan]

Red you seem to be all over the place. Get your box made and mounted safely first, then you can move onto the next project
Kevin

 

[ripperj]

OP- as a guy who loves building things, I really enjoy build threads, but yours seems doomed. You tell us that you have no real fab skills, It does not seem like you have spent 30 years at a desk designing, and it appears you either don't have or don't want to spend the money to sub it out??
I just wonder how you expect to build anything worth having?
IMHO if you get stressed out over installing a vent fan, how is the interior/ windows/doors/plumbing and electrical going to get done?
I wasn't even going to reply here, but it just seems like you are going to end up with a half baked mess.


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[The Artisan]

I agree with Rip, but as stated get the box made and mounted. You can always just use it to sleep, it's better than a tent. That was my thinking when I started mine "a step above a tent", but it has evolved..
Kevin

 

[redman4556]

OP- as a guy who loves building things, I really enjoy build threads, but yours seems doomed. You tell us that you have no real fab skills, It does not seem like you have spent 30 years at a desk designing, and it appears you either don't have or don't want to spend the money to sub it out??
I just wonder how you expect to build anything worth having?
IMHO if you get stressed out over installing a vent fan, how is the interior/ windows/doors/plumbing and electrical going to get done?
I wasn't even going to reply here, but it just seems like you are going to end up with a half baked mess.


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I'm plenty willing to pay to outsource things I'm not confident with. I'm not willing to pay more than a particular job is worth as I am not someone has extra money to burn. I think you guys have my intentions wrong. I'm not trying to perfect or hone my building, craftsmanship, or design skills. I'm simply trying to figure out a complicated project with the very limited skills I have. There will always be naysayers but I assure you I'm not the first person in history to try tackling a project without having all the necessary skills needed before hand. This is not necessarily a prerequisite, I like to learn as I go. With this being said, I'd LOVE to attach the box safely, and do not have my priorities mixed up. As I need help to this that's closed for the weekend I figured I'd start thinking about other small projects in my spare time.

 

[redman4556]

But seriously, anyone new to a project like this that DOESNT worry about cutting into an aluminum roof that flexes constantly in any heat must have more balls than I do. All I said about the fan is that I don't feel confident installing it myself purely because it's on the roof and the way the roof is made.

 

[The Artisan]

Red you need to add a structural support in that area that flexes where the fan is.
Kevin

 

[redman4556]

Red you need to add a structural support in that area that flexes where the fan is.
Kevin

3" aluminum ribs every 14 inches. Still pops and flexes like nuts on a hot day. :/

Edit: I've heard I shouldn't need any more support than the ribs but am considering framing it out with 2x2 just to be safe.

 

[The Artisan]

You need frame out that area so it becomes a separate section so there is no flex..
Kevin

 

[Anton2k3]

Yep, see how people do it in panel vans: http://www.magnummotorhomes.co.uk/uploads/upload-image-1447407230-Midi Heki Frame.jpg

Cheers

 

[southpier]

I'm plenty willing to pay to outsource things I'm not confident with. I'm not willing to pay more than a particular job is worth ....

but if you don't understand what a job involves, how can you make an educated decision?

 

[pappawheely]

 

[redman4556]

Thank you Pappawheely. This is the same type of railing underneath my box. I assume ubolts aren't usable with this style? Easier to just weld some brackets and bolt them to the subframe? My goal is to make it relatively easy to remove and remount this thing if I need to so I'd like to bolt somewhere. Would I just put some holes (to match up to brackets we can weld to the c channel) into the subframe I'm getting welded?

 

[redman4556]

and whats the purpose of the square tubing notches? cut them off in my case, leave em?

 

[shortbus4x4]

and whats the purpose of the square tubing notches? cut them off in my case, leave em?

The square tubing being notched is for things like hoses and wiring to make it over the top of the frame without the box rails squishing them.