windguy

@MLB - Keep in mind that the weight of your SUP isn't the determining factor in how durable the rack needs to be. It's the uplifting force the size of the board creates when driving, more so at higher speeds. One place not to economize is with a rack system while traveling 70 mph down a highway with a large object strapped to the rooftop. I wouldn't take that risk but to each his own. Good luck!

Welcome to the forum and congrats on you new van. Sharing pics will make it official. In case you miss this in your readings, there is a great storage area hidden below the front cargo deck. Many of us have captured this area to use for storage. See the thread linked below for ideas. There are a few other threads sharing similar ideas for storage. It's a great mod to do and highly recommend it.

That's exactly why I added a keypad to the rear door of my TC, so I didn't have to stash the FOB at the beach. Has worked brilliantly for the last five years. Have you experimented stashing the FOB inside different types of metal containers to block the RF signal? Just storing it in the trunk is not enough to block its signal. A quick google search found the items linked below. Not endorsing these products but something like them might work. Check the reviews. Good luck! https://www.amazon.com/Keyfob-RFID-Signal-Blocking-Bag/dp/B00Y3FLYWG https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081TNGCVS/ref=sspa_dk_detail_5?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B081TNGCVS&pd_rd_w=ptO1S&pf_rd_p=45a72588-80f7-4414-9851-786f6c16d42b&pd_rd_wg=hk5dC&pf_rd_r=8CB9DXXEBTYBNCJ0CPKY&pd_rd_r=8eff050b-8645-4ba9-aee5-0ad885e0a646&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyTENEUlhMSVNOM1RYJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjM1NzgyMTM4NDNNWlJTTDBPSCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjEzOTY4MThWU0w2UDFOUzhINiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2RldGFpbCZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

@'14 Connect - my 2015 TC does the same as well as others that have provided input over the years. All normal. And the heat is retained for a few hours sometimes. It's great when you get back in the van and want instant heat. I think the heater kicks ass in this van, maybe a little too well. The center console still gets pretty hot, even after getting the unused vent plugs fixed. Before the excess heat was affecting the sides and front plastic trim of the lower center console. Now all the heat pours out of the center vents and really gets cooking. I've never tested the van in cold environments so can't speak to how fast the radiator heat wanes when it's below 50ish outside.

@knaldak - Welcome to the forum. Your mods sound very nice. Looking forward to see pics of them. Hope you made use of the storage area under the cargo deck where the second row footwell is located. You must have with all that spare battery equipment you have. Travel pics would be fun to see as well.

I'm going to throw out a crazy/radical premonition that you prognosticators can toss around, beat up and chastise. What if Ford decides to drop the wagon version of the TC altogether? I've always had this thought that Ford imported the TC as a wagon model for the primary reason to skirt the chicken tax and they figured they could sell a few wagons along the way. But the primary purpose of importing the TC was to provide a cargo model to the viable commercial market. Based on the referenced WIKI link below, 85% of the vans imported are for cargo sales. Interesting to read about the Tariff Circumvention highlights. When Ford moves production to Mexico, the requirement to have the wagon version around is eliminated, if that was a reason. The question remains is there enough of a market to warranty its sales? Ford dropped passenger cars due to poor sales. Ford dropped the Windstar back in 1997 due to poor sales and didn't pick back up with a passenger van until 2010. That's a long gap in the market. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Transit_Connect Tariff circumvention Ford imports all Transit Connects as passenger vehicles with rear windows, rear seats, and rear seat-belts to circumvent the 25% tariff on imported light trucks.[1] The vehicles are exported from Turkey on cargo ships owned by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, arrive in Baltimore, and are converted into commercial vehicles at WWL Vehicle Services Americas Inc. facility: rear windows are replaced with metal panels and rear seats removed (except on wagons).[1] The removed parts are recycled.[1] The process exploited a perceived loophole in the customs definition of a commercial vehicle. As cargo does not need seats with seat belts or rear windows, presence of those items exempts the vehicle from commercial vehicle status. The conversion cost Ford hundreds of dollars per van but saved thousands over having to pay the tax.[1] Partly because of this, only the long-wheelbase, high-roof configuration is exported to North America. In most places the high-roof Transit Connect, like most Ford Econoline vans, is unable to access multi-story parking because of its height of 1.98 m (6′ 6″).[26] As of July 2018, Ford continues to employ the loophole but has been continuously in court over the practice.[27] On June 7, 2019, the United States won its appeal in the Federal Appellate Court. The court determined that the Ford Transit Connect was a vehicle for the transportation of cargo.[28] Since 2019 production, the conversion process of Transit Connects has undergone major revision. While all vehicles are still imported from Spain as passenger vehicles and converted to cargo vans (a process that happens to approximately 85% of Transit Connects imported to North America[18]), the conversion no longer involves the disposal/recycling of the removed parts; instead, the removed rear seats and rear windows are shipped to Ford in Spain for reuse.[18]

Thanks for posting that tidbit, good catch! I missed that somehow. Below is an article that highlights that change. I'm sure there are others but probably not much info on the TC itself. For those that kept insisting that Ford stopped converting cargo vans from passenger vans after being imported, perhaps this article will convince you it's still being done. Probably not. Wonder what the next Gen 3 TC is going to be like? I hate being jealous. Maybe a hybrid and/or EV since US markets can't accept the diesel. AWD option would be super cool. Will be fun to see what develops. https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/ford-will-build-transit-connect-mexico

@LizaJane - Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new van. I too have a 2015 Cargo model. You're going to have lots of fun with it. Love your travel cat. What's its name? Lots of great info already posted here to give you design ideas. Check the thread below for someone with similar requirements. In case you miss this in your readings, there is a great storage area hidden below the front cargo deck. Many of us have captured this area to use for storage. See the thread linked below for ideas. There are a few other threads sharing similar ideas for storage. It's a great mod to do and highly recommend it.

Just want to clarify one point. If you order a new van, there's no reason to pay sticker price, or MSRP regardless of what you order. If you use a buying service, there are many available, you will pay far less than sticker. I think most programs have similar pricing agreements with the auto makers. In my case, I used Costco's auto buying program. Costco's program assigns you to a dealer based on your zip code that's enrolled in the program. You can switch dealers if needed. I did that. You are given a quote via email based on prearranged pricing structure between Costco and the dealer. I paid $100 less than dealer invoice. Not MSRP. If there are any Ford incentives available when your van is delivered, you can stack those for extra savings. The only caveat when ordering is that you can't time the delivery so it may not align with Ford incentives. My purchase didn't. I tried, but the offers expired. The dealer had no incentive to help me. I tried to take the Costco price to three other Ford dealers that were closer to me and none would match it. In fact, they were unresponsive via email because I'm guessing they knew they weren't going to get anywhere near this pricing. Whether you use the buying service or not, it gives you a starting price point to negotiate with. There is no cost to you to use the service. The dealer pays a fee to the service. There is no haggling with the buying service. Fixed pricing.

@sebestyen13 - Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new TC. I'm assuming you have a wagon version vs the cargo since you're transporting kids. Good place to start if you have a question is to use the SEARCH bar in the upper right corner of your screen. Very helpful. If you type "roof racks" you will see numerous threads covering this topic. Below is a link to a roof rack install I did on my cargo TC. You have a headliner in the cargo area so you have different considerations, but there are plenty of other posts covering wagon installs. Good luck!

Thanks for the reply. When I get back from the beach, I remove all wet gear and leave the driver's side slider open all the time in the garage. Still doesn't give me great air flow to the back area. Since the rust is just around those open holes in this one area, I agree with the post above that the paint is thin around the cutouts and leading to corrosion. The rest of the paint is just fine. Unless someone has a better suggestion, I will lightly buff back the rust with steel wheel and coat with some rust-oleum paint in a can. Buy some in gray to match the paint color. Doesn't have to be perfect. Brush it around the holes. Then I might consider covering the opening in this one area so they aren't directly exposed to the moisture. That barrier layer should do the trick. Hoping. I was gong to add some LED light on that ledge somehow so perhaps I'll do that as project. Thanks for the help!

No problem. I sent you a PM with some suggestions.

Thanks for the replies. You guys are spot on. See pic below. The windsurfing sails that I store in this area are put away wet but removed when I get home to dry out. Sometimes they don't dry all the way before putting back in the rack. Makes sense this is the source of the problem. Aesthetically I don't really care about the appearance of the rust but don't want it to 'grow' and turn in a problem. Any suggestions for remedies? I was thinking to first lightly remove the rust using something like steel wool since it's pretty flexible and not harsh. Then to apply some type of Rust-oleum paint that has rust inhibitors. Or I could get touch up paint from Ford parts to match the van color. Don't need very much paint to cover this area. I think with a good coat of paint along the edges I'll be rust free in the spot going forward. Thanks!

I've noticed a little bit of rust just inside the rear opening of the barn doors on my 2015 Cargo TC. See pics posted below. The rust is only in this one area as far as I can tell. Around the holes stamped in the rear panel at the top. No rust on the side holes. The van is mostly garaged and doesn't see very much rain but I do frequent the beach but there is no direct ocean spray. The gear I store right in this area does have salt water so moisture is close by or it is possible that it may brush it occasionally. Was wondering if any other Gen 2 Cargo owners also have this rust issue? Any remedies that I should consider or just let it go? Looks like this issue would not fall under Ford's paint warranty. My five year warranty is set to expire on 01/15/20. Hard to believe I've had the van for five years! https://firstquarterfinance.com/ford-paint-warranty/ Thanks!

@eliminatethis - that material looks just like the butyl mat material I used. Needs to be rolled out. Maybe they have different materials out now. What I meant by two layers is first layer of the 5-10mil silver type mat material that needs to be rolled out with a second layer over that of the 150mil foam padding to provide extra sound proofing and thermal insulation. A two layer approach that was recommended by Noico and Roadkill. Of course they want you to buy more product but it made sense to me to take the extra step.

@dincarsfast - Interesting. Not that I would ever do this, but curious, if you drill a new hole in the gas tank, what holds this tap in place?

@eliminatethis - Thanks for sharing. Nice work on the sound proofing. Removing all the headliners must have been a chore. I did the ceiling on my cargo van up to the rib in the cab area, not removing the headliner. Didn't want to open a can of worms. If you haven't put the headliner back yet, you might want to consider adding a recommended second layer of protection, which is what I did. It's a lot easier to install than the butyl mat material that has to be rolled out. Tough work working overhead, isn't? The material I used as a second layer was from Noico and is 150mil, black color, came on a roll. Looks like the link below but this shows a different company, Siless. They may be the same company with different badges. https://www.amazon.com/Sound-Deadening-Foam-157mil-Insulation/dp/B07B75PD8B/ref=sr_1_42?crid=3OQXKFFTG8C8C&keywords=noico+sound+deadening&qid=1576688792&s=electronics&sprefix=noico+%2Celectronics%2C413&sr=1-42 The best I can tell, the Noico product now comes in precut pieces, so something has changed. https://noico.info/products/noico-red-170-mil-36-sqft-car-waterproof-sound-insulation/

@kruss77 - Thanks for sharing. Great write-up and pics too. Smart that you drove it to a repair shop without delaying. Personally, I think the repair cost was a bargain. $53 parts and $90 labor, which you said took about an hour. That's about right. But also the tech quickly diagnosed the problem and fixed it correctly with no collateral damage, and you got back on the road in an hour. I put a lot of value in that. PS - Welcome to the forum. How about a few pics of your van? (if you haven't done so yet)

Ha! Same. See reference below. Would be nice to know where the mount is exactly. Pics would help. https://www.vibra-technics.co.uk/faq#I have seen the term “NVH” used. What does this mean? I have seen the term “NVH” used. What does this mean? NVH is a term in widespread use in the automotive industry used to describe the quality of noise and vibration inside a car. “Noise” and “Vibration” are measurable values but “Harshness” is very subjective. The purpose of an engine mounting system is to reduce NVH to an acceptable level. The ultimate goal is to make the running engine imperceptible to the driver and passengers. In reality this requires significant compromises in controlling engine movement and durability. Vibra-Technics engine mountings are designed to give excellent NVH performance without compromising engine control.

No, it's not normal. Since you have a cargo version, your problem is most likely the same as what I experienced. Refer to my post for service info. Please report back after you have the problem fixed.

@serviceplus - do you have a cargo van or wagon? Don S has a good memory - the link shows issues for both models. Mine is a cargo and it was missing a duct cover per my post on page 4. Solved the problem. Good luck!

@drwatt - Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new TC. The conversion looks wonderful. So many amenities. You're going to enjoy traveling with that rig. Looking forward to hearing about your adventures. Happy Veteran's Day - Thank you for your service and best of luck with your PD. Link below to an older post.

@double nickels - you and fifty150 should do a meet up since you both live in the bay area. Heck, maybe you both are in the same part of town. Even crazier on the same street. That'd be a coincidence, wouldn't it? It would be very cool to see a pic of both your TC's on the streets of SF.

That Curt model looks the same as what others have install and it sits below the existing bumper. It's a nice looking hitch. The only issue I recall is that its a bit more difficult to lower the spare tire but it's doable. I don't think you need to remove any of the original bumper or cover though I don't recall anyway adding the Curt with a stock hitch in place. That may be a problem. Worst case you can have a welder remove the receiver part of the OEM setup if you need that clearance. Just a thought. The Curt hitch won't provide any bumper functionality. You have to leave the original bumper/hitch combo in place or you won't have a required bumper and method to secure the bumper cove, unless you source a used non-hitch bumper from a salvage yard. Easy to find but probably expensive to ship so pickup might be required.

I have a factory trailer hitch on my 2015 cargo. Not sure if anything has changed with your Back to Future 2919 model, but when the factory hitch is installed the rear bumper is removed. The hitch becomes the fear bumper in addition to providing the hitch component. The bumper cover attaches to that assembly. If you were to remove the factory hitch, you would be without a rear bumper, yes? The aftermarket hitches like the popular Curt model that many forumites have installed mounts below the regular bumper assembly. When I got my van I looked into having a hitch shop reposition the receiver part because I felt it sticks out too much, but they wouldn't do any mods for liability reasons. What type of aftermarket hitch are you installing? There's been lots of discussions on several threads about adding weight to the back of the vehicle on hitches and trailers. You'd have to search the forum for those threads. IMHO, as a hitch mount carrier, I'd be careful adding anything more than a few bicycles to the back of the van. There has to be a weight limit as to how much you can hang off the back of the van, just like the tongue weight of a trailer, which I have no experience or guidance with.