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r1alvin

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  1. Like
    r1alvin got a reaction from cathpah in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    Here's a quick update hopefully the site lets me post up in here:
    I made a video in addition to these pics:
    Trimmed and Layed down this perforated Hardboard in prep. to start finishing the floor,,,

    Dynamat in the rear liftgate and driver side sliding door complete.

    Finished the unistrut frame and flat surface over the second row area with a piece of 1/2" Oak Plywood: 

  2. Like
    r1alvin got a reaction from cathpah in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    Alright! Unistrut Frame is bolted in and tight,,,FYI,,,Its a LOT easier fitting a 17mm wrench and socket through the Unistrut and onto M10x1.5 hardware then it is to fit a 3/4" wrench over 1/2" Hardware....so stock up on M10x1.50 hardware,,,I weighed each post at about 2lbs each and the long top bar is 3lbs. All together the frame and hardware weighs approximately 12-15lbs. Taking a break and then ripping some wood tomorrow before the rest of my dynamat comes in. The plywood will bolt into the unistrut using tapered head 1/2" bolts, will run the width of the van and will rest on the small ledge (slightly above it)

     
     
  3. Cool
    r1alvin got a reaction from GTVan50 in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    Hello everyone! My name is Alvin and I just purchased this gently used (prior rental fleet unit) 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon on Wednesday April 12th 2017. 
    Background: I'm coming off of a 2011 Ford F150 XLT 4X4 Supercrew. I have spent hundreds upon thousands of hours digging around forums, and watching youtube videos and visiting dealer lots looking at all types of vans for the past 2 years. Sprinters, Full sized Transits, Sportsmobile conversions, Class B RV's, and Airstreams. I loved my Ford truck, but in 6 years of ownership I only used the 4x4 option maybe 3 times, and I never towed a single trailer with it even though it had the full trailer package and trailer brake. Also, I ride motorcycles and maybe had to haul my motorcycle only a handful of times in the bed. Made the life decision that it was time to downsize and get something that was more practical and useful for my use and hobbies. I purchased a mountain bike this past January and it turns out I drive to the trail a lot,,,2 or 3 times per week,,,30 minute commute minimum. I also own 2 beagle boys that are show dogs and we travel to dog shows sometimes and we also travel to Lure Coursing Trials in and out of state. We bring my electric Onewheel with us everywhere we travel so that will be mounted in the van somewhere as well.
    Why Transit Connect? The things about the Transit Connect that appealed to me most was the rear lift gate hatch that seconds as an awning to hide from the sun/rain, the slider doors on the driver side in addition to the passenger side allowing me quick access to the rear, the front passenger seat forward flip tray function, and the large open space in the rear of the van. I really wanted the cargo van with lift gate but it turns out that those are super rare and the single nearest unit was about 6 hours away. I liked the idea of the wagon to get the rear A/C and heating vents, and the liftgate. My original plan was to carry my Mountain Bike inside the van. After I got the van, I decided against it because it would be way too messy with a dirty, sweat covered bike. Going with the hitch mount is perfect because I can hose the bike off on the rack when I get home, and the rack has a lock built in as well. Plus I won't have to clean a dirty van. I am not opposed to storing the bike inside the van if the bike is clean, so I am going to keep that in mind during the build.
    Build/Teardown: So, lets start with what I have done so far. As of 4/14/17 this is what I have done to the Wagon so far:
    Removed the second row and 3rd row seats including all of the brackets.
    Completely removed both 3rd row passenger seatbelts from the rear most of the Transit.
    Installed a Uhaul Class 3 Hitch Receiver 2" Max Towing Weight 3,500lbs, 525lb tongue weight. Purchased from Uhaul Part Code 78578  $149.95
    Purchased and installed Qty. 2 Pawslife Quilted Bucket Car Seat Covers purchased from Bed Bath and Beyond for 19.99 each.
    Purchased and Installed a Thule T2 Pro XT Hitch mounted Bike rack. Purchased from my local bike shop. MSRP: $579.95
    Limo Tint is going in all of the rear windows next week along with regular legal tint on driver and passenger side windows.
    Currently Researching: 
    Flooring options.
    Raised sleeping area with storage underneath that double as a bench seat (3 box style as many have seen online).
    Fresh water tank installation option. 5 Gallons at most.
    Canvas privacy shades for windows and cab partition with either a velcro or button style mount.
    Electrical,,,well first I need to find a full blowup of the electrical diagram so I can get my meter and figure out what everything does. Theres a cool fuseblock in the back that I would like to try to leverage as a hub if possible.  I have about 19 years experience working directly on low/medium and high voltage switchgear and control circuit applications in the field so I'm not afraid to wire, solder, troubleshoot, trace, etc. but vehicular systems are kind of their own beast. I am more afraid of cutting into sheet metal that is painted.
    Lithium House pack/Inverter combo and solar panel to keep my Onewheel juiced up on the road.
    That's all for now! I'll try to keep this thread updated the best I can. Enjoy!






  4. Thanks
    r1alvin got a reaction from Kristin in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    hide-a-mat i had laying around the house. a bit wide but it might work

  5. Thanks
    r1alvin reacted to Fifty150 in 2016 TC Wagon Roof Water Intrusion   
    From being in a position where I was getting 2 to 3 new windshields a year installed on my Econoline @ work, I can tell you that the stuff in a caulking tube which installers use is fantastic.  I never bothered to ask about it, or ask to see the label on the tube.  But I should have.  They squirt that stuff into the channel, drop the windshield in place, and it sets perfectly.  
     
     
  6. Thanks
    r1alvin got a reaction from nottooloud in FORD, Please post a downloadable manual for the 2017.   
    I just want a service manual that wont break the bank
  7. Thanks
    r1alvin got a reaction from windguy in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    Whats up guys. I made a few updates to my TC. I accidentally left my water spigot on (with the pump off) last summer and leaked water inside the van. Luckily it found its way out the rear of the floor somehow, but the birch wood does not handle water well at all. It absorbs it like a sponge and then becomes very brittle. The black sealant de laminated as well. I decided to scrap the entire cabinet and re-build it with unistrut. I posted 2 videos of where I'm at with it//
     
     
     
  8. Cool
    r1alvin got a reaction from davidparker in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    Whats up guys. I made a few updates to my TC. I accidentally left my water spigot on (with the pump off) last summer and leaked water inside the van. Luckily it found its way out the rear of the floor somehow, but the birch wood does not handle water well at all. It absorbs it like a sponge and then becomes very brittle. The black sealant de laminated as well. I decided to scrap the entire cabinet and re-build it with unistrut. I posted 2 videos of where I'm at with it//
     
     
     
  9. Thanks
    r1alvin got a reaction from mrtn in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    Fully loaded! iSup board, MTB, all gear and tools asociated with that and 2 Hounds! Headed to Hot Springs Arkansas to race the Kodiak Tough Enduro on the Lovit trail!


  10. Like
    r1alvin got a reaction from BSUPC in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
  11. Thanks
    r1alvin got a reaction from windguy in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    Hey whats up guys. Quick Update, I know I've been offline for a while. found some nice thin (less than a 1/4" thick) rubber mat material at Academy sports so I cut a few pieces to fit to provide some good traction on the floor and also lining the front cabinet bottom. I purchased a small 4x8 single axle utility trailer to handle yardwork stuff, material movement and possible motorcycle transport. Added the CURT trailer wiring harness and wired the hot lead into the rear passenger fuse box "hot" 40A spade terminal with a 15A fuse in line. 
    I finally dropped the big loot on this ARB 50qt. fridge/freezer combo unit. I made a custom pigtail adapter to power this thing through my trailer wiring harness which is coiled up in the jack cubby hole on the driver side rear. Made for a more clean layout instead of running the wire across to the passenger side 12V socket, but that option is always there if I need to go that way. I had to rip about 1/2" of wood lengthwise off of the end of my flip top on the bed cabinet. This worked out perfect because the vent for the ARB unit is on the right side of the fridge so it has plenty of space for ventilation. I'm using these very handy and simple straps from REI to hold the ARB in place-"Sea to Summit Accessory Strap with Hook Release." This is all for now. I will test out the fridge on a trip tomorrow. Later! 


  12. Thanks
    r1alvin got a reaction from windguy in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    Little bit of TC in the beginning of my video: 
     
  13. Thanks
    r1alvin got a reaction from windguy in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    Hi everyone Van Update 
     
  14. Like
    r1alvin got a reaction from huddy in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    Alright! Unistrut Frame is bolted in and tight,,,FYI,,,Its a LOT easier fitting a 17mm wrench and socket through the Unistrut and onto M10x1.5 hardware then it is to fit a 3/4" wrench over 1/2" Hardware....so stock up on M10x1.50 hardware,,,I weighed each post at about 2lbs each and the long top bar is 3lbs. All together the frame and hardware weighs approximately 12-15lbs. Taking a break and then ripping some wood tomorrow before the rest of my dynamat comes in. The plywood will bolt into the unistrut using tapered head 1/2" bolts, will run the width of the van and will rest on the small ledge (slightly above it)

     
     
  15. Like
    r1alvin got a reaction from huddy in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    Got 36sq. ft of Xtreme Dynamat yesterday,,,went to work all morning,,I removed the plastic ductwork up to that hub so I could lay the sheets down on that sheetmetal under it. fun process,,,I'm kidding. Kind of a pain in the butt. I never enjoyed wrapping presents let alone trying to work this tacky stuff into nooks and crannies and there are plenty in here lol.

  16. Thanks
    r1alvin got a reaction from huddy in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    Now onto the awkward floor fix,,,after lots of careful thought with weight and strength in mind,,,I decided to go with a galvanized Unistrut base and either a 1/2" oak or birch ply cut to fit the entire area from door to door and screwed down into the unistrut. if the 1/2" ends up being too flimsy I can go to 3/4". No carpeting will be cut and all existing M10x1.50 threaded holes are being used. This photo is simply mocking up what I'm doing here. It should explain itself if you know what you're looking at under that carpet. All Unistrut purchased from Home depot and the M10x1.50 hardware from Ace.
    The small 2x4 to the left will be replaced with another one of the small vertical risers I'm bolting in (Had to call it quits for the night because I didn't want to continue pissing my neighbors off cutting unitstrut with my mitre saw lol)


  17. Thanks
    r1alvin reacted to G B L in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    Looks like a great time!
  18. Haha
    r1alvin reacted to mrtn in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    One day they'll take off with your onewheeler.
  19. Like
    r1alvin got a reaction from Tiller in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    Back from our trip to Colorado! I drove the entire route solo both ways approx. 13 hours straight. Was not even the slightest bit fatigued after all of that driving! Did a lot of high elevation driving including 1 drive up to the summit of Pikes Peak with a fully loaded van (2 bikes, gear, 2 dogs, full 8 gallon water tank). Overall the van did great but was easier to manage in the hills in "S" mode where I could select the gears. I can now see the value of that swing away hitch that was posted in here for the bike rack.
    We arrived a day early as I mentioned above and found a place to pull off on a dirt road in the Pike National Forest. I set up my bed arrangement and it worked great. I also cracked a window and had a bug screen with magnets on the exterior of the sliding door window. Problems arose as temperatures plummeted into the 40's. It got too cold to sleep and I didn't have a sleeping bag or anything, just a thin sheet so I turned the van on to warm up the interior. My fuel guage said that we had approximately "300 miles to E". It seems when the van idles with the heat on, I counted 8 minutes  46 seconds for the fuel indicator to drop a mile. I figured this would give me PLENTY of time to finish a good nap before running out of fuel. (ie: 8min x 200miles / 60 = 26.6hours). Sure enough, I slept great! Woke up, drove down to the Hungry Bear in Woodland Park, CO and had a nice pancake and egg sandwich breakfast with coffee.  
    Shower was also really nice to have and I used it several times to rinse myself off and my bikes. It's even better if you need to rinse the dirt out of a wound from MTB riding. 
    Finally, the fuel mileage was great! Speed limits were 75+ in many areas and we were doing that and up to 80-84mph on cruise control and I was averaging over 24 mpg! 

  20. Like
    r1alvin got a reaction from DonShockley in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    Here's a video I made today with updates: 
     
  21. Like
    r1alvin got a reaction from Bart Luther in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    Okay so here I am today,,,Limo Tint Complete,,,Pulled the side panels in the rear, removed the final 2nd row seatbelts,,,removed the carpeting. I think I am going to go with carpet again but I'm not sure how I'm going to pad the underside of it. Dynamat? Some other type of soft barrier or foam? Any suggestions? I am also looking for a local reliable outfitter to install a low profile roof top unit and shore power connection to my van. I was thinking like a Coleman Mach 8 since its only 8" tall and will allow me to park in my garage. 


  22. Like
    r1alvin got a reaction from BSUPC in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    These two bagel brothers like camping out in the back of the van more then I do lol.  You can see what I mean with the tie off point there,,,Right now I'm just looping their lead around the hook. I might look into make something more clean and simple, but same idea. Is this an alternate safe way to travel with them in their harness as opposed to being in a wire crate that can fold up etc in a crash? Also serves as a nice place to hook some plastic bags for trash or whatever else.
     
     

  23. Like
    r1alvin got a reaction from Bart Luther in Space under second row buckets   
    Me neither this was my first build. Lots of lessons learned. Take your time and really think it through.  Here's a link to my build. Hope it helps! And hello from another mountain/road biker!
     
  24. Like
    r1alvin got a reaction from Bart Luther in Space under second row buckets   
    That's my van! Go look at my build thread and you can see what I did although I opted to build a stable flat platform over the lower 2nd row area to maintain that low entry point on both sides of the van while still allowing plenty of space to put "things".
  25. Like
    r1alvin got a reaction from Loafer in 2016 TC XLT LWB Wagon Project Mtn. Biker/Dog Hauler/Camper   
    These two bagel brothers like camping out in the back of the van more then I do lol.  You can see what I mean with the tie off point there,,,Right now I'm just looping their lead around the hook. I might look into make something more clean and simple, but same idea. Is this an alternate safe way to travel with them in their harness as opposed to being in a wire crate that can fold up etc in a crash? Also serves as a nice place to hook some plastic bags for trash or whatever else.
     
     

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