2017 TC XLT simple camper

[G B L]

Nicely Done

[windguy]

On 7/23/2018 at 1:57 PM, desert_connect said:

I finally got around to painting the cheap moisture wicking door panels. I did the rear door first and will do the sliding doors next. Scuffed the panels with 150# sandpaper. Painted a primer and a base coat on both sides and a granite top coat on the face only. The rough finish looks good but may prove to be a nuisance to clean.   

 

 

Nice job painting those panels. That came out really nice. I did mine recently and also considered doing a textured finish but choose semi-gloss paint instead for ease of cleanup. I only finished the front surface and edges, not the back. Probably will go back and do the back if I see moisture getting picked up there.

 

I also sanded the surface first with 150 grit and then rolled on BIN primer (water based) like you did  and sprayed just the fronts using the same 2X paint. The small rear panels came out okay, but the larger slider panels looked crappy. It's hard to spray a non-flat finish and getting a consistent finish over a large area. I ended up rolling on semi-gloss paint instead using a sponge roller. Came out much better with a more consistent finish. I'll pass along that this Rust-oleum painter's touch paint is crap.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Painter-s-Touch-32-oz-Ultra-Cover-Semi-Gloss-Black-General-Purpose-Paint-1974502/100208855

I bought it at a local hardware store and when I got home read the reviews at Home Depot, which were terrible. I figured the negative reviews were all by hacks and used the paint anyway. They were right and I was sorry I didn't heed the warning. The paint works better with a brush but with a roller it pulls up and bubbles leaving a pitted surface. Not good. I'll leave it for now but down the road will refinish it using a better quality enamel paint.

 

 

[desert_connect]

On 8/8/2018 at 5:58 PM, windguy said:

Nice job painting those panels. That came out really nice. I did mine recently and also considered doing a textured finish but choose semi-gloss paint instead for ease of cleanup. I only finished the front surface and edges, not the back. Probably will go back and do the back if I see moisture getting picked up there.

 

Thanks windguy and GBL.

Your panels look great, windguy. I too had a real challenge painting the large side door panels with temps well above 100* I could not paint fast enough.....lol. My side door panels are not quite as nice as the smaller rear panels but look okay. I painted the insides because I leave the doors cracked while camping and at times when it rains they do get a few drips and dribbles.  

 

After putting the panels back on I discovered right away they rattled. The panels too rigid with paint (?). So, I pulled them back off and covered the inside(s) with a foam membrane using a left over roll of that thin foam for the floating laminate flooring. That tightened the panels up and worked well. May have even made the inside a bit quieter too.    

[HeRodeCBR]

Nice job with your conversion. I probably can even get my bike in with the fold up capabilities you made here. I built a Dodge MaxiVan made especially for versatility back in 1974. Camping, motorcycle hauling and of course easily removeable components for hauling large objects, lumber, yardwork etc. 

Can your modifications be quickly and easly removed as well?. I want the capability to take my Lawn tractor for "Rides" in the Van Transit Connect as well. 

[desert_connect]

On 8/12/2018 at 7:03 AM, HeRodeCBR said:

Nice job with your conversion. I probably can even get my bike in with the fold up capabilities you made here. I built a Dodge MaxiVan made especially for versatility back in 1974. Camping, motorcycle hauling and of course easily removeable components for hauling large objects, lumber, yardwork etc. 

Can your modifications be quickly and easly removed as well?. I want the capability to take my Lawn tractor for "Rides" in the Van Transit Connect as well. 

 

Thanks, HeRodeCBR!

 

I would suspect that a bike could be loaded along side my camper bed/sofa with the foot pegs folded up. It takes up exactly half of the van, so 24" open between the wheel wells and around 25" above. There are only two turnbuckles holding the unit in place so I can remove it myself in only a couple of minutes. 

[windguy]

On 8/11/2018 at 2:02 PM, desert_connect said:

 

Thanks windguy and GBL.

Your panels look great, windguy. I too had a real challenge painting the large side door panels with temps well above 100* I could not paint fast enough.....lol. My side door panels are not quite as nice as the smaller rear panels but look okay. I painted the insides because I leave the doors cracked while camping and at times when it rains they do get a few drips and dribbles.  

 

After putting the panels back on I discovered right away they rattled. The panels too rigid with paint (?). So, I pulled them back off and covered the inside(s) with a foam membrane using a left over roll of that thin foam for the floating laminate flooring. That tightened the panels up and worked well. May have even made the inside a bit quieter too.    

 

Thanks desert_connect.

Interesting about those panels being a noise source when painted. I can see that happening. Underneath them is some material that you'd think would buffer any resonance. I sound proofed all the doors and I think it's helped out a lot. Something to consider down the road.

[desert_connect]

17 hours ago, windguy said:

 

Thanks desert_connect.

Interesting about those panels being a noise source when painted. I can see that happening. Underneath them is some material that you'd think would buffer any resonance. I sound proofed all the doors and I think it's helped out a lot. Something to consider down the road.

 

I also put a dynamat type material in all my doors for sound deadening and it sure got rid of the tinny sound. My side doors have a foam covering the cut out openings underneath the panels, however the foam does not touch the side panel rivet fastener area where I was getting the vibration rattle. My rear doors did not have the factory foam, only a plastic film under three openings and nothing under the forth.   

[windguy]

1 hour ago, desert_connect said:

 

I also put a dynamat type material in all my doors for sound deadening and it sure got rid of the tinny sound. My side doors have a foam covering the cut out openings underneath the panels, however the foam does not touch the side panel rivet fastener area where I was getting the vibration rattle. My rear doors did not have the factory foam, only a plastic film under three openings and nothing under the forth.   

 

Your van is the same as mine. The sliders have this white thin foam covering, as pictured below, and the back doors a plastic film only on 3 doors. I ended up making a covering out of a thin plastic cutting board and using contact cement to hold it in place. Probably not as water tight as the other 3 covers but good enough.

 

I think you might be on to something with the slider panels being a noise source and I like the idea of adding a buffer to the inside face. After doing the sound deadening, I tried to add plastic bags of wall insulation but ended up removing it as I didn't like how it bowed out the foam covering when it expanded. I couldn't get it to fit like I wanted it to so abandoned that idea. But if I tap around the slider panel it sure does have a rattling noise that increases away from the edges. I hear this type of noise when driving on rough pavement and it sounds like a low level popcorn machine going off. Hard to describe. Hard to determine the source of the noise when you're driving but it could be those slider panels. I should remove them and see if the noise abates. The one advantage of sound proofing the van is it lets you pinpoint sources of road noise easier because the overall noise level of the van has been reduced. I'll add that to my van todo list for when the weather cools down.

 

 

[desert_connect]

Finally getting around to doing more interior work on my TC. I started by adding thin (Lowes) carpet to the sheet metal windows. The rear doors (pics) were easy being able to oversize the carpet to tuck neatly underneath the door frame and used 1" magnetic strips to hold them up. I cut out the rear side windows but still working out the mounting details.

[Fifty150]

Interesting.  You're using magnets.  This is not intended to be permanent?  It looks good.

[desert_connect]

I added another LED light. This one is movable by using magnets for mounting at windguy's suggection, both lights live 12v van power. I can reach this light from the driver and pass seat, side door or from in the back. These computerized vehicles are very aggravating some lights are on when you don't want them and others you can't turn on when you do want them! 

 

I also bought a Caframo Bora 12v marine fan, mounted with magnets and hooked it up to a Webtop 155 wh LED batt/generator. It will run on low for 100 hrs or on high for 50 hrs w/o any worries of depleting the van battery. This fan combined combined with front door window vent shades does add some much needed air movement inside for sleeping. We camped last weekend in the Tombstone Bisbee area. 

[desert_connect]

On 5/16/2019 at 6:43 PM, Fifty150 said:

Interesting.  You're using magnets.  This is not intended to be permanent?  It looks good.

Thanks. I used the magnets because I am not 100% sure this is what want and this allows me to backtrack.

 

Oops, looks like I should have proof read my fan post! 

[desert_connect]

I purchased and installed an AMA passenger sliding door window with an opening sliding window, 17% privacy glass. 

 

The installation was not terribly difficult but not easy either. I sharpened the end of a hacksaw blade and cut my way through the urethane caulking on the front side of the plastic panel. Then pulled a .030" ss wire on through using the hole in the end of the blade and wrapped it around the outside of the plastic panel. Tied off the bottom outside wire and with a wooden handle started pulling from the inside to cut the urethane across the top. Top and bottom were easy only having one bead of caulking but struggled with both ends and had to cut most of the outer bead with the blade before the wire would go through. I did not know it then but there are two line up dowels one in each upper corner. Panel off I trimmed the excess urethane off the door using a wood chisel. Then added a vinyl channel trim around the pinch weld. After priming the caulking area on the door and cleaning the glass ! proceeded with a new bead of urethane and this is the second difficult part. I had already anticipated this part and even with warming up the caulking it was quite a struggle to get all around the window let alone a nice V bead. A powered caulking gun would make this much easier and it is almost a necessity. My arm feels like it is 3" longer now! With the caulking done I set the glass in place and bedded it into the caulking. Taped the top to keep it from sagging and wait for it to cure.   

     

 

Edited June 6, 2019 by desert_connect

[Fifty150]

Great tutorial.  Excellent photos.

[desert_connect]

We have returned from 12 more days of van camping, this totals up more than 50 nights in two years. The new sliding door window worked out great for extra ventilation along with the lithium gen/batt powered fan and our new little dog likes it too. As a temporary solution for this trip I gorilla taped a piece of fiberglass screen over the outside of the window and cracked the front door windows an inch when parked. Light rain was no problem and the air moving in though the side window and out the front windows seemed to keep the bugs out. Even with 99% humidity inside, according to the meter, the van roof and walls remained completely dry, no dripping like in the past. I will find a better solution for the screen and tweak the fan placement but overall this arrangement was a success.

 

[windguy]

@desert_connect - great update. Glad to hear your camper connect design is coming together.

Great job on putting those slider windows in. Your hard work is paying off nicely.

 

[jrm223]

You could make an oversized screen with magnets along the perimeter and put it on the inside of the door, with the magnets sticking to the white paint area of the door. It'd be way larger than you need, but easily removable so you can open & close that window, since I see a latch that would be inside the screen area. Or is the frame on the window itself also steel instead of aluminum? A steel frame would allow you to bring down the size of an inside screen considerably. 

 

99% humidity, though! May as well sleep underwater, haha. 

[desert_connect]

On 8/25/2019 at 1:08 PM, windguy said:

@desert_connect - great update. Glad to hear your camper connect design is coming together.

Great job on putting those slider windows in. Your hard work is paying off nicely.

 

Thanks, windguy.

8 hours ago, jrm223 said:

You could make an oversized screen with magnets along the perimeter and put it on the inside of the door, with the magnets sticking to the white paint area of the door. It'd be way larger than you need, but easily removable so you can open & close that window, since I see a latch that would be inside the screen area. Or is the frame on the window itself also steel instead of aluminum? A steel frame would allow you to bring down the size of an inside screen considerably. 

 

99% humidity, though! May as well sleep underwater, haha. 

Thanks, jrm223.

The window is frameless itself but does have the metal door frame around the window inside. An inside screen and magnets could work I'll give that some thought, thanks. 

[KevinRollin]

Love the window functionality.  Eyeing some of the Vintage Technologies RV-style windows, and am going to make a cardboard template this weekend to see if the WD2415 24”x15” will fit.  Found an older thread where a member here put in a 22x14, but it appears they don’t make that one anymore.  

[desert_connect]

32 minutes ago, KevinRollin said:

Love the window functionality.  Eyeing some of the Vintage Technologies RV-style windows, and am going to make a cardboard template this weekend to see if the WD2415 24”x15” will fit.  Found an older thread where a member here put in a 22x14, but it appears they don’t make that one anymore.  

Thanks.......there is a window similar in size to the you described on Amazon for 113$ w/free shipping

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q87QHF2/ref=dp_cerb_1.

Vintage Technologies RV, Cargo, Teardrop Trailer Horizontal Window 22" x 12" x 1-1/2" Wall Thickness, Black Frame, Radius Corners

 

[KevinRollin]

5 minutes ago, desert_connect said:

Thanks.......there is a window similar in size to the you described on Amazon for 113$ w/free shipping

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q87QHF2/ref=dp_cerb_1.

Vintage Technologies RV, Cargo, Teardrop Trailer Horizontal Window 22" x 12" x 1-1/2" Wall Thickness, Black Frame, Radius Corners

 

Thanks.  That one will definitely fit, but I want the largest window possible in there.  We’ll see what the templates show me!  

[Macgyver56]

On 7/23/2018 at 4:57 PM, desert_connect said:

I finally got around to painting the cheap moisture wicking door panels. I did the rear door first and will do the sliding doors next. Scuffed the panels with 150# sandpaper. Painted a primer and a base coat on both sides and a granite top coat on the face only. The rough finish looks good but may prove to be a nuisance to clean.   

 

 

Thank you so much for sharing this and more importantly, for posting the picture of the paint you used.  I really like the granite look, and I was having a terrible finding the textured paint.  Came back to check what you had posted, and ... success!! 

[rham]

Nice work.  Where did you find that window.  all I see are the sprinter windows.  Just bought a 2019 XLT  LWB. Excited to get working.

 

Thanks

 

Robin

[desert_connect]

11 hours ago, rham said:

Nice work.  Where did you find that window.  all I see are the sprinter windows.  Just bought a 2019 XLT  LWB. Excited to get working.

 

Thanks

 

Robin

Thanks, Robin.

I did lot of searching to find an opening window. I finally found and purchased the window through Van Windows Direct in southern CA. 

https://www.vanwindowsdirect.com/collections/vanwindowsdirect-van-windows/products/passenger-sliding-door-half-slider-window-ford-transit-connect-2014-2020

[MLB]

On 6/6/2019 at 12:55 PM, desert_connect said:

I purchased and installed an AMA passenger sliding door window with an opening sliding window, 17% privacy glass. 

 

The installation was not terribly difficult but not easy either. I sharpened the end of a hacksaw blade and cut my way through the urethane caulking on the front side of the plastic panel. Then pulled a .030" ss wire on through using the hole in the end of the blade and wrapped it around the outside of the plastic panel. Tied off the bottom outside wire and with a wooden handle started pulling from the inside to cut the urethane across the top. Top and bottom were easy only having one bead of caulking but struggled with both ends and had to cut most of the outer bead with the blade before the wire would go through. I did not know it then but there are two line up dowels one in each upper corner. Panel off I trimmed the excess urethane off the door using a wood chisel. Then added a vinyl channel trim around the pinch weld. After priming the caulking area on the door and cleaning the glass ! proceeded with a new bead of urethane and this is the second difficult part. I had already anticipated this part and even with warming up the caulking it was quite a struggle to get all around the window let alone a nice V bead. A powered caulking gun would make this much easier and it is almost a necessity. My arm feels like it is 3" longer now! With the caulking done I set the glass in place and bedded it into the caulking. Taped the top to keep it from sagging and wait for it to cure.   

     

 

 

 Nice!  I'm looking at those, trying to decide if I want the opening window or just the solid piece. "On Sale" for $230ish now, with the sliding window another $150 I think.  I don't really care about it opening, just want to see backing out of a parking space. And I like the look of the solid glass best.  Are you happy with the opening window? Secure?  Use it?   Thanks! Great job!