Floor removal and modifications - 2017 T.C. Cargo

[Mike Chell]

Let's see if this works.  First post after introducing myself.

I decided to create a little more room in my 2017 T.C.  The front 1/3 of the cargo floor is a false floor !!!

 

 

I hope this helps someone else.

[windguy]

@mike chell

Nice work so far. Great videos. Thanks for sharing.

 

Regarding the cargo mat issues, I started a thread on that after I got my van in Jan 2015.

http://fordtransitconnectforum.com/topic/3154-cargo-mat-for-van-models/?tab=comments#comment-9363

 

I too found the mat had this strange tack to it and it was too spongy for my needs. I ended up adding a 5/8" sheet of plywood as an overlay and covered that with grey carpet from Home Depot, sold off of their bulk roll selection. Worked out pretty nice so far. I also discovered this "hidden cavity" early on and there wasn't much info on the forum about it. Since then, many  forumites have recaptured this storage area both on wagon and cargo van models customizing it for their particular needs. Some of that discussion is in the same cargo mat thread.

 

Not sure if you are aware that the cargo van is shipped to the port of entry in Maryland as a wagon model with seats/belts, windows, etc to avoid the chicken tax on commercial vehicles. Processing center strips that all away and converts it to a cargo van. That's why you have such a modular shelf added to extend the cargo area above where the passenger seat and foot well would go. Easy to put in and remove. It's a very sturdy solution since the van is spec'd to carry a decent load. Shame that the van doesn't have adequate storage compartments and this area is wasted for the sake of a modular design by Ford. Same for the rear panels on the sides. Not optimized for storage.

 

I recently started making mods to my van after dwelling and discussing it for three years. You're moving a lot fast than I am. Interesting that you have vinyl flooring and I have carpet in mine that extended all the way back as your did. How you use this area is very much based on how you use your van. Your design is similar to another poster. Link below. He did a great job in customizing his van. Check out his awesome videos.

http://fordtransitconnectforum.com/topic/6110-2016-tc-xlt-lwb-wagon-project-mtn-bikerdog-haulercamper/

 

For my needs, I need to have an level flooring area front to back for windsurf boards and loading trash cans for hauling wood chips and gardening items. My tentative plan is to keep the original framing except for the flat cover. This will provide a robust level flooring that I need but give me access to the storage area for items I rarely use but need to travel with. I will add some type of door for access and possible LED lights in the well so I can see what's down there. So far I have removed all the decking, cut back the carpet to the trailing edge of those foam inserts that level off the floor under the seats, and then I put the decking back except for the shelf piece. I'll add sound proofing material next, soon I hope. I need to keep the van usable most of the time so right now the plywood deck was put back but that can be pulled back to work on the storage area.

 

Please keep us posted on your progress.

 

 

[Beta Don]

1 hour ago, windguy said:

Not sure if you are aware that the cargo van is shipped to the port of entry in Maryland as a wagon model with seats/belts, windows, etc to avoid the chicken tax on commercial vehicles. Processing center strips that all away and converts it to a cargo van. That's why you have such a modular shelf added to extend the cargo area above where the passenger seat and foot well would go. 

That was true for the Gen 1's up through 2013, but the US Federal Government caught up with them and ended their charade

 

https://www.autotrader.com/car-news/heres-how-ford-cleverly-got-transit-connect-past-i-268141

 

Don

Edited May 3, 2018 by Beta Don

[Mike Chell]

3 hours ago, windguy said:

 

(1)  Nice work so far. Great videos. Thanks for sharing.

 

(2)  Regarding the cargo mat issues, I started a thread on that after I got my van in Jan 2015.

 

(3)  How you use this area is very much based on how you use your van.

 

(4)  Please keep us posted on your progress.

(1)  Thank you.  I'm hoping to get shelves and other stuff in there ... put some insulation in today.  I didn't video it, but I'll include pictures of the installed panels later.

(2)  I tried a few other solvents today.  Then, just out of ideas, and looking at an old bottle of Armor-All I never use ... I tried it.  Eureka !!!  Clean up the mat and left it smooth and tack free.

(3)  Fishing.  Other than traveling to and from work (100 miles a day), the van will be full of fishing gear for my weekly trips to the rivers or lakes.

(4)  Will do.  Definitely plan on documenting all the work I do on this vehicle!

 

 

[windguy]

7 hours ago, Beta Don said:

That was true for the Gen 1's up through 2013, but the US Federal Government caught up with them and ended their charade

 

https://www.autotrader.com/car-news/heres-how-ford-cleverly-got-transit-connect-past-i-268141

 

Don

 

My 2015 Cargo Van built end of October 2014 and delivered Jan 2015 came in as a wagon model. Visible proof where the seat belts were attached and touched up with paint, not very well.

 

[windguy]

4 hours ago, Mike Chell said:

(1)  Thank you.  I'm hoping to get shelves and other stuff in there ... put some insulation in today.  I didn't video it, but I'll include pictures of the installed panels later.

(2)  I tried a few other solvents today.  Then, just out of ideas, and looking at an old bottle of Armor-All I never use ... I tried it.  Eureka !!!  Clean up the mat and left it smooth and tack free.

(3)  Fishing.  Other than traveling to and from work (100 miles a day), the van will be full of fishing gear for my weekly trips to the rivers or lakes.

(4)  Will do.  Definitely plan on documenting all the work I do on this vehicle!

 

 

 

All sounds good. Sounds like you spend a lot of time behind the wheel.

It's a very nice van to cruise in except for the road noise, which I'm hoping to reduce with sound proofing.

 

 

[Mike Chell]

I spent a little time last night installing 1/2" Styrofoam sheet into the window panels.  Making today's round trip to work before I post on it this evening.  I think it was better this morning ... I'll know better later.

[jrm223]

On 5/3/2018 at 1:53 PM, windguy said:

Interesting that you have vinyl flooring and I have carpet in mine that extended all the way back as your did.

 

We talked about that when I did this same thing with my van a couple years ago. Your van has carpet in the front, thus carpet in the cavity. Myself & Mike Chell have base XL's with vinyl in the front, thus vinyl in the cavity.

 

Mike, you're working a lot faster than me! I've had that subfloor in & out many times, depending on what I need to use my van for at any given time. Right this moment, I have the support beam and "rear" floor panel in with maybe half-dozen of the bolts, but not the smaller piece right behind the seats. I got rid of the vinyl floor cover long ago and plan to do bedliner, instead. One of my plans is finding a chest toolbox (used, for cheap) that will fit "just right" in there so that I can have additional locked storage for my tools and things. The main reason I want to find a cheap one is that I'll probably end up cutting the bottom of the box to fit lower into the floor - I recline my seat to take rest breaks on road trips to visit family & friends in northern Illinois and I'm in Texas. You're doing great work, I look forward to seeing more!

[Mike Chell]

Thank you.  It's a fun project, so far.

I'm picking up my rivet nuts tonight, so I should be able to get back to work on it.

[Mike Chell]

Got a little further with my floor.

 

 

[windguy]

7 hours ago, Mike Chell said:

Got a little further with my floor.

 

Thanks for another interesting video.

You're making progress. Slow down the pace though cause you're making me look lazy.

 

[windguy]

On 5/7/2018 at 6:57 AM, jrm223 said:

 

We talked about that when I did this same thing with my van a couple years ago. Your van has carpet in the front, thus carpet in the cavity. Myself & Mike Chell have base XL's with vinyl in the front, thus vinyl in the cavity.

 

Mike, you're working a lot faster than me! I've had that subfloor in & out many times, depending on what I need to use my van for at any given time. Right this moment, I have the support beam and "rear" floor panel in with maybe half-dozen of the bolts, but not the smaller piece right behind the seats. I got rid of the vinyl floor cover long ago and plan to do bedliner, instead. One of my plans is finding a chest toolbox (used, for cheap) that will fit "just right" in there so that I can have additional locked storage for my tools and things. The main reason I want to find a cheap one is that I'll probably end up cutting the bottom of the box to fit lower into the floor - I recline my seat to take rest breaks on road trips to visit family & friends in northern Illinois and I'm in Texas. You're doing great work, I look forward to seeing more!

 

Your memory is better than mine. Please post some pics of your mods when you get a chance. Would love to see them.

Do you recline the driver's seat or passenger? I tried my driver's seat today when I was working on the flooring and partition and the driver's seat never touches the partition when it's reclined to the max. Didn't think to try the passenger side so was curious which one you recline. It's great the partition is a modular design so you can chose with pieces to leave in or take out. I removed all the pieces today to do some sound proofing on the open floor area. I need to pick up the pace to keep up with Mike's work.

[Mike Chell]

Don't try to keep up with me.  I could be a GREAT wood artist ... but I get impatient.  I can remember my Dad taking a month or more to finish a project.  I think, when I start a project, "I'll take my time, make sure everything comes out perfect ..."

 

But then I start getting in a hurry, and so, I am just an adequate wood worker.

[jrm223]

13 hours ago, windguy said:

 

Your memory is better than mine. Please post some pics of your mods when you get a chance. Would love to see them.

Do you recline the driver's seat or passenger? I tried my driver's seat today when I was working on the flooring and partition and the driver's seat never touches the partition when it's reclined to the max. Didn't think to try the passenger side so was curious which one you recline. It's great the partition is a modular design so you can chose with pieces to leave in or take out. I removed all the pieces today to do some sound proofing on the open floor area. I need to pick up the pace to keep up with Mike's work.

 

I stay in the driver seat, it reclines nearly flat in my van - but both seats lay back equally in my van. I just went out and took a quick pic for ya to show how far back it lays down. Nevermind the removed headrest - it doesn't like to share space with a cowboy hat, lol. This shows why it seems odd to me that your seat doesn't touch the partition at max recline... I'd think something is hitting before it's truly at "max recline"... Also shown is my beast of an inverter, 3000W/6000W pure sine wave - bought it cheap not working and I haven't figured out what's wrong (I'm a computer tech by day) so I'll have to find someone/place that specializes in these. 

 

Mike, good video on the nutserts. I have some for the roof to install E-track since my van didn't come with roof rails. I was going to use the nut & wrench method, but a washer & small wrench that's just barely bigger than the bolt would probably be easier.

[Mike Chell]

Finally figured out to get the glove box out of my van.  I kind of missed center on the camera.

 

And I got more done on installing the back up camera.  It's been raining here for almost two weeks, putting the brakes on a lot of work.

 

[Tom899]

I enjoy watching your videos. Great job on your modifications.

Tom

[Mike Chell]

Thank you, Tom.

 

It's been fun ... and clean.  Once I'm mostly done, and start putting fishing stuff in there, I doubt it'll retain that "pretty" look.

[JoeMan]

Wish I saw your video before I tried to remove my glove box and cracked 1 side trying to get it out before figuring out the right way

[Mike Chell]

Yep ... I had to crawl up under there to look at it.  Couldn't find anything online ... and I'm too cheap to buy the Shop Manual.

I might do a better video, with the camera better centered on the important parts.

[windguy]

@mike - great video, thanks for sharing. You're making good progress.

What's next?

 

[Mike Chell]

Thank you, Windguy.  Next are the modified pegboards that will go up over each side window location.

I should have one or both of them in soon.

[Mike Chell]

I'm about as done as I can get, for the moment.  I'm sure there will be more, but this is it for the general modifications.

 

 

[mrtn]

Hot damn, I like the peg board conversion. Need to do one just like that.

 

Looks like you had a blast building it.

[Mike Chell]

I did!  It's been fun ... but I am looking forward to doing some fishing and other projects that have piled up over the past 6 weeks.

[windguy]

@Mike Chell - another great video. Thanks for sharing.

I have great admiration for your ability to figure out how to adapt your van to your specific needs and then get the job done. Job well done!

 

After seeing what you did with the carpeting, you inspired me to carpet the rear wheel wells rather than seeing the painted body. I'm not mad at you for making more work for me but perhaps my wife might be cause I'm spending more time working on the van instead of doing house chores

 

Have fun fishing and I will miss your mods videos. Perhaps a few of your fishing escapades will help. Enjoy!