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Wood Panel Insert for 2012 FTC Cargo Walls - Suggestions


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Hello all!

 

I'm finally able to get around to putting up some paneling in my van, after a couple of ideas and prototypes that fell flat.  All I really want to do is put of some insulated and noise cancelling panels inserted at the point of the cargo walls where windows would otherwise be.  Photo attached

 

I've already glued in some insulation, which has already deadened A LOT of the noise.  And I have a couple ideas for how to securely and  fasten the wood panels.  L-brackets into the body, then lining up holes in the panel to the brackets for threading some stainless steel bolts.  Leaving the panels still easily removable.  Or I could use some standard plastic body retainers to clip the panels into set brackets.

 

But I've yet to see any simpler way other than throwing them up and screwing retainer blocks into the body on each side of the panel to hold it in.

 

Any other suggestions would be appreciated!

 

Cheers

Screen Shot 2018-11-24 at 8.55.09 PM.png

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  • 2 weeks later...
   

I would probably make a fitted panel out of 1/4" plywood, seal the edges with something like body filler and then attach it with short Tek screws into the flange around the opening.  Measure the screws to make sure they are not long enough to poke a hole in the outside panel.  If the Tek screws are all too long, then I would drill it and use sheet metal screws.  Easy to put in, easy to take out if you want to, and only a few small holes where you can't see them unless you are looking for them with the panels out.

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I've used these style of nuts with springs (intended for use in channel struts) in other applications where I need a nut in a spot where I can't get a wrench on it. You might find them usable in the slots circled in the photo above depending on width. The nuts are usually available in the electrical supply area of big box hardware stores since the channel strut is often used to mount electrical conduit.

https://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Betts-GIDDS-461512-ZA1003-8EG-10/dp/B000BPHMQE/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1543976744&sr=8-15&keywords=strut+channel+nut

channel nut.jpg

Edited by DonShockley
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If this will be permanent, and you will never even attempt to take it off, then all bets are off.  Epoxy could create a permanent bond.  Rivets will give you that cool, military look.  Think about rivet nuts.  U-Clips or Clip Nuts could also work.

 

Image result for rivetRelated imageRelated imageRelated imageImage result for rivetImage result for rivet nutRelated imageImage result for rivet nutImage result for u-clipImage result for u-clipRelated image

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Thanks Booner!  Very helpful information.

 

NOW!  Here's what I did :)

 

First I lined the area with Reflectex insulation.  This alone really deadened the sound in the van quite a bit, so I was excited for the actual panels.

 

Fast forward a month...

 

I cut and shaped a large piece of cardboard to fit the area where I wanted the panel to go.  I used this as a template for both driver and passenger side panels.  I didn't care for the edge of the panel, so I decided to find some sort of edging I could glue all the way around.  Some vinyl window insulation turned out to be the perfect fit and look!  I also added a rectangle of that pink foam insulation stuff and glued it to the backside of the panel.

 

I then tried to figure out a way to actually mount the thing.  So I decided to go with some handmade bracketry.  I found a long piece of decent gauge 2" x 2" L shape aluminum.  Cut it into 5" pieces.  2" x 2" was too wide for how I needed to mount them, they just weren't fitting flush, so I cut an inch off each piece so they were all 1" x 2".

 

I attached them to the van's interior with sheet metal screws.  I held the panel in place and figured out where I needed to drill holes in the panel.  Drilled 6 x 3/8" holes to line up with each bracket.  I then held the panel in place again, and marked with a sharpie on the bracket where I needed to fashion a bolt point.  Tapped a 3/8" hole in each bracket, and put some 1/4-20" stainless Nutserts in them.  This allowed me to mount the panel simply with 6 x 1/4-20 bolts.  I chose a stylish brass finish and added a plastic bushing so I wouldn't overtighten the bolt to the point of the wood breaking and cracking.

 

There was a lot of trial & error with other options I hoped to achieve.  I originally wanted to use plastic panel fasteners to mount the wood panels, but with the edge insulation, they just weren't long enough to reach the brackets.  So I had to go the longer bolts route.

 

Photos attached!  I'm mostly happy with it.  Should I do it again, I'll lacquer up the wood and do the edging a little cleaner.  But the sound and echo in my van is almost completely gone.  I just have to panel up the rest of those areas you see that have the "Reflectex" insulation glued on.

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@johnBowerbank - Thanks for sharing your project. I added rear panels to my Gen 2. It's a lot of work but worth the effort. See pic below.

I'd like to see your pics but can't open the *.heic format. Sorry, I don't live in an iOS world

Any chance you can post a *.jpg format instead?

Thanks!

 

 

 

P1060495.JPG

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18 hours ago, windguy said:

@johnBowerbank - Thanks for sharing your project. I added rear panels to my Gen 2. It's a lot of work but worth the effort. See pic below.

I'd like to see your pics but can't open the *.heic format. Sorry, I don't live in an iOS world

Any chance you can post a *.jpg format instead?

Thanks!

 

 

 

P1060495.JPG

 

 

Those white panels are super lightweight which is a huge plus , very nice job.

 

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15 hours ago, JonBowerbank said:

IMG_8126.jpg

A little off topic, but where did you get the Nutserts? None of my local hardware stores have them and the shipping and handling when buying online is only reasonable when you buy them in bulk. Pretty sure I don't need 100+ nutserts!

 

Thanks

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21 hours ago, JonBowerbank said:

That's slick!

 

Didn't realize they'd upload the way they did.  Here are some jpgs!

 

 

Thanks for posting the pics in a different format. 

Very nice job on the panels and kudos for figuring out a way to make brackets to mount that.

 

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5 hours ago, mountainman said:

 None of my local hardware stores have them and the shipping and handling when buying online is only reasonable when you buy them in bulk.

 

 

 

 

 

All hardware is sold that way.  Buy 10,000, and they cost next to nothing.  Buy just 2, and you pay a fortune.  I just paid $3 for 2 screws.  Screws which should have sold for $0.03, if I ordered 10,000.  

 

Just as important with these types of fasteners is having a good tool.  You will see all sorts of online videos where people use a couple of wrenches, a bolt, a washer, and whatever......but the best thing to do is to have the correct tool.....Fabricate your own system, and you will have different results.

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7 hours ago, herb said:

 

Those white panels are super lightweight which is a huge plus , very nice job.

 

 

Thanks Herb. The panels are actually painted grey to kind of match the color of the van. Not the best match but close enough.

Panels are made of 1/8" masonite. Conforms nicely to the curvature and easy to work with.

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On 1/16/2019 at 7:40 PM, Fifty150 said:

Just as important with these types of fasteners is having a good tool.  You will see all sorts of online videos where people use a couple of wrenches, a bolt, a washer, and whatever......but the best thing to do is to have the correct tool.....Fabricate your own system, and you will have different results.

 

True, the tool, however,  is pretty expensive for the amount of use it'll get.  And I don't think I could find a rental on one anywhere.  So I just followed what this guy did: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVgLQZ8-IUs

 

Worked great

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On 1/16/2019 at 7:58 PM, JonBowerbank said:

You can get them from Fastenal

Funny you mention them. A friend just informed me this weekend that we have a Fastenal in town and they would likely have it. Thanks!

 

On 1/20/2019 at 2:11 AM, JonBowerbank said:

 

True, the tool, however,  is pretty expensive for the amount of use it'll get.  And I don't think I could find a rental on one anywhere.  So I just followed what this guy did: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVgLQZ8-IUs

 

Worked great

I found a blog where they use the same technique but use a wrench instead of a power drill. Power drill definitely seems like the way to go. Also, Sergiy Sem's videos are great!

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On 1/21/2019 at 12:50 PM, mountainman said:

Funny you mention them. A friend just informed me this weekend that we have a Fastenal in town and they would likely have it. Thanks!

 

I found a blog where they use the same technique but use a wrench instead of a power drill. Power drill definitely seems like the way to go. Also, Sergiy Sem's videos are great!

 

I personally used a 2.5" x 1/4-20 socket head screw, with a 1" x 3/8 coupling nut as a spacer and a stack of washers.  The screw was sent through the washers and coupling nut, into the nutsert so it just starts to thread into it.  I then inserted the nutsert into the hole, held it in place by the coupling nut with a crescent wrench, and turned the socket head screw with a hex head & socket wrench.  Doing it manually helped me control the torque a bit more, and I had a better sense of when it was set.  Instead of overtorquing it and risking the headache of extracting a damaged nutsert.

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On 1/22/2019 at 11:51 PM, JonBowerbank said:

 

I personally used a 2.5" x 1/4-20 socket head screw, with a 1" x 3/8 coupling nut as a spacer and a stack of washers.  The screw was sent through the washers and coupling nut, into the nutsert so it just starts to thread into it.  I then inserted the nutsert into the hole, held it in place by the coupling nut with a crescent wrench, and turned the socket head screw with a hex head & socket wrench.  Doing it manually helped me control the torque a bit more, and I had a better sense of when it was set.  Instead of overtorquing it and risking the headache of extracting a damaged nutsert.

Good point about threading! I looked into how to remove a set nutsert in case this happens. It sounds like a total pain!

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