My biggest van mistakes was not buying a van at 18 and living in it while figuring out my life. I could have worked, went to school, and traveled. Maybe even starter my own TH-cam Channel. However, it’s never too late. Thank you for creating this channel!!
Tip from a fellow van builder, always water leak test your roof once everything on the roof is installed and check for leaks before starting on the interior.
I love this about you guys, while being so innovative and showing me something new every video, you are also very real and show your mistakes when they happen so people can learn from you!
We bought a mostly converted van knowing we would rip out lots of the build but we’ve now ripped literally ALL of it out and found lots of mistakes including mold, hundreds of random tek screws doing nothing except making places for rust, etc. but the most annoying one is that they used rust colored primer. Can you imagine?? So far our worst mistake in the build is that we installed an exterior AC outlet (we are not going stealth) and trusted in the gasket that came attached to the cover. Luckily I went back and was taking some of the wool out of the bottom of the walls (yes, because of you) and felt wet wool higher up and traced it to the work box so now we can correct it before the walls go up. Ugh. Two steps forward, one step back the entire journey!
Maybe not a mistake, but on my next build, I will definitely surface mount my electrical wiring instead of in the walls, it was a ball ache to do and almost impossible to add more now! There’s always cupboards etc to run them in. ✌️
Two things. First I don’t think with a frontwheel drive car, you will be happy in light offroad. Think, we you convert a van, where do you add most of the weight? In the rear, correct and then you wish the rear wheels are driven. Second, maybe I didn’t understand right, you use the sounddampening material for fixing a leak. Don’t do this. First under my roofwindows I had this material. After 5 month it started leaking. It is not UV resident, started to crack and water came in. Fixed this with repair tape for roofs. This is a thin layer of aluminum and butyl tape. Since 15 months it is waterproof .
It takes a lot of patience to revisit something and make sure it is done right even though you did it once already. I really respect you both for doing that and for admitting the sound deadening may have also been a wrong move. Ps. I think your kit is fairly priced. 👍🏽👍🏽
I love your attention to detail and now you’ve topped it with “mistake’s” VLOG. I’m learning not just from your overall VLOG’s, but the look back and so called mistake’s. Hat 🎩 off to ya! 👍
Thank you for these mistake tips. How generous of you to help others spare these mishaps. Love your designs and DETAIL! Your cabin is sooooo simply stunning!
When it comes to stop rust in those lower cavities use the rust inhibitor that is like thick oil that they sell at car repair shops. If you combine it with drain holes to let out the inevitable moisture or condensation you will good to go for a reasonable time. Make the drainholes so big that you can get in a long spraynossle and add rust inhibitor once a year, then you would have done everything you can.
Great video Lady & Margaret 👏 - You can fix your 1st issue applying some Sikaflex along the gap between your side rail and van body. That's what I've done and the water doesn't seems to go behind the rail (if you have any idea to actually test it ?). - Biggest mistake : screwing the solar panel system from the inside of the van. I will have to strip off the whole ceiling if I ever need to detach/inspect it. A better option would have to use a threaded rivets and a bolts from the outside, or use the existing roof attachments as you did.
In our experience, applying sound deading material to the roof is far more nessesary than the floor. No one sleeps in the back while you drive, so floor is not that important. However, applying it to the roof, and using batt insulation will help with those rainy nights when the rain is beating on the metal roof.
Welcome to my life. My swamp cooler install didn't go well (tropical storm during installation) but I eventually finished. Now, a month later a leak. Turns out that the sika flex I used didn't adhere well to plastic. I'm gonna have to fix that with PU. Let's see. Though as I'm going slowly, having a leak before installing plywood for the ceiling is better than finding out later...
I'm Liking the idea of the vinyl behind the sliding door runner. Sealed mine with silicone after the rust treatment and paint but I don't trust it. You guys seriously should fill those 'Bottom tunnels' or sills with cavity wax. It is a product designed to kill rust and it works. It's a staple in classic car ownership! My biggest mistake was moving into the van before it was finished. It is now a year later and all I have managed to do in that year is put shelving up in our wardrobe. I have to say my years of planning and research paid off to build our very own dream van 🙌 🙌
On a previous build I used plain board for cabinet construction and covered the finished cabinets in a high quality furniture "Wrap", it looked great when made but wasn't very damage resistant and in hot weather started to peal in places.
I would have put more pull-outs underneath my countertops just a 3/4 plywood slide out under the countertop I would have put more of them in my build that little extra countertop space makes a big difference
I’ve learned not to build a van until I’ve stayed in many, many more… renting is the best way to see if it’s a good fit & what the ideal build will be for me. Thanks for sharing your journey!
I used pvc trim instead of wood to fasten the windows. Because it will not rot if the vent leaks. In fact the only wood I used was cedar for decoration.
Our biggest mistake was using wrong sealing for all windows which was obviously not UV resistant and started dissembling after 2 years. Had to replace it all. But to be honest - that is the biggest mistake I've made :)
Against the rust on the bottom of the chassis, many mechanics whor restore VW T2 for example, put liquid wax in all the parts below like the spars. You could try that. Anyways, you're both amazing, you are the best.
Yea, There are a lot of areas that can b neglected, converting a used van !! But you save a lot of $$$$ And can improve the over all conditions of the van with a fraction of the $$. And learn a lot!! From others on TH-cam😊🤗🤗 You Guys R killing it!! A lot of great content!! Keep spreading the # Vanlife Style.🤙
I love all the tips and experience you share through the process is definitely being helpful to have an idea of all the thing i need and all the ones i dont in my build, but i have to be franc, is really hard to watch the videos with the kind of humor you manage, might not be might thing but it feels force so i end up finding myself jumping to the point instead of actually watching the whole video and kind of makes me feel bad it seem like you put a lot of effort on the vids, anyways i appreciate all the content its been super useful
Converted a school bus that my husband and I now live in full time. Vapor barrier is KEY. Condensation is no joke, especially in colder climates. Cover every piece of anything that will collect condensation and eventually mold. Even on windows, we plan on adding little removable/ washable strips of fabric at the base where water collects when there is condensation. That way, it will collect all the drips, and we can take them off and wash/ dry them periodically.
What kind of heat do you have? My wife and I are converting a school bus right now. During the conversion i was using a propane heater but eventually planned on installing a diesel heater. We noticed a TON of condensation while using the propane heater, but as soon as we started using a diesel heater, we don't see any signs of condensation anymore.
Our regrets: That evaporative cooler we installed in the roof isn’t really doing it. And not spending the money to get a good mattress in the beginning. It’s weird that your previous van was noisy. We didn’t do any sound deadening in our floor and ours is quiet. Making a foam cushion to push up into our roof fan (while driving) helped a lot.
Biggest mistake was not paying enough attention to materials and joints that might squeak as a van twists over uneven surfaces. Every joint-like cabinet against side wall-or abutting material-like paneling over rear doors-should be firmly affixed with glue, or separated by a non-squeaking material such as air, sealant, or rubber. Unlike in a fixed home, anything in a van that can squeak will squeak.
We are in the process of planning and build our van so watching lots and absorbing as much as possible. One tip we have been told is everytime to fit something like a cabinet drawer etc take your van for a drive to see if it makes a noise at least that way you it’s the last thing you did rather than trying to find that one annoying squeak from the whole van. Hope you sorted your noises out. Great videos 🤙🏻
That is very overanalyzed topic. I did not pay any attention to this and our van is very comfortable quiet when driving. Glueing panels is very bad advice!
i wish they made the metal on cars to last longer. I am 58. Thirty years ago, our landfill outside of town was practically flat. Now it is a huge mountain, easily 300 m high. If you are young, you do not realize how much most of the manufactured products will end up in the landfill.
We are in the process of changing our van. For the new van we want to have a certain changes regarding storage space. Pull out drawers not cupboards. I hate bending down to look in the back of cupboards. We are considering diesel heaters, what do you think. We rubberised the floor in our existing van but it wasn't as heavy as yours, it was only 5mm. However the new euro 6 vans weight will have to be investigated with a fine tooth comb. We currently have a truma boiler but if we go to diesel what will we use. Quandary Quandary
Refreshing to see you guys are human as well like the rest of us mere mortals. My top mistake has to be not sacrificing a load of 8020 extrusion to make a 6ft tall square right from the start. Walls, cupboards and everything would have been 'straighter'!
I was wondering when the fish would be explained. I was sure it wasn't accidentally placed there. Turns out Milly is the set-dresser responsible for this. 👌😹
Our biggest #1 buying a used van and not getting a good look at the roof. The whole back roof panel had been very poorly replaced. Two hours laying on the roof in the freezing cold cutting and applying bits of white butyl and we got all the holes patched. So $20 bucks and lots of scary labor. Much cheaper fix than we feared. #2 Letting the black factory floor warp while we worked on the underfloor. I'm thinking we are going to have to trash it and use something else. #3 Almost broke a wrist cutting the shore power hole because we used an old drill with poor kick back protection. All the other mistakes are yet to be determined!
My biggest mistake was using blow in insulation in my wall panels -_- lol. I also used expanding foam to seal it in. But when I drive around with my windows down. It blows everywhere Inside hahah.
Margaret, Does MaxxAir make side mount fans? I've never cut a hole in a roof that didn't leak. Granted, I've had house skylights and they all leaked. Even if they had a great seal, when hit with snow and ice and when the snow and ice thawwed, water travels in all directions.
You guys did major rust treatment on this van! I thought it might be too much for me. What would you say were the MOST ESSENTIAL parts of the rust treatment ?
Great vid! I didn’t really understand how you fixed the leak? Did you use the sound deadening material on the roof? If so, is that a loong term solution? Fells like it will be destroyed in the sun/cold?
good suggestions. test your ideas by putting your van on a slope, long pull out kitchens etc might not work if the ground is sloping, even with levelling ramps.
Fluid Film, look it up...Put that in the gutters and underneath you ain't getting rust...Looks like your side strip clips are not sealed 7:10, only way water can get in there, there are no holes in the bottom of the side gutters..You showed holes in the rockers which don't enter the van, but they need to be fluid filmed, or woolwaxed (videos on youtube)..PS, never paint under van it will chip and water/salt gets in and can be worse than not doing anything, fluid film only...
***** I have a great solution / hack for your rust issues!**** I live in Hawaii and there are 2 products everyone need to know! #1 - Oshpo (paint prep light acid that neutralizes rust) #2 - TC-11 ( large spray can like WD-40 but formulated to prevent rust). I use it on bare metal tools in my open shop (5 miles from the beach) and keeps rust for years!
About rust and moisture, if it’s inevitable you still want to slow or delay as much as possible. Would (actively) managing these areas not work? Ventilating, heating or desiccants? Then unreachable areas can be insulated and keep their insulating value and remain problem free for the life of the van.
I wonder if you could run a diesel heater into the body panel gaps near the floors, so it would travel along under furniture and distribute evenly around the van, then bonus points dry out that area. Not good if you're using propane heat, obviously, but I'm beginning to think nobody should use propane heat in such a small vehicle because of the condensation. Or some sort of floor fan pulling in cooler air from lower (small vents in back doors?) then the roof fan expels hot air out. Same idea as the people that have two rooftop fans, one directed in, one directed out... But pulling in cooler air instead of hot roof air.
Your dislike of rust shows your admirable character. PS: A long way Murphy Bed is the other solution for tall person van life. The seat backs can be on the Murphy Bed back set higher to lean back on and just fold down. You use pneumatic support gas shock gas struts so it can be pulled down and put up without effort. No need for a taco bed and the shelving can be on the other side. Table doesn't need 500 pound drawers as you go for 4,000 pounds on solid rests, so you can hammer it.
Maybe it is the van. I have a 08.Vauhall Vivaro It spent it's first 8 years as a trade van in the UK and last 7 years in Portugal travelling around Europe and rust wise......nothing. Look around, these vans and sister vehicles don't rust. But don't seal trim and think about letting water out. One slight regret/envy is not buying a LWB that extra 40cm makes a big difference for no cost, but hard to find. The guy I bought it off upgraded to a LWB..doh! Other than that the van is perfect for us, drives like a car, parks like a car, but we sleep/eat easily and cheaply. Much better than a T4/5 in every way..apart from image..maybe.
Never saw someone installing sound deading stuff. Seems legit. Is this also something you would do in a build with a closed cab? Or if its closed off the living space, maybe just makes sense in the cab itself? Is it even doable there? (I‘m a newbie and didn’t start yet lol..)
If the weight exceeds 3,5 tonnes, registrer it as a lorry and weigh it up to 4,2 or so. You will have to drive slower, 80-90 km/h and a license for it, but more capacity :)
We bought a CamperVan fabricated and the only extra equitment we bought was and 4G antenna. however they put it through one of the cabinets over the bed. So that room is missing 20% space instead of placing the antenna 60 CM further in the Van then it would be in and unused space. So frustrating to see everytime i need to get some clothing up there
Not fitting a diesel night heater whilst in the build Process, I didn't think I would need one as it's only a small van. Boy was I wrong! To fit one now means dismantling most of the interior.
If you found this video fun, fascinating, or adorable (wait for the ending w/ leg in the air) HIT THAT LIKE BUTTON! What van build mistakes or regrets have you made, and how did you solve them? Make sure to tell us about it below so we can learn, along with the rest of the community. You da best! 🙌
One thing that comes to mind regarding the parts list is that you are in Europe and some viewers are not. Will I be able to find the same things in North America without a bunch of shipping hassles?
Our mistake was not thinking about a place for shoes en jackets. Especially in our tiny bus and especially when it's raining. And the colour of our bus is dark blue, but it gets way to hot in the sun.
You would think that in the year 2022 someone would have come up with a solution for rust on vehicles. I drive a 1999 Honda Civic which I love but it has rust spots from the salt in the winter.
Awesome video, but i just have one probably really stupid question. For mistake number 4, the bottom tunnels. Why not sealing the holes at the bottom and than put wool or so in there🤔 bc i always thought u have them in a van so if u tip over liquids, it can run through the holes out but u dont really need them in a camper van more in a work van, right? Or did I understood that wrong? 🤔
@@DennisNagelkirk water will inevitably find it's way in through body panels and seals, or collect as condensation then puddle at the bottom. Always best to leave a way for the water to escape.
Why would you want the roof to be black? I lived on a 50 foot homebuilt houseboat built on a steel barge hull and some dummy painted the roof black and the heat I felt radiating into my living space was palpable. When it became cool enough, towards fall, I bought the best roof paint I could afford and rolled that on my roof. The next summer it was amazing the difference inside when the sun was beating down on the roof. My advice is PAINT YOUR VAN ROOF WHITE!!!
Gray water tank not secured adequately under the van. I was lucky enough to be on my way to my family's house, 5km away, when it detached from the vehicle, what a disaster!
I'm watching different videos of conversion, and alot of them use heavy matereals. drawback is more load on van systems in cost of longer lasting internal parts... In my caravan most made of very thin plywood. and even with that, weight is 1.2 ton.
Biggest mistake was putting Armaflex insulation and covering all the metal with felt. Taking this back off for what ever reason you might have is nearly impossible…I’ll think of other removable solutions..nothing will be directly glued to the van anymore
Buying a 18 year old van ! Had to sort 18 years of neglect before we could use it . Better to get the newest van possible and spend less time fixing it
Are you updating the original videos / descriptions to call out the mistakes? I bet a lot of your viewers don’t watch all your content front to back like a tv show and are just interested in one thing at a time.
This is a major problem as without any correction (or, ideally take-downs) faulty approaches are replicated throughout the community. Would be sweet if builders at least went subsequently back to provide a Comment on what did NOT work in their video. This is true of any instructional video not just related to Van Life.
Van build mistakes? Biggest? Well the list is pretty long, and some of them are still going :D. However, I'm still happy with my van, we have a lot of good memories, so I will do it all over again. Nevertheless, and for the sake of the argument, the bed, I have done it twice and I might will do a 3rd time. Everything else we can live with that,
Biggest mistake was discovering the layout was wrong after finishing the van build. Solution was to sell the van and do it right on the next build. Second mistake was not buying lithium batteries at the outset. Lead acid batteries are definitely a very poor relation to lithium. Think it is all correct now 🤔
Thank you so much for the nice video. I love it I want to share a good video with you. I'm a Korean TH-camr who does a little funy camping. I want to be a good friend.
oh we disagree completely, especially because we are power-heavy users on the road. For those who don't have ebikes, multiple comps, monitors, etc that'd be a different story.
@@ladiandmargaret According to solar panel installers, tilted panels provide 10% more energy if you are parked correctly regarding sun, and 25% gain is possible only if you have tracking device, horizontally and vertically. Therefore my opinion, and maybe reason why nobody else not doing that.
I can for sure confirm that in winter, my panels perform way less on my camper than in summer. Lifting to a 60 degree angle would improve that quite a bit vs just flat on the roof this time of the year. However, a recent Tech Ingredients video demonstrated an alternative setup with 96% reflective coated aluminium panels, which reflect onto the panels for 300-400% increase in performance of a flat panel. Seems like a good alternative route, though the lift is brilliant.
@@mrd7592 We just got back from a camping trip and I put out our 80 watt portable solar panel and compared it to our 200 watt roof top panels. The portable one was generating 73 watts while the roof top panels were only producing 60. I would love to have tilting panels.
@@jimicob9143 Like a house , insulation works both ways..Don't know why people think Insulation is not necessary in a van, I guess they know something engineers don't..
My biggest van mistakes was not buying a van at 18 and living in it while figuring out my life. I could have worked, went to school, and traveled. Maybe even starter my own TH-cam Channel. However, it’s never too late. Thank you for creating this channel!!
I got my van coming in. When are you getting yours
That is also my mistake
Tip from a fellow van builder, always water leak test your roof once everything on the roof is installed and check for leaks before starting on the interior.
I love this about you guys, while being so innovative and showing me something new every video, you are also very real and show your mistakes when they happen so people can learn from you!
Also a ribbed floor by design doesn’t need sound deadening guys. Only big flat panels. 👌🏽👌🏽😉
We bought a mostly converted van knowing we would rip out lots of the build but we’ve now ripped literally ALL of it out and found lots of mistakes including mold, hundreds of random tek screws doing nothing except making places for rust, etc. but the most annoying one is that they used rust colored primer. Can you imagine?? So far our worst mistake in the build is that we installed an exterior AC outlet (we are not going stealth) and trusted in the gasket that came attached to the cover. Luckily I went back and was taking some of the wool out of the bottom of the walls (yes, because of you) and felt wet wool higher up and traced it to the work box so now we can correct it before the walls go up. Ugh. Two steps forward, one step back the entire journey!
😂 I’m happy you noticed the fish. I kept looking at it, wondering if you knew it was there.
Maybe not a mistake, but on my next build, I will definitely surface mount my electrical wiring instead of in the walls, it was a ball ache to do and almost impossible to add more now! There’s always cupboards etc to run them in. ✌️
Two things. First I don’t think with a frontwheel drive car, you will be happy in light offroad. Think, we you convert a van, where do you add most of the weight? In the rear, correct and then you wish the rear wheels are driven.
Second, maybe I didn’t understand right, you use the sounddampening material for fixing a leak. Don’t do this. First under my roofwindows I had this material. After 5 month it started leaking. It is not UV resident, started to crack and water came in.
Fixed this with repair tape for roofs. This is a thin layer of aluminum and butyl tape.
Since 15 months it is waterproof .
It takes a lot of patience to revisit something and make sure it is done right even though you did it once already. I really respect you both for doing that and for admitting the sound deadening may have also been a wrong move. Ps. I think your kit is fairly priced. 👍🏽👍🏽
I love your attention to detail and now you’ve topped it with “mistake’s” VLOG. I’m learning not just from your overall VLOG’s, but the look back and so called mistake’s. Hat 🎩 off to ya! 👍
Thank you for these mistake tips. How generous of you to help others spare these mishaps. Love your designs and DETAIL! Your cabin is sooooo simply stunning!
When it comes to stop rust in those lower cavities use the rust inhibitor that is like thick oil that they sell at car repair shops. If you combine it with drain holes to let out the inevitable moisture or condensation you will good to go for a reasonable time. Make the drainholes so big that you can get in a long spraynossle and add rust inhibitor once a year, then you would have done everything you can.
Great video Lady & Margaret 👏
- You can fix your 1st issue applying some Sikaflex along the gap between your side rail and van body. That's what I've done and the water doesn't seems to go behind the rail (if you have any idea to actually test it ?).
- Biggest mistake : screwing the solar panel system from the inside of the van. I will have to strip off the whole ceiling if I ever need to detach/inspect it. A better option would have to use a threaded rivets and a bolts from the outside, or use the existing roof attachments as you did.
Not having built it yet! Keep up the great work; you're making all of our future vans better!
In our experience, applying sound deading material to the roof is far more nessesary than the floor. No one sleeps in the back while you drive, so floor is not that important. However, applying it to the roof, and using batt insulation will help with those rainy nights when the rain is beating on the metal roof.
Welcome to my life. My swamp cooler install didn't go well (tropical storm during installation) but I eventually finished. Now, a month later a leak. Turns out that the sika flex I used didn't adhere well to plastic. I'm gonna have to fix that with PU. Let's see. Though as I'm going slowly, having a leak before installing plywood for the ceiling is better than finding out later...
my biggest mistake is that I haven't started building my van yet ;)
Love the mistake videos and mistake comments, they're all *fire*! Thank you so much.
And ditto our weekly dose of Millie!! 😻
I'm Liking the idea of the vinyl behind the sliding door runner. Sealed mine with silicone after the rust treatment and paint but I don't trust it. You guys seriously should fill those 'Bottom tunnels' or sills with cavity wax. It is a product designed to kill rust and it works. It's a staple in classic car ownership!
My biggest mistake was moving into the van before it was finished. It is now a year later and all I have managed to do in that year is put shelving up in our wardrobe. I have to say my years of planning and research paid off to build our very own dream van 🙌 🙌
Unbelievable the detail you guys take! What an amazing project AND Amazing couple!!
Stay safe and God Bless!!👍
On a previous build I used plain board for cabinet construction and covered the finished cabinets in a high quality furniture "Wrap", it looked great when made but wasn't very damage resistant and in hot weather started to peal in places.
I would have put more pull-outs underneath my countertops just a 3/4 plywood slide out under the countertop I would have put more of them in my build that little extra countertop space makes a big difference
yes that is such a design upgrade!
I’ve learned not to build a van until I’ve stayed in many, many more… renting is the best way to see if it’s a good fit & what the ideal build will be for me.
Thanks for sharing your journey!
I used pvc trim instead of wood to fasten the windows. Because it will not rot if the vent leaks. In fact the only wood I used was cedar for decoration.
Our biggest mistake was using wrong sealing for all windows which was obviously not UV resistant and started dissembling after 2 years. Had to replace it all. But to be honest - that is the biggest mistake I've made :)
Against the rust on the bottom of the chassis, many mechanics whor restore VW T2 for example, put liquid wax in all the parts below like the spars. You could try that. Anyways, you're both amazing, you are the best.
Great idea! Treating the van before every winter would be ideal!
Yea,
There are a lot of areas that can b neglected, converting a used van !! But you save a lot of $$$$
And can improve the over all conditions of the van with a fraction of the $$.
And learn a lot!! From others on TH-cam😊🤗🤗
You Guys R killing it!!
A lot of great content!! Keep spreading the # Vanlife Style.🤙
It's great that the mistakes were discovered early on. Thanks for sharing😊
I love all the tips and experience you share through the process is definitely being helpful to have an idea of all the thing i need and all the ones i dont in my build, but i have to be franc, is really hard to watch the videos with the kind of humor you manage, might not be might thing but it feels force so i end up finding myself jumping to the point instead of actually watching the whole video and kind of makes me feel bad it seem like you put a lot of effort on the vids, anyways i appreciate all the content its been super useful
Converted a school bus that my husband and I now live in full time. Vapor barrier is KEY. Condensation is no joke, especially in colder climates. Cover every piece of anything that will collect condensation and eventually mold. Even on windows, we plan on adding little removable/ washable strips of fabric at the base where water collects when there is condensation. That way, it will collect all the drips, and we can take them off and wash/ dry them periodically.
What kind of heat do you have? My wife and I are converting a school bus right now. During the conversion i was using a propane heater but eventually planned on installing a diesel heater. We noticed a TON of condensation while using the propane heater, but as soon as we started using a diesel heater, we don't see any signs of condensation anymore.
Our regrets: That evaporative cooler we installed in the roof isn’t really doing it. And not spending the money to get a good mattress in the beginning.
It’s weird that your previous van was noisy. We didn’t do any sound deadening in our floor and ours is quiet. Making a foam cushion to push up into our roof fan (while driving) helped a lot.
Biggest mistake was not paying enough attention to materials and joints that might squeak as a van twists over uneven surfaces. Every joint-like cabinet against side wall-or abutting material-like paneling over rear doors-should be firmly affixed with glue, or separated by a non-squeaking material such as air, sealant, or rubber. Unlike in a fixed home, anything in a van that can squeak will squeak.
We are in the process of planning and build our van so watching lots and absorbing as much as possible. One tip we have been told is everytime to fit something like a cabinet drawer etc take your van for a drive to see if it makes a noise at least that way you it’s the last thing you did rather than trying to find that one annoying squeak from the whole van. Hope you sorted your noises out. Great videos 🤙🏻
That is very overanalyzed topic. I did not pay any attention to this and our van is very comfortable quiet when driving. Glueing panels is very bad advice!
i wish they made the metal on cars to last longer. I am 58. Thirty years ago, our landfill outside of town was practically flat. Now it is a huge mountain, easily 300 m high. If you are young, you do not realize how much most of the manufactured products will end up in the landfill.
We are in the process of changing our van. For the new van we want to have a certain changes regarding storage space. Pull out drawers not cupboards. I hate bending down to look in the back of cupboards. We are considering diesel heaters, what do you think. We rubberised the floor in our existing van but it wasn't as heavy as yours, it was only 5mm. However the new euro 6 vans weight will have to be investigated with a fine tooth comb. We currently have a truma boiler but if we go to diesel what will we use. Quandary Quandary
interesting what you are building and putting in effort. It would also be interesting to find out what the fun costs in terms of time and money.
About the side bumpers:
Use the same glue kit you used for the side Windows, and drill tiny holes on the bottom.
Refreshing to see you guys are human as well like the rest of us mere mortals. My top mistake has to be not sacrificing a load of 8020 extrusion to make a 6ft tall square right from the start. Walls, cupboards and everything would have been 'straighter'!
I was wondering when the fish would be explained. I was sure it wasn't accidentally placed there. Turns out Milly is the set-dresser responsible for this. 👌😹
Our biggest #1 buying a used van and not getting a good look at the roof. The whole back roof panel had been very poorly replaced. Two hours laying on the roof in the freezing cold cutting and applying bits of white butyl and we got all the holes patched. So $20 bucks and lots of scary labor. Much cheaper fix than we feared. #2 Letting the black factory floor warp while we worked on the underfloor. I'm thinking we are going to have to trash it and use something else. #3 Almost broke a wrist cutting the shore power hole because we used an old drill with poor kick back protection. All the other mistakes are yet to be determined!
My biggest mistake was using blow in insulation in my wall panels -_- lol. I also used expanding foam to seal it in. But when I drive around with my windows down. It blows everywhere Inside hahah.
ERMERGERRRRRD the Millie spread at the end 🥰🥰🥰🥰
Pitch a tent inside the van it will help you stay warmer and dryer
Margaret, Does MaxxAir make side mount fans? I've never cut a hole in a roof that didn't leak. Granted, I've had house skylights and they all leaked. Even if they had a great seal, when hit with snow and ice and when the snow and ice thawwed, water travels in all directions.
Love your videos. Can't wait to get your guide when I start working on my van.
You guys did major rust treatment on this van! I thought it might be too much for me. What would you say were the MOST ESSENTIAL parts of the rust treatment ?
Great vid! I didn’t really understand how you fixed the leak? Did you use the sound deadening material on the roof? If so, is that a loong term solution? Fells like it will be destroyed in the sun/cold?
good suggestions. test your ideas by putting your van on a slope, long pull out kitchens etc might not work if the ground is sloping, even with levelling ramps.
You are detail oriented for sure! Love you guys
Thanks so much!
Fluid Film, look it up...Put that in the gutters and underneath you ain't getting rust...Looks like your side strip clips are not sealed 7:10, only way water can get in there, there are no holes in the bottom of the side gutters..You showed holes in the rockers which don't enter the van, but they need to be fluid filmed, or woolwaxed (videos on youtube)..PS, never paint under van it will chip and water/salt gets in and can be worse than not doing anything, fluid film only...
My biggest van conversion mistake was that I have done one yet :P
***** I have a great solution / hack for your rust issues!**** I live in Hawaii and there are 2 products everyone need to know! #1 - Oshpo (paint prep light acid that neutralizes rust) #2 - TC-11 ( large spray can like WD-40 but formulated to prevent rust). I use it on bare metal tools in my open shop (5 miles from the beach) and keeps rust for years!
About rust and moisture, if it’s inevitable you still want to slow or delay as much as possible. Would (actively) managing these areas not work? Ventilating, heating or desiccants? Then unreachable areas can be insulated and keep their insulating value and remain problem free for the life of the van.
I wonder if you could run a diesel heater into the body panel gaps near the floors, so it would travel along under furniture and distribute evenly around the van, then bonus points dry out that area. Not good if you're using propane heat, obviously, but I'm beginning to think nobody should use propane heat in such a small vehicle because of the condensation.
Or some sort of floor fan pulling in cooler air from lower (small vents in back doors?) then the roof fan expels hot air out. Same idea as the people that have two rooftop fans, one directed in, one directed out... But pulling in cooler air instead of hot roof air.
Your dislike of rust shows your admirable character.
PS: A long way Murphy Bed is the other solution for tall person van life. The seat backs can be on the Murphy Bed back set higher to lean back on and just fold down. You use pneumatic support gas shock gas struts so it can be pulled down and put up without effort. No need for a taco bed and the shelving can be on the other side. Table doesn't need 500 pound drawers as you go for 4,000 pounds on solid rests, so you can hammer it.
Maybe it is the van. I have a 08.Vauhall Vivaro It spent it's first 8 years as a trade van in the UK and last 7 years in Portugal travelling around Europe and rust wise......nothing. Look around, these vans and sister vehicles don't rust. But don't seal trim and think about letting water out.
One slight regret/envy is not buying a LWB that extra 40cm makes a big difference for no cost, but hard to find. The guy I bought it off upgraded to a LWB..doh! Other than that the van is perfect for us, drives like a car, parks like a car, but we sleep/eat easily and cheaply. Much better than a T4/5 in every way..apart from image..maybe.
Spray a small bit of transmission oil.in these holes This prevents rust in the long run. ✌️🇬🇧🍻.
Never saw someone installing sound deading stuff. Seems legit. Is this also something you would do in a build with a closed cab? Or if its closed off the living space, maybe just makes sense in the cab itself? Is it even doable there? (I‘m a newbie and didn’t start yet lol..)
If the weight exceeds 3,5 tonnes, registrer it as a lorry and weigh it up to 4,2 or so. You will have to drive slower, 80-90 km/h and a license for it, but more capacity :)
Actually it differs depending on country, they live in Czeckya, in Sweden it is not possible. Believe it is in Germany.
Always appreciate your videos!
Does your supplies list work for the States, not just European applications?
Yes they do! :) International links are provided
If your problems with weight are only related to this floor noise reduction this is no issue at all.
Thank you for these golden tips.
Thanks for the honest video
We bought a CamperVan fabricated and the only extra equitment we bought was and 4G antenna. however they put it through one of the cabinets over the bed. So that room is missing 20% space instead of placing the antenna 60 CM further in the Van then it would be in and unused space. So frustrating to see everytime i need to get some clothing up there
Heat travels upwards
Isolate roof with kingspan
Some L4H3 vans are rated for 4005kg. Mines was. But I down rated it to 3500kg due to driver license restrictions in my country.
Not fitting a diesel night heater whilst in the build Process, I didn't think I would need one as it's only a small van. Boy was I wrong! To fit one now means dismantling most of the interior.
If you found this video fun, fascinating, or adorable (wait for the ending w/ leg in the air) HIT THAT LIKE BUTTON! What van build mistakes or regrets have you made, and how did you solve them? Make sure to tell us about it below so we can learn, along with the rest of the community. You da best! 🙌
that fish is fascinating :)
One thing that comes to mind regarding the parts list is that you are in Europe and some viewers are not. Will I be able to find the same things in North America without a bunch of shipping hassles?
Yes, it’s almost all international shipping, because most of what we buy isn’t from Europe either
¡Excellent video! Thanks for sharing your experience
With the parts list do you keep adding to it after I have brought it? Im going to buy it today!
We keep them all up to date. They are all online so easy to edit.
Our mistake was not thinking about a place for shoes en jackets.
Especially in our tiny bus and especially when it's raining.
And the colour of our bus is dark blue, but it gets way to hot in the sun.
Enjoyed it good team effort
Mille is too cute at the end😭😭💖
I love your Van. Too bad you are not mass producing them for us all. :)
Oh goodness the speed of that would be so slow lol
@@ladiandmargaret i can dream. :)
Did u mean L4H3 you have? Newer heard of a L5 on any brand.
A tip is to build on Renault Master. My L3H3 can load 975kg
You would think that in the year 2022 someone would have come up with a solution for rust on vehicles. I drive a 1999 Honda Civic which I love but it has rust spots from the salt in the winter.
I wonder if using Never Wet spray down in the bottoms of the panels would help prevent rust too?
Awesome video, but i just have one probably really stupid question. For mistake number 4, the bottom tunnels. Why not sealing the holes at the bottom and than put wool or so in there🤔 bc i always thought u have them in a van so if u tip over liquids, it can run through the holes out but u dont really need them in a camper van more in a work van, right? Or did I understood that wrong? 🤔
I have this same question. Would love to know why caulking up the water weep holes wouldn’t solve this problem.
@@DennisNagelkirk water will inevitably find it's way in through body panels and seals, or collect as condensation then puddle at the bottom. Always best to leave a way for the water to escape.
Why would you want the roof to be black? I lived on a 50 foot homebuilt houseboat built on a steel barge hull and some dummy painted the roof black and the heat I felt radiating into my living space was palpable. When it became cool enough, towards fall, I bought the best roof paint I could afford and rolled that on my roof. The next summer it was amazing the difference inside when the sun was beating down on the roof. My advice is PAINT YOUR VAN ROOF WHITE!!!
Gray water tank not secured adequately under the van. I was lucky enough to be on my way to my family's house, 5km away, when it detached from the vehicle, what a disaster!
Great video thank you
I'm watching different videos of conversion, and alot of them use heavy matereals. drawback is more load on van systems in cost of longer lasting internal parts...
In my caravan most made of very thin plywood. and even with that, weight is 1.2 ton.
The mistakes are real. We probably could've saved upwards of $1500 if we were mistake free. 😬
Making mistakes is just a process of learning.
That Fish 🐟 Lol 😂
I cut the first side window 0,5 cm to large 😱
I had to clue back some of the metal
Thank You for the Advise but your VAN conversion list and course design are expensive, again Thank You for your Efforts and Info.
I'm a little confused about ""rust"" with cargo vans. I never hear the word related to other automobiles. Why do vans rust and not other cars?
Biggest mistake was putting Armaflex insulation and covering all the metal with felt. Taking this back off for what ever reason you might have is nearly impossible…I’ll think of other removable solutions..nothing will be directly glued to the van anymore
Buying a 18 year old van ! Had to sort 18 years of neglect before we could use it .
Better to get the newest van possible and spend less time fixing it
Are you updating the original videos / descriptions to call out the mistakes? I bet a lot of your viewers don’t watch all your content front to back like a tv show and are just interested in one thing at a time.
This is a major problem as without any correction (or, ideally take-downs) faulty approaches are replicated throughout the community. Would be sweet if builders at least went subsequently back to provide a Comment on what did NOT work in their video.
This is true of any instructional video not just related to Van Life.
Great vid
Commenting for the algorithm 😌
really appreciate that support!
Left over haemorrhoids ? Oh, hammer-rite, love that accent dude
My biggest mistake would be to if I would start building my van without watching your channel
Van build mistakes? Biggest? Well the list is pretty long, and some of them are still going :D. However, I'm still happy with my van, we have a lot of good memories, so I will do it all over again. Nevertheless, and for the sake of the argument, the bed, I have done it twice and I might will do a 3rd time. Everything else we can live with that,
Biggest mistake was discovering the layout was wrong after finishing the van build. Solution was to sell the van and do it right on the next build. Second mistake was not buying lithium batteries at the outset. Lead acid batteries are definitely a very poor relation to lithium. Think it is all correct now 🤔
Thank you so much for the nice video. I love it
I want to share a good video with you.
I'm a Korean TH-camr who does a little funy camping. I want to be a good friend.
Hi, regarding the benefit of tilting solar panels, this is also mistake, lost time, weight and money.
Otherwise, best luck.
oh we disagree completely, especially because we are power-heavy users on the road. For those who don't have ebikes, multiple comps, monitors, etc that'd be a different story.
@@ladiandmargaret According to solar panel installers, tilted panels provide 10% more energy if you are parked correctly regarding sun, and 25% gain is possible only if you have tracking device, horizontally and vertically. Therefore my opinion, and maybe reason why nobody else not doing that.
I can for sure confirm that in winter, my panels perform way less on my camper than in summer. Lifting to a 60 degree angle would improve that quite a bit vs just flat on the roof this time of the year.
However, a recent Tech Ingredients video demonstrated an alternative setup with 96% reflective coated aluminium panels, which reflect onto the panels for 300-400% increase in performance of a flat panel. Seems like a good alternative route, though the lift is brilliant.
@@mrd7592 We just got back from a camping trip and I put out our 80 watt portable solar panel and compared it to our 200 watt roof top panels. The portable one was generating 73 watts while the roof top panels were only producing 60. I would love to have tilting panels.
@@FromShetoMe Maybe technologies are not the same? You do understand that you must aim panels to the sun all the time? Peak power and average...
Looks like there are two types of vans, hot or cold climates, trying to make a van for both is a mistake. It's the same with boats.
nope, when your insulation works great in winter, it´ll also work good in summer against the heat
@@jimicob9143 So true.
@@jimicob9143 Like a house , insulation works both ways..Don't know why people think Insulation is not necessary in a van, I guess they know something engineers don't..
Noico Red sound deadner is light
good to know! We didn't evaluate much on the weight before we made the purchase