2015 mobility van and camper build

floydturbo

Folsom, CA 2015 w170ex i4
I ordered a 2015 2500-170ext and it should arrive around December 2014. The main options are mobility prep, swivel seats, appearance package, and safety packages.

My wife has MS and this van will give us freedom to travel.

The van will have a Vangater lift, generator, heat pump, bathroom, kitchen and sleeping.

I am grateful to the many people who spent time on this forum educating me and giving me direction for the build.

Here is the permanent link to all the pictures and I will add them as I build.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sre...87201&authkey=Gv1sRgCImJlcyei7evLA&feat=email
 
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floydturbo

Folsom, CA 2015 w170ex i4
My project in my mind is called Vanagon on steroids. I posted a few pics of my Vanagon on the picasa photo web site. It is for sale, by the way. My build will have the kitchen right behind the driver, and behind that will be the bathroom and shower. The seating will be like the Vanagon with a seat that folds out into a bed. There will also be a permanent part of the bed behind the couch just like in the Vanagon to make a queen sized bed. There will also be some cabinets between the bed and the back doors. I am not going to have anything at floor level along the passenger side of the van to allow movement of the wheelchair. I plan to have a lot of upper cabinets for storage.
 

floydturbo

Folsom, CA 2015 w170ex i4
As my build continues all the photos will be posted here.

https://picasaweb.google.com/101489...&authkey=Gv1sRgCImJlcyei7evLA&feat=directlink

I was playing around with the Sportsmobile diy layout program and this is what I am planning.

The stove, sink, and some cabinets will be behind the driver and the bathroom/shower behind that. The bed in the back will be just like a VW Westfalia where there will be a couch that fold to a bed and a permanent bed portion between it and the back. There will be some shallow cabinets between the end of the bed and the rear doors. The area on the right side needs to be left open for wheelchair access.
 

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floydturbo

Folsom, CA 2015 w170ex i4
build date 10/2

I was at the dealer today and the build date is October 2, 2014. I hope Thursday is a good day for the German work ethic and not more interested in Octoberfest than my van.
 

floydturbo

Folsom, CA 2015 w170ex i4
Went in to the dealer around 11:30 to ask salesman when he thought the van would show up and talking about the recall on the timing cover gasket. As we are leaving, he follows us out the door as says "Hey, there are a couple of new vans in the parking lot". Yep, mine showed up. It needs to get detailed as is first on the list to get the gasket recall. Hopefully next week.
 

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floydturbo

Folsom, CA 2015 w170ex i4
#3 install Hella super tones horn

My wife heard the Sprinter horn from inside the house and thought that a Toyota Corolla was in the driveway. I bought the Hella super tones off Amazon. One is too big to fit in the stock position and definitely not two. I left the stock one in place and spliced a wire onto the positive side and installed a relay for the new horns. I mounted them on the drivers side attached to the plastic cross member behind the bumper and pointed them down.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sre...1sRgCImJlcyei7evLA&invite=CKKOqdwO&feat=email
 

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floydturbo

Folsom, CA 2015 w170ex i4
3m 1080 vinyl on black moulding

I am not a fan of the black moulding along the side and also the bumper. I am thinking of covering it in 3m 1080 series vinyl. I think I like the black carbon fiber print the best.
 

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hein

Van Guru
I like the darker carbon also. Are you going to remove the trim to install it?
Are you aware of the leaking trim clips that hold it on?
 

floydturbo

Folsom, CA 2015 w170ex i4
just installed new front speakers

I am happy with my Audio 15 unit. It does blutooth from my phone really well and has the backup camera and navigation. The speakers did not sound very good and I knew from reading this forum that they were pretty lightweight. I ordered a set of Focal KR165 speaker set. They come with 6.50" kevlar woofers, 2" ish tweeters, and a crossover. I decided to mount the tweeters in the A panel since this was a more conventional location for tweeters. I disconnected the wires at the current tweeters at the front of the dashboard near the windshield and also the center 4" paper mid range in the center of the dash near the windshield. I also ordered a set of spacers from Hein to mount the woofers in the door.

I had to use my router on the Hein spacers as the spider and lip around the mounting plate of the Focals interfered with the inside edge of the spacer.

I cut off the factory speaker connector in the door and wired in the crossover and ran a new set of wires up into the A panel.

I also applied Fat Mat in the two front doors and some Thinsulate insulation below the window path and to the front of the door below the wing window. Of course the wing window does not open. We Hein to design an openable wing window!!!!!

It sounds great, but I plan to add a sub and the lowest bass is not sufficient for me with this 6.50" setup.

All of my mobility Vanagon on "steroids" can be seen here.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sred...dwO&feat=email
 

floydturbo

Folsom, CA 2015 w170ex i4
installed Yamaha ef3000iseb generator

I finally installed the generator in my 170ext cargo van. The common installations are either the propane powered Onan or the diesel powered Powertech. I decided I wanted to try a new approach with the gasoline powered Yamaha ef3000iseb generator. The Yamaha has a reputation for being quiet, high quality, and fuel efficient.

Here is a youtube video of the sound it makes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-US6gltXTk

I used 8020 as a frame to hold the generator and bolt it up to the frame rails of the sprinter. I removed the gas tank and cut off the handles to make it shorter. I used a 4 gallon fuel cell which I will keep in the back of the van. I vented the tank under the van and used a large Ford charcoal canister for the vapors.

It has the Yamaha remote control installed and I also installed a set of wires so that I can start and stop it with the remote or with wires.

There are a lot of pictures of my build at the picasa site.

https://plus.google.com/10148962314...TebCRRaKp37iAqWMhROTwtR8iYdWWvT7HUFPcE&cfem=1
 

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pfflyer

Well-known member
Nice. Any vibrations? I have the same generator less the electric start. I used mine once on a basket mounted to the hitch and felt it in the van but it was a cheap basket.
 

floydturbo

Folsom, CA 2015 w170ex i4
550 watt solar installation

I installed two SolarWorld panels today. One is 275 and the other 280 for a total of 555 watts. I wired them in series and am using 10 gauge MC4 cables to bring it down to the controller. I used two Blue Sea cable clams for the cable passthrough to the roof. I am using the Renoloy Tracer 40 amp MPPT controller. I used 40 series 8020 for the crossbars and 90 degree brackets to hold the panels.
 

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