PNW Overland Build
- Thread starter PNW_Sprinter
- Start date
PNW_Sprinter
Member
Hey - Working on the dry-fit this weekend and will share more photos/learnings. Shower pan is completely flat and has no pre-drilled drain hole. I will be using the laveo dry-flush toilet inside the shower, but no real install necessary.
PNW_Sprinter
Member
VanWife Shower Install Part 1: The vanwife shower is 24x30" and we plan to install it mid-van on the driver side. When I received the shower I expected it to come with some assembly instructions and hardware, but instead it has neither. There are a few holes in some of the panels likely meant for screws, but certainly not enough to assemble this thing. I'm likely going to weld the cabinet together in a few places, but am concerned with "burning" the finish on the outside. We may try to use self-tapping metal screws in most places and just tack weld in the corners (getting this done on Saturday). Unfortunately, the panels are aluminum and the pan is stainless so those 2 pieces cannot be welded.
Fitment: Our floor which was raised by ~1.5" with new plywood subfloor/insulation created a challenge because the shower is meant to fit tight from top to bottom. I cut the 24x30 space out of the plywood subfloor to drop it by 0.5inches and let the pan sit on the furring strips.
Dry-fit: Was able to get the pan in place and clamp the walls together to get a feel for how it fits. I think it will look great, but its still quite tall and I have to figure out the plywood roof. Likely cutting around the the 24x30 area at the top as well and have the roof butt up to the edge.
Fitment: Our floor which was raised by ~1.5" with new plywood subfloor/insulation created a challenge because the shower is meant to fit tight from top to bottom. I cut the 24x30 space out of the plywood subfloor to drop it by 0.5inches and let the pan sit on the furring strips.
Dry-fit: Was able to get the pan in place and clamp the walls together to get a feel for how it fits. I think it will look great, but its still quite tall and I have to figure out the plywood roof. Likely cutting around the the 24x30 area at the top as well and have the roof butt up to the edge.
Thanks for posting. On assembly, I had talked to Van Wife and they said to rivet it together and seal with silicone. I'd be leery of welding pre-finished parts.
PNW_Sprinter
Member
Fuel-fired Heat Booster: My van is a passenger model and has the heat booster protruding through the floor behind the driver seat. It has 2 vents, one return, and one intake about a foot apart. The rearward most vent interfered with my shower placement and required a solution.
Ductwork - worked with a local HVAC contractor and had them fabricate this box which rests on top of the factory vent and moves it through a 3/4" channel along the floor to a new output location in front of the shower. Fits like a glove!
Ductwork - worked with a local HVAC contractor and had them fabricate this box which rests on top of the factory vent and moves it through a 3/4" channel along the floor to a new output location in front of the shower. Fits like a glove!
Very cool! I have some ventilation ducting work to do in my galley--oven, cooktop, fridge. Was going to make something but of course why not just go to an HVAC contractor. Looks great.
Different question--what's your impression of the guage of the metal in the shower? Is it solid and could stand alone, anchored to floor and ceiling?
Or will it need some framing around it?
Also, how about sealing the walls to the pan? Looks like the walls overlap the pan on outside rather than inside. Does it rely on the silicone sealer to prevent leaks outside? Following your install with great interest.
Excited to see this come together. For the van wife shower, it sounds like it's a really precise (aka) tight fit - I assume it goes from floor rails to touching the ribs on the ceiling?
I was originally thinking about using one in combination with the Adventure Wagon interior kit, but sounds like the loss in internal clearance from the ceiling L track may be an issue.
I was originally thinking about using one in combination with the Adventure Wagon interior kit, but sounds like the loss in internal clearance from the ceiling L track may be an issue.
The Van Wife drawing shows 75" tall at front edge. If I'm reading the Mercedes 2D CAD drawings right, the distance from ceiling rib to floor rib in that area is 76.6". So there is about 1.5" available for floor and ceiling insulation and paneling stackup--which is not that much but can be done. It is what I am planning with 1" floor and 0.5" ceiling.
They also show a "factory headliner" and "non-factory headliner" version. The factory headliner version looks more rounded like maybe it might fit better with the AdWag kit. @PNW_Sprinter, any comment? Which do you have?
Probably worth a call/email to Van Wife. But I'm guessing you'd probably still have to limit your floor to maybe 3/4". The AdWag ceiling L-track is 0.5" plus the thickness of the steel brace.
PNW_Sprinter
Member
It is certainly a tight fit, I have the non-factory headliner version. I was waiting for the shower to arrive and had to start on other items which led to my floor being too thick to accomodate. I'm using 1" furring strips and 0.75" plywood subfloor which did not allow the shower to fit. Decided to cut the subfloor out in the shape of the shower which dropped it by 0.75" and allows it to rest on the furring strips. Worked out nicely because the edge of the subfloor keeps the whole unit tightly in place.
PNW_Sprinter
Member
Unsure of the exact guage, but the black powdercoat aluminum is thin. The stainless shower pan is very thick and strong. Once assembled, the unit is rigid and fully capable of standing on its own. Mine will be secured to the back wall of the van and ceiling rib, but mostly to minimize vibrations vs. hold the unit up.
The walls do overlap the shower pan on the outside and will require silicone. I've not completed water testing yet, but will follow up with how much and where I used silicone.
philips101
New member
anymore photos of the shower. I just purchased one and want to see how you are setting it up as well as how your mounting. Plenty of pictures would be appreciated.
Cheers.
Cheers.
PNW_Sprinter
Member
Upholstery: The factory black cloth material on the seats was driving me nuts and spent a lot of time thinking about colors/finish/pattern that would be best. Finally took the plunge with a local upholstery shop and they absolutely crushed it imo. Chose BMW Cognac leather for the front seats and matching vinyl for the rear bench and Flarespace.
Front seats: diamond stitch centers, french stitch all around, and door arm pads to match.
Bench seat: Custom made cushion front and back, with a slope in the back for comfort. No diamond here, would have been overkill. Bench not complete btw.
Flarespace: These were difficult, not a ton of information about how to do this appropriately. Will make a nice head/foot rest for the bed.
Front seats: diamond stitch centers, french stitch all around, and door arm pads to match.
Bench seat: Custom made cushion front and back, with a slope in the back for comfort. No diamond here, would have been overkill. Bench not complete btw.
Flarespace: These were difficult, not a ton of information about how to do this appropriately. Will make a nice head/foot rest for the bed.
Island Jim
Active member
Very nice work, my only concern would be the sharp corners on the bottom of the bench seat, they look like a real ankle biter!
jjmcclure
2020 HR 144 4x4
Nice build, I love the wrap. I have a passenger configuration also. I am searching for a location for my D2. In your build, have you by chance removed the floor between the driver and passenger seat and know how that floor vent is rigged? I would like to install my D2 externally, and would like duct the hot air up into this vent, if feasible. Otherwise, I plan to install it either behind or in front of the rear floor vent that you re-worked to gain space (brilliant fab). Those seats are beautiful.
smittylube
Active member
looks great. love the matte color
PNW_Sprinter
Member
Thanks! My D2 is under the passenger seat. I have pulled up the floor and viewed that vent between the seats. It takes up the entire area, runs up to the dash base (maybe 12" wide, 30" long, and 1" tall). You may be able to come up from underneath and connect into it, but seems like a lot of work. May be easier to just use the D2's vent and place it somewhere once you've come up from beneath.
If you have the same vents as me in the rear where I did the fabrication, than you wont have much room in front (b/w vent and driver seat), but plenty of clearance behind. Where are you going to mount the D2? And why not just put it beneath the passenger seat inside?
jjmcclure
2020 HR 144 4x4
Thanks for that info. I know most mount under the seat without problems. I am a little wary of having both a fuel line and exhaust source inside. And also I’d like to reduce the noise. I think I will mount behind the side vent in the middle-rear.