Saddle Hunt Texas

[mograb]

What are you stringing across to support the lights? Was the go code front template helpful?

 

[Spare_Mag_Mike]

What are you stringing across to support the lights? Was the go code front template helpful?

Yes the go code template was a great help. I made the panel width just 3/8” shorter to help clear the factory wiring running down the driver side and it worked out great. The fitment of the panel worked nicely. I recommend using 5x5 1/4” ply.

those strings are a temporary mounting solution to keep the wires and the lights up and functional. The string is just simple string level spool. Like used for decks and framing… worked out great for the purpose. On my van I’ve used a lot of stuff I just had laying around to make things work.

 

[Spare_Mag_Mike]

Got my holes lined up and panel installed for the first time. Either my cut is off or the ceiling ribs aren’t super square. But the drivers side on the rear is gunna need a trim for the middle panel to fit right on the rib. But that’s easy enough to do.

The go code template for the front worked out great.

I ordered some panel jacks cause my shoulders are smoked and these panels will need to be installed about 3 more times before I’m done with them. So on to the rear panel… the one I’m dreading!

 

[Spare_Mag_Mike]

Used the lip stick on the screw heads to transfer the holes on this panel. Worked out first try. My flush cut router bit to cut out the fan and ac holes. Slipped with it a bit on the fan side and jumped off the fan flange. Minor oops it’s okay cause the trim ring covers it plus my finish material will hide the mistake.

keeping it moving. On to the middle panel.

 

[spaner]

Used the lip stick on the screw heads to transfer the holes on this panel. Worked out first try. My flush cut router bit to cut out the fan and ac holes. Slipped with it a bit on the fan side and jumped off the fan flange. Minor oops it’s okay cause the trim ring covers it plus my finish material will hide the mistake.

keeping it moving. On to the middle panel.

Routers are evil - they punish the skilled and clueless

 

[Spare_Mag_Mike]

42 screws transferred later. The ceiling is in place for the first time. Will pull the panels back down the wife is gunna put 3 coats of poly on both sides and we will install the Eva boat foam flooring to them and throw them back up and install lights and trim rings.

I’m wanting to paint the Max fan trim ring and the air distribution box cover black…. Havnt seen anyone do that… I might wrap the air box cover and spray paint the max fan trim ring. Idk might just leave them white…

 

[Spare_Mag_Mike]

Had to drill a couple holes and add a new riv nut for the re mounting of the overhead cabinet. Still using just the 4 M8 rivnuts and the cabinet is rock solid. The wife can hang from it, I’m not gunna try lol I know it’s solid as I shake the whole van with it. (Repurposed the M8 factory D ring bolts for this mounting hardware


Need to take it back out and install the galley so I can build wall panel for this B-C pillar section. Will be using 5x5 1/4” Baltic birch, installed from top of galley counter using mounts to the galley frame and run all the way up to the factory wiring bundle in the ceiling corner.

I wrapped the factory wiring bundle in 1/2” wire loom for long term protection and secured it up out of the way best I can. Ill prolly add some trim in this particular section.

This wall panel is gunna be a fun/ challenging piece of wood to scribe and transfer holes on. Oh and after smoking the neck, back and shoulders of my wife and I this weekend from all the overhead work, we bough these helper sticks. Wish I had them sooner but I have them know. Made it so easy to re install this cabinet. Link to those 3rd hands https://a.co/d/7PwKpDv

Time to clean up this disgusting shop so I can have a little sanity back. Oh it’s also pouring down rain, another W on the van port. I love this thing more and more.

 

[Spare_Mag_Mike]

Alright so this weekend I installed all of the switches in the dash factory blanks for my grey water drain, left, rear and right roof rack lights. Running the wires through the same path as the dc-dc charger in the B pillar down under the step well cover and into dash area. Lights powered off my house power system and the drain is powered off chassis battery terminal block I did under the hood. Yay for wiring mess lol done now tho…

We got the galley reinstalled and drilled out and installed all of the riv nuts for the panel above the galley. I fabricated mounts to mount the panel to the galley and installed those on the galley frame.

Wife finished the 3 coats of poly on the ceiling panels and we installed the Eva foam material to the panels and did our absolute best to keep them running straight and the seams unnoticeable. It didn’t come out perfect but I think it came out super good enough for the van and we will prolly be the ones who notice the imperfections. Was challenging cause 3 separate panels and 4 total pieces of material. I can’t wait to install the ceiling, waiting on longer screws cause the 1”ers I got feel just a bit to short and I need to add some type of barrier (prolly gunna be thinsulate) between the ribs and the panels to eliminate any noise from contact… hopefully tomorrow I’ll get my McMaster order and install the ceiling for the final time.

I got a wild hair and decided to install the left over scraps of EVA foam material to the big Yeti meat locker that we use as a bench seat/ step up to bed. It came out pretty good and I think is a nice touch overall.

note I should have straightened the panels before taking pic of ceiling on floor. They’re not off like they appear. But we’ll see what they look like once screwed in.

 

[Spare_Mag_Mike]

Man I’m so sick of working over head. But the ceiling is installed. Ran into a hiccup today as my boneheaded self cross threaded a screw thinking it was just the hole not lining up perfectly so we pulled the panel down and like a complete idiot I decided to drive a screw into it? wtf was I thinking and completely cross threaded it. Now I go to turn it out the rivnut spins… so I just used the jammed screw on a drill and basically used it as a drill bit to wallow the hole out and was able to pull the screw and rivnut attached. Tbh all day was like that Monday blues forsure.

I decided to use a 2” fender washer and set my usual riv nut in there and used some sika flex to glue the washer to the ceiling rib and will keep my clamps on it all night hopefully it’s good to go. If not I’ll pull the rear panel back down and prolly throw some stronger epoxy up there. The sika flex was a left over one I cut open so who knows. It’ll prolly be good when it cures.

overall happy about how the lines came out. Almost perfect and the seams are unnoticeable. I’ll get some better photos when the natural light is better. That’s just my roof rack lights throwing lumens around.

 

[Rocksnsalt]

The struggle is real… but it Looks good!

 

[todddangerfarr]

Looks Good!! Spinning a Rivnut with a stuck screw is the absolute worst. It's only happened to me once, but ever since then if I feel any resistance on the thread engagement at all I'll stop, take the screw out and run a tap through the threads just to be safe. Often time it's a little burr or something that gets kicked up on the first thread.

When I did get that Rivnut stuck, I cut the head of the screw off, took off the part and used a dremel to grind away the flange of the rivnut. It was tedious dental work... but it worked.

 

[Spare_Mag_Mike]

Got my air box installed for AC, screwed in the BD factory light replacement over the slider, mounted my galley to the van, ran plumbing to grey tank, installed drawers in the galley, mounted my electrical / toilet cabinet, mounted my 120v breaker panel, installed my 120v plugs, wired back in my fridge and sink pump, plugged in 120v charger and fridge connection, tidied up all the wiring, and hooked up my GZ. Was a productive evening on the van. No pics cause my pile of tools was wildn and the van looks like a tool box fell over inside of it…

lots more to do but were getting there.

 

[Rocksnsalt]

WOW 😮

 

[spaner]

Man I’m so sick of working over head. But the ceiling is installed. Ran into a hiccup today as my boneheaded self cross threaded a screw thinking it was just the hole not lining up perfectly so we pulled the panel down and like a complete idiot I decided to drive a screw into it? wtf was I thinking and completely cross threaded it. Now I go to turn it out the rivnut spins… so I just used the jammed screw on a drill and basically used it as a drill bit to wallow the hole out and was able to pull the screw and rivnut attached. Tbh all day was like that Monday blues forsure.

I decided to use a 2” fender washer and set my usual riv nut in there and used some sika flex to glue the washer to the ceiling rib and will keep my clamps on it all night hopefully it’s good to go. If not I’ll pull the rear panel back down and prolly throw some stronger epoxy up there. The sika flex was a left over one I cut open so who knows. It’ll prolly be good when it cures.

overall happy about how the lines came out. Almost perfect and the seams are unnoticeable. I’ll get some better photos when the natural light is better. That’s just my roof rack lights throwing lumens around.

Nice work Mike on ceiling looks great

Spinning riv nuts blow and for sure I found out multiple ways you can screw it up when I first started the build - eg not drilling a big enough clearance to item you bolting to it , causing misalign bolt as I drove it into the riv nut - that side force for sure seems to spin a nut - lesson learned do stop whenever you feel resistance as Todd suggested (and yes cleaning up thread would be a good idea ...

I have started using some super glue on each nut prior to insertion and really paying attention to the tightest hole I can produce - I have had some luck resetting- The astro tool is actually the one i have had problems with - the cheapy side arm amazon special has worked well for me , although you have to take two bites at it - and even using hand tools also been successful. What I have not done a good job on is assessing the actual riv nut quality as that must play a part also

 

[Spare_Mag_Mike]

Nice work Mike on ceiling looks great

Spinning riv nuts blow and for sure I found out multiple ways you can screw it up when I first started the build - eg not drilling a big enough clearance to item you bolting to it , causing misalign bolt as I drove it into the riv nut - that side force for sure seems to spin a nut - lesson learned do stop whenever you feel resistance as Todd suggested (and yes cleaning up thread would be a good idea ...

I have started using some super glue on each nut prior to insertion and really paying attention to the tightest hole I can produce - I have had some luck resetting- The astro tool is actually the one i have had problems with - the cheapy side arm amazon special has worked well for me , although you have to take two bites at it - and even using hand tools also been successful. What I have not done a good job on is assessing the actual riv nut quality as that must play a part also

Thanks man and yeah. Unfortunately the heat makes you not think super clearly at times. And mistakes happen. Oh well I roll with the punches.

overall satisfied with the effort so far.

 

[Spare_Mag_Mike]

WOW 😮

lol yeah man for real… but I can’t give up gotta keep going. It’s only getting hotter and I need to get to work on the tractor doing deer shit like yesterday lol. So I gotta finish van soon!

 

[RVBarry]

The astro tool is actually the one i have had problems with

The big Astro? (e.g. a 1442 or 1450)
Maybe it's moving/twisting while you're applying force?

I have the 1450 but haven't started on my RivNuts/PlusNuts yet.
I also got the wrench-based tool (for tight spaces) from McMaster, but it only does 1/4-20 and 1/4-28.

 

[Spare_Mag_Mike]

The big Astro? (e.g. a 1442 or 1450)
Maybe it's moving/twisting while you're applying force?

I have the 1450 but haven't started on my RivNuts/PlusNuts yet.
I also got the wrench-based tool (for tight spaces) from McMaster, but it only does 1/4-20 and 1/4-28.

I would suggest the pneumatic riv nut gun from Astro. Worth the money!

 

[RVBarry]

I would suggest the pneumatic riv nut gun from Astro. Worth the money!

Yeah, they look great if you have a suitable compressor and tank. (I don't, unfortunately, and the garage is way too full already.)

 

[Spare_Mag_Mike]

Yeah, they look great if you have a suitable compressor and tank. (I don't, unfortunately, and the garage is way too full already.)

I have prollly the worst compressor know to man kind. I was reluctant aswell. I’m actually borrowing one of a forum members local to me here and it changed my life haha