Custom bike hauler

[05highroof]

Super nice job!There is nothing I like better then seeing Sprinters modified to haul motorcycles!(except actually riding mc's) Your write up alone would have taken me a month.
I was going to guess that was a Honda Hawk. Seems that you own many "cult" favorites.

 

[Goliath]

So far I haven't changed or supplemented the door weatherstripping. I did seal all the unused holes in the B-pillar, which seemed to reduce the wind noise from that area. I still have a slight amount of wind noise from the A-pillar area at interstate speeds, so I'll probably experiment with adding weatherstripping to the front and top edges of the front door jambs, much like "guisar" did in this thread.

Twistyroad,

Can you elaborate on how you sealed the "unused holes" in the B-pillar? On my stock passenger '08 I don't see any holes inside, outside, or from under the van. Are you talking about the holes you can see in your PDF on page 121 while the B-pillar trim is removed? In guisar's post he mentions filling the bottom of the B-pillar with Great Stuff. Is that what you did while the trim was off?

I am planning to do a much simpler sound deadening project. Perhaps just guisar's extra weatherstripping, but maybe also this fililng of the B-pillar and some sound deadening mats in the front doors. How many "Christmas tree" clips did you go through on the front doors? And where would I get some extras?

Thanks

 

[twistyroad]

Twistyroad,

Can you elaborate on how you sealed the "unused holes" in the B-pillar? On my stock passenger '08 I don't see any holes inside, outside, or from under the van. Are you talking about the holes you can see in your PDF on page 121 while the B-pillar trim is removed?

Yes, I am, although that pic has the holes already covered (at the 4 o'clock position from the ashtray, you can see one of my coverings as a square-ish section that looks like aluminum foil). The B-pillars (and several other areas) have several holes... for attaching the trim clips, for seat belt runs, or simply for access/lightening. I covered/sealed all the holes that weren't needed, using scrap pieces of Damplifier.

In guisar's post he mentions filling the bottom of the B-pillar with Great Stuff. Is that what you did while the trim was off?

I had read his post, and intended to do that, but discovered that the area already had been treated/sealed with expanding foam (perhaps it's something only done on the passenger models? or begun on the '08?). I crawled under the van and could see that without the foam, the bottom end of the B-pillar would be open to the road.

I am planning to do a much simpler sound deadening project. Perhaps just guisar's extra weatherstripping, but maybe also this fililng of the B-pillar and some sound deadening mats in the front doors. How many "Christmas tree" clips did you go through on the front doors? And where would I get some extras?
Thanks

I bought about a dozen different types of after-market clips that looked like they would work as replacements for the various-style stock items (from three different auto parts stores, and even a Mercedes dealer), but nothing worked very well. I finally just ordered a handful of each type of stock clip from a Sprinter dealer. IIRC, they were about $0.75 each. All the door panels use the same type of clip, and there are four other types that are used on the walls, ceiling, and other sundry trim panels. The ceiling panel clips were the most easily damaged when removing.
I removed and installed the door panels several times, especially the front doors, but only had to replace about 5 or 6 clips total. I'll also mention that it's a lot easier to prevent damaging them if you use an appropriate tool (look here for more info).
Rock

 

[bikerjoe]

Holy cow! I couldn't even come CLOSE to the workmanship you did, and I certainly don't have the patience, or the finances to do such a project. That is very well done, and ... WOW!

 

[scooterho]

Just found this thread. Bloody amazing! A few questions . . . Were the wheel well covers stock? If not, where did you purchase them? With regard to the ramp, are you able to drive the bikes right up into the van, or do you push them up? I am looking at a similar ramp. Where did you purchase it, and what are its dimensions?

 

[twistyroad]

Just found this thread. Bloody amazing! A few questions . . . Were the wheel well covers stock? If not, where did you purchase them? With regard to the ramp, are you able to drive the bikes right up into the van, or do you push them up? I am looking at a similar ramp. Where did you purchase it, and what are its dimensions?

Thanks.
Wheel well covers were/are stock.
I use the bike's engine to drive it up the ramp, but I stand beside the bike to do it. If I sit on the bike, it compresses the suspension enough to high-center as I come across the hump in the ramp.
I got the ramp from Link Manufacturing. They service primarily the janitorial and carpet-cleaning industries (for hauling steam cleaners, buffers, etc, in and out of vans). They make many different types, sizes, and capacities - look here. Mine is the LB20-36-90... bi-fold, aluminum, 36" width, 90" length, 1000# capacity, weighs 116# (but more than half the weight is the steel baseplate that bolts to the van floor). They don't sell direct, so you'll have to contact one of their distributors (listed on their website). I got mine through a company called Executive Restoration.
Rock

 

[scooterho]

Thanks for the reply Twistyroad. I, too, am looking at a Link ramp. The LB-20 36 x 117". I want to be able to drive (as in sit on the bike) up the ramp and into the van. I'm not familiar with the term, "high-center." What does that mean? I will be loading into a 140 wheelbase with high top. Oh, one last thing . . . at 5'-5" and 125 lbs., in your opinion, do you think I will have a problem folding the ramp upward into the van?

 

[twistyroad]

Thanks for the reply Twistyroad. I, too, am looking at a Link ramp. The LB-20 36 x 117". I want to be able to drive (as in sit on the bike) up the ramp and into the van. I'm not familiar with the term, "high-center." What does that mean? I will be loading into a 140 wheelbase with high top. Oh, one last thing . . . at 5'-5" and 125 lbs., in your opinion, do you think I will have a problem folding the ramp upward into the van?

I got the 90" because lengths over that have lower weight capacities (750# versus 1,000#). My bike weighs about 640# with full gas tank and saddlebags mounted, and I'm about 200#, so I needed the 1,000# version.
"High-center" is when the belly of the bike drags over a high point when the wheels are (relatively) lower... can also be when a 4-wheel vehicle drags its belly in the center of a road that has very deep ruts.
The ramp is aluminum, and surprisingly lightweight. I haven't measured with a scale, but I would estimate that you don't actually have to lift more than about 30# at any point in the lifting or lowering process.
Hope this helps,
Rock

 

[scooterho]

Thanks again Twistyroad. I ordered the 117" x 36" ramp. Should be shipped tomorrow so, in time, I guess I will find out if I'm going to end up high centering, or having trouble lifting the ramp! I also ordered one of the wheel well covers. Want to see how it looks, and how it attaches. Thanks for sharing your conversion story and knowledge.

 

[qualityair]

Twisty, again thanks for a great write up on your van.

I have a question, did your van come with the factory back-up camera per-wire? and if so, where you able to utilize it between the voyager camera and your head unit / display?

Thank you,
Charles

 

[twistyroad]

Twisty, again thanks for a great write up on your van.
I have a question, did your van come with the factory back-up camera per-wire? and if so, where you able to utilize it between the voyager camera and your head unit / display?
Thank you,
Charles

No, I didn't get the pre-wire. I seriously considered it, but then picked out the camera/monitor system I wanted before I ordered the van. Since it came as a kit, with all the cables, I saw no need for the pre-wire. If fact, considering where I mounted the monitor (as opposed to on/in the center tray, where the optional monitor mounts), the pre-wire kit would have been "plumbed" to the wrong location... never mind trying to find adapters for both ends of the cables.
Rock

 

[unimog]

Twisty, whre did you get the running boards and what do they cost? Also will they mount on the left side with the aux heaters taking up some space under the floor?

 

[twistyroad]

Twisty, whre did you get the running boards and what do they cost? Also will they mount on the left side with the aux heaters taking up some space under the floor?

Look toward the middle of this page. Including shipping, they cost $593.
Based on the pics I've seen of aux heaters, I think they'll work, but I can't say for sure. When I have a few minutes with a camera, I'll take a couple of pics of the under-van attachment and post them, and you can decide for yourself.
Rock

 

[twistyroad]

Here ya go...






If you need something more specific, let me know...
Rock

 

[Jim Lawyer]

Twistyroad,

Love your photo essay "Beautifying The Beast". It is the most thorough insulation job I've seen. I have a question about your door insulation -- in several photos, you mention "weather shields" and "weather seals" on the inside of the doors. In your photos, they appear as a white sub-panel -- pages 65, 76. I presume that these prevent water from entering the interior cavity of the door and damaging your insulation. Are these "shields" or "seals" an aftermarket product? I've disassembled my doors and I don't have a "shield" or "seal"...just a plastic panel that mounts onto the metal door with green clips. I've seen how, when I open a door in the rain, the water drips behind the plastic panel into the interior of the door, then drains out little ports at the bottom of the door. I'm imagining this water doing damage to insulation in the interior of the door, and I haven't found a solution. Advice?

-Jim

 

[twistyroad]

Twistyroad,

Love your photo essay "Beautifying The Beast". It is the most thorough insulation job I've seen. I have a question about your door insulation -- in several photos, you mention "weather shields" and "weather seals" on the inside of the doors. In your photos, they appear as a white sub-panel -- pages 65, 76. I presume that these prevent water from entering the interior cavity of the door and damaging your insulation. Are these "shields" or "seals" an aftermarket product? I've disassembled my doors and I don't have a "shield" or "seal"...just a plastic panel that mounts onto the metal door with green clips. I've seen how, when I open a door in the rain, the water drips behind the plastic panel into the interior of the door, then drains out little ports at the bottom of the door. I'm imagining this water doing damage to insulation in the interior of the door, and I haven't found a solution. Advice?

-Jim

Thanks!
The weather shields are on the inside surface of the interior door panel... they're for preventing water/rain that gets inside the door from penetrating to the inside of the van, and to better protect some of the electrical bits from the weather (most of the "electical stuff" in/on the door is on the interior side of this shield). They're stock pieces (if yours doesn't have them, perhaps they're only on the passenger vans?), held in place by a bead of soft, pliable adhesive (much like "elephant snot" sealant). Here's a closer pic, so you can get a better idea of the material:



It's sort of a plastic/plasticized fiber, about the thickness and stiffness of a heavily starched flannel shirt.
I installed my sound-deadening mat on the inside surfaces of the exterior body panels... once installed, the mat is weatherproof, so there's no concern about it tolerating that environment. And I installed my thermal insulation on the interior surfaces of the interior body panels, where the weather/rain doesn't penetrate. In the case of the door panels, I actually adhered the insulation to the interior side of those white weather shields.
I also have a Chrysler T&C, and the weather shields on its doors are an opaque, heavy, soft plastic (mylar, perhaps?). If your door panels don't already have weather shields like mine, maybe you could find some suitable plastic/mylar sheet at a hobby center and make your own.
Hope this helps,
Rock

 

[unimog]

Twisty, on the runningboards do the the brackets come with the boards or did you have to make your own?

 

[twistyroad]

Twisty, on the runningboards do the the brackets come with the boards or did you have to make your own?

It comes with everything - running boards, brackets, mounting hardware, instructions, etc. - it's a complete kit.

 

[maxextz]

well done great job, id love to strip my van out like that but i need it on the road weekdays and some weekends
anyway heres one of your pics i think you missed a hole "excuse my attempt at drawing an arrow"

 

[twistyroad]