Sprinter build thread

[Zolden]

I really haven't looked into it too much myself, but do many people really do it with dogs? Other than like instagram influencers for cloud?

It's like trying to do it with a wife and kids, just makes it un-necessary more complicated (not talking about your situation but people who life that life)

But you're probably right on your last two points. Lots are either lying (to themselves and others) or are the ones without a job or a need to earn a living.


I have enough vacation time to take multiple months off work and always day dreaming about riding/driving something across county. Doubt I'd do it on a bike anymore (done my long trips in the past). Doubt I'd do it in a Caterham even though the experience would be cool. Likely in some sort of offroad capable SUV to take advantage of exploring when in middle of nowhere lands. Overlanding or whatever it's called?

It's a cool minimalist concept, and if you need or want the truck seems overall in the end a cheaper option than a dedicated van. Started going down this path before I realized I bought a '16 Silverado one size too small to make the payload numbers work out with a popup slide in that has what I want. I have a hitch hauler so it seemed like the ultimate single track day rig too.

For anything more than an overnight I want the amenities, Jay you pretty much validate my concerns trying to work from van life. Still researching the perfect config if we do it full time.

What I do know is this thread continues to inspire me and makes me consider smaller entries into a van build rather than take on debt for a full blown 4x4 sprinter or prebuilt winnie. Couple nice shells or build starts in Santa Barbara I've been eyeing...

Or I could just buy this sweet ambulance rig! https://losangeles.craigslist.org/ws...285852141.html

[JettaJayGLS]

Indoor toilet and shower would be mandatory for van life. I have neither.

I also want to take back my “trust funders” comment and replace it with “don’t need the money.” My point is you gotta be a special breed to live and work full time out of a van.

I just want a good separation. Van is fun times. Work is work time. It sucks so much to be parked next to an amazing destination but not be able to enjoy it cause you’re working. Further, you need to give up nights and weekends to travel, if you’re working. There are lots of shades of grey here, but I think you get my general point.

[Paul_E_D]

Because bouncing around on zoom calls, finding reasonable internet, dealing with the dog, not having a bathroom, all just kinda sucks to manage. And it takes the fun away from vanning. Ideally, I keep them completely separate. Just never seems to be the case, which is why I'm definitely in the weekend warrior camp.

Boom, you need a bathroom. It's a game changer. Could add a cartridge toilet on a slide where your pass through is? I use my van when I'm working at my rental property so I have a bathroom and an office. It's the shit! hahaaa.

[Stoneman]

I think I'm resigned to a 3/4 ton, quad cab pick-up + "bunk" style camper for my brood. Someday.

Most bunk house campers nowadays can easily be pulled with a 1/2-ton. Our 24' (28' exterior length) rolling bunkhouse is only 5500lbs., with a tongue weight of about 800lbs. With the weight distribution & sway bars, the only time it's noticeable is taking off or climbing tall backroad hills. Although my Silverado's break assist kicks on WAY too much when towing downhill with it.

I'd go on, but I REALLY don't want to derail this thread.

[typeone]

if we drop a few requirements and go more basic, the Pleasure-Way Tofino has piqued our interest due to the popup, short length, and semi-stealthy appearance. anyone have experience with these? we'd have to add a few mods but as a basic camper it's looking pretty tempting. still not sure we'd want a ProMaster base but man is the price tempting, too.

[Paul_E_D]

There are some really good class b designs on the promaster. Pleasure way is generally well regarded.

The promaster has impressed us over time. Almost all the gripes I read online are bs.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[nhbubba]

Indoor toilet and shower would be mandatory for van life. I have neither.

...

I just want a good separation. Van is fun times. Work is work time. It sucks so much to be parked next to an amazing destination but not be able to enjoy it cause you’re working. Further, you need to give up nights and weekends to travel, if you’re working. There are lots of shades of grey here, but I think you get my general point.

But when your workday ends.. there you are! For most of the rest of us when our workday ends we still have to drive there.

Half of me just wants a van to have a private space to chill wherever we go. Like a private place to have lunch or boot up at the ski resort. Or change at the beach. Junk like that. We use our mini-van like this to a lesser extent and it is just so nice. When you are at a park or hiking and it starts to rain you can just pop the tailgate open and comfortably hide out until it passes. Renting a van for our national park tour out west really sold me.

FWIW I mentioned your strife to my wife (who lived in a truck bed mount camper for a while). She says you need to go to home-depot, get a couple buckets with snap lids and some sawdust. She says they usually have a pile of sawdust over by the panel cutting station that they'll let you take from. She says it works fine.

[JettaJayGLS]

Most bunk house campers nowadays can easily be pulled with a 1/2-ton. Our 24' (28' exterior length) rolling bunkhouse is only 5500lbs., with a tongue weight of about 800lbs. With the weight distribution & sway bars, the only time it's noticeable is taking off or climbing tall backroad hills. Although my Silverado's break assist kicks on WAY too much when towing downhill with it.

I'd go on, but I REALLY don't want to derail this thread.

I feel like this is more of a camper thread then a sprinter build thread at this point. Wouldn’t call it a derail, all good stuff.

[JettaJayGLS]

But when your workday ends.. there you are! For most of the rest of us when our workday ends we still have to drive there.

Half of me just wants a van to have a private space to chill wherever we go. Like a private place to have lunch or boot up at the ski resort. Or change at the beach. Junk like that. We use our mini-van like this to a lesser extent and it is just so nice. When you are at a park or hiking and it starts to rain you can just pop the tailgate open and comfortably hide out until it passes. Renting a van for our national park tour out west really sold me.

FWIW I mentioned your strife to my wife (who lived in a truck bed mount camper for a while). She says you need to go to home-depot, get a couple buckets with snap lids and some sawdust. She says they usually have a pile of sawdust over by the panel cutting station that they'll let you take from. She says it works fine.

You have a very good point, but I think our work days are just different, especially working on PST. I’m enjoying the fruits of it right now on the weekend, and agree it is awesome for a weekend thing, I just struggle thinking about working full days, all week, from the van. If I was single and no dog, I could potentially do it. When I took my first trip I had no problem posting up on the PCH in Santa Monica, next to a beach bathroom, with all my bikes. But I was unemployed. It was awesome.

As far as a toilet, I have one of these for emergencies. Haven’t used it yet but I’ve opened it up and set it up and it’s pretty great! I have a handful of the “kitty litter bags” too.

TRIPTIPS Portable Toilet Camping... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DZS5XRY...p_mob_ap_share

Cleanwaste Wag Bags Toilet Kit... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M8MG817...p_mob_ap_share

[Garandman]

In the meantime you’ve built two vans. I still have the last piece of ceiling plywood to put up, haven’t installed second battery, etc.

[typeone]

There are some really good class b designs on the promaster. Pleasure way is generally well regarded.

The promaster has impressed us over time. Almost all the gripes I read online are bs.

cool, thanks for the input, we're sold ... now to find one in gray! that ain't gonna be easy

As far as a toilet, I have one of these for emergencies. Haven’t used it yet but I’ve opened it up and set it up and it’s pretty great! I have a handful of the “kitty litter bags” too.

TRIPTIPS Portable Toilet Camping... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DZS5XRY...p_mob_ap_share

Cleanwaste Wag Bags Toilet Kit... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M8MG817...p_mob_ap_share

we use something similar for camping but the seat on a bucket style. combined with similar bags like above, it works great. during the day we keep it in a single person popup, at night we put it inside the tent vestibule. stank hasn't been a problem.

[typeone]

did a thing.. . more soon

[Paul_E_D]

Fuck yeah!!!

[JettaJayGLS]

YES! Our community grows!

[Paul_E_D]

Looks like a great rig for the boys. You will enjoy the hell out of that.

[typeone]

i think a screw fell loose

been searching like mad for a gray Tofino but 'all sold out' was the message across the board ... snagged a red one in Fort Worth, TX the second it was posted online ... left my house at 330am EST Wed, flew to DFW, arrive at dealership 10am CDT, orientation/paperwork, hit the road at 12:15pm CDT and charted the most amazing link of highways 'n byways to break her in ... arrived home today at 12:32pm EST ... wOOF! more to come, i'm Toast-ed proper

[typeone]

...oh, and the fucking DAY before i fly out ... two gray ones are posted on a lot in Union, CT. bwahahaa! from a dealer i had contacted a month ago. man, it's been an interesting week

[number9]

...oh, and the fucking DAY before i fly out ... two gray ones are posted on a lot in Union, CT. bwahahaa! from a dealer i had contacted a month ago. man, it's been an interesting week

You drove it all the way back from TX?! I drove the 911 from Austin to Boston and after a day and a half I was ready for the drive to be over.

[snwbrdr435]

Jays sprinter buildout is pretty damn solid. I am always tempted to switch platforms whenever I get in one because of the useable space in there. But I have my van setup fairly well for what I need it to do and suspension is finally kinda dialed in, it hands offroad situations amazingly well. I couldnt believe the body roll jays van has but im certain that could be fixed with look into it.

Then there is this thing, I would love to make this happen, there is one of these locally without a box just the truck cab and a flat bed...

https://expeditionportal.com/forum/t...fornia.223747/

[JettaJayGLS]

...oh, and the fucking DAY before i fly out ... two gray ones are posted on a lot in Union, CT. bwahahaa! from a dealer i had contacted a month ago. man, it's been an interesting week

You must immediately stop looking once you buy! Immediately!

Is this going to double as a dirt bike hauler or just for family trips? Guess it will eventually be both?

[JettaJayGLS]

Jays sprinter buildout is pretty damn solid. I am always tempted to switch platforms whenever I get in one because of the useable space in there. But I have my van setup fairly well for what I need it to do and suspension is finally kinda dialed in, it hands offroad situations amazingly well. I couldnt believe the body roll jays van has but im certain that could be fixed with look into it.

Then there is this thing, I would love to make this happen, there is one of these locally without a box just the truck cab and a flat bed...

https://expeditionportal.com/forum/t...fornia.223747/

That actually seems reasonably priced for the novelty.

I may start looking into suspension, just don’t want to lose highway performance/stability which is 95% of my driving. I don’t think I’ll be able to get rid of the body roll, but handling the big gravel bumps and the whipping it causes is probably doable.

[typeone]

Looks like a great rig for the boys. You will enjoy the hell out of that.

amen. they are beyond psyched, gave the MIL a pro tour when she stopped over, knew all the tricks. love it. we threw down another 310mi on it last night attempting to camp on the Cape but site was closed up, even though they said open for season ... made the best of it anyway and made dinner at Nauset Lighthouse/Beach before jamming back home. boys were bummed out but good ~4hr test.. .

You drove it all the way back from TX?! I drove the 911 from Austin to Boston and after a day and a half I was ready for the drive to be over.

yes, straight through, baby i napped for 2hrs just above Nashville on Wed night then sacked for 4hrs in Chambersburg, PA on Thurs but otherwise slabbin' ... Rt 68 from Morgantown, WV > Hagerstown, MD was nutty, white knuckle action at night in the rain. i did experience issues around Big Chimney, WV which fucked up my day. check engine light came on, grabbed an OBD2 scanner that revealed an oil pressure sensor failure ... was in a tree for a bit but i think it's just electrical because oil level was good, coolant temp good, van happy ... kept going

if i was in a P-car ?! fuckin' A i prob would have died with a massive smile on my face + crushed roadie in the makeshift cup holder

You must immediately stop looking once you buy! Immediately!

Is this going to double as a dirt bike hauler or just for family trips? Guess it will eventually be both?

so much truth, PW just announced an 'adventure van' based on the same platform i think, not sure ... drove by that gray Tofino off 84 when i got back near home, Red and i had bonded much too deep to care but those dicks keep sending me emails wanting to 'hear out what i'm after' ... f- off

yes, will double as DB / journey van, we're headed up to Jericho in June for a camp / ride weekend, but will do a bunch of fam camping before then as well. we're loving the shit out of it already. wise grab, especially with the state of the country right now, just want to be self contained.

EDIT:

btw, she's in need of a serious de-badging and blackout in areas... the photochopping has begun ... stock PM photo but i'm thinking some basic tweaks will be welcome

[02redhawk]

This guy has some interesting ideas for van builds
Lightweight & Removable WALL PANELS In The Van
https://youtu.be/ChcubUfPK2E

COLLAPSIBLE Bed Frame & Mattress IN A VAN
https://youtu.be/72ossvwAD9w

[klp]

btw, she's in need of a serious de-badging and blackout in areas... the photochopping has begun ... stock PM photo but i'm thinking some basic tweaks will be welcome

Congrats on the van, your family will love it. As a van owner for 5 years I can say it is next to impossible to make a van look cool - the best you can hope for is lowering the stalker/creep factor lol.

[Paul_E_D]

First thing to do on that promaster is change to a MUCH more aggressive tire. The stockers can get stuck on a flat grassy parking lot. I just put cooper discoverers on and was able to get out of a side hill muddy spot with my trailer attached. I'd still be there on the stock tires. lol