I'm starting a build thread on my 2009 diesel E350xl super duty.


I bought the van several years ago.. With the intent of converting it to a camping 4x4.
I stripped the inside when I got it, and had been using it to camp .. as a 2 wheel drive van... Until last fall when I had Chris at u-joint off road convert it to 4x4 last fall, and install a fiberglass top.




Now it's time to start on the inside conversion. I'd appreciate any input if people have thoughts ... And appreciate you taking the time to read the thread.

I work full time and limited experience so I expect a long conversion.

Thanks
Mark

After conversion

 

A couple more pics

 

Nice looking van to start this off with!

I'd suggest the following, based upon me actually doing what's mentioned on three different '97 and later E250's............

-Remove the front seats and the OEM mat, check for any rust in the floor pan from front to rear. The factory mats absorb and hold moisture against the floor seemingly forever because our vans sweat something horrible (if in a four season climate anyway). Treat any rust that might be emerging with something like POR-15--that's pretty much a miracle product IMHO.

-Fill the loosely fill the rear lower body cavities with unfaced bat type fiberglass insulation. Don't stuff or pack it in, add just enough to insulate those cavities to just below the floor pan. If you won't be modifying the doors for any other storage fill those cavities too.

-Use a foil backed radiant barrier insulation glued to every square inch of the inside walls and ceiling, foil to the metal. The R-value is negligible however the sound deadening effect is stunning. In the areas originally meant for factory glass use a double layer, cutting pieces to fit where the glass would be then covering those with a single larger continuous layer from roof to that little flange at the bottom just above the floor--think wallpapering a room. (This piece would also cover the lower body cavities already filled with fiberglass insulation.

-The floor should be nothing more than perhaps 3/4" plywood, NO insulation or anything else under it. Adding just the plywood is more than sufficient to partially insulate the floor however using anything even partially absorbent will be a rust incubator. Another important aspect of the floor is attempting to maintain what will be air channels created by the plywood mounted over top the floor ribs. Those channels give any moisture a chance to escape if they collect in that area.

If you plan and construct your floor in such a way that screws etc do not penetrating the metal floor you'll love yourself 10 years down the road. What I've done--assuming you have access to even a small table & jig saw, router too maybe---is after fitting the sheets to the wheel wells etc is to create a joining method for the sheets. Various methods here, tools determine which is easiest.

After the floor is in place and "floating" cut pieces that fit between the floor and those bottom side wall flanges, drilling holes downward into the wood. This results in bare metal only on the typically conditioned living space, nothing piercing the outer skin of the body.

For the top I'd fit sheets of 2" Styrofoam rigid foam against the walls and top. Assuming there won't be bed etc added up there the slight reduction of width and height is more than offset by the incredible R-value of that type insulation.

Before any of this begins though give strong consideration to hiding the rear area existing wiring harnesses inside spaces they'll easily fit. There might be a bit of splicing and extending them but its a one time process that IMHO yields safety for them as well as making wall covering a lot easier.

So that's how I start..................

 

MUCH appreciated.
I'm not sure.. should I put the fiberglass in waterproof bags (ex. freezer bags).. ..
Will there be condensation there? I've read about people doing it either way


Thanks!

 

There's no real need to encapsulate the bats. That sounds great in theory but in practice there's no real benefit.

I've had the bad luck of accessing those areas after the build out several years later and saw no adverse effects at all.

There can't be any huge downsides to encapsulation but I'd use the Johns-Manville white stuff in R-19 for 2X4 walls. I skipped this step not only because I didn't see the value but to save some time too.

I've got photos of some of my latest process, you'r welcome to them but rather than post them all I'd be happy sharing those pertinent to whatever place you are moment-by-moment.

 

Nice van!!! Since it is already stripped, have you considered sound deadening material? If you think you might want a quieter rig, look in to fat mat, now is the time to do it. Also, now is the time to sit down and think about your electrical needs and get those wires run now, as well as any plumbing you might want to run. on board air is also a consideration. Next would be to plan out your storage. A sub floor or partial sub floor with strategically placed access for long skinny things like fishing rods, rifles, folding furniture, extra drive shaft. Then start shopping around for your interior, furniture, and appliances etc...

 

Without stepping on any toes the steps and materials I suggest are sound deadening. FatMat and its like are fine in and of themselves but its an extra step and expense yielding little improvement. I don't say this because I think my way is the only way but results are results. FatMat is designed to simply stop the sheet metal from resonating, anyone driving an empty cargo van knows that sound--much like sitting inside a drum. The plywood floor alone cuts 50% of that, radiant barrier glued 100% to the places it covers takes care of the rest. From there final wall covering and carpet makes these vans almost graveyard quiet.

I'm also of the overkill school of thought but sometimes too much is just too much.

Definitely time to plan or at least install provisions for wiring access from front to rear. Assuming there will be the insulation filled hollow walls running 1 1/5" cheap plastic pluming pipe is an excellent idea. I've found along the left or driver's side wall there is more than enough room to do this. If I were to do all this again and it were to be a camper type outfitting along with the pipe for a wire chase I'd install several boxes along the run much like building wiring.

Since we don't know what change or new gear we'd be installing having an easy way to run more wires or maybe an air line inside the walls would be almost insanely great!

 

My 02 Conversion has that open bat insulation in the doors and it still looks good after all these years. They (Eclipse) did spray foam the upper half of the doors around the windows.......

 

here is what i did when i did the insulation istalation .. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...he-stable.html

 

I remember your build out Tim---especially that adorable volunteer crew you have!

Our approach is pretty much identical, great minds think alike! BTW did you ever solve that motor issue?

 

I sealed ALL the holes in the floor that were not needed and painted with POR-15 (don't even consider the "rust converter" stuff ,it doesn't last) I used truck bed liner to really seal the floor. Depending where you live, rear heat/AC is a must. Just my 2c

 

yes .. see my other thread where i took the old motor out that bent a rod and put in a $400 F250 motor lol

 

Hve you done the EGR delete or at least installed a coolant filter ?BulletProofDiesel - Darn-Near Bullet Proof Diesel Products for your 6.0 and 6.4

 

I like the packed insulation covered with foil... think that will be my plan.

I'm wondering if I run my electrical (110v) through the packed in insulation space, if I need to put wires in some type of conduit or not?... planning on inverter with 110v outlets for fridge, coffee pot, etc.... at least down length of driver side wall.

Or if it would just be easier to run them inside, ie through the back of bench seats I'm planning on driver side?

Does the aluminum foil insulation provide any vapor barrier protection? I live in Florida. Any cold surface/metal condenses humidity like crazy.

thanks
Mark

 

Bro.........do you know what I even printed ? Did you even bother to check the link ?