Building the Escape Pod
Our memory foam mattress was 80″ long. Our bed panel was 73″ long. Time to cut the mattress down to size.
The traditional tool for this is an electric carving knife with two reciprocating blades like a mini hedge trimmer. We don’t have one, so we clamped the foam to compress it, then sliced it with a razor blade. It worked really well, with a smooth, straight cut line.
Diesel. DIESEL! It’s hard to remember, especially if you also drive a petrol powered vehicle. Worse still, the in-cab reminder when you are low on fuel says “Drive to gas station” rather than “Drive to diesel station.”
Here’s what we do to try and save our engine from immediate disaster.
Continue reading “Don’t let someone fill your tank with gasoline”
We camp in forests and park at muddy bike races. The van floor can quickly get covered in dirt. Two types of door mats help with quick clean-up.
We have mixed feelings about this $85 dash cam unit. It does the job, it’s relatively inexpensive, and it has a rear view camera monitor built in to the mirror. However, the blue tinted mirror is weird and the video image can wash out in bright light. Overall, it’s worthwhile if you want a dash-cam and backup camera, but there might be better options if you want a dedicated rear-view monitor.
Continue reading “Dash cam and rear view camera in one unit – installation and first impressions”
With the platform bed in the van, it’s almost impossible to open the rear door from inside the van. We drilled a hole in just the right place to let us get out in a hurry.
Continue reading “Emergency access to rear door handle from platform bed”
Here’s a quick how-to video on adding grab handles in the rear door area. There are already some threaded holes, but you might need to use one of the holes that doesn’t have threads. The video shows how to install a rivet nut to bolt the handle in place.
Here’s a basic overview of how a 12 Volt system works in vehicles. If everything that goes on under the hood of your car is a mystery to you, this article might help out.
It also covers the most important pieces of adding a house battery and charging system to your van conversion, and the things you need to consider when you wire up your fridge, fan, and electrical outlets.
Continue reading “12 Volt electrical systems for vans – the basics”
The stock speakers in a Sprinter are cheap and nasty. They sound just about OK with the engine off, but they can’t compete with road noise and have no dynamic range. Here’s how to take them out and replace them.
Continue reading “How to replace Sprinter door and dash speakers”
Several people have asked for the exact specifications of the sink cabinet we built. It fits really well behind the sliding door pillar and in front of the bench seat in the third row position. Here’s a detailed look at the design and the parts you’d need to order to build your own.
North American Sprinters have had a factory 4WD option since 2015. It isn’t a go-anywhere do-anything transmission like a Unimog, but it’s surprisingly good considering the van is a long, tall brick that really isn’t designed for offroading.
Continue reading “Four wheel drive in a Sprinter – good, but not quite what you’d expect”