How-to – Page 4 – Sprinter Adventure Van

October 18, 2016

How to remember important things before you drive off

Velcro cable ties as reminders on steering wheel

When I was a kid, my grandparents used to say “tie a knot in your handkerchief so you remember.” The thing is, I haven’t carried a handkerchief since I was maybe four years old.

Camping in a van means you’ll have things scattered around outside. You might be plugged in to shore power. You might have your energy-hogging hot water tank turned on. How will you remember to sort everything out before you drive away? Velcro cable ties to the rescue!

Continue reading “How to remember important things before you drive off”

October 17, 2016

Non-slip rattle reducing drawer liner

If the image that comes to mind when you think of “drawer liner” is that tatty vinyl stuff that Grandma used to use, then it’s time to get updated. There are some great products on the market that make your drawer contents stay put and shut up.

Continue reading “Non-slip rattle reducing drawer liner”

October 15, 2016

Cutting bed mattress foam to size

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.

Continue reading “Cutting bed mattress foam to size”

October 13, 2016

Don’t let someone fill your tank with gasoline

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”

October 10, 2016

Door mat for the van

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.

Continue reading “Door mat for the van”

October 10, 2016

Dash cam and rear view camera in one unit – installation and first impressions

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”

September 23, 2016

Emergency access to rear door handle from platform bed

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”

September 21, 2016

Rear door grab handle how-to

Grab handle installed in rear door surround

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.

Continue reading “Rear door grab handle how-to”

September 16, 2016

12 Volt electrical systems for vans – the basics

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”

September 12, 2016

How to replace Sprinter door and dash speakers

Pull the tweeter wire through to the underside of the tweeter surround, then crimp on butt connectors to join the tweeter wires to the ones coming from the crossover. Now you can push the tweeter into the underside of the surround. It should just clip in place.

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”