Van Build out do’s and dont’s

My advice it to keep it simple. Bed in the front and bike, gear, etc in the back. I see people put these wash tanks, compartments, racks, whatever in them and they go way over budget while losing what makes van life great. Load up the bike and go. 

Wakeup, go brush teeth in a gas station bathroom, get quick breakfast then drive for an hour and ride. Go to tracks with showers, drive for a couple hours after and eat dinner. Then repeat. If you are single it's the best time you can have riding.

Congrats on the Sprinter Van. Because of their popularity the world over, there is an abundance of resources available online. After 10 years+ rocking a Toyota Hiace, I’ve gone with a 170 ext, very excited after a long wait!

I guess it really depends on what the budget is and what you want to achieve, especially when considering heating, electrical and water etc. For insulation I’m considering https://havelockwool.com/van-insulation-products/ there is info out there on the pros and cons of vapor barriers as well which is worth considering as condensation is the issue, but there are obviously many variables depending on how you set the van up and use it. I plan to use aluminum framing which gets bolted in place, the cabin and bed will be separate from chemicals & bikes etc. You can always use cardboard to mock up anything and to give ideas. Marine products are great but more expensive. Avoid anything that can rot(rot resistant) I’m interested in using Thermo-Lite Board and 3M Reinforced Polyurethane Foam Boards.

Interesting info here:
https://www.sprntr.co/blog/where-not-to-drill-on-a-sprinter-van#:~:text…

https://sprinter-source.com/forums/index.php

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/automotive-us/

I would have to echo the same sentiment above: try and be honest with yourself about how you really think you will use it. 

With that being said, for my next van project I would be going with one extreme or the other. If the plan is only to take bikes to the track on saturday morning, I might not do any upgrades to the van beyond wheel chalks and a micro couch to sit on while gearing up. 

On the other hand, if I were planning on spending any amount of time living in the van beyond let's say one week at a time, I would just go ahead and build it out completely. spray foam insulate and then cut finished boards to trim the walls, ceiling and floor. Make a huge bed, cut a window and vent. build your own kitchen table with a small sink and 20 gallon water drum below. i would do greywater straight to the ground from the sink and add a line to shower out the back. Don't bother with building a bathroom. But I would also add solar panels and batteries. My thoughts about going this route are that it might be easier to build the whole thing out and then use small enclosed trailer for bikes

I’ve had several vans and my biggest piece of advice is go one step at a time. Use the van as you go and discover what you definitely need. If you plan on sleeping in the van on a regular basis, do not skimp on insulation. Spray insulation is absolutely worth the money but if you’re on a budget, foam boards work fine. Seamless flooring/walls with no screws showing looks nice but is an absolute nightmare if you ever run into electrical problems down the road and need to access wiring. No matter what you add to the van, my biggest piece of advice is; choose functionality over looks. Make things accessible and it will save you time and headaches down the road. 

Don't bother with wheel chocks. Build a wall, push front wheel into corner and turn the wheel towards the corner. Run stap over seat to the footpeg and done. No fuss no muss, I stap it in my trailer the same way.

What Sandusky said. Always wheel in the corner, one strap from the foot peg to the top of the wall, and another from the handlebars to a d-ring or something in the floor. You can always put another bike in the center to the 2 d-rings for the bikes on the side. Used many times in vans and trailers.

If you have any van conversion places close by, they often sell pieces they rip out of finished vans from the manufacturer at a great deal since they are going to throw it away, if you have a new model. I did this with an inside roof piece and other things on a Ford van from Osage Conversions.

Always had carpeted walls built out of plywood. Then a bench seat that folds "forward" into a bed as the second row in the cab.

I would look to small toy haulers for ideas to maximize space . It almost seems like trasnforming from hauler to sleeping/work area is the best way to maximize space over trying to accommodate everything in one fixed set up.

I bought an 2012 Sprinter EWB 170 a year ago. I kept it simple and cost effective by building a wall frame out of the ruff cut 2 x 4s and 2 x 2s from Home Depot. Since it's not seen it doesn't matter if the boards are not perfectly straight. Also their cheap 1/2" x 8' particle board. I live in the Georgia and there are Dollar General stores everywhere. They sell roles of thin carpet for like $20. They had blue or black. It took about three roles. I bought some spray foam to go around the edge of the wall and the van to seal it from the sleeping area. What surprised me was how much screws metal or wood cost. I used a lot of those.

The front part I bought a role of insulation and put it behind some plywood on the wall and roof. I found a fold out mattress that fits perfect (not in the picture). I plan on making a 2 x 4" frame about a foot high with plywood on top so the mattress will be off the floor. That way I can put the camping things under the bed (camp stove, table etc.)

I'm still doing things, so it's an on-going project. 

How it looked when I got it.

The partial frame. Yeah I know my upright isn't straight.

Paneling the front sleeping area wall. The roof is done now.

I put up a shelf for my gear.

I did an easy paint job on the back as it had some writing on the side. You can see it in the first picture.

I installed the bed to slide up/down (or lift out)

This is “loading height”, I can drop it down a bit if I want to sleep on it.

When we go further afield, (sometimes 2 days drive to a road race meeting, weekend at the track, 2 days home) I often take the trailer with bikes/ fuel etc in the trailer, and run the bed much lower. I try and keep the girlfriend happy to come to the races!

Spend time installing Dynomatt, Killmat etc. Makes a huge difference when you are driving more than just around town. Vans  are just a big echo chamber and insulation alone won't make a huge difference in noise. The wheel wells especially need lots of sound deadening. As others suggested, take it slowly and enjoy the build.

The R Value of spray foam is very attractive and I believe it can be installed without causing deformation damage to the body MAYBE... BUTTT It depends on the type of foam, definitely do your research before spraying away. The key here is looking at what the pro van builders use and discuss with them. Lot's of info online. It's generally not recommended. Plenty of folks do it though. 

For attaching things to the walls (sheets, shelves, etc.) I highly recommend using Rivnuts rather than self tapping screws.  It takes a little more precision to do it right, but you'll have a much firmer hold and everything can be held up with M6 button head screws rather than ugly self-tappers.  If you haven't seen them before they're essentially just like a rivet, but instead of jointing two pieces of sheet metal together they create a threaded insert in a blind hole where you cannot get to the other side (like in a van).  I have everything in my van attached this way and am happy I took the extra time to do it like this, the installation tool can be found cheaply enough as well.

When I got my new 2020 Transit HR/Ext Cargo van it sounded like a airliner taxing down a runway when I was at highway speeds.  Installed a Bedrug, 3M Thinsulate and some well placed Norco sound deadener panels.  Cost about a grand to do this but the results are great.  A roof fan will help keep moisture out when your sleeping.  Also remember this is a vehicle and it will someday die...maybe in a wreck or just wear out.  10-15 year lifespan max?

Shoot me a pm, I have a lot of stuff left I'm finishing up my build you could sort through and we could work out a price.  I have a water tank that I was going to fit under the van I ended up not using, fabric, foam, wire, connectors, lights, even a couple extra sheets of 1/4" ply I used for panels.  I think they're 4x10's so you can get 2 panels out of each. I'd have to look at it all.  I'm in cloverdale.  

I did my build a little different since it gets used for camping, moto, mtb, karting and even work some days.  Mine is completely open, I can treat it like a cargo and I think I could still get 4 bikes in it.  I could before the panels went up and haven't tried since but I will soon.  I can move seats in and out wherever, working on a galley cabinet below the window currently, water and air tank below, inverter/120v charger combo, solar charge controller and batter monitor under the driver seat and house battery in the aux location under the hood.   Ran my wiring through an angled chase up where the factory one was. This way if I ever need to access it, I can just pull that.

First thing I would do is add rattle trap, I think I have half a box left.  In my non-expert opinion I think Langham went a little overboard on the rattletrap, I felt there was diminishing returns, once I got a good bit on my van was so much quieter. I swear it cut the noise of this thing in half and if I did nothing to the van I would do that.  I'm surprised with all that rattle trap you didnt do the wheel wells Langham? Why not? Thats the only area I did completely covered.  Build is obviously top notch though.  I also used rivnuts for all my L track except my vertical wall L track my bed mounts on is on rolled square steel tube braces.  I love having the L track everywhere.  It is so nice being able to just throw a tie down point wherever.  

Panelling I copied outside van, marathon tweed fabric, over foam, over 1/4" plywood. I used a titan vans template kit and their insulation kit.  Secured to the walls with hex head stainless self tappers.  3/4 ply on the floor with coin flooring glued over it. Routered out for recessed L track.

Picture below is from mid last year, its a bit more complete now.

Oh and most importantly a sweet exhaust tip I got from a member on here.

Plan , plan and plan so you don’t take 5 steps forward and 3 back.  Once you have a plan don’t be  afraid to go.   Also come to terms that it will never be perfect.   

Just took my first big trip with 4 bikes and overall I’m happy with my build.  It certainly could look better but I’ve got a spot for everything.  I definitely see myself tearing the walls down and redoing them in the near future.   

Not my van I took the pic off mp. I run an old school 95 g20 white with big flared fenders. But I need more room & I think this is the best setup I ever saw. It’s has a swing hitch.  I really wanted to get a c class motorhome but the money out here is horrible. Still sick & back on the rd. I talked to work about my stops & hrs of hand unloading in Denver. The owner yells & says come here etc. then 3 of them gang up. I really don’t care at all. And was just going to clean the trk out & quit. There’s a ton of 1099 co.s within 5 miles. I had an awesome 1960,s Buck hunting knife in my back pocket. My plan was anyone puts there hands on me . Drive it thew there rib cage.  Same knife I had in my hand when I was 9 yrs old waiting to Settle the score with my dad. You hv no idea how awesome this knife feels in your hand. Long story life of abuse sucks. Trying to make it til the end of March .  

Another pic . The alum  box is 42 in big enough for race fuel.  I had a white dodge maxi van yrs ago . I just used fiberglass insulation then a white paneling.  Ps my work spies on me on here . Now they know the feeling is mutual. 

Would you be so kind to put a post together about the Hiace? I am about to pick one up  (Toyota Commuter over here). Looking to keep it simple. For now lol

The dodge had no AC but I didn’t need it. I was surprised how well the insulation worked. 318 great engine just enough power & great mpg. 

You're welcome! Thankfully this did not happen to me... below is is another example. We have similar experience. My take is that just because a product or method suits residential and commercial buildings & construction doesn't mean it'll suit what we want inside a Van - but a lot crosses over.

I agree with the guys above, Rivet Nuts are great, stay away from self tapping fasteners. Get some material of the same gauge as the install location for some practice runs before the main show! - I did learn this the hard way! This will also help you figure out how much you can wrench down on it. A poorly installed rivet nut wont take a lot of torque and will end up spinning inside the hole. Perhaps some red Loctite or an adhesive is the go for additional hold? But shouldn't be necessary if installed correctly,  Food for thought. 

The L Track 49weasel has installed is great stuff. 

In anycase, your pretty safe to go ahead and start applying sound deadening like langhammx has done. That's the first step. You'll need a roller to apply the sheets.  

I can talk about this stuff all day.... 
https://modulinecabinets.com/photo-galleries/image-gallery/?gallery=263…

https://www.vitalmx.com/forums/Moto-Related,20/Lets-See-those-Sprinter-…

https://www.mxpmag.com/from-the-mag-to-the-web-the-ultimate-moto-van-bu…

I have done both the wall and bed version and the no wall, I actually prefer the no wall van much more.  You can fit so much more in a van with no wall.  I can take everything I need for a week plus long trip and when I get there unload leaving a totally empty sleeping quarter.  I set up army cots with mattresses in it and my son and I sleep comfortable for the entire stay.  We leave one cot set up in the back with everything loaded so we can sleep on the road as we travel.  

Enjoy the build, it's a great project.

Sure, I basically have the same thing as the Hiace Commuter. This setup needed to be super simple and removable for registration purposes in Japan etc. Always frustrated me. This is the 3000cc Turbo Diesel and at 187,000km it still has plenty more life. They are great vans, not really fair to compare them with the Sprinter, different vehicle classes. I built a bed out of some left over SPF 2x6 lengths, knocked up a simple plywood box to rise the tool box. White paint was what was left over. Titebond 3, glue and screw. Leftover 12mm plywood with double sided tape. Super budget. 

^^ Those Hiace vans are great. I'm not sold on the new styling for the Hiace. They messed with a winner.

I never even bother with a second strap, just the one from peg to roof beam like Sandusky said.

Never had the bike make a break for it, even hard braking or going into a roundabout too hot.

I can't figure out how to put multiple photos up so this one will have to do.

I've lived full time in my van for coming up on 6 months now, a couple of continents and many miles of Moroccan sand/rocky tracks and it's been amazing. Total cost of the build including the van is around £4000. I've also owned and slept in 7 vans and had totally different builds in all of them so have settled on what works for me.

Do: Keep the bike inside safe from the elements and it must be easy to load, so far I've loaded this setup solo with broken ribs and then a broken ankle.

Do: Have a comfortable bed that is always ready to go and can't get muddy from the bike. Mines a double at the top and tapers to a single so I can use my side door, fits 2 no problem when needed. There's also plenty of headroom for activities... Something that isn't possible with over the bike beds.

Do: have a good electrical system, a lithium battery and a solar panel changed the game for me, it doesn't have to be crazy 100ah and 200w does everything I could ever ask for. In the desert I don't need a DC-DC but in Europe in winter I did, worth having as a backup.

Do: use a fridge, opens up so many more cooking options and saves money in the long run. Plus who likes warm beer.

Do: have a worktop for cooking. Mine can also double up as a work bench by attaching a vice.

Don't: waste money on a crazy expensive cooker, I love to cook and I use a £20 camping stove. 1-3 cooked meals a day for 6 months and it's still perfect.

Don't: leave tools or gear behind, I have two full sets of gear head to toe and all the tools required for engine rebuilds, fork services, tyre changes etc. I can do anything other than a shock or crank right in the back of my van.

Do: use a diesel heater and roof vents for controlling the temperature, I've gone from ice to 30°c in one day this month and I'm always able to stay at an okay temperature inside. Also I have a carbed 2 stroke and there's no smell at all thanks to the vents.

Don't: build an Instagram special, I see some of my riding buddies with 30-60k builds that they are scared to get mud in, scared to take off road, scared of beating up inside. Good solid wood or metal structures, secured to the wall and beat on it, I'd rather have something functional, durable and comfortable than something pretty.

Do: use an environmental mat under the bike does wonders at absorbing oil, chain lube, drips of fuel to keep the floor clean. Also buy a handheld hoover, keeps the van super clean, I can walk barefoot next to my bike and not be dirty.

These pics have me jazzed for whatever adventures lie ahead!

Not the best photo of my rig and also not a sprinter BUT this is the third van I have built out at this point. Extended econoline - I echo a lot of same comments these guys have. I went more a practical not super trick build on my van. I’m frugal and hard on my vehicles. 
 

Build out a “sleeping”area and a separate “garage” area - maybe it’s just me but motocross is messy between myself and the beagle it doesn’t take long to get the van pretty well destroyed. 
 

Use every single square inch - I bolted a tool box in my rig that holds spare parts, tools (for the van and bike), chemical rack (built it with spare wood laying around the shop), flip up table for helmet/gloves/goggles between motos.

Amazon hooks to hang up stuff - I hang up all my gear - never been a gear bag guy. 
 

In the sleeper area I’m a few inches shy of a full sized bed (photo shows the bed without the full section)  - I have a large drawer that doubles as a counter top with camp stove, coffee pot and food. 
 

Have fun building! Do a couple versions and keep tweaking - in my experience the build is never complete.

Once you get your garage and fold out couch setup I feel like the biggest gamechanger for me was  a Chinese diesel heater.
You'll need a couple of 100ah LiFePO4 batteries and dc/dc charger but the freedom it gives you, being able to pull into anywhere and sleep nice and toasty when it's 35 degrees outside is phenomenal.

I do a few trips per year when it's cold and I break up the drive spending the night on the road somewhere and it wouldn't be possible without. The batteries will also power compressor fridge and tv and just makes longer trips possible.