Sienna MiniCamperVan Gets Even More Serious
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- Опубликовано: 6 окт 2024
- I've been busy making changes to your favorite Sienna MiniCamperVan. This video provides an overview tour of the changes. The changes include lowering the entire sleeping platform by nearly 3" resulting in near-luxurious amounts of headroom; adding a Swiss-army knife kitchen pullout module; adding pressurized water to the bathroom vanity and kitchen sink; moving the entire house power system to the basement; and numerous other treats that I reveal in the video.
I've planned some concise deep-dive videos to give you more information on some of these changes so be sure to stay tuned (aka subscribed) in the coming month.
Some of the products shown in this video:
Pump amzn.to/2ZAx22M
Faucet amzn.to/3bpmbec
Sprayhead amzn.to/3pQucBh
Hose amzn.to/3CtpYTH
Collapsible Sink amzn.to/2ZCHiaK
Drawer Slide amzn.to/2ZAxga8
Coleman Campstove amzn.to/3pQU3sE
Campstove Windscreen amzn.to/3Cvh3kv
Other products used in the build of this camper project can be viewed here:
bit.ly/3dMAQ4q
The electrical schematic for this MiniCamperVan can be viewed here:
bit.ly/3Pkc7WL
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Disclosure:
This list contains Amazon Affiliate links. This means I may receive compensation when you click on a product link or purchase a linked item. There is no extra cost to you. I have not received any of these products as promotional items for review.
This is unreal. How many think he enjoys planning and building this even more than he enjoys using it. 🤣
I for one !👍
Exactly what I said to my SO.
Testing your theory, I wrote to him and told him he can build any camping design he desires in my Sienna van, funny, he never replied back. 😂
@@darrellee4953he may not have seen it😢
Haven't watched it yet. Bruce, it's already super serious. You're one of the only van converting, sienna owning, engineers on youtube. You're the upper crust of serious builds in my van.
3:00 minutes in. You've outdone yourself.
Thanks, just having some fun with tinkering on the van.
I, too, was coming in at 3:00 to say MIC DROP. Bruce, you are the man!!
@@sharonlaidlaw9621 Thank you, Sharon!
Bruce, no matter how many minivan builds I see, this is always the one that I come back to, the best thought out plan around, thanks for shareing with everyone your awsome setup.
You're very welcome! I'm glad you found some of the ideas useful. Thanks for leaving such a nice comment, much appreciated!
Beautifully done!❤
Thank you! 😊
I don’t have much originality when it comes to designing a build like this, but I’m pretty darn good at copying others lol. That being said, of the countless builds I have watched, I keep coming back to this one. It’s so well thought out out and perfectly executed. Little details like machine thread inserts in the wood scream over the top. Reminds me of my excessive use of rivnuts in sheet metal. Fantastic build!! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I was super happy to read you comment, it made my day. Thank you!
@@BruceParks If you are bored now that your van is all buffed out, I have a 2013 Sienna.
@@kookietherapy9398 Ha, I’ll keep that in mind. You never know when the itch for the next project will pop up.
GREAT JOB BRUCE !! It just keeps getting better and better. It is genius work like that, that revolutionizes an industry. I'm gonna guess that minivan manufacturers in the future, if not already, will have some kind of camping package instead of a standard seat vehicle type of option. Because Vanlife is getting more and more popular these days. THANKS FOR THE VIDEO
You are welcome, Mike. Glad you appreciate the build. It's fun and I enjoy sharing ideas with others.
Great stuff Bruce! Really appreciate your continuous improvement mindset!
I appreciate the comment, Guy!
Excellent video, thanks for making it available. There is a lot of excellent craftsmanship in your build and your explanations for changes you have made and your reasoning is very helpful. The only thing that makes me uneasy are the hooks. Anything that protrudes like that is potentially dangerous, especially at near head / eye level.
Thanks for the comment, much appreciated!
I LOVE your woodworking skills!!
Thank you! Cheers!
He's just showing off. Most are rustic... just because we prefer that. :) And can't do his level work anyway!
Always very interesting to see what you've been up to. Thanks very much for taking time to share your thoughtful designs!
Thank you very much! Always good to hear from you.
You amaze me with your design 😊
Thank you! I'm glad you liked what you saw. Stay tuned, it's a work in progress.
At 5:15, the way the drawer slides under the sleeping platform... YES! That's the most frustrating dead space of my build. Getting whatever I've shoved into that spot is always sooo difficult. Love that!!!!
ruclips.net/user/ShenYe01playlists If you are talking about what I think you are talking about Shen Ye has done a nice job of it. Plus he is so peaceful sounding.
I love your van build. I'd love to do mine in a similar style. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, much appreciated!
Best build I've found. Thanks for the well thought out Ideas.
You're welcome. Thanks for the nice comment.
Remarkable attention to detail. Thanks for the update.
Thanks for watching!
I really like this updated video. My mind has been stirring for minivan build. Bruce, you did a great job! Love it!
Thank you, Jonah, your comment is much appreciated!
I love your layout! I am working on mine trying to avoid using wood using aluminum and composite materials to keep the weight down to the bare minimum for the built ins.
Thanks for the comment. Are you using 2020 aluminum components?
Wow! Best Sienna build I have seen. Love the ventilation intake.
Thanks for the kind words!
Brilliant! Hats off to you Bruce. Thank you so much for sharing your design/ideas and build progress/experience. Just Brilliant!!!
You’re welcome! I’ve got some more ideas to pursue in 2022 so stay tuned. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Bruce,this is amazing!
Thanks! I appreciate your comment.
Well done Bruce. This is excellent build that just gets better.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, much appreciated.
Not sure if you are interested, but it would be awesome to watch you do some of your actual designing and woodworking in your garage/shop. As I said, your really talented and your designs fit so precisely. My husband could maybe learn a few things 😊.
Thanks for the comment, Jo! I'll give it a bit of thought. I do have a few videos up on my channel where I discuss the thought process and how to make some things for the van.
Your conversions are great I love them. I used a similar pump setup for pressurizing a small camper I had and if you ran your gray water straight out you'd have enough room for a small instant water heater. 50 bucks and they work great as long as you have pressurized water and propane you have hot water in 10 seconds
I might have to look into these propane water heaters
Nice work Bruce. I took your hose clamp solar roof idea and it’s been traveling safe for a few years 🎈
Yes, those hose clamps are simple and strong.
i love the low profile setup. You'd really have to investigate to see it.
This is amazing!
Beautiful craftsmanship! I love the iterative approach you've taken. Say, what type of lumber are you using for most of the work?
Thanks for the kind words, Adam. I prefer to use Baltic Birch plywood for most of the parts. I used regular Birch plywood in some of the earlier parts of the build so now it’s a mix of the two.
I ended up putting my inverter in the left side panel with a duct going out to flow through ventilation. I have a large gel shell for auxiliary battery too and a 280 amp hour lithium iron phosphate battery underneath where the rear back seat used to go
That’s some serious battery capacity, Fred!
Thank you. From Canada
Thank you too! Cheers!
Awesome build and updates as usual!!
Glad you like them! I appreciate you taking the time to comment.
Another superb video, we had to trade in our sienna, I really miss it.
Sorry to hear that, but thanks for commenting.
Nice work Bruce !
Thanks, Steve. It's a fun hobby.
Been following you for a while. LIKED AND SUBSCRIBED like everyone should!!! I love the build especially the large fullwidth bed and upper cabinet arrangement. Im curious, why not remove the rear interior pieces to use that space? I had it off once (installing a rear hitch and a small controller). There is significant room there which is hidden there. Doesn't matter for the average user but for a van camper (or perhaps drug trafficker :) ) it is significant.
Good point. In this build, I wanted to keep it easily reversible so I can remove everything in about an hour and there's no evidence it was ever used as a camper (i.e. no holes or modifications). I'd approach a permanent build very differently.
What are you using for the microphone?
Audio is pretty great!
Everything is done just with my iPhone. That includes the built-in mic, and editing with the built-in iMovie.
I have been viewing all your videos, Bruce. I appreciate you sharing your ideas and experience. Do you have any pictures/videos of the bed in couch mode with the cushions?
I don't yet have a fully functional sofa-mode. I need to modify the mattress sections so they can fold easily into the sofa position. Some day I'll make the time to do this but for us, sofa-mode has not been a priority. We mainly use the van for roadtrips so we're either sleeping or driving. We almost never just hangout in the van. Thanks for asking!
Super slick thanks for the ideas! Over my pay grade.
Good to hear from you, Susan!
I have a sienna, may I copy your design? Really impressed.
Absolutely! That’s why my videos are up, sharing ideas.
Bruce, now that you have refined your Sienna Mini Camper Buildout, any chances you will consider preparing a component (parts) package "Camper Van in a Box" for owners of the same make and model to install on their own?
I'd love to but a realistic kit version would (and should) be simpler than what I built the first time around. As a retired engineer, I can say it takes a bit of time to simplify a design for production after the first prototype is built and debugged. So, for now, it'll have to sit on the maybe-someday shelf. Thanks for the question, much appreciated!
Bruce we really enjoy your videos and are learning a lot. We recently got a Toyota sienna and are looking for your thoughts on your Millard tri fold and if you are still satisfied with it
We still find our Milliard mattress to be very comfortable. One thing, however, that maybe not very obvious to some is how the mattress width fits the width of the space you’ve planned for it. This is mainly a consideration with full-size mattresses as they are 52” wide, I believe, and are a close fit in the Sienna. The interior width available (between rear wheel wells) is 48” at the floor and grows gradually as you go higher up. Around one foot up, the width is ~51”. That’s where we use ours so it’s a slight squeeze. Doesn’t affect our comfort, though.
Thanks Bruce
🙌🏽🙌🏽Amazing!
Thanks!
Great video! Your build is slim and well thought through. Do you plan on making any videos for the cabinet system? We are looking to do something similar for a grand caravan but I am worried about it shifting or falling while driving.
Thanks for the nice comment. I hadn't been thinking about doing a cabinet video but I'll give it some thought. It's really solid, structurally, so it's not going anywhere unless we're in a catastrophic crash of some kind.
This is incredible!
Thanks!
What are the bed dimensions? How much headspace with all bedding on the bed frame, And thank you for another great video...
I cover some key dimensions in this video (dimensions: ruclips.net/video/YRQTIn49C5w/видео.html) and this one (headroom: ruclips.net/video/lMcsX4D3tNA/видео.html). Hope you find them useful.
Nice change!
Thanks Jerry, happy adventures to you!
Thank you again for of your detailed explanations and well-thought-out design; you certainly have helped us with our van build. We have a few questions...For the surface mounted receptacle in the rear of the van, did you make the bracket for that?
If so, can you tell me a little about how you made that? Also is the bolt that holds it in place a self tapping one? It seems to be mounted in the plastic material under the bumper. Do I have that correct?
I made my mount using part of a plastic lid from an old 5 gallon bucket. The lids are a thick polyethylene that is strong but relatively easy to cut with a jigsaw or tin snips. I then attached it to the underside of the bumper cover using an existing bolt that holds the underside tray in place. Here are a couple of pictures where you can see it up close. The lid is the blue plastic; I painted the area clamped by the bolt black. photos.app.goo.gl/zFe8X3xabLbLfjKX7
Hi Bruce. I'm enjoying your van build videos even though I went with a RAM Promaster. I do use a SeaFlo water pump and have the same complaint about the noise. I've tried using a few different materials to acoustically isolate it with no luck. Currently trying sections of an old bicycle tire. Let us know if you find something that really works.
I'll keep y'all posted on any soundproofing miracles I discover (or invent).
you could gain more head room on those cross braces if you shorten the cross members and enlarge the mount blocks to extend higher at roughly the same angle. Maybe add rabbet joints on the block ends for the cross braces. One of the best builds I've seen - got me rethinking everything. Do you have a way to access the fridge from inside? hatch lid under a cushion?
Great idea, on the cross brace. I've been planning to take the hard path (like I often wind up doing) and laminate some thin strips to create an arched cross brace. But I might go the straight route as you suggest. Regarding fridge access, right now, it's only when the back hatch is open. We also travel with a cooler bag up front so stuff we want close at hand is easy to get to, it just requires some foresight.
@@BruceParks - No need to laminate, if you want curved braces. It's fairly easy to bend a 1x4. I used a make-shift set up to straighten branches for canes and walking sticks. Boil water in a large pot. Lay the wood over the pot and cover with aluminum foil (I used stacked books on the kitchen counter to support the other end of the wood - you could use a campstove outdoors). Let the area you want to bend steam for 15-20 minutes (Sharper bends will require more time - maybe 30-40 minutes), bend it to the shape you want. It's a whole lot easier than I thought it would be before I gave it a shot.
--- I've never tried this with dimensional lumber, but the plasticity I achieved on a 1 1/2 inch maple branch leads me to believe 1x material, especially a pine or other softwood, would work out
I'm planning on sticking with ½" thick Baltic birch plywood for the curved cross brace. I'll experiment with steam bending it. Thanks for the tip.
@@BruceParks - - Might have an issue with glue separation with steaming plywood. Worth a shot - I'd aim for shortest needed time in the steamer (might could re-glue after bending if plies separate). Good Luck, I'll keep an eye out for the videos.
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder." - Bayly
"Familiarity breeds contempt." - Chaucer
"Get lost." - Gary
@@BruceParks - btw, Poplar (softest hardwood) is a good match for birch plywood
I would like to learn more about your outside air. How loud are the fans? How much battery used? How much air flow? Is it worth the build over a mounted fan?
In my first ventilation fan iteration, I used a marine bilge air blower that moved a ton of air but was way too loud and drew too much power (2.5A). I replaced it with the three computer fans (0.6A total) which are definitely audible but easy to fall asleep to. The flow rate out of the long slotted duct is gentle compared to a clip fan blowing directly on you (which we also use on really hot nights). We use the ventilation fans all the time when it's warm outside. If I were to do another build, I'd still use computer fans but I'd try to simplify the arrangement some how - the cabinet I built to house the fans was quite a complicated little construction project with modular turn chambers and ducting. I didn't go with a roof vent fan because I'm adhering to both a no-permanent-mods and max-stealth approach. Otherwise, a roof fan would be awesome.
@@BruceParks it did turn out nice. I'm currently messing around with a 06 durango. I can fit a twin mattress in it. I like the stealth set up because I still drive it to work. I think I would try this out in the spring.
"SIR,.....hey SIR" how much would something like this cost already built? just prep the wiring and add the furniture base and I think I can do the rest, you just do the hard stuff lol
Really appreciate the video and the upgrades you've made! Question: Do you have any safety concerns about the wood frame (with the hooks on it)? It is rigid and so close to your heads, that in the case of the side airbag(s) getting deployed, I'd be worried of serious injury. Is there something you've done, or something I'm not understanding, such that you feel safe enough to drive with it all installed?
Good question. The header and uprights affixed to the B-pillar right behind the front seats are quite rigid and and present a small obstructional area, from a side curtain perspective. Upon deployment, the curtain should push inwards and wrap around the wood. I don’t see them applying much fore/aft force so I don’t consider them a risk to the front passengers.
Bruce, Vanity question. Wondering how you leveled the wood plate that rests a on the trolley? Seems like you inserted a piece of wood into the front slot where the worm clamp goes. Thanks! Paul
Paul, you’re remarkably observant. The wood plate on the trolley is simply secured to the trolley with the hose clamps; no leveling. It provides a means for the vanity to be secured to the vehicle. The piece that slips into the trolley track is intended as a third stabilizing element for the vanity, the first two being the trolley mount and the passenger grab bar clamp. I’m not sure it provides noticeable stabilization but it’s still there.
Great vid with lots of great ideas! You have the best design I can see on YT. Have you thought about getting modular with the electrical system? Kind of like electrical system in a box.
Thanks, Louis. I've modularized the electronics quite a bit by placing the DC-DC-MPPT Charger, fuses, circuit breakers, bus bars, and main shut-off switch in one module ("PowerBox", ruclips.net/video/E0FLio4kHUE/видео.html, and updated here ruclips.net/video/Wz_p_jg3Lgw/видео.html). The next step would be to revise the harness connections so that the PowerBox doesn't have all the pigails sticking out of it.
Waooouuuuu very nice setup!!
Thank you! Cheers!
Wondering how tall are the 3/4” plywood walls are on the base unit? Are they tapered (front to back) to get the bed level ? Thanks! Looking forward to hearing about future improvements to your ingenious build !!
Good questions. The bed platform is indeed level relative to the ground but the plywood sides are not tapered. The height of each side piece is 9”. When I placed the frame in the van, I tipped it so it was level and then made supports to maintain the frame at that angle. So basically the plywood side frame is contacting the floor in one spot: at the top of the rear well where the 3rd row seat anchor bars are. The 2x4 crossbars that tie the two sides together are hose-clamped to those anchor bars. In back, at the hatch, I notched the bottom of the plywood sides so they could rest on the hatch threshold. This provides the support at the rear. At the front of the frame, I installed legs to support the plywood sides above the floor. Sorry for the long complicated answer but the build details have several layers of nuance. There’s even more I haven’t mentioned in this reply but I hope you get the idea.
Thanks for revealing another piece of the puzzle! Much appreciated!!
I would love to see what you could do with my Toyota Tacoma 5 foot bed with camper shell. I've been trying to figure out a way to sleep comfortably in the short bed . . . just about given up.
Hey Dan, that sounds challenging but it all depends on what you need in your build. The bed length is obviously a big constraint (if you want to sleep with the tailgate up) though you could go diagonal and have a bit over six feet of length (seems to be a bit of discussion on this on Tacoma forums). Building a triangular pullout drawer for gear would be an interesting project.
How do you use your bed in sofa mode? I see that the back panel is raised and set in place for the sofa back, very nicely designed, but I missed the part where you can see the actual sofa mode from the front of the van. Do you have separate cushions for the sofa mode? Do you use your tri-fold mattress?
Good question, Kathy! See my response to you in my comfy sofa video.
Another hook on the left side of the sink would allow for a SeaSense Nylon Gear Hammock. Just a Thought.
Great idea! I gotta look into that. Thanks, Howard.
@@BruceParks One of your videos showed your wife knitting. Maybe it's a project she would like to tackle? Thank You for sharing your artistic abilities with us. Pure genius. 😀
Interesting thought. I'll discuss with her. She's a fiber artist so there'd be a chance it would be way cooler than need be 😁
Bruce, what kind of plywood do you use? It looks prefinished. Is it bought at a big box store?
Most of the wood is Baltic Birch plywood, which I’ve finished with at least two coats of water-based polyurethane. The only prefinished wood was a piece of maple plywood used for the vanity sink countertop.
Do you cover your Sienna floor trollies when the bed is in sofa mode (12:23)? We have considered building a small floor section to address that issue.
Those pesky trollies. Small covers are a good idea. It's on my list of future upgrades.
Nice layout . What brand & model fridge do you have ?
I've got the ICECO JP40 (amzn.to/3F7mBCJ). It's been a good fridge so far.
@@BruceParks Thank you
Very good build. Which new refrigerator that allowed you to lower the bed platform by 3 inches?
I went with the ICECO JP40 Portable Refrigerator amzn.to/2pncGqY
Does the fridge compressor disturb your sleep at all?
@@jacksam7395 it is so quiet that not only do we not hear it, I sometimes check it in the morning to make sure it’s really on.
I'm sold!
@@BruceParks appreciate your response
Very impressive. Are you still using ICECO 40 qt and did you base rear well height based on 23 inch height of fridge? What is height from bottom of rear well to top of of plywood bed board.
Yes, I'm using the ICECO JP40. It's 17" high. The well is tipped so it's deepest near the rear axle, where the top of the plywood is 20.5" to the bottom of the well. This decreases to 18.5" when near the rear (just behind the bumper). I've got about ¾" clearance between the underside of the plywood and the top of the fridge.
What kind of plywood is this? What is the thicknesses of the cabinets, bed platform 🤔?
Most of it is Baltic Birch plywood and I generally use ¾" thick for structural parts like the bed platform, platform uprights, the header behind the front seats, vanity cabinet, etc. ; ½" thick for things like the upper cabinet frames and crossbars, drawers, etc. ; ¼" thick for cover panels and such.
@@BruceParks
Thank you Bruce
Hello Bruce I’m wondering what have you done to your van to handle all the weight that’s in it
Question is, how much weight do you think I've added? Last time I measured it, the additional net weight was only 216 pounds. The actual weight of everything I added was 426 lbs and the seats I removed were 210 lbs so the net is barely more than one average person. Since then, with some of the new changes I've made, I figure there's another 15 lbs max so all up, we're at 230 lbs net add. The van suspension is stock.
How did you connect the front bulkhead to the roof.
Hi Cameron. The bulkhead isn’t attached to the roof. It’s supported at each end with bolts into the vertical posts, which are clamped to the grab handles behind each front seat.
How does ventilation work when u sleep I’m hot/humid climate?
Hot/humid is rough. The ventilation system pulls outside air into the van so I don’t turn it on until the outside air is cooler than the inside air. Then it begins to feel better inside.
What do y'all use to cover the rear window?
We cover the rear window with a WeatherTech window shade. Pops into place in seconds.
Wow I am totally amazing I love it if I could build things I would so do this design in my Doge grand caravan so impressed love it
Thanks for the nice comment, you made my day!
Cast
Would you consider selling me components for my Honda Odyssey?
At present, I'm not able to provide components for others. Sorry, wish I could but I appreciate your asking.
Wish he was my son.
"adapt" and "cut-to-fit" are fitting with you and Eric. my background makes me lean to simple. Toy_werks for me. Thanks
Haha, nothing wrong with a Toy_werks approach 😁