Time for some BIG changes - The Van isn't working out the way I want it.
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- Опубликовано: 25 авг 2024
- Over the past 3 months I have really put the campervan build through its paces and subsequently found out that I got things wrong, in quite a big way!
So it's back to the UK and back to the workshop to make some very big changes and get the van working better for me and how I travel.
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Thanks for all the helpful info about the suspension John. I really appreciate you taking the time to make these videos and explaining your experiences.
Definitely agree about the cab. Decluttered ours as well and keep all the tech simple.
Just make sure you get clued up on the right sound proofing materials. 'Wavey' materials may be better suited to creating a less reverberant space inside and not necessarily a quieter space outside. Density and thickness of materials vary depending on what the desired result is.
I’ve no idea what you’re on about.
It's the honesty that shines through in all that you do with the channel . A big Hello from Anglesey.
I have a 2004 Citroen Relay that I'm full time in, one of the best mod's I did was putting HD double leaf springs on the rear, huge improvement with handling/ride and ride hight...🙂
No plan of battle lasts beyond engaging the enemy. Respect for concluding you're initial plans need changing as much. Keep it up and looking forward to the coming vids
I fitted heavy duty front strings and heavy duty rear leafstrings double springs the ride high is perfect.
Drives lovely now..
On my short wheelbase fiat ducato.
With your longer wheelbase you may need the 3 x leafstrings!!!
Looks like the TDF and Spanish trip were a great shakedown of the van and good chance to see what worked and what needed changing. Looking forward to seeing the changes 👍🏻
hi John may I say for a start thank you for your videos you and other youtubers have really kept me going through a very tough time its always nice to see a van build and learn mentally a new skill ❤💙❤💙❤💙❤
As you've said many a time, no van is ever finished. Every van owner tinkers improves, and sometimes replaces bits of their van. So it's nice to see what you felt worked, and what did not.
Hari OM
So, a bit to do then! It will be fun to see how this all goes for you, John. YAM xx
Gee wiz John, sounds like a lot of work you are thinking of doing, I admire your tenacity, we built a home and made many changes - errors that we didn’t spot on paper at the time. Life’s continual learning curve we call it! What you have achieved is fantastic, many of us, would not know where to begin. Do take the credit where its due.
Great vid John - your critical reviews/analysis of your own gear/installation is really educational.
Nice one. atb
Thanks for the updates John. I appreciate the honest reviews of the kit you use etc. looking forward to watching the upgrades happen.
To fix the hinges - just drill an oversized hole on the back side, fill with thickened epoxy, finish flat, refit the hinges back in the original position
Or fit better hinges 👍🏻
Hi John. Had similar issues with our Fridge in 40'c temps. This year I made a mod that has helped tremendously. Using one of the 1 watt fans from Simploo and their adapter, I put the fan at the back of the cupboard and directed it through a pipe and a hole in the floor. It works very well getting rid of some of the excess hot air and so quiet I leave it on all the time. Great channel, keep the content coming...
Really interested in the suspension changes. I appreciate you’ve had a few Ducato based vans now. Mine just has the Std setup and its very van like and i’d love to improve it. Problem is knowing what’s the best system to go for. Most people just say what they have is best without ever knowing or had the alternatives. Hopefully you’ll be able to share some insights and comparisons when you’re ready. 👍
Love your honesty John. I need a new leisure battery arm, nines dead lol
Thanks for sharing your plans, some interesting learnings - great you can chop and change things to get it right for you. Can’t believe the weight of some of the inverters, I looked at a Multiplus 2 but the size and weight was significant compared to the one I have with lower output. Arguably the quality maybe better but not had any issues with the one I have at over 10kg less weight and significantly smaller.
I (we) seem to use 80-100ah per day (but only ~140W solar) off grid so have been pleased with the capacity I went with but imagine you’re much more efficient and much more solar or course.
Hope all goes well with your updates.
All the best, David 👍
Really good John, and interesting stuff lots of which is directly relevant to us. Love your honesty and pragmatic approach - just solving problems as you go. We hope we mimic that approach too as we battle our everyday niggles, but like you, are loving our life in the van! And well done again on the cycling 👏
Interesting assessment regarding what you did previously and new upcoming changes to give you what you need and want in your van
Hi John, I've been full time in my van for the last 4.5 years, currently I'm in Montenegro, I love the freedom
Thanks John. It's really useful to hear the 'how it worked" (or not) in reality for everything from suspension and power systems to hinges and latches. Keep them coming!
Hi John sounds really interesting what you have planned for your van really looking forward to seeing how it goes looking forward to seeing your next video keep safe 😊👍🏻
John I would like to thank you on the head up speedometer system video you done help me a a lot in france. Saved keep looking down😊
Great update. I guess to varying degrees, every self build is a bit of a R&D project so natural that you will need to make changes once you've put it through the paces but the benefit is you will be nearer creating the perfect van for your needs
Looking forward to see the updates John. Great to see even with all your experience of vans & conversions, there is always room for improvements and nicely explained the issues you are experiencing. So many people may also fall into the trap of too much battery capacity and charging capability and it’s a big cost to a build. Thanks again John👍
Well done John .. a lot of Work ahead of you. But important to have things as YOU Want Them ..
Stay Free and Safe Travels 😊
Hi John, great update and I have had a few people saying, dont finish your build go out in it for some trips and find out what you like / dont like and then change it. Be interested to see what you change on the power side as i have a very simular setup to yours so i can work and travel. Its keeping me motivated with my build too so looking forward to the next update
Thanks for your honest opinion about stuff
Being an ex-racing/test driver and looking at the shots of the van over the bumps it looks like the shock absorbers are not working at all efficiently. I run airbags and adjustable shocks on my van and am really pleased with the handling and adjustability.
Totally agree with keeping things as simple as possible, particularly with regards to electric's especially when offroad.
Good decision to remove the suspension mods. I saw straight away the way the van bounced after you installed them. Upgrading the springs and dampers should be good. But don't go too far with stronger springs. If too stiff you will have the same problem. Can I question your comment about air bags, please? Air will compress, it is liquids like oil or water that won't. If you think of the traditional hydro-pneumatic suspension on Citroen cars, it is the gas in the spheres that provides the springing action. If the gas seeps out over time it becomes solid and bouncy, just like your van has been. However, when re-gassed the ride is like a magic carpet. Incidently, I am not suggesting to use airbags in your case. I think your idea for upgraded springs and dampers, if done well, will be a very good solution.
I look forward to seeing how it goes.
Air doesn’t compress on van airbags, it just acts like squeezing a balloon.
Great vid mate , nice honest feedback about things as you do . Always trust your opinion 👍🏼
As always great vlog, thank you for sharing your ideas, we no longer have our van but who knows what the future holds eh.
Wish you all the best John 😯
curious see what you replace the suspension with, if possible to get some sort of struts you can dial in the sag, compression and rebound to suit your needs and style etc. Betterments are never ending!
Wow John, plenty to go at to get the van more to your liking…at least you’ll know when that list is completed, it should be pretty much sorted..great stuff..
Looking forward to see the new up grades
Be safe 👍
We've got 2+1 rear leafs (+1 adds some extra height and helps stiffen the suspension as it goes deeper into it's travel), VB coilsprings on the front and Koni FSD dampers all round on our mountainbiking/hiking van. We wanted Bilstein Monotube dampers but we were getting quoted 12 month plus wait times and to be honest they would have been overkill. Theres 11cm from the top of a 225/75R16 to the arch on all 4 corners plus the extra height the larger tyres give over the original 15's. It's night and day vs standard suspension both on road and on tracks similar to your video. Not cheap though. We went mechanical rear for the same reason plus if a bag fails high up a pyreneean that needed the extra clearance to get up then you are a bit stuffed. The only downside is needing a parachute to get out of the van lol.
Just bought that inverter today! It's for 3 of us in a van though and we always have shore power on site
Good analysis - Thanks!
Hi John. I was interested to hear your comments about cooling your fridge/freezer housing. After some modifications in my van I experienced issues with the fridge not being properly ventilated. I overcame this using computer fans. The units selected were low speed, very low current and completely silent. Power was taken from the feed to the fridge so they are on all of the time but with such low energy consumption its irrelevant. Its amazing how much cooler the enclosure is now and the fridge is working better as well.
It will be interesting to see your various mods over the coming weeks as you move towards the finished item😂 ( I know there's no such thing)
Great Video John,
I do remember you mentioning. " I Wish it was 4 x 4". But
doing the suspension is probably the next best thing.
Shame that the UK has so much rain now.
You mentioned service, do you use an ODBII (On-board diagnostics) unit. ?
Thanks for letting us know about your changes.
Take care and good luck. Look forward to your new series.
I do have an obdII tool for service resets and check for faults.
I've a 200ah LiPo4 with 410w solar, with 30a Victron MPPT, a Victron 30a DCDC and a Renogy 2000w. Not got shore power installed. Two people + two dogs can live comfortably for several weeks using only electric cooking. Being a photographer I also installed loads of USB C ports and can charge all my batteries, phones, MacAir laptop etc with no worries about power for a couple of days during cloudy / overcast weather.
Honest simple is less stress jhon
Hi John going on your mountain trail has helped you find something’s you need to do good luck ❤❤❤❤
Sounds like a lot of work needs doing John but you'll get it sorted..❤
I think you have to use a campervan for a bit before you really know what will work and what doesn't for what you want to do/where you go.Will be interested in your Fridge cooling, as we have had an issue with that in Summer on a couple of occasions - I think being by the slider doesn't help with the large window in there (and I forgot to insulate the slider!). We don't have an issue with noise at night - but its on a solid shelf - I'm wondering if the sliding shelf adds to the noise/vibration? We are going through a similar process with our basic campervan build of Sprintie. About to upgrade to Renogy Lithium and add more USB ports and some permanent lights in the back. Pondering changing the kitchen to drawers etc. There are quite a few other things we wish we had done differently, but might not change just yet.
Wonderful video, looking forward to the future videos.
John, look into what the boat builder's use for the cabinets.
Hi John your favourite kitchen fitter here 🤷♂️the bonnet catches you spoke about are actually called lollipop stays but I hope the hinges I sent you you shouldn’t need them 👍 all the best
Thanks for telling us, its great to learn from others :)
Ur going to be a busy man John can't wait for the work to get done pal ❤
Hi, looking forward to the modification videos.
Happy tinkering.
Suspension on these vans will always be a bit bumpy as you sit directly over the wheel so you'll bounce up and down more whereas in a car you're more in the middle
Not really, this is the 4th van of this type I’ve had so I’m very familiar with the handling and it’s nothing like you describe.
@GadgetJohn fair enough mate. I have a Ducatto motorhome which can be a bit on the bouncy side at times.
Hope it all works out well for you.
Never heard anyone say they had too much power lol
Great video. Looking forward to see yo do these upgrades or down greades😮 if you'd like to off load any stuff from the van I'd be happy to take it. Jacker etc don't ship to ireland 😢
Knowing how “techie” you are, I’d dismissed as irrelevant to my low tech abilities some of the systems, eg head unit etc, that you fitted, so I’ll be very interested to see the simpler improvements to the van equipment that you are proposing. Really enjoyed the TdF even though no fan of cycle racing, and the intrepid travelling in N Spain. Great work😊
Good advice 👍💙❤️
Im curious why too much power is a drawback. Is it strictly because of weight?
The next video explains it, that will be out tomorrow.
Another fab video John 👍👍
Have you considered fitting a CB? I’ve got one in my 4x4 and one in its box ready to go into a Peugeot Expert I’m building for exploring Scandinavia. The same radio in both. A CRT Mike. It has all the controls and a loudspeaker in the microphone, and the microphone connects using an RJ45. I remote mounted the first using Cat5 cable and will be doing the same in the van. You’ll get more range than with handhelds.
I’ve also made provision for amateur radio in the van as I got my Class A licence 35+ years ago. I don’t know what radio I’ll use, but the antenna socket is on the roof and I’ll be running the power wiring soon. I used to enjoy chatting in groups when I used to spend hours driving to and from work.
I have a radio I use for convoy mainly, CB frequencies range is pretty poor so whilst I carry a CB I don’t use it. I have satcoms for when there’s no phone service and I need to contact someone.
Nice one John ,are you still in the unit ,for a few weeks,!🤔🤔so you can work on your van!
Hi John, I can follow you, I need simplicity as a necessity to keep “my drawers” closed that is how I explain my vorm of autism. Luckily I also like the art of simplicity :-)
Simple good - Complex bad 👍
Am not surprised after giving your van a really good workout, especially your recent adventures in Spain, that you have a number of ideas to update/simplify your setup.
Have always loved your openess on in sharing what worked, and especially what hasn't worked so well.
Will be interested to see how you will be going all Elon Musk - "The best part is no part. The best process is no process. It weighs nothing. Costs nothing. Can't go wrong" 😂
Just hope that you manage to get some sponsorship to help with the cost of the electrics - as this will be your 3rd Gen design already. ATB 👍
No sponsors for any of the electrical system, in fact no sponsors for any of the work on the van.
Hi John . If you're doing all these major modifications will you not need your unit and tools?
As I said in the Sale video, all the works been done, I’m not getting around to editing. RUclips isn’t real time 99% of the time, it’s usually a week or two behind.
Look forward to what your doing if you need to borrow some tools now you've sold yours give me a shout 😍🤣🤣
Back to vanbuildi g, sucess
Hi John, great vlog! Am really looking forward to seeing the improvements you make on the van. Where you going to be doing the work on it having given up the unit now?
Talking of your phone, are you on EE? I’m looking for a change of network but EE seem to be extremely expensive compared to when I was with them 7 years ago! Any tips/tricks for a decent contract? Cheers, Adam.
I use EE as it’s got the best coverage and quality of service, you get what you pay for I guess. As I said in the “everything must go” video, I’ve recorded all the upgrades on my van already and that’s why I was selling everything.
@@GadgetJohn Thanks for the reply.. it is true that you get what you pay for. You did mention it I remember now, just too early 😂
Random question…….. been thinking of getting Sky Glass for a Motorhome, have you thought of this or anyone of your subscribers?
If I had the space for a TV I might consider it. It seems like a good product.
"One step up from a tent" really resonates with me, its why I loved my T25 so much, but times and age move on and a few more creature comforts were felt necessary. The spring/damper combo requires some research and it can be difficult to tune the set-up for all surfaces, so it will be interesting to see what you come up with. Looking forward to your adaptations, alterations and reasoning. All good fun rolled up in a quality video. 👋
Think you should get yourself a 4x4😂😂😂interesting video again 😊
Maybe one day! With a truck bed camper on.
@@GadgetJohn I use to have a 4x4 jimny and nothing can match that now for where it could go😊
👍
I've got 2 extra heavy duty rear springs if u want them John,I cocked up and ordered 2 lots,wot a idiot 😂
Thanks for the offer, all the work has already been done a week or so ago.
Hey John. I hope you’re OK. You seem a little different in this video as if you’re not feeling too well. I hope I’m wrong.
I’m good thanks, your radar needs a tune up I think, but thanks for checking 👍🏻
@@GadgetJohn glad to hear it. Look after yourself.
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