An Overview of Our Converted Toyota Sienna Camper Van: The Nickel Tour
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- Опубликовано: 5 сен 2024
- A once-around of the van after all the modifications have been made to allow two people to live and explore North America for 18,000 miles of back roads and coast to coast to coast (yes, 3 coasts!)
Subscribe and tell your friends (It’s free!) Doug & Mary Hit the Road: / @dougmaryhittheroad
Interested in converting a Toyota Sienna into a camper? Bruce Parks is a genius, and we borrowed heavily from his insight and designs. See his series of excellent videos, and don’t forget to check his answers to questions on his comment section:
Bruce Parks
/ @bruceparks
Here’s how to remove the 2nd row seat trolley system. Go to about the 8th post (by 52Blue on Jun 3, 2015) and follow the thread from there:
www.siennachat...
Here’s information on the lift kit that we used:
www.journeysof...
Here’s our previous video about the window screens & lift kit:
• We did WHAT? The most ...
Here’s more information than you know what to do with about a diesel furnace heater like ours. John knows more about them than anyone on the planet!
/ @johnmck1147
If you like vanlife and long-distance adventure traveling, here’s a couple of our favorites, which provided a lot of the inspiration for our adventure. Check out their videos here, especially their pre-covid travel adventures:
Leave Everything and Wander - Luca & Sara
/ @leaw
Vanwives
/ @vanwives
If you see something that you want to know more about, let us know. We couldn't go into much detail about any aspect without making a really LONG video, and we wanted to hit the highlights. Thanks for watching!
Just one question: are you going to sell it? 😀 I am a single woman and not handy at all. Let me know when you want to sell.
@@sissysu7550 Probably not selling for quite while, but don't underestimate your abilities. You can start very simply with a mattress over few plastic crates and some battery operated strip lights. There's a lot of good videos on youtube with very simple methods.
The workmanship on it is fantastic. Good work.
Kudos on a nice build, Doug. And thanks for giving me credit as you did - a class move! Glad to see you're enjoying your travels with the Sienna. Ours is still chugging along, helping to make happy memories.
@@BruceParks Thanks, Bruce! Currently winding out way back west from a remote, back-road tour through Ontario, Quebec, Labrador, and Newfoundland (including St Pierre). Every trip ends with a list of minor tweets to improve the van. Glad mosquito season is nearly over! 🦟
⭐💗⭐💗⭐ BRUCE PARKS ⭐💗⭐💗⭐ Great Shout Out !!!
Very nice build! I recognize the similarities with Mr. Parks' build - he set the bar pretty high for design & quality.
The bed platform is especially impressive. I can't imagine how long that must have taken to manufacture including all of the finishing and assembly. Also I like all the curves rather than 90 degree corners on the cabinetry.
I love your air plenum solution.
Wow! What a beautiful set up.....
Thanks!
It's very well done Doug. Thumbs up to you sir. I hope to share new ideas with you in the months to come. Start small and work up are my goals. Your basic is excellent to start with.
You too Mary.
As far as my tastes go, you have the near perfect build (and a new sub). I have a Town & Country that's begging for this!
Wow! That’s an amazing build. Thank you for sharing this! I’m planning a permanent build in my 2014 this summer and this gave me some inspiration.
There's a lot of different directions to go with a conversion. But, it can be a lot of fun to do. Enjoy!
King of the road , Mate ....loved your idea of the diesel heater , Tank on the top . Similar two - three pipes on the sides would make a good water tank 4 gallons each ...with a 4 inch 4 foot pipe . Can be used as drinking water storage Plus for a Shower outside the van.
All the best brother ....... C U on the road .
@@sun6v546 Thanks! Happy travels!
Very nice camper layout! Concise and efficient! A lot packed into a small space.
Thanks!
God bless you and your family
A great and interesting build, but i think Eric of 'Eric Enjoys Earth' has nailed the build out of this particular van,.
Eric has some great videos. His build is a bit less stealthy, but we used a few of his ideas too.
very well thought out, bravo!
Well thought through build. Enjoyed this. Happy and safe traveling to you both...🚐👏👏☘
Thanks!
This is fabulous! In my next life I want to come back as a handy person so I can do this sort of thing. Very nicely done!!
Don't sell yourself short. There really isn't that much that is difficult or takes specialized tools. Just a lot of patience, time and contemplation. Every project in history had some trial and error involved.
@@dougmaryhittheroad I don't know. Each area seems to require a lot of experience and knowledge, but you did an amazing job!! 😀
Having the right tools is paramount and expensive so look for used at garage sales, estate sales, C list, Nextdoor and get a good table to work on.
Excellent video, with lots of helpful ideas. Thanks for posting this.
Wow!! That is really something!! Absolutely beautiful craftsmanship. Thank you for sharing. Enjoy the open road! 🚙🌅👍👍
great job on this. im very impressed with the design.
Great stuff. I'm 71 now, alone, and contemplating a van conversation for lone fishing trips, etc. But you have shown me an alternative, as I don't like noisy desal engines, which most Vans are. So the Toyota Sienna looks good for my needs, as here in Ireland B n B's and cheap hotels, are not cheap, and Tents are a pain. Thanks Man.🧐
Converting the van can be fun, and enjoying the fruits of your labor are more rewarding. Best of luck and thanks!
You have the option (unlike in the USA) of buying a new/recent VW Transporter. Though they probably cost twice as much as a Sienna!
I looked at two 7 seaters in the last 2 days n walked away from them, because of bodywork issues. Apparently, in d UK, vans are dearer to insure than a 7 seater cos u can insure it as a car?Whereas, an 8 seater is automatically classed as a van. But my friend says you can insure a van cheaply as a social and recreational vehicle, as like a car? So I'm gonna check it out and may go for a Transit connect or similar or even explore removing the passenger seat in a car so I can stretch out and sleep there-in screened out as I will prob just go for overnight stays without all the camper paraphernalia and furniture etc.?
@@frankosmith6718 Always a good idea to go on a couple shakedown trips of at least a few nights. You'll usually end up making some changes that will improve things.
@@dougmaryhittheroad This is very good advice. I also recommend you do the same with your travel partners. Some personalities change. Especially when having to live in such close quarters!
Awesome van. You inspired me to build my 2005 Toyota Sienna. I used your idea for the cabinets, but I used Eric Enjoys Earth for his Rock and Roll bed. My wife and I toured the California Coast, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah this summer - 4000 miles in 22 days. Currently the wife is traveling in Canada with a friend in the van. We are having so much fun with the "Cramper Van" ('cuz it's cramped...;-) and I've got some improvement ideas when she gets back. Thanks for your ideas.
Glad it worked out for you and you were able to use an older Sienna. It’s always a work in progress. We find little (and big) tweaks and improvements that we make after every trip. It’s all part of the fun!
Northern California, Oregon, and Washington coast is on our list for next year (or maybe this fall).
Very nice! Thanks for sharing, definitely more than a nickel tour.
Congratulations, a very thoughtful, beautiful build!
Very neat and professional job
Insane build
A masterpiece! Well done, Sir.
Although have some really great features.
I especially liked the furnace and ductwork.
I’d like to know what type of fan you installed for air circulation. I’m assuming a computer muffin fan?
That’s genius the way that was set up with the window. Thanks for posting
I used a stack of 4 computer muffin fans all zip-tied together and controlled with a tiny variable speed switch. Then there's a short piece of PVC pipe for the rest of the ductwork. The register is the same as comes with the kit for the furnace, and rotates directionally.
The furnace is surprisingly cheap and reliable. Many versions available on Amazon, and I modified the ductwork a bit to reach beyond the front of the bed.
Thanks for the feedback!
Excellent Excellent Excellent!!! Real nice looking and efficient camper.❤❤❤
Thanks!
Nice craftsmanship.
I've just to chime in and say: what a smart and beautiful camper conversion you've done! Enjoy all the great features and enjoy your ambitious trip.
Nice video. I've seen Bruce Park's construction and this gives me hope that someone else besides Bruce Park can build such a thing. Not me, but at least someone can!
Trish, don't sell yourself short. Everyone has their own method and tastes and their own skills. If there's a will, there's a way, and everyone's end result will be different.
It will take an unskilled person with almost zero tools 100 years to construct this. A matress and some bungees will do. @@dougmaryhittheroad
@@jotsingh8917I wish I had those skill, so admirable.
Great build! I live in my 2011 Sienna and it looks just like home. :)
That's cool!
Nice job, but for me the fridge is too inaccessible. Every time you want to get at something you have to get out of the vehicle and go digging.
Not a problem if you have a small refrigerator up front for soda pop water etc. 73
Hello again! Love your diesel heater set-up! Wow, you guys did an amazing job!!! 💙Terry and Terri
Thanks. That was a case of 90 percent planning and 10 percent doing!
@@dougmaryhittheroad I love to just go but some planning does need to be done! 😳
Genius. Nice work
That is truly amazing
Awesome setup, man. Thanks for sharing 👍
So inventive, Doug and Mary! Beautiful craftsmanship, too. Thanks for the tour!
Thanks Shannon! We're glad you liked it. See the rest (including the latest, mentioning GBF at www.youtube.com/@dougmaryhittheroad
Then click on "Videos" sort by "Latest"
Form and function, what a great build. Wish you many happy miles ahead. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks
Thank you , very good engineering solutions! Hope to have this built with my husband one day
Thank you! I have two Toyota Sienna minivans (2000 & 2020). I’m going to do a similar build on the 2000. Figure out what I like and don’t like and then do a build on my 2020. Thanks for the heads up on Bruce’s channel. I’ll check him out too!
Very nice setup Sir
You did such a good job on this! Seeing someone else implement a lot of ideas from Bruce Parks makes it less daunting.
Beautiful creation! Let me know if you decide to sell it one day 😊 Meanwhile, safe travels and God bless!
Thanks for sharing your van build. It's remarkable and very well done.
Excellent design and details. You and Bruce make a good team!
Nice setup! Thank you for sharing. P.S. I also was inspired by Bruce Parks to start thinking about minivan based camper.
Very nice! Thanks for sharing!
Just bought that exact fridge /freezer on Amazon prime day looking forward to receiving it. So glad you love your refrigerator/freezer. Just discovered your channel today. Looking to build out my Toyota sienna hybrid, very soon.
Great! Plan for change. It's always a work in progress, and you will find ways to improve constantly as you use your camper.
VERY NICE. I want order all of it.
Incredible build! Thanks for sharing!
What a nice build, makes me jealous 🤣 thanks for the tour of your van
Hyper-functional with such thoughful design and beautiful woodwork. Really splendid.
Thanks for the tour.
Subscribed.
Always cool to meet another Trekker!!! Love your build! Would you consider doing a 2.0 version for me? And what would it cost with your improvements? Of course, I would let you film the build for your channel?
Thanks for the offer. The total cost for the conversion was around $10K, but that included some trial and error stuff that didn’t pan out, and I could shave off some other items now with the experience, so materials would still be around $8K. The time could easily be several hundred hours, which would translate into an additional 15 or 20K for a skilled professional with a shop or working space. Personally, I don’t have the time to do another build, we’d rather be on the backroads somewhere. But once the cost of the van is added in, you’re starting to approach the cost of a pretty good quality higher end van like a Sprinter, as least on the used market.
In my opinion, van conversions like this are more suited for people trying to do something themselves that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. Even if you don’t have much experience, you can do a fairly nice conversion with basic tools and some driveway space, then make upgrades as you decide what you need.
Start with the basics, start enjoying the travels, and start taking notes. You may be surprised at what you can do.
What wood did you decide on? Popular? Ash?
Outstanding! Real craftsmanship. I have an Odyssey, got ideas from Bruce for minivan but there are a some from yours that I will definitely include in my retirement fishing van starting on it this winter.
Thanks!
You'll have a great winter project!
Nice job. I think we met at Little Red Wagon Winery in Quebec last fall. We were in the white Transit. I’m still super impressed that you could make such a long trip in a small van. Thanks for the tour!
Yes, we do remember you! Hope the rest of your trip went well too. We would love to be on the road right now, but duties at home call, at least for a few more weeks. Maybe this winter to the southwest or Baja.
Little Red Wagon was just one of many out-of-the-way gems that we found. Eastern Canada is really full of them. We'll try to include as many as possible in future videos. Thanks for watching!
Great camper conversion!
Awesome set up. Hope you have many safe and happy travels.
Thanks!
Very interesting conversion to a vehicle I’ve never thought about…
I’ve thought about a Jeep for years just never pulled the trigger on one due to their high price and terrible fuel economy. No conversion will be perfect, they’re full of compromises. You just have to decide what you can live with so as to avoid overpriced motels as that really limits your ability to travel…
Thanks for sharing your vehicle, it’s definitely given me a few more ideas. Subscribed as well.
Thanks!
Fabulous job! Thank you for sharing! Safe and Blessed Travels!
How do u negate the powerful burst of power from the side air bag curtains, from front to third row, onto the wood structure you have built in.
Like many great ideas!
I suppose that the same thing could happen if carrying cargo an the back. We ride in front while driving.
Amazing!!
Beautiful rig ! Reminds me of a VW Westfalia
Nice job ❤
Very nice!
Very practical and neat. Thank you for sharing.
This is brilliant! Well done sir!
Awesome Van! I’m working on getting the lift and solar too. Your the first person I have seen using a diesel heater I like the tank on the roof. 🙏🏽👊🏽
Thanks!
The tank is just 4” PVC pipe with end caps glued on. I drilled and tapped it for brass outlets, and drilled for a 2” PVC fill pipe with a cleanout as a cap.
One thing that I would do differently is add a baffle in the middle. Something like a PVC floor drain cover glued in to the center of the pipe would work fine and eliminate sloshing back and forth when it is partly full.
Thanks got the info! Good idea the baffled tank!
Agree I had not thought of that. Would like to see more of that procedure.
hi Guys, Love your Van Tour, and I JUST SUBSCRIBED TO YOUR CHANNEL on today Wednesday : May 31 / 2023 , you Guys have a Amazing Setup , thanks for sharing, gave a well deserved thumbs up .
Thanks!
Great work! Thanks for sharing this with us.
Very nice setup! Ok for Wolf 359! :-)
Incredible build !
How are you to establish a monetary value for your campervan if it were to be totalled? My wife wants to convert her old Sienna, but the work is a labor of love along with receipts for the parts. You have done a magnificent job on this van!
Thanks for the compliment. We just carry full auto coverage on the van, plus AAA for roadside assistance. We've never had a claim, so I don't know how it would turn out. I suspect that I would get book value if it was totaled.
Barring a massive wreck, we would be able to remove everything from the interior and assemble it into a different Sienna (3rd generation) in a day or two. All of the interior cabinets and bed modifications are fastened to existing hard points, like hand grips and seat rails, so would remove and reinstall quickly. There are a few electrical modifications that wouldn't be too hard to replicate. The lift kit would take about a week, and I don't know if insurance would compensate for that or not.
My concern would be that I would be unable to find another used van in the same condition. I haven't looked into RV insurance, so I don't know if that is a possibility. But if you have any information on how (or if) that would work, I would be interested to find out.
Nice
love your videos and your build
Thx for the video.
Bruce has some great ideas and details.
bill C
Looks like a well thought out build, thanks for sharing !!
What year is your Sienna?
Its a 2013 (considered a 3rd generation Sienna).
Okay this is definitely one of the best Sienna builds I've seen! I'm sorry if I missed it, but do you usually leave the mattress on the bed or is it tucked away somewhere?
While we are traveling the bed folds together (tri-fold) with the head and foot on top of the middle, then the rest of the bed platform slides in. It's pretty easy to make it up again at night, taking 5 minutes or so to set up and put the sheet and blanket on. Off-season when we're back home we pull it out and store it in an unused bedroom.
While talking about the bed, how easy is it for you to turn over in? What thickness of mattress did you use? Make up, air, memory foam? In some instances, I'll be solo in some with I'll need my partner in crime. Can the width be adjusted?
@@dewhittjames We bought a mattress from Amazon: Milliard Full Tri Folding Mattress with Washable Cover (73 inches x 52 inches x 4 inches).
It works well for the first few months, but its probably time to look for something better quality, maybe a more dense memory foam. Mary makes the bed up in about 5 to 10 minutes while I'm downloading photos from the day in the front seat (out of the way).
Where do you store the mattress. Like all your ideas.
It's stores folded together (it's a tri-fold type mattress) on top of the bed platform, which is about 12 inches, folded together. The sleeping bags and pillows next to it are about the same height. It doesn't obstruct my view out the rear window while driving.
Clever build! 👍
Nice set up.
Anything on a potty? Love the workmanship.
Scroll down to effspoehr1757. I left a good description there. Low-tech works just fine for us.
That does seem to be a topic this isn’t mentioned too often. In our case (and many others that we have met), we each have a pee jug, according to our specific need. Mary’s is a wide-mouthed type and Doug’s is an orange juice jug. Both are about 2 quarts or so and (thankfully) have tight-sealing lids. Emptied in the woods, at the nearest outhouse, or public bathroom and rinsed well.
For #2 Some places had outhouses and rest stops frequently (like Yukon) while others were never seen (like Alaska). In the east, there were many more coffee shops and fast food places with bathrooms. Since nature doesn’t always respect a travel schedule, we also brought a “Luggable Loo”. Basically a toilet seat and cover that snaps onto a 5 gallon plastic bucket. In our case we switched it out for a 3 gallon bucket, which was a bit shorter. Kitchen sized trash bags and kitty litter, and double bagging kept everything odor free and sanitary. Dropped into the next litter receptacle or dumpster isn’t much different than disposing of diapers. When not in use, the Loo and bucket were a place to store TP, a bag of kitty litter, and the roll of trash bags. It often made a suitable chair too.
All of this took a bit of patience to get used to, and we didn’t need the loo that often, but it was good to have when we did.
Great videos, we enjoyed them all. We’ve wanted to put a diesel heater in ours Sienna but was hesitant about keeping the diesel tank inside the van, great idea putting it on the roof rack. Did you have to use special glues for the PVC tube&caps or just regular pvc primer& glues? Any leakage during your trips? Thanks
We had similar reservations about diesel inside of the vehicle, mostly due to the smell, even in a tightly closed container, plus the difficulty of refilling and reconnecting.
Regular PVC primer and glue works fine, without any degradation of the plastic or the glue. PVC holds up very well to petroleum. I added epoxy putty around the riser/filler piece as well, just to add strength at that spot. There is a small breather valve at the top of the fill cap that I opened if we needed the heater, then closed in the morning before taking off again. That kept it sealed very well without any leaks.
We needed to be extra careful filling the rooftop tank at the pump, with a delicate finger on the trigger to avoid spilling.
Seems good, but I didn't get the overall picture of your build. You didn't show us how you can sit on the bed to cook or dining etc. OR you may be still working on that.
Thanks for the inspiring practical van tour! You do bear a resemblance to Chevy Chase!
Oh no! My cover is blown!
Great build! The most important question, where did you find a woman willing to travel so far in such a confined space?
The short answer is that I married the next door neighbor. But I think your real question is ‘why did she agree to an adventure like this?’ So, I’ll turn the keyboard over to her for that answer in her own words:
"After our isolation due to the pandemic and the sudden loss of my daughter in May, 2020, I wanted to get away and form some new and happy memories. The first week we spent setting up somewhat of a routine like figuring out where things were. After about two weeks, we both began experiencing the new sense of freedom. Everything we needed we had in that small space. We had no schedule because we had everything with us so we didn’t have a time we had to check in at a motel. We could eat whenever we got hungry and stop to see interesting places because we had no schedule. When we reached our home front gate after 4 1/2 months, we both wanted to get some food and different clothes and go back on the road.
Because we didn’t get to spend as much time in Nova Scotia and PEI and didn’t get to Newfoundland due to Hurricane Fiona, we are planning another long trip to finish exploring those places. This type of freedom can become addicting!"
@@patricklemondmusic Stick with it and you will have something that you can be proud of! But recognize that it may be a constant "work in progress" as new ideas and methods come up. Feel free to drop a line if you have any questions that we might be able to answer. See you on the road! 🚙
Thank you. I was thinking about traveling along the coasts and realizing the sun's exposure. Insulating the ceiling seems easiest. Your thoughts?
@@dewhittjames We thought a long time about adding extra insulation, but with the massive glass square footage in the van, 90 percent of the heat comes in from the windows during the day, (and leaves at night). Personally, I think that adding insulation to the non-glass surfaces would do little except for additional noise reduction. Finding some shade during the day would be best while stationary. Window shades both day and night might be your best bang for the buck.
How many people use them with popup canopies? Get one 10 feet wide, drive through so the back is open under the canopy. Take 8 feet of dryer vent and clamp to exhust and run it away. They canopies shrink down well.
I was thinking of swimming pool hose it's at least 25 feet long. 73
Super job. What is the brand of the metal storage box you use on the trailer hitch?
Does it come with the swing arm? If not, what is the brand for that as well.
Thank you.
The box came from Amazon, (DEE ZEE 8546B Tool Box), but I have seen them elsewhere since then, sometimes under different brand names. Northern Tool has a variety, as does Tractor Supply Co. Amazon’s price seems to fluctuate quite a bit, so it might be the cheapest, depending on when you buy.
The hitch-mounted carrier is called a “Swingaway Hitch Frame” from StowAway Cargo Carriers. They make them specific for different vehicles. It has worked out beautifully, with absolutely no problems. I made a wood support of two pieces of larch, which is very strong wood for it's weight. Planed to 1" and 1-1/4" so the box would be level.
My van didn’t come with a hitch receiver, so I had to add that too. Mine was from eTrailer, model # e98853, which is a 2-inch, Class III. It is the highest mount that I could find, so it didn’t change my ground clearance. There are some RUclips videos about installation. The directions called for removing more parts than I actually needed to for the installation, so it took some time, but wasn’t too hard. It has been rock-solid too.
The box blocks the back-up camera and the license plate, so I got a battery operated camera/ plate holder which works pretty well in conjunction with my GPS viewer on the dash. It was from Amazon (Garmin BC 40, Wireless Backup Camera, #010-01866-00)
@@dougmaryhittheroad - Super info. Thank you very much.
You brought a lot of part numbers to the table and again I appreciate the time it saves me in selection. Time is money.
Great build! I tried the Garmin backup camera and could not maintain connection so i returned it.
The wireless one that we use occasionally has connectivity problems, and goes through a set of lithium batteries in a month, but it's the best that we have found. Running wires to the rear of my trailer hitch box wouldn't work, and it is discreetly built into the license plate frame.
Humm, is it an issue with the swing out carrier from the hitch placement?
Amazing
Nice job ! Im jealous of your gas mileage!
This was way more detailed and sophisticated than I expected. What kind of gas mileage do you get with your van?
On this trip we generally got around 30 mpg, sometimes a bit more. Keeping in mind that we almost always took the back roads and rarely drove more than 55 miles per hour. Some weeks we never exceeded 45 mph, like the part of the trip up to the Arctic.
@@dougmaryhittheroad That's still impressive. Thanks much.
Does your bed convert into a sofa? Interested to see how that works.
Yes, it does with the rear section lifted and a couple pillows added. Works well for watching movies on the laptop during rainy evenings.
You said it. You don't need a TV in a camper. The laptop computer is all that's needed. You can put movies and TV shows on a hard drive no DVDs needed to take up valuable space. You can also pick up local TV stations if you pack a small antenna. 73
Thanks for sharing. Where do you store your Mattress?
Can I ask how you stop vapor lock from the fuel tank on the roof??
The diesel tank on the roof is only for the heater, and gravity flows to the filter and small pulse pump. I have a valve at the outlet of the tank and a tiny air valve on the top of the tank. I open the air valve to equalize pressure before turning on the flow valve and turning on the heater. Since diesel doesn’t vaporize easily, I haven’t had problems, and I only use #1, which flows better in cold weather. So far, no problems, even if it hasn’t been used for 6 months or more.
@@dougmaryhittheroad thank you so much for the information. I did not see the air valve in the video. Keep up the good work I enjoy watching the videos
Great design! I'd love to see more about the mattress system and couch mode. It looks like you have quite a bit of head room even with the clearance for your battery and fridge. What's the height of the bed from the floor?
It’s a delicate balance determining the headroom height. I’m fairly tall, so wanted to be able to sit on the bed platform without hitting my head, but the lower the platform, the less storage room underneath. Refrigerator size and solar battery size were also determining factors, so every fraction of an inch was very valuable. Different people will settle on different heights. I’ll try to include some more photos of the bed in future videos.
Also, the floor of the vehicle is slanted, so there is no consistent location height. I wanted the bed (and the cabinet) to be dead level, so, after trying several measuring methods, I eventually used my construction laser level. But that meant that equally important was making sure that the vehicle is setting on a level garage floor or driveway. Luckily, I had a heated garage with a flat, level, concrete floor to work in.
Very nice work. That's just not something I'd do, but all the best to you. But you, and other Overlanders I watch, rarely discuss what to do with #1 and #2. One Overlander I watch finally, after about 3 seasons, showed us his portable toilet seat that you put on plastic bag under for #2. And then it comes with stronger foil pouches to put the plastic bag in. Some have composting toilets. I'd like to know what method you use. You don't have to be graphic; I'd just like to understand how you responsibly take care of that.
That does seem to be a topic this isn’t mentioned too often. In our case (and many others that we have met), we each have a pee jug, according to our specific need. Mary’s is a wide-mouthed type and Doug’s is an orange juice jug. Both are about 2 quarts or so and (thankfully) have tight-sealing lids. Emptied in the woods, at the nearest outhouse, or public bathroom and rinsed well.
For #2 Some places had outhouses and rest stops frequently (like Yukon) while others were never seen (like Alaska). In the east, there were many more coffee shops and fast food places with bathrooms. Since nature doesn’t always respect a travel schedule, we also brought a “Luggable Loo”. Basically a toilet seat and cover that snaps onto a 5 gallon plastic bucket. In our case we switched it out for a 3 gallon bucket, which was a bit shorter. Kitchen sized trash bags and kitty litter, and double bagging kept everything odor free and sanitary. Dropped into the next litter receptacle or dumpster isn’t much different than disposing of diapers. When not in use, the Loo and bucket were a place to store TP, a bag of kitty litter, and the roll of trash bags. It often made a suitable chair too.
All of this took a bit of patience to get used to, and we didn’t need the loo that often, but it was good to have when we did.
Quite a remarquable design. Congratulations ! 👏🌿
Did you document your conversation costs? What would the overall cost be?
The total cost for the conversion was around $10K, but that included some trial and error stuff that didn’t pan out, and I could shave off some other items now with the experience, so materials would still be around $8K. The time could easily be several hundred hours.
Amazing🎉