TallPaul's Caravelle - MTB wagon!

[TallPaul_S]

Think I've found the source of my squeak - the fridge securing bolts were getting slightly loose and allowed some movement which was causing the noise. Tightened them up, I'm in the office tomorrow so hopefully I'll be able to confirm.

Also, the benefits of having a big ass solar panel...

It's 7pm. The sun is barely 10 degrees above the panel, and I'm only getting 30w or so. But... I'm still getting 2.5a going into the battery!

 

[TallPaul_S]

2 more jobs off the list.

Tidied up the solar wiring one the rack.

And re fitted my awning! Just had to space out one of the mounts that would normally fit to the T6 roof bar/mount bolt on one side to make it level. Used some 12mm square nuts in the channel on the rack.







Seems rock solid and now it's a bit higher I can use the legs on something but the very shortest setting (which wasn't really short enough tbh).

I've also used some handy self cling velcro, the awning has never fully shut, always with a tiny gap - so this strap just makes it super closed and will eliminate any rattles occuring.


I need to make one for the rear but I've run out, it's mega useful stuff!! This is my rainbow screens cover also being held tight with the stuff!



Next year/over winter I may swap the awning for an ARB style but as I've got 3 weeks of in a month and a half and would like to do a long trip on the continent, for which I'll need to purchase some extra items, I'm trying not to spend any more money right now!

Oh and squeak found, and 90% elimated. Just a tiny bit of movement in the fridge which I'll sort and get rid of the last noise.

 

[TallPaul_S]

Oh and there's one tiny flaw with the rack - it's only due to the size - but any rain that gathers in the slot channels on top drain at the outer edges, which means water drops off the vertical sides of the rack. Not a problem on its own, but the sides are very slightly wider than the channel on the T6 roof so instead of the water falling into that channel and running off to the front or back of the van, it falls on the curve just above the windows/doors and if they're open, runs into the van!

So I may need to fashion a rubber seal to direct the water into the channel on the T6 roof so that when it's raining I don't get water falling into an open side door.

A minor issue tbh!

 

[FerrisBFW]

Funny what heat does. Us and van are in Corfu now and driving over the Alps and in the 40’s Italy does cause the van to make some odd knocking and squeaks. Wait for it to cool and they have all gone ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

When you have just had a new engine fitted it scares the bejesus out of me a little bit.

Re: ARB style awning, do you mean the ones in a soft bag sort of thing? I was looking at these, if so whats your thinking?

 

[TallPaul_S]

First job of the weekend, sort out a new, massively annoying squeak from the kitchen pod.

This one was easy to track down, the worktop screws had worked loose after the 1000 miles of so the kitchen has done. Being wood on wood, it was making all sorts of noise!

Fixed my design error with some felt tape between the worktop and the unit, then re tightened everything!

 

[TallPaul_S]

Re: ARB style awning, do you mean the ones in a soft bag sort of thing? I was looking at these, if so whats your thinking?

Yeah that style - they're different in that they're normally just a roll out top with 2 telescopic arms that swing out, no wind out arms which I find then to fold back under just the tiniest bit of wind

You can get aluminium case ones as well as fabric case. They're also much cheaper than the Fiamma wind out versions. And as they're designed for the overlanding community rather than the motorhome community I think they're probably more durable too.

£285 for a tuff-trek 2.5m x 2.5m awning
£372 for an ARB awning Inc led light

 

[TallPaul_S]

Another job off the list, finished fitting my 2000w inverter!




500w heat gun pulling 40 amps or so. The inverter pulls 1a on standby.


Also added a USB GPS to the Cerbo GX and ran an extra ethernet cable to where my touch 50 and 5g router will eventually live.


That's (hopefully!) the very last time I'll need to remove the passenger seat! It's been a very sweaty day!!

 

[z1ts]

Oh my OCD would hate that....

I'd have to have the writing readable.... not upside down!

(But then I'm not sure my OCD would mind too much if I did actually have a 2000w inverter...!)

 

[TallPaul_S]

Oh my OCD would hate that....

I'd have to have the writing readable.... not upside down!

(But then I'm not sure my OCD would mind too much if I did actually have a 2000w inverter...!)

Yeah I know - however it was the only way to really fit it, the 2x plug sockets are nicely inside the van - I did think about making a cover but didn't think I needed to.

 

[TallPaul_S]

I've got a nice waterproof bag for my chair, table, leveling blocks and probably a few other things, which I can strap down to the roof rack. Awesome.


However, even at 6' 3" I can't reach high enough to strap it down without standing on something. All the steps I've looked at that would give me the required extra height (about 45cm/18" is fine) are too big and I don't have any room for them in the van.

At present, I've been standing on one of the rear wheels to get enough height, but I REALLY need to stop doing this, as if I fall backwards, my foot will get trapped between tyre and arch and.... snap. No. Not good.

The end solution will be a Front Runner rear ladder - Front Runner VW T5 / T6 Tailgate Ladder

But these are £250 and I'm trying (honestly, I am!) to not spend too much in the next few weeks before my euro trip).

I need to find a nice, compact step which folds down small but give more height than the standard 6 inches most small steps give!

 

[TallPaul_S]

Step issue sorted, courtesy of a £10 folding step stool from Dunelm!! A bit cheaper than a front runner ladder




Also managed to get a decent little washable rug which fits perfectly in the space in front of my rear seat by the fridge. Bosh!

 

[Dellmassive]

Also very useful as a TV stand when camping and watching the racing.

 

[TallPaul_S]

Meets the "2x uses" criteria then! Stool for reaching the roof rack, TV/Laptop stand when outdoors, oh and beer stand when you haven't got the full size table near!!

 

[Dellmassive]

Meets the "2x uses" criteria then! Stool for reaching the roof rack, TV/Laptop stand when outdoors, oh and beer stand when you haven't got the full size table near!!

Lol...yeh.

Well we actually have this as a means of Getting to the roof to setup the fold out solar panels for the weekend on the van roof...

But it's been too windy.... So we've deployed themmon the floor...


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[Dellmassive]

Sharing the love.....

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[Bav]

However, even at 6' 3" I can't reach high enough to strap it down without standing on something. All the steps I've looked at that would give me the required extra height (about 45cm/18" is fine) are too big and I don't have any room for them in the van.

Store your steps in the waterproof bag?

 

[z1ts]

I need to find a nice, compact step which folds down small but give more height than the standard 6 inches most small steps give!

Would something like this work as well?

Folding Wheel Step | STS01 | Sealey

1 Year Guarantee - Heavy-duty wheel step gives safe and easy access to engine or top of vehicle, ideal for 4x4s. Heavy gauge all steel construction folds for easy storage.

www.sealey.co.uk

 

[TallPaul_S]

Would something like this work as well?

Folding Wheel Step | STS01 | Sealey

1 Year Guarantee - Heavy-duty wheel step gives safe and easy access to engine or top of vehicle, ideal for 4x4s. Heavy gauge all steel construction folds for easy storage.

www.sealey.co.uk

Good idea but there wouldn't be enough room above the wheel in the arch for that, I think they're more for super high, lifted 4x4's.

 

[z1ts]

Good idea but there wouldn't be enough room above the wheel in the arch for that, I think they're more for super high, lifted 4x4's.

Yes, OK I did wonder about the clearance. I have about 15mm between tyre n arch so no good for me either! "you ain't dubbin if you're not rubbin"

 

[TallPaul_S]

Started on another job today, building my overhead storage cabinets. Ordered some angled aluminium profile which is the perfect angle to fit to a wood plate attached to the grab handle fixing points. I won't have much stuff in these cabinets and I'm sure the grab handles are rated to take most of the weight of an adult person so should be perfectly fine for these.



This is the design (missing the back plate where it all attaches) - no doors, just nice and simple, making the most of the space that's available. I may not put in the upper cross bars, I'll see how flexy or strong it is without them (as they eat into a bit of space).



Progress today:

The slightly bigger front lip will be where I'll mount my Victron Touch 50 display - I'll have a hidden USB port for this and the 4G router which will also live up there.

I'm tempted to put in another pair of USB ports as it's a handy place for charging stuff lile bike batteries (I have electronic shifting on my MTB), power banks, watched etc etc and they're out of the way rather than strewn across the worktop. But, I'm not sure yet where they will go...


This is where it'll go, above my kitchen in a basically unused area!


I've got 2x lengths of the aluminium profile, so I'll make another one of these for the rear of the van too!!