That There’s An Are Vee

Some genius took all the greasy facia panels from under the van and sat them across the rear seats. If it was just normal grime, cleaning them wouldn’t have been an issue. I was skeptical about the grease coming out, but scrubbing them worked.

I need to do this with the Jeep seats.

 

Whenever we meet up again, I've got an upholstery cleaner that would make quick work of the seats: https://www.bissell.com/little-green-portable-carpet-cleaner-1400B.html

 

Oxiclean is a good cleaner for getting the grease off.

 

I got the seats mounted on the bases last night. I hopped up on one, and it was still too tall. So my morning began with taking 3” of height out of the pedestals.



They were welded around the bottoms. Grinding the welds out was glorious. It made me glad I keep all my old cutoff wheel scraps.



After another trip to the hardware store for the correct-length bolts, I was in business.

Sitting at the yet-to-be-built table:
(Note the cool cup holders in the sides of the seats.)



Recline and chill with feet propped up on the couch:



Bus mode:



I’m VERY pleased with how this is turning out. There’s so much more room to move around.

 

I boxed in the utilities behind the toilet...



I covered the frame with flooring, and I got the toilet mounted. PITA. Glad it’s done. The corner will get the same stair cap as everywhere else.



The carpet for the cab arrived yesterday, but it was missing the piece that goes up around the doghouse. I contacted their customer service to see if it was coming in a different box, and nope, it should’ve been in there. They’re sending it out ASAP.





Something I should’ve done a long time ago...
I looked up the GVWR for this thing, and I’m limited to 2000-3500# towing, and I’m not sure the rear axle’s rating can even handle what we’re planning for the scooters. I’ll need to fill the water and gas tanks and go get this thing weighed front/rear/overall to see what I have to work with. We might be towing the scooters behind on a trailer, which is less than ideal, but it is what it is.

 

Thanks!
Yeah, I spent the extra $80 and got the carpet that had the extra rubber sound deadening matting added on the back. It currently doesn’t have any carpet on the doghouse, so this should make a world of difference.

 

Looking great.

 

I'm pretty sure that thing will have either a Dana 60 or Dana 80 in the back, the axle isn't your big issue (mechanically speaking, legally, who knows), but I'd personally throw a set of helper airbags on the back and air up as necessary, if it were me.

 

It’s less about the weight, and more about the weight distribution. If I hang 800# off the back with that kind of overhang, it might be taking 700# off the front axle. I need to weigh it and see where the weight distribution currently sits.

 

You just need to fill the back of the RV with helium balloons.

 

I like this. It would be easy enough to replicate. I spent some time trying to navigate their website, but that has to be one of the most poorly designed sites!

 

Hate to be the old guy worry wart....its more about getting it stopped......

 

Time for an a tag axle with brakes, put a dana under the front and a divorced transfercase on while your at it.

 

What are the rear frame rails like on your rv? Ours has extensions - roughly 3 feet. We have flat towed an explorer - but I would be hesitant to put much tongue weight on it without doing something to reinforce it better.

 

They’re heavy, but the entire run of the frame is a mishmash of scabbed-together pieces of frame just buttwelded and plated together from the factory. It’s not very confidence-inspiring.

 

I got the new carpet in. The [forgotten] piece to cover the doghouse should be here today.

Note the piece of custom T-molding transition strip that I had to make with a 13° slope built in.



I painted all the corner caps and transition strips with some brownish-grey precat lacquer that was left over from a job a few years back. Good enough for this.



It matches the floor well.



I pulled the panel on the side of the bench to cut down and re-upholster, but I hit a bit of sticker shock yesterday when I stopped by JoAnne’s and priced out enough fabric to re-do the panel and all the cushions. Ouch. That’ll have to wait.

I also picked up a new rear-view camera. I spent the extra money on a wireless camera, but since I’m finding there is no keyed power back there (the old one was always hot and the wiring was sketchy), I still have to run wires all the way to the cab, and now I’m worried the distance is too great for the wireless transmission to travel. Shoulda just got the cheaper wired version.