An Overview of Our Converted Toyota Sienna Camper Van: The Nickel Tour
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- Опубліковано 27 вер 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
![My Van-Life [Ep. #1]: The Van - 2023 Toyota Sienna Hybrid AWD](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/aAPC3LhUXZA/mqdefault.jpg)
![My Van-Life [Ep. #1]: The Van - 2023 Toyota Sienna Hybrid AWD](/img/tr.png)
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! 🦟
I love your air plenum solution.
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.
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.
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!
Very nice camper layout! Concise and efficient! A lot packed into a small space.
Thanks!
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!
Well thought through build. Enjoyed this. Happy and safe traveling to you both...🚐👏👏☘
Thanks!
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!
Wow!! That is really something!! Absolutely beautiful craftsmanship. Thank you for sharing. Enjoy the open road! 🚙🌅👍👍
Excellent video, with lots of helpful ideas. Thanks for posting this.
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).
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!
God bless you and your family
Very nice! Thanks for sharing, definitely more than a nickel tour.
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.
great job on this. im very impressed with the design.
Congratulations, a very thoughtful, beautiful build!
Very neat and professional job
A masterpiece! Well done, Sir.
Nice craftsmanship.
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!
very well thought out, bravo!
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! 😳
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"
Nice setup! Thank you for sharing. P.S. I also was inspired by Bruce Parks to start thinking about minivan based camper.
Form and function, what a great build. Wish you many happy miles ahead. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks
Excellent design and details. You and Bruce make a good team!
Thanks for sharing your van build. It's remarkable and very well done.
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
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!
You did such a good job on this! Seeing someone else implement a lot of ideas from Bruce Parks makes it less daunting.
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! Thanks for sharing!
Genius. Nice work
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!
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?
Very nice setup Sir
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!
Awesome set up. Hope you have many safe and happy travels.
Thanks!
That is truly amazing
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!
VERY NICE. I want order all of it.
This is brilliant! Well done sir!
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.
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.
Great work! Thanks for sharing this with us.
Nice job ❤
Incredible build !
Beautiful rig ! Reminds me of a VW Westfalia
Amazing!!
Very nice setup! Ok for Wolf 359! :-)
Looks like a well thought out build, thanks for sharing !!
What year is your Sienna?
Its a 2013 (considered a 3rd generation Sienna).
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 UA-cam 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.
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.
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).
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.
Clever build! 👍
⭐💗⭐💗⭐ BRUCE PARKS ⭐💗⭐💗⭐ Great Shout Out !!!
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
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
Thx for the video.
Bruce has some great ideas and details.
bill C
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.
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.
I’ve seen numerous reports of CV axle damage as a result of lifts on the Sienna. One person said they went through two factory CV axles in about 40,000 miles. That’s not cheap. Did your lift take this issue that is apparently Toyota specific into account somehow?
I have not heard this, and have not had any problems (so far - knock on wood). The manufacturer of my kit did note the importance of sticking with genuine Toyota CV joints if they needed replacement.
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.
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.
I like you wood working skills. What are the metal strips holding together the bed slats? Also like the metal strip that you bent against the ceiling holding the led lights
The piano hinges hold the slats on one end and at the front I added a couple pieces of scrap girder tie strapping as a stop. That was also used across the top. Its really just some scrap that I found at the local used building material store. Typically it isn't too uniform or straight, so I had to spend some time getting the right angle and profile. Home Depot also has an assortment of metal sizes and lengths that would probably work.
Any insulation done to the interior body of the van?
Just a bit under the carpet, but that was mostly to even out some imperfections, and we put coverings over the windows on cold nights or if we wanted it darker at night (or early mornings). My research led me to believe that additional insulation behind the existing panels would be extremely difficult, with minimal results. Since there is so much single-wall glass with no insulation value, adding extra in the non-glass areas would have little effect. That is why I opted to install supplemental heat in the form of of the diesel parking heater (furnace).
Almost our entire trip was in a climate where the days were moderate and the nights cool. If we had traveled in a warmer part of the continent, maintaining a cool enough interior environment would have been more of a focus.
@@dougmaryhittheroad Make sense, thanks for the reply. I want to do the same with my wife in the sienna; they wanted 50k for the new sienna base model, unbelievable these days!
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?
Could you go into details of your diesel heater install. Most importantly the routing of the exhaust underneath the van. I thought about putting mine at a similar place. My biggest concern is the clearance. From the pop up pictures it doesn't look like it interfere at all. From the place where it's install my guess is it does affect the clearance somewhat.
We'll make one specifically of that part of the installation in a future video. We'll need to take some video of the under side of the van first.
Where do you store the Mattress for that hard wood bed?
The mattress is a tri-fold type. During the day, the bed slides in and the mattress is folded together so that we can raise the rear portion to access underneath.
Lift kit on a minivan, pretty cool. Was that expensive?
That's a good question, and I haven’t added it up until now, even though I have kept detailed records.
Total for everything, and I really mean everything, including mattress, stove, refrigerator, tires, GPS, lift kit, solar battery, plywood, varnish, and every nut, bolt and piece of wire, came to $9640.
Some of that was for things that didn’t work out too well, like the tent addition that was supposed to attach to the open tailgate, and many items are not really attached to the vehicle, like the stove and refrigerator.
It could certainly be done for less, depending on personal needs, and expected travel locations and duration. For example, eliminating the solar battery and solar panel and just using the vehicle electrical system would easily save about $1500.
There’s a few minor tweaks and changes that we’ll be doing, but any more changes are pretty small, cost-wise.
@@dougmaryhittheroad ⭐Impressed w the way you set up your diesel heater, Best so far that I have seen! I was going to head to BC from N Idaho to get a diesel heater put in my 2013 Sienna; you obviously did yours yourself.⭐ I need my Heat more than anything. I did a 3-1/2mos trip in my '92 Toyota Corolla Wagon w my Blue Heeler, all the way up Maine > Texas > Everywhere... and took our time. Now I upgraded to the van and just getting started, hope to be heading out before snow. I subscribed, and Thank You.
Oh, did you do a 2" or 3-1/2" Lift? These vans are way too low.
I added 3-1/2 inches with the lift. I did a lot of research before installing the heater, and a lot of thought and measuring before drilling that hold in the floor, but it turned out better than I had hoped.
If there is enough interest, I might do a video just about the heater installation.
@@dougmaryhittheroad Thanks for your response. I sure would love the 3-1/2" lift, but I have watched a few videos and seems if not done properly other things go out of balance, and that adds to more $$$ input.😃 Have you done everything by yourself? I think so, and I admire your knowledge to get this accomplished.
Yes, I would appreciate a video on your diesel heater install. You seriously have the Best setup I've ever seen. I'd prefer not to spend $2K to have it done, but I do know it takes many hours and patience.
?
@@dougmaryhittheroadHow expensive was the lift kit and did you install that yourself? I installed a trailer hitch on my 2006 Sienna. I can't hook up a cargo carrier without it dragging on every dip or drive entrance. Pulling a trailer is completely out of the question.
Nice job ! Im jealous of your gas mileage!
Amazing
Great videos, thank you for the time you put into them. Do you two carry any extra gas or are gas stations close enough to each other? I’m planing to drive from Seattle to Tok for now maybe farther depending how I’m feeling. Thank you and safe travels.
Everything that we read said to take a couple of extra gas cans (and 2 extra tires), but we didn’t bring extra of either. Siennas get good gas mileage and have large tanks, so with reasonable driving the range is easily 400 miles, maybe even 500 miles. That’s enough for us to make it past one station and to the next if the first is out of gas or closed. So it depends on your vehicle, and gas mileage. We never had any problems, but filled up when we could, even if we only needed a few gallons. We thought it was better to run full rather than half full.
@@dougmaryhittheroad Gret thank you! I liked watching your trip and seeing your Van build.
Hi Doug. I’m researching an install the journeys off-road lift. I’m curious what you have noticed with the fuel economy. Are you happy with the size of tires you are using? Also you said 10 inches from the road. I’m curious with the 3.5 inch lift and your tire size how many inches the van was lifted. Did you go with245/65r17? Thank you! Love your van🙏🏽💪🏽it’s sharp! Solid engineering skills!
We didn’t notice any change in fuel economy. If anything it went up, but that was partly because we drove slowly. With gravel roads, winding back roads and just watching the scenery we rarely exceeded 55 mph, and entire weeks went by when we probably didn’t exceed 45 mph. Additionally, the light truck tires allowed up to increase tire pressure to around 40 psi. We sometimes went higher, but 40 seemed to ride and handle the best in most conditions.
The tires added a bit under an inch of extra height, plus the 3-1/2 with the lift kit so just under 4-1/2” extra. There was no difference in handling, but we did notice it when getting in and out, just being used to a lower vehicle, and now it was farther from the ground. We couldn’t be happier with the tires, and received a lot of positive comments on both the lift and the tires throughout the trip. They are LT225/65R17, BF Goodrich T/A KO2.
Amazing🎉
Ty
Nice
Great video.
Do you have any templates for your upper cabinets or how to videos?
I really don’t have sort of a permanent template. I made mine out of cardboard, fitting and cutting, then refitting and re-cutting. Over and over, sometimes adding back with tape, until I got what I wanted. It’s not really hard. The most difficult part was determining what level was. The vehicle floor slopes one way, the ceiling another, and the walls aren’t straight.
I ended up making sure that the van was parked on an absolutely level surface, then used a laser level. That projected a beam 360 degrees around the interior which was thin and perfect. Surprisingly, they aren’t that expensive. You can get a pretty good one for around $30. If I had started with that, I would have saved a lot of time. Good luck!
Kind of like working on a wood boat, nothing is square. Kinda like working on my 1964 50' foot Chris Craft. Everything is 12v and 110. This will be easier as I can see both ends and the lighting is much better.
Forgive my ignorance, may I ask why not an electric space heater for such a small space?
@@crwalker8469 While that would work as long as I was plugged in to shore power, it would drain my batteries in just a few minutes otherwise. Electric heat consumed a huge amount of power. Much more than I would be able to supply with my solar panel and battery storage.
I was wondering why you cannot use the van heater to heat the inside of the minivan. I was thinking of instead of running the van why not run the hot water through the heater core. Use propane to heat the water. Then transfer the heater core to the engine when on the road. You would have safe heat inside the van. I dont like the idea of putting fuel on the roof. Propane is condensed into a 15 lb bottle. 73
The information that I found expected about 1/2 gallon of fuel use per hour at idle for a 3rd gen Sienna in good weather. My heater would consume two cups for the entire night, at a reasonable setting, in cold temperature. The tank location isn't ideal, but diesel is safe, it just smells enough that I don't want even a small tank inside the cabin.
What year is your Van?
Its a 2013, front wheel drive (FWD). That's considered 3rd generation of Sienna.
what year van is this?
It's a 2013 (3rd generation) Sienna. Front wheel drive (FWD) version.
Hi - can you please tell me where you found the aluminum channel to hold the table? I've been looking for it forever...
@@DestimoniumTremens I found it on Amazon. Try searching for this:
AP Products (013-164922 30.25" Table Support, Silver
@@dougmaryhittheroad Thanks so much! I need to work on my search skills...
What mileage is the van giving on highway. I started recently and sleeping on floor with seats removed. Mine is giving around 28mpg at 70mph cruising
We haven't been getting that good lately. Increased use of AC and some additional roof wind resistance seems to have dropped it a bit. Summertime is around 25 mpg.
What brand of window covers did you buy?
The sun shades were a full window kit from WeatherTech. One for each of the eight windows, and they fit precisely, but they aren’t cheap. I also bought the four in-channel side wind deflectors for the windows from the same company and they work well, but the headlight protection kit was garbage.
Really great van conversion. Thanks for doing your video. What kind of mattress do you use? (Comments🙂) Do you have any pictures with the bed setup? Thanks again,.
We used a 4” tri-folding mattress that we got from Amazon for about $130, but after a shake-down trip we decided that we needed to modify it. The way it folded didn’t allow us to use it with our bed in couch mode, and it was also a few inches too wide.
It works well now, but after so many months using it, in hindsight we may have gone with something higher quality. Maybe custom made. Weight is always a concern though, since we fold the mattress up and slide the bed in every day and reverse the process every night.
@@dougmaryhittheroad Polyfoam mattresses are light but lose their shape and develop flat spots. So called memory or Tempur-Pedic foams are just different versions of poly foam. People that weigh more than 180 lbs. will be dissatisfied with them especially after the mattress gets hot from being in a hot van that has been parked exposed to the sun. Heat causes poly foams to lose all their compression resistance and speeds up how fast they loose their shape. Poly foam mattresses with steel coils inside cannot be cut to size to shape it to the conversion van interior. The hippie fiber filled waterbed mattresses are comfortable but too heavy and cannot be moved once filled with water. Air mattresses, well, if you have ever slept on one, you know they are not the most restful. Over inflated they are too firm. Get it adjusted right and the air pressure and your body heat cause the vinyl to stretch making it too soft during the night and this is if the air doesn't leak out. In my opinion, Talalay latex mattresses are the best solution. If you do not know how firm a latex mattress you like, or how thick you need, buy two latex mattress toppers, one medium and one firm. Then you can put the firm on top if you like a firm mattress or the medium density on top if you like a softer mattress. The thickness will be determined by your weight, foam density, stretchiness of the mattress cover, and whether you are a side sleeper on back or stomach sleeper (who would take less). A 300 lb. person will usually need 4 to 6 inches of thickness. Lighter people can get by with a thinner latex mattress. The most common ILD (Indention Load Deflection) range for latex mattresses is 28, but ILD needed depends on the sleeping position of the user. Back sleepers typically benefit from a medium ILD range between 22-28, while stomach sleepers may require a firmer ILD range between 28-32 to prevent sinking in too deeply. Side sleepers, on the other hand, often prefer a softer ILD range between 20-24 to alleviate pressure points on shoulders and hips. Latex firmness can also be adjusted by the type of mattress cover. A stretchy cover will be softer. Besides resisting heat, repeated compressions without losing shape or compression resistance, and being able to be cut to a custom shape with an electric carving knife or band saw, latex foam can be compressed in vacuum storage bags to take up less space when stored. The cons of latex foam is it is more expensive, it weighs much more, and like poly foam, it degrades when exposed to sunlight, so keep it covered. As far as the weight, a full-size mattress should be manageable. Since the foam is heavier it will not move around like poly foam plus, if it is cut and custom covered so it can fold into a seat. Or, cut into 3 or 4 individual covered i blocks that can be put together to form a bed, chair, lounge chair, or couch.
I am sorry for the length of this post but I hope it helps.
Great information to have!@@onebrightflash
An extra long full mattress is available from any mattress manufacturer. I agree with latex as for comfort. They are the most flexible. I liked what was said about med and firm in two mattresses stacked on top. This works well in one for the couch comfort (firm) and one for bed comfort (med) on bed. The older we get the softer bed allows for better circulation thus the brain adjusts less for regulating fluid telling the body to turn. I sold mattresses for many years. I also use a CPAP (20+ years) the less you have going on in your brain signals the more sound you sleep. If you use one too make sure you have the correct voltage and possible adapter or you could damage the unit. Using one can help you sleep like a rock. Not using one for a prolonged period can cause you to fall asleep at the wheel. If your not sure check with your medicare, most cover them fully. Do not get the least expensive though. Get a good sleep doctor and get the right mask. If you don't like the mask try another one, if you don't like it try another one.
Where is this filmed, it’s beautiful
This particular video was filmed in the Swan Valley of Montana.
Honestly, I wouldn’t trust a regular Joe building this kind of van. You really need to make sure electrical is done correctly and, of course, the heat pump too. If it’s not built by professionals who knows exactly what they are doing I wouldn’t trust this van setup
You never learn if you don't try to do it yourself...In term of electricity, I always go by the most conservative way, common sense also help..... If you hire someone to do it, they can easily charge you few grands which defeat the purpose of this thing.
As a 30 plus year handyman, cat insurance adjuster DOD structural engineer and FEMA Flood damage specialist his work here is near excellent. I would consider an electrical specialist to give it a thorough inspection not to mention a couple of trial test runs under 50-75 miles. The first one being in the driveway. A smoke alarm and o2 sensor are cheap.
At 13.50-51 you spelled comments wrong.
Whoops! And that was with a couple proofs too.
Thank you , very good engineering solutions! Hope to have this built with my husband one day