And it begins...My Chevy Express 3500

[Almost There]

Haha, I knew it was there on the side doors and it still took me a while to figure out that it had been triggered accidentally.

I got up one morning and went to open the side doors....ain't gonna happen. Locked and relocked the door lock as if by magic the door would open....  

Finally got in to the drivers' seat, got out that door and went around the van and used the key (no power locks on this baby). Low and behold it opened right up. I spent some time looking at it all, checking the latching mechanisms until I finally figured out that the child lock thingie had been set...duh!!!

Once you've had to right it the first time, it's the first thing you look for when the locks are acting up

 

[ValerieP]

I have an issue with being locked out, so I'm really happy this mystery is solved before I ever get started!

 

[ValerieP]

During my research for a hitch, I stopped by the dealership that sold me the van. Since they know I really wanted a cargo van with windows, a couple of the guys are going to take out my rails! I am excited! They will do it on their own time at their own house because they said they felt bad that I will have to add the hitch, and that I am having to gut the inside of the van. You have to love a small town!

 

[gapper2]

Kudos to that dealership!!!  I want to find out how friendly they are after they finish.   It's a job!!!  But they are probably aware of what has to be done. Congrats.

It seems I let every little set back slow me down.  Thus I'm on the computer.  Back to work!!  Ok off to HD.

 

[AbuelaLoca]

Great start Valerie! I was lucky enough to have the shop inspecting my van pull the handicap rails in my van! Lots of holes to plug, but I'll get there!

 

[gapper2]

View attachment 15052View attachment 15052
Val and Belinda,

  Got a tip about plugging all those holes in the floor.  After removing all my rails and putting bolts and nuts to plug the holes,  I now think that was a major overkill because I'm having to remove some of the nuts and bolts to use for mounting some things utilizing those holes that are already there.

 I pulled the mat in front to run some wires and notice a pre-drilled hole in the floor that had been covered by the manufacturer.  See photo below.
Such a simple and easy thing to do.  The photo is of a piece of CLD tile.  It measures about 1 1/2 x 1 1/4 inches.  It is a thin piece of foil .010" with a coating of butyl rubber as the adhesive.  It cuts up with scissors and applied with a roller.  (The foil will cut you).  Besure to clean with alcohol first.  Then just put over hole and roll lightly.  So simple it's air tight.  Just takes a minute per hole, if that.  Just google CLD tiles.  It's sold at home depot, amazon and lots of places.  It was developed for sound dampening but perfect and fast for plugging those holes.  Another nice thing is if you need to mount something to the floor.  Just go under the van and pick one of the rail holes and drill through.  Hope this helps..

George

 

[ValerieP]

The dealership suggested epoxy, but this seems so much less messy!!
Thanks!

 

[ValerieP]

The rails are out!!! Something is clanking under there when I drive on rough roads, so there must be a fastener missing on the pieces under the van. I'll have to scoot under there this weekend and jiggle stuff until I find it. The fellow who did the work gave me aluminum tape to cover the holes, will this be good enough?

This weekend I'll get the insulation, plywood for the floor, and a jig saw...

 

[John61CT]

Great milestone passed!

 

[gapper2]

Val,
  Congrats on the rail removal.  On mine I had to remove and move heat shields to get to the nuts that hold the rails in.  I put the heat shields back in there original location and secured them with rivets as that was what the manufacturer used.  I would guess that that would be the noise issue. They are made of a fairly thin gauge aluminum sheet metal.

 

[Almost There]

The rails are out!!! Something is clanking under there when I drive on rough roads, so there must be a fastener missing on the pieces under the van. I'll have to scoot under there this weekend and jiggle stuff until I find it. The fellow who did the work gave me aluminum tape to cover the holes, will this be good enough?

This weekend I'll get the insulation, plywood for the floor, and a jig saw...

Since you're putting plywood right over top of the floor, then I'd say yes to the aluminum tape being enough. It's all I did...  

If you're wanting something more then a small piece of aluminum flashing glued to the floor will be a bit thicker.

I did the plywood floor singlehandedly and developed a method that worked.

First, template both edges of the van all the way front to back. I used strips of light cardboard. Tape them to the floor and then mark the floor so you get them accurate.

I wanted all the seams of the plywood to be hidden under cabinetry so they wouldn't complicate putting in the vinyl laminate. I used a single 4x8 sheet of plywood to go down the passenger side of the van from just behind the passenger seat to as far back as it would go. This left me a maximum measurement of 24" down the drivers side and a piece just under 24" across the back of the van.

I had the lumber yard cut one sheet of  plywood into 2' x8' and the other one was left a full sheet.

To be able to handle the plywood back at home all by myself...I can't manage a full sheet, my arms are too short and I'm too little! I had the lumber yard put the single sheet in first and then the partial sheets. Yes, they looked at me funny.... So What!!

Once home I took out the partial sheets and the other stuff I bought that day and then lifted each corner of the full sheet up and put milk crates/boxes under it. By sliding it against the drivers wall I had room to cut the templated side (passenger side). Once cut all I had to do was clean up the sawdust and drop it in to place. The other 2 - 1/2 sheets can be cut outside of the van so that you don't have to clean up after yourself...

It worked, I did it all by myself!!

 

[rvpopeye]

Great description of how it's done AT !

 

[ValerieP]

The shop that took out the rails says that there are 2 brackets under the van that used to be held in place with the rails and that they would need to manufacture something to tighten them up? And of course they want more money, and quite frankly I'm not willing to give them anymore, I've given them enough already, and I did do with a smile!
They say they didn't do this, so it would be easier for someone to install the floor?
I think I'm just putting the insulation and the floor in there, and the bed and other stuff will hold it in place?
Any idea what they are talking about and what I need to do to stop the clanking?
Again, I appreciate any and all input!

 

[ValerieP]

Almost There,
I planned on having the same cuts done to the plywood. I have a husband who can help lift, so that's not a problem. He has severe memory issues, so I have to do the thinking, or borrow from everyone here. I'm lucky, I have to pass Home Depot on the way home every day, so I can get the floor insulation, put it in, and then pick up the plywood. I think I might do the cutting in a parking lot because sawing would definitely be frowned upon in the RV park I'm at. Although they are competitively priced with everyone else in town, they call themselves a resort. It is nicer, and it is gated with security, but I also have to keep a very unlived-in look going. I already push the limit because I have temporary fencing for my dogs!
I will either pick up the insulation today after work, or tomorrow.
Thanks for all the info!!!

 

[sometimesido]

Sounds like they should have took those brackets out too...

I found this that might be useful. Either way, sounds like a royal pain.

https://chevroletforum.com/forum/ex...g-rear-seats-small-brackets-underneath-81196/

and this:

http://defyingnormal.com/2013/03/23/seat-rail-solutions/

She did a follow up post below and think her friend used a torch.

http://defyingnormal.com/2013/04/09/the-last-seat-rail/

 

[gapper2]

Val,

  I still have my van on ramps so it was no problem to get on the creeper and try to figure what brackets your crew was referring to.  I took a couple of photos of where I think the clanging noise is probably coming from.  In all of my descriptions of rail removal I never mentioned the very first step which is to remove the spare tire.  There I go assuming again.

  Sometimesido sent a link that shows better photos of what may be the brackets that your crew was referring to.  

  https://chevroletforum.com/forum/ex...g-rear-seats-small-brackets-underneath-81196/

I never had to remove those brackets that show the general location in the second photo from the link above.  That same photo shows some rectangular brackets below an to the left of the guy's hand.  I would have guessed those but I didn't have to remove those either.

  :idea: I thought about the way you described the noise and I thought spare tire holder bracket.  In my photo below notice what I'm pointing to.  That bracket is on a wire rope and just swings to and fro unless a spare tire is mounted there and secured.  It would certainly clang around.  Hope that is the origin of the noise.  If not I really don't think it should be hard to locate.  Should be able to just wiggle stuff till you locate something loose.  But my best guess is that spare tire area.  let us know what you find.

 Sometimesido your google fu is strong.  I never found much on rail removal before I jumped in. Thanks for the links!

  I'm so slow on my build that I think I'll be on SS before I get out of here.  Oh WAIT I am on SS.

 

[ValerieP]

Thank you- Saturday I'll try to figure this out! I really do appreciate the pics! It's too bad I can't just go under there and glue things back together!

 

[ValerieP]

And, I did see that he did undo the muffler some, but he never said anything about taking the spare off. I'm just a wee bit irritated that I paid to have this done and was left with dangling parts that he didn't tell me about, and now he wants another 150 to fix it.
I sure would like to know what someone did with my easy button!

 

[user 37446]

Hmmm, I may have to reconsider all those used E350’s for sale after reading this seat rail thread!

 

[galladanb]

If the rattle turns out to be the spare tire holder, what did they do with the spare?
I'm fairly sure your van came with one!

And btw, do you still have the seats? I'm glad you got the seats an rails out!!!

I would luv to buy a few of the seat belt rigs if you still have them and didn't cut the straps out?
I can send you postage.... They should easilyfit in one of those usps bulk boxes, I'd bet!