Ford E450 Box Truck RV Conversion

[BradKW]

This weekend was spent installing the new 50 gal fresh water tank on the driver side. 

Started out hitting the metal underneath with some converter to stop the rust before I hide it with a tank:

[img=400x300]http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/...ads/IMG_20170527_123904_zps5mnlg678.jpg[/img]
[img=400x300]http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/...ads/IMG_20170527_125738_zpsyhqzmkrl.jpg[/img]

Tank arrived with basically no packaging, just wrap. No damage aside from scuffed corners, but I was surprised:

[img=300x400]http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/...ads/IMG_20170527_102231_zpsiqskmpra.jpg[/img]

Same system as the smaller tank... 1/2" PT plywood sandwich for support and protection, 1/2" allthread, added water tank earthquake straps for more stability. You can see them poking down with the slots in it.

[img=350x450]http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/...ads/IMG_20170528_134537_zpstzjzbfw0.jpg[/img]

[img=400x300]http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/...ads/IMG_20170529_142729_zpsvxiwmwok.jpg[/img]

[img=350x450]http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/...ads/IMG_20170529_142740_zpsmnctpg0q.jpg[/img]

I added the L-brackets before mounting tank, idea being they will allow me to mount a metal piece later that will hide the tank:

[img=435x325]http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/...ads/IMG_20170529_142806_zps7l7rr9ev.jpg[/img]

[img=400x300]http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/...ads/IMG_20170529_152625_zpscwrhqmmb.jpg[/img]

[img=500x400]http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/...ads/IMG_20170529_162756_zpsa4m2tf8q.jpg[/img]

 

[Vagabound]

This weekend was spent installing the new 50 gal fresh water tank on the driver side. 

...

Hey Brad,

Nice.  Just curious (and serious this one time) ... did you just look at the materials you planned to use to create your hanging system and say, "Yeah, that should be strong enough!" or did you do some quicky engineering to determine that it will hold the weight of that much water?

Tom

 

[Queen]

Brad, your van is going to be nicer than our condo. Seriously!

 

[BradKW]

I'm not sure how to answer that exactly, but I can say that other than knowing 50 gal weighs around 400 lbs, no other numbers or mathematics were involved

I feel pretty confident with the system though and am certain it will hold the weight. There are two questions that will only be answered with time (or bad luck), and those are:

1) Will the motion of driving, stopping, bumps etc, introduce play into the system that can't be easily compensated by tightening up occasionally,

2) In an accident, where is the catastrophic failure point.

I believe they will be more than adequate for my needs over the next couple years, and custom welded brackets would be the next step if this won't hold up to more extensive driving that I hope to start doing in a couple years...

 

[Electrolight]

Wow. I love how that came about. It looks so clean. And you're not really sacrificing much in terms of ground clearance because the cab and box substructure is already that low. So you're just using volume efficiently. 

I agree with your two points above, but I wouldn't stress too much. Maybe a fully loaded tank could benefit from an angled piece of all thread in addition to the vertical ones for braking support.

I also like how you have easy access if you need to add a bracket or replace a tank or whatever may come your way eventually. 

PS: Thanks for answering my earlier questions!

 

[BradKW]

Deciding how exactly to approach the bulkhead and door to the cab got pushed ahead on the schedule when I found the details of some plumbing and venting choices being dependent on some other decisions, etc etc. IOW, SOS  

My three priorities for the bulkhead were:
1) Maximize comfort/ease of transitioning back and forth to cab,
2) Maximize space for driver's seat to recline...couple extra clicks back can sure be a nice position change on long drives.
3) Insulation: isolate the heatbox that is the cab from the rear as much as possible...which turns out to be variable 3/4" to 1.5" of polyIso.

Box trucks can be far worse clearance than a standard cargo van due to the "box" being raised on cross supports. Mine is one of the better ones for this, losing only about 3" or so. I went back and forth deciding to enlarge the opening upward, and I'm very happy I did; the extra height makes ducking through very smooth and comfortable.

[img=350x500]http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/...ads/IMG_20170604_115857_zpssm6bqak9.jpg[/img]

[img=450x350]http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/...ads/IMG_20170604_120241_zpsaukpjvhv.jpg[/img]

This is the piece that goes behind the driver's seat, with layers at custom depths to allow seat to recline:

[img=350x450]http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/...ads/IMG_20170611_115217_zpswucopgis.jpg[/img]

Framed in the door with faced plywood, piano hinge so that door will swing to the cabinets:

[img=500x400]http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/...ads/IMG_20170611_150827_zps9oqi52hs.jpg[/img]

[img=500x400]http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/...ads/IMG_20170611_150925_zpstwck4voi.jpg[/img]

Door coming soon  

 

[jimindenver]

Glad to see you back at it Brad

 

[Putts]

Dude, that looks great. Very open. Don't know why, but it reminds me of a NASA space simulator...a mock up of all America's might...done by one guy. Nice job!

In a step van you get that pass through for free...but i don't get the ground clearance of a box truck. Really nice how you've managed to bring it all together.  

 

[Electrolight]

Very neat! I'm partial to the Isuzu box trucks because of their short nose for tight parking and I see high mileage ones still driving all the time. But I would insist on a bulkhead to connect the cab to the box, and a DIY version with the Isuzu hard shell doesn't sound fun. Plus, Ford parts are easy to come by down the line. You may be swaying me to Ford box trucks.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Very neat! I'm partial to the Isuzu box trucks

{snip}

But I would insist on a bulkhead to connect the cab to the box and a DIY version with an Isuzu doesn't sound fun.

Aren't the Isuzu a tilt-cab design? I think they are, so yeah, that would make the cab-to-box interface a problem.

 

[Electrolight]

Aren't the Isuzu a tilt-cab design? I think they are, so yeah, that would make the cab-to-box interface a problem.

Exactly, that's what I'm referring to. The shorter cab makes parking/turns easier. But coming up with a cab-to-box interface with a tilt-cab seems like alot to bite off. Especially considering how many hours it already takes to convert a box truck. That's why I said Ford box trucks are growing on me.

 

[Electrolight]

Also, I know you are already cramming a ton into a box and have some work cut out for you, but while you have access to everything still... I'm wondering if you at least considered a rain water capture system? It sounds silly but as an example in Houston, Texas.

Annual Rainfall - 49"
Capture area on a box truck that is 96" x 14' - ~ 100 sqft.
Theoretical gallons per year - 3054g
Theoretical gallons per month - 250g

Lets halve it because reasons, and not everywhere rains as much as Houston Texas...

Your still looking at
1527g per year and
125g per month

My house uses about 4000 gallons a month, so it's a poor comparison to box truck life... but you have a 50 gallon tank and it could go a long way to keeping it full. To clean the water you would use  4 stage filtration.

1) A coarse filter at the top before the water ever enters your system.
2) A 20 micron filter
3) A 5 micron filter
4) A UV sterilizer

And they sell plug and play packaged systems all ready to install like this.

I know it seems above and beyond... But if sunlight harvesting makes sense, then I'm sure water harvesting makes sense, and I've never seen someone try it for some reason.

 

[Vagabound]

...

I know it seems above and beyond... But if sunlight harvesting makes sense, then I'm sure water harvesting makes sense, and I've never seen someone try it for some reason.

As much as I love the idea of rainwater harvesting, as the owner of a box truck, I can think of three reasons right off the top of my head:

* Complexity
* Cost
* Roof real estate

Tom

 

[BradKW]

A friend has been talking about adding rain collection to his camper van, so it's a topic I've given thought to. It would be a nice feature and perhaps one I'll come back to down the line...but for now it is pretty far down the priority list for the reasons Tom listed as well as others.

 

[Gary68]

bird crap can carry all types of bacteria and parasites

Brad,dare you to redesign it startrek style,two sliding doors with actuators,a couple sensors and it must have the sound

 

[BradKW]

Brad,dare you to redesign it startrek style,two sliding doors with actuators,a couple sensors and it must have the sound

I can't tell you how much I would luv that...initial door designs were, in fact, a rounded hatch-like pocket door. 

Now that the build is gradually shifting towards more creative and aesthetic details, I'm really having to choose between making progress towards a move-in date and chasing rabbits down intricate detail holes. For example, around the bulkhead door are 3 natural spots for shelves, and I thought how awesome they'd look using live-edge slab cuts with a high gloss resin pour.

I'm trying to find a balance between gittin'it'done and trying to leave interesting/fun/intricate projects as a natural progression once I move in, have more time and focus...

 

[rvpopeye]

Dude ! Take a little more time to make it extra great.
You'll be living in it and who would you rather work for anyway ?

Some details can also be finished after you have launched ....just do the shop required things !

 

[Electrolight]

bird crap can carry all types of bacteria and parasites

Hence the UV sterilizer. Kills off virus's, bacteria, parasites... etc

But I agree it would add increased cost/complexity :/

 

[tx2sturgis]

Brad,dare you to redesign it startrek style,two sliding doors with actuators,a couple sensors and it must have the sound

You mean like this?

[video=youtube]

 

[Gary68]

yep,but no buttons,lasers so it opened automatically but be careful or you will make the famous last post list