Just Got a Van!

[2TheStreet]

Hey I just purchased my first van and will be turning into a camper/bugout vehicle/motorcycle hauler.
I'm going to prep myself for future full-timing but will start out as a weekender to test the waters.

It's a 2004 Chevy express 3500 cargo van with 152,500 miles. It was owned by a company previously with maintenance records, no accidents and clean car fax.
I paid $3600 cash. I jumped on a newly listed craigslist ad within a couple hours of it being posted

I had it fully checked at a chevy dealership and everything was good except it had leaking from the transmission cooler lines
and it needed the rear axle seals replaced. So i had my mechanic do all of the work and all maintenance work.

Mods I will be doing: insulation using USeal and Reflectix along with adding a BedRug liner: http://amzn.to/1IAbh0v
I will construct a flip up bed, slim cabinet with sink and microwave. Also, I'd like add solar panels and cell tower batteries. 
I also want to add a roof vent of some sort.

Can anyone tell me how reflectix is adhered to the walls of the cargo van? Do you use spray adhesive?
Can you recommend a roof vent for my van?

 

[4GNomad]

Congrats on the van purchase and good luck with the build. From what I read, you don't want to adhere Reflectix. You need to have an air pocket between the van and the reflectix in order to work properly.

Cheers!

 

[2TheStreet]

Congrats on the van purchase and good luck with the build.  From what I read, you don't want to adhere Reflectix.  You need to have an air pocket between the van and the reflectix in order to work properly.  

Cheers!

Thanks. Well I was going to put the USeal on first. Should I use bubble wrap as layer for the pocket of air, what is recommended?

 

[2TheStreet]

refectix has bubble wrap in between the layers I believe...

 

[Theadyn]

Congrats on your van!!

 

[Tin Can Express]

Nice van! Looking forward to pics of your build.
I installed a Maxxair roof fan on mine and really like it. I can leave it open during rain storms without water coming in.
What area will you be traveling in? I use reflectix for insulation but I live in the humid south and want to keep heat out of the van !

 

[Almost There]

Thanks. Well I was going to put the USeal on first. Should I use bubble wrap as layer for the pocket of air, what is recommended?

Yes, you're going to want to put an air gap between the wall of the van and the reflectix for it to be effective.

I'm in the middle of doing my van, got the main level done, working on the high top now.

The 48" wide reflectix is excellent because the distance between the floor and the horizontal rib at the roof is about 49". I first cut the panel of reflectix to fit tightly between two ribs and then contoured it where necessary. Making sure you've got the correct side of the reflectix the next step is to glue bubble wrap to it. I used 3M Super 77 spray adhesive which worked great. 5\16" bubble wrap is the thickest made - I got mine at Staples. Then the assembled panel was attached to the ribs with metal tape - it's designed to take the heat of heating pipes so it will stand up to the radiant heat from the sun.

Here's a pic of the short wall of my van:



I wasn't familiar with the U Seal so I googled it - what did we ever do without Google...

Here's a discussion on it and other sound deadeners that I found:

http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthread.php?t=209729

It's worth a thorough read!

It's been my experience that by the time you get the interior of a van finished, most of the road noise is either suppressed or overridden by the rattles etc  of all your stuff inside the van that spending money on sound deadener isn't really necessary. Vans are going to be louder than a luxury car on the road anyways. That's what volume control on the stereo is for isn't it...

 

[Bdog1]

Yes, a light coat of spray adhesive (3M 77 or 90) holds the Refletix easily.

Better check their web page and read up on the install recommendations, styrofoam may be another choice worth considering.

Using Reflectix in the windows on a sunny day makes an amazing amount of difference in interior temp, so I'm a believer.

 

[Canine]

Congrats on a good buy. Lots have have paid $2-4,000 more for the same rig easy. No maintenance records is common, if it hasn't needed any big items there wouldn't have been much except for oil and brakes... As long as you had Chevy check all the normal items... Has it ever had plugs or wires? We're all belts ok? A/c? Maybe you got a good one!

The poster above gave great info on the install of reflectix. You'll want some type of finish wall paneling too, anything from bath panels to 1/4 inch ply or better quality paneling. Some install foam backed carpeting over the walls for more sound deadening. I would.

Read a lot of threads, there's a month worth of info to absorb about all your systems. Yes you'll want ventilation, consider your power needs too, a whole electrical forum area on that, insulation too.

Keep us posted.

 

[2TheStreet]

Congrats on a good buy.  Lots have have paid $2-4,000 more for the same rig easy.  No maintenance records is common, if it hasn't needed any big items there wouldn't have been much except for oil and brakes...  As long as you had Chevy check all the normal items...  Has it ever had plugs or wires?  We're all belts ok?  A/c?  Maybe you got a good one!

The poster above gave great info on the install of reflectix.  You'll want some type of finish wall paneling too, anything from bath panels to 1/4 inch ply or better quality paneling.  Some install foam backed carpeting over the walls for more sound deadening.  I would.

Read a lot of threads, there's a month worth of info to absorb about all your systems.  Yes you'll want ventilation, consider your power needs too, a whole electrical forum area on that, insulation too.

Keep us posted.

The first thing I did was have chevy do their full point inspection for $100. They hooked it up to their computer and no codes were issued and checked the van from top to bottom. Chevy said motor, transmission, brake system and suspension were all solid, just had to replace the transmission cooler lines because of a leak. The carfax report I initially got showed all maintenance records, it was maintained religiously as this van was a fleet vehicle for local company. I got lucky, you cannot find a 2004+ chevy express van 3500 (V8) with 150k miles (or less) for less than $5k unless it's beat to hell or rusted with serious need for repair. 
Chevy express 3500 cargo vans seem to be in high demand and command top dollar.

I've been doing research for a couple years now so I'm somewhat familiar with the materials you guys are using to build your vans up. However, now that I have a van, it's time to get serious.

Thanks everybody for the replies. I'll have to make a decision on what I want to use for insulation and other items. I think I'm going add a sound deadener and see if it makes a difference.

So let me get this right, put the sound deadener on the bare sheet metal, then put a layer of bubble wrap, then a final layer of reflectiix?

For the floor I will buy the flooring listed in my first post, it's supposed insulate and deaden sound.

 

[WillFreeman]

Congrats! very sweet looking Van i must say.

 

[Canine]

Congrats on the van! I wouldn't use bubble wrap. Frankly, I would use insulation if possible. Bubble wrap isn't made to be used as insulation. Almost anything you use will be better than nothing. You could hang a quilt or a blanket if need be, but for a permanent, quality job, I recommend something else. Polyiso has a reflective barrier with a very high R rating.

Reflectix has a great radiant barrier with an R value of only 1.1. It is 5/16 of an inch thick. Polyiso also has a great radiant barrier PLUS having one of the highest if not the highest R value of all insulation. A sheet of foil faced 5/16" Polyiso would give you the same radiant barrier while giving double the R value to 2.18. My math might not be exact, but it is clear the R value is much larger than foil faced bubble wrap.

However, having said that, everyone has their own idea of insulation. What I wrote is my opinion only. Whatever you put in will be an upgrade from not having anything. Enjoy the van!  

 

[Almost There]

Congrats on the van! I wouldn't use bubble wrap. Frankly, I would use insulation if possible. Bubble wrap isn't made to be used as insulation. Almost anything you use will be better than nothing. You could hang a quilt or a blanket if need be, but for a permanent, quality job, I recommend something else. Polyiso has a reflective barrier with a very high R rating.

Reflectix has a great radiant barrier with an R value of only 1.1. It is 5/16 of an inch thick. Polyiso also has a great radiant barrier PLUS having one of the highest if not the highest R value of all insulation. A sheet of foil faced 5/16" Polyiso would give you the same radiant barrier while giving double the R value to 2.18. My math might not be exact, but it is clear the R value is much larger than foil faced bubble wrap.

However, having said that, everyone has their own idea of insulation. What I wrote is my opinion only. Whatever you put in will be an upgrade from not having anything. Enjoy the van!  

Bubble wrap on its' own isn't used as an insulation, it's used to provide an air gap between it and the reflectix. It's used in conjunction with the reflectix not as a standalone insulator.

The R value of reflectix varies from 1.1 for single layer to 20.1 depending on the installation techniques and the location where installed.

The foil faced polyiso also needs an air gap on the foil side if it is to be utilized as a radiant heat barrier in addition to it's insulative value.

Installing anything in a van needs a different technique than in a S&B, hence the rather creative use of bubble wrap.

 

[akrvbob]

Be aware that there are no government or industry standards for R-Values for radiant barriers. Anytime you see one, it is totally made up by the manufacturer and has no authority behind it. On the other hand, there are government and industry standards for the R-Value of all insulations. Radiant barriers are NOT insulation.

2theStreet, you have a good plan for keeping summer heat out, you have a poor plan for keeping winter heat in. Is that you wanted to do?
Bob

 

[Canine]

You did well. I must have missed that you had maintenance records...

The process for sound deadening and insulating has been discussed in a comprehensive manner over on the insulation side of the forum. Read up there, I won't bore us all by trying to cut n paste replies. Sounds like you have crossed your mechanical T's and dotted your I's, good.

Keep us posted on your progress, what you ended up with, how you addressed your power needs...

 

[2TheStreet]

Be aware that there are no government or industry standards for R-Values for radiant barriers. Anytime you see one, it is totally made up by the manufacturer and has no authority behind it. On the other hand, there are government and industry standards for the R-Value of all insulations. Radiant barriers are NOT insulation.

2theStreet, you have a good plan for keeping summer heat out, you have a poor plan for keeping winter heat in. Is that you wanted to do?
Bob

What do you recommend? Really, I'm looking for advice.

 

[2TheStreet]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

 

[GotSmart]

I bought a conversion van.  It has r 11 in the walls.  I installed a fantastic fan in the roof, so I can vent off the summer heat.  I use reflectix in the front window when parked to keep from building up heat. You will pick up little tricks as you go along.
 

 

[Canine]

Ok I'll bite just once. While conventional paper faced R11 batt or roll insulation (pink stuff) is common in S&B buildings, it has a couple liabilities in the van. First, it "sheds" nasty little fibers that cause lung diseases, irritate your mucous membranes and eyes, cause itching and sneezing and generally isn't good to come into contact with.
(Once when I was 18 and stupid I worked a night shift at a factory and rode a motorcycle... A cold front blew in and I saw a piece of insulation so I wrapped it around my jean jacket and tied it with a piece of twine. I rode home very warm and toasty, thinking I was one smart dude! Later that night I found out how stupid of an idea it was as I scratched and sneezed all night, and had to throw the denim jacket away...). Oh, I digress.

In a van that goes over bumps and uneven roads, the insulation can move and settle or it can rub and shed. Another issue is that it absorbs moisture and thus wicks it in, potentially rusting the metal or causing mold. It has to be completely sealed with plastic of some kind to make a moisture barrier, which is hard to do in a van.

Now is it effective? Yes. Is it quiet? Very, compared to squeaky ISO foam boards/panels. Is it easy to install? You bet, with the exception of the moisture barrier. Do you have to watch out for compression loss of R value when squishing it in with your top layer of finish wall? Yep.

So you see there are as many trade offs as there are advantages. But, you are the end user so you choose.

 

[akrvbob]

It all depends on what your goals are. Are you more concerned with summer heat or winter cold?

If you want to keep heat inside during the winter, you need a high R-value insulation like Polyiso. But you have to understand that in the summer will slow the heat down from coming in, but eventually it will get in, and then the insulation won't let it out so the van will stay hotter longer at night.

Your current plan with the Reflectix will also slow down the heat from coning in but eventually it will come in. But because you have no insulation, it will let the heat out and the van will cool off faster at night.

Go with whichever one is your highest priority. Because I'm a snowbird I'm more concerned with cold so I have 1 inch of polyiso on my walls and 2 1/2 inches in the roof. Just a little heat keeps me warm n the winter!
Bob