My Van 2017 Ram Promaster 1500 Cargo 136 V6

[tnvangirl]

[size=small]I got my van! I’m so excited. I took it out this weekend for an overnight and it was great. So much more room than the minivan ☺. It is the standard height, not a high top, but I can still stand straight up inside the cargo area. It has been raining since Sunday so no pictures but I will post as soon as I get some and figure out how to put them on here. Right now on the outside it looks like any stock photo you see online. I have put the bed I made for the minivan inside along with some tubs and Rubbermaid drawers just so I could start using it but this set up will change as I go along.[/size]


Soooo… here come the questions.


I had originally intended to purchase the Bed Rug Van Tred Cargo mat that a couple of people on this forum have purchased and seem to like. My question is how is this different from the thin black mat that came with the van. Does it just provide more insulation/cushioning than the one I already have?


Also I want to purchase some rain guards pretty quickly for the front windows. Any recommendations would be most welcome. Is this something I could probably install myself? Or is it complicated and worth paying someone who knows what they are doing?


Not sure where to go next. Do I need the rattletrap?


Very confused on the insulation as well. I am in the Southeast where my main concern will be keeping the van cool in the summertime. However we do get some cold snaps particularly in the first 3 months of the year. I would eventually like to full time in the van and as long as I have a job here I wouldn’t be able to follow the weather like I want to. So do I need insulation or not? Is there anyone in the south that has tried van living both ways and can make recommendations?

 

[sometimesido]

I don't live in a van yet but I live in Atlanta and plan to get a van soon.
I'd say if you are planning to go full time eventually, why not insulate? plus insulation will deaden the sound a bit too.
and unless you have A/C running, I don't think you'd be staying inside the van insulated or not, with or without a fan, in the South East.

Have you checked out promaster forums? you can probably gather more project ideas for your promaster.

 

[mayble]

Congratulations on the new van!

 

[tnvangirl]

Hi sometimesido. I am near Atlanta so the temperatures are similar. The reason I would not insulate is because apparently as the van heats up during the day the insulation holds the heat in the van and it takes longer for it to cool off in the evening. So it may still be uncomfortably hot when I am trying to go to sleep. I agree that I will not be in the van much during the day and I do have a fan and plan on installing a rooftop vent fan as well. I would mostly be working during the day and/or hopefully outside at the beach . The van is mostly for sleeping and storing my things.

I have checked out the promaster forums. Thanks for reminding me. Now that I have the vehicle I will go back and do some more browsing.

 

[gapper2]

Congrats tnvangirl,

  Always fun to drive a new well functioning vehicle.  I too live in the state below you and I'm just entering the insulation phase of my van build (2012 gmc savana 2500).

  I'll pass on my .02c on how I'm attacking my build. (attack is the wrong word, more like muddle along slowly).I'm new at this also so this is just my way.  May change later, don't know.   My van is the standard roof passenger van.  My roof will be completely covered in solar so I won't have a fantastic or Maxx fan on the roof like most vandwellers.  However those options are the best for ventilation IMHO.  Ventilation is probably one of the most important things to think about.  I'm putting insulation in my van but I'm also leaving air space to let good ventilation control any moisture or condensation problems.

 Sound dampening to me is very important also.  I've put a similar product as rattletrap and yes it does help but it's expensive.  Others will probably chime in with less expensive stuff.  Really the only time the noise is a problem is while your driving, right?  For sound dampening I'm mainly concentrating on the driver's area.  I'm hoping a good sound curtain will help while driving.  My build is a try, experiment and make changes when needed.  Part of the reason I'm so dang slow.  

Enjoy your build.

 

[mayble]

My build is a try, experiment and make changes when needed.  Part of the reason I'm so dang slow.  

sounds like mine - construction, followed by deconstruction, then reconstruction

 

[ColdBrook]

Welcome to the tribe.  You are going to love your new Ram Promaster, I know because I have a 2014 Ram Promaster.   I am only just finally starting my build so I will be interested in what you do also.   The idea of not insulating it due to where you live really isn't an idea I have heard of before.  To be honest I bought mine used in May, took it out for a long weekend the next day. I basicly roasted to death in it.  The heat during the day made it into a broiler, as it was nothing but a big empty tin can.  I couldn't leave the doors open at night to cool it as the bugs were very bad.  So I will watch with interest how you like not insulating yours. Good luck and I am sure you will love your new "home".   By the way I am installing a roof vent/fan soon, adding sound deadening, have bug nets for my sliding & rear doors, and added window vents with bug screen for both the drivers and passengers window. And then I will be insulating mine. (I live in the north and will need it).  Good luck and have tons of fun!

 

[tnvangirl]

Enjoy your build.

Thank you - enjoy your build too - and thanks for your .02 cents. Looks like there will be at least 3 of us "muddling along" "experimenting and then making changes" that makes me feel a lot better. I'm not really in a huge hurry it just seems like insulation is the first thing people do so I thought I should start there. Even before that I think they put the rattle trap (or some version of it) down so that's where I started my questioning. You are right though the only time the noise is an issue is when I am driving and honestly it wasn't that bad but I wonder if it will get old after a while.

I hope there is enough room on my roof for both the vent fan and at least 2 solar panels (way down the road).

 

[tnvangirl]

So I will watch with interest how you like not insulating yours. Good luck and I am sure you will love your new "home".   By the way I am installing a roof vent/fan soon, adding sound deadening, have bug nets for my sliding & rear doors, and added window vents with bug screen for both the drivers and passengers window. And then I will be insulating mine. (I live in the north and will need it).  Good luck and have tons of fun!

Hi ColdBrook - thanks for the welcome. I don't know for sure if I'm going to insulate or not that's why I'm asking. I have seen a couple of you tube videos where they suggested at least not using as much if you are going to stay in a place that's really warm. I think there are a couple of threads on this forum where it is debated as well. That's why I was hoping there might be someone who had tried it both ways that could make a suggestion.
I also need to get bug nets of some sort for my sliding and rear doors. What kind did you get? What are window vents? did you just put a screen over the window so you could leave them rolled down or is it something special?
Good luck to lots of fun to you as well!

 

[sephson]

Also I want to purchase some rain guards pretty quickly for the front windows. Any recommendations would be most welcome. Is this something I could probably install myself? Or is it complicated and worth paying someone who knows what they are doing?

Rain guards, also sometimes called wind deflectors, aren't difficult to install. I put a set on my Kia Soul. It took me about 30 minutes. The most complex part of the project was removing the side mirrors, and even that wasn't terribly difficult.

It may or may not be necessary for you to remove your mirrors to install the rain guards. Looking at images of the window design online, my best guess is that you probably won't need to remove the mirrors. As for the installation, there are two basic methods. Some are designed to slip into the window channel and are basically a friction fit, while others are designed to attach with double sided tape. There are advantages and disadvantages to both methods. Neither method is difficult, though you do have to be a bit more meticulous about the work with the tape method. The rain guards on my Soul used the double sided tape method. Three years in, I've had no problems with them.

I don't know if there are any specific to the Promaster, but you should be able to find instructional videos on Youtube.

 

[mayble]

One thing I wished I had done is to put the floor in first - like on the way home from the dealer
Maneuvering large pieces of plywood without banging up the insulation I'd already put on the walls was nearly impossible.  Plus it's much nicer to work on a smooth level surface.  Right now it's just the plywood; I'm waiting to put down vinyl (or something) when the rest is done.

My rain guards are peel and stick plastic - 5 minute install. Similar to these:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G6ENOOM?psc=1

 

[tnvangirl]

Thanks for the rain guard/wind deflector info. Sounds like something I may be able to handle. My minivan had the peel and stick kind that were already on there when I bought it but they also had some weird butterfly clips that went through them. These weren't applied correctly so rain came into the van between the guard and the window. That's why I thought it might require some special skills.

 

[tnvangirl]

One thing I wished I had done is to put the floor in first - like on the way home from the dealer

  That makes sense. I was hoping just to get the bed rug and be done with the floor. I don't trust my ability to bolt or screw plywood through the floor of my van. Although it sounds like one of the more simple parts of a build. I will have to look at your build thread if you have one. Sounds like you've figured some things out that could help me too.

 

[Almost There]

I'm a firm believer in pressure fitting the plywood in a van floor.

I've never liked the concept of deliberately making holes in the floor of a van to fasten down wood. Sooner or later, whatever sealant you're going to use to seal the screws in the holes is going to deteriorate and allow splashed water from driving on wet roads to penetrate. Trapped between the metal floor and the plywood, something is going to rot or rust, take your pick.

I used 5/8" thick plywood, cut carefully to fit all the little notches and indents on the sides of the van. Cut just slightly oversized, I had to apply some pressure to the second board to get it in to place....   Once the cabinets were screwed to the floorboards, that floor is going nowhere!

And yes, one of the things if I had it to do over again - would be to put the finished vinyl laminate flooring down BEFORE the cabinets went in. It would have taken a bit more flooring but the job would certainly be  neater and faster that way.

I used the peel and stick version of the rain guards. The real trick to them is to get the inside of the window channel absolutely incredibly clean BEFORE installing the rain guards. I used the little cleaning pad that came with and then a bunch more alcohol wipes and blue disposable shop rags until I wasn't getting any more dirt out of the track. The other thing that is a vital necessity is following the instructions to NOT open the window for 24 hours...the pressure of the closed window allows the seal to adhere properly. I've had no trouble with them at all in almost 2 years and would not ever be without them.

 

[deadwood]

When I got my van almost two years ago I kept things very simple in the beginning. I put in a temporary bed setup because I wanted to be comfortable taking it out on road trip / camping trips. I wasn't sure exactly how I wanted to build or what was really important to me. After each long trip I would start to modify what I wanted and came up with good ideas on what was important to me as well as what might work.

My advice is take your time. I also realize that some get there van and have to move into right away for different reasons. But if you have the time then take it. Go out on some trips and you will realize pretty quickly what you might want and what you thought you might want are very different. You are at the very beginning and it's a long road. Take your time. Enjoy the journey.

 

[gapper2]

Very good advice.  Take your time. Take a few trips. You'll change your mind.  Enjoy the journey!

 

[Kia girl]

Rain guards are extremely easy to install. Pretty much peal and stick. If worried there are some great videos out there on how to do it. I installed mine last weekend by myself in about 10 minutes. Just make sure you have an idea where they are being placed before you place them because they are hard to remove once placed.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[BobBski]

Congratulations on your new van!!!

 

[1m1a]

I just got my 2017 Promaster 1500 136" low roof today, too! I'm in exactly the same boat as you. Going to figure it out as I go. I did order a VanRug, the reviews for that product are stellar, so I'm hoping I love it.

 

[tnvangirl]

I just got my 2017 Promaster 1500 136" low roof today, too! I'm in exactly the same boat as you. Going to figure it out as I go. I did order a VanRug, the reviews for that product are stellar, so I'm hoping I love it.

Congratulations on your new van. Please let me know how you like the VanRug. Did the thin black mat come with the van that you bought?