Vagabound's Build-Out - 1993 Ford E350 Box Truck

[BradKW]

If you ever want to increase or decrease the tension, or need to balance the pull side to side, just ask. It can actually be dangerous without knowing all the forces in play... launched a screwdriver once with enough force to kill someone...

 

[Vagabound]

If you ever want to increase or decrease the tension, or need to balance the pull side to side, just ask. It can actually be dangerous without knowing all the forces in play... launched a screwdriver once with enough force to kill someone...

Okay, I will, thanks. 

Despite it being my first time, I think I could sense that it was a pretty dangerous mechanism. I never did anything with the door mechanisms under tension, except standing in my homemade stirrup and pulling the cable down. Otherwise all cable and wheel adjustments were made when it was not under tension. I can believe the screwdriver thing. Like I said, it was all I could do to pull the cable down even 6 inches with about 250 pounds of force on it.

Vagabound

 

[Dennis]

That would have been a good training video with you showing the procedue on the roll up doors, Vagabound. Lol Actually I distinctly remember doing something similar on a garage door...
I don't have any experience with Sikaflex but sounds good. I just used some DAP 3.0 gutter and flashing sealant yesterday. Wish it was white but can be painted with acrylic latex paint. Trying to beat the weather also.

 

[highdesertranger]

I got the part of the shed but the door goes forward as much as it is tall. so are you putting the shed wall at the end of the door runner. that would be cutting into your space or are you planning on boxing in the whole area that the runners take up? still a lot of wasted space in my book. mind you I am just curious. it's your truck and you can do whatever you want. highdesertranger

 

[Vagabound]

I got the part of the shed but the door goes forward as much as it is tall.  so are you putting the shed wall at the end of the door runner.  that would be cutting into your space or are you planning on boxing in the whole area that the runners take up?  still a lot of wasted space in my book.  mind you I am just curious.  it's your truck and you can do whatever you want.   highdesertranger

I choose Door Number 2!

Imagine the roll-up door pulled all the way up. It lays flat against the ceiling more or less for about 6 feet into the box. I'm going to encase that area in a false ceiling, or maybe what you would call a drop ceiling. Even after doing that, I will still have standing room in that portion under the roll-up door. However, that isn't really a 6-foot intrusion into the living space because two and a half feet of that is already the shed and never would be the living space. So for three and a half feet of my living space ceiling, there's a little less headspace. Not a bad trade-off, in my mind, for a shed, and for not having to screw with removing a roll-up door and building barn doors or something.

Just for future reference, I know you're just being polite, but nobody needs to tell me that it's my truck (my decision). I know that. I also know how to interpret comments and suggestions and enthusiasm and insinuations about my general stupidity if they apply. ;-)

So, all in all, just say what you want to say. No need to tiptoe.   If I think that someone is being a plingus, I'll let them know.

Vagabound

 

[highdesertranger]

thanks for explaining that. the way you described it is how I was thinking. it would be the only way to go to get it sealed. while you are at you could make it a little longer and use it for storage or lighting or speakers. highdesertranger

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

In my mind I was thinking if I do finally decide on a box truck I'd nix the roll up door and build a single door or barn doors. But I really like the shed idea and boxing in the remaining 3.5' of door is perfect. Plus I will want to carry more tools than the average bear. Perhaps not as much as HDR, but I might be close!

Glad you decided to do a build page. I'm enjoying being a passenger on your adventure.

 

[Vagabound]

In my mind I was thinking if I do finally decide on a box truck I'd nix the roll up door and build a single door or barn doors.  But I really like the shed idea and boxing in the remaining 3.5' of door is perfect.  Plus I will want to carry more tools than the average bear.  Perhaps not as much as HDR, but I might be close!

Glad you decided to do a build page.  I'm enjoying being a passenger on your adventure.

You know how when you get interested in something, like a build-out of a vehicle for example, you get on the internet and spend entirely too much time reading things and watching videos, etc.   It can seem damn near endless and borderline addictive.   Well, among other things, I did that with vans and box trucks. 

During that time, I was probably exposed to over a thousand ideas. However, the most impressive single idea related to box trucks was the shed / garage at the back.  It appealed to me instantly and in several ways.   I knew that, if I got a box truck, I would definitely make a shed no matter what else I did or did not do.

Glad that you enjoy the conversation about my build.  Thanks for coming along for the ride. It's more useful and enjoyable for me as well.

Vagabound

 

[jimindenver]

I'd love to have a shed.

 

[highdesertranger]

my dog sheds. does that count. highdesertranger

 

[jimindenver]

Depends if it sheds enough to store something in it.

 

[Vagabound]

my dog sheds.  does that count.  highdesertranger

Yes. You may officially join the shed club. Anybody with a dog gets a discount. ;-)

Vagabound

 

[Vagabound]

Just for fun ...

I must admit since being in Pahrump NV, the thought did cross my mind that the Nevada Test Site for nuclear testing back in the 1950s through the early 1990s is only about an hour or so from here. And that got me to thinking about impact on water quality. And then, I more or less put it out of my mind ...

... until a neighbor brought over some carrots from his garden to share.



Vagabound

 

[LeeRevell]

I am enjoying your build out too. Sometimes, at a store parking lot, I see the van-cab box trucks. I look them over, see all that underbox space, and think about tankage and stowage that could be built there, and imaging what a great camper/dwelling vehicle one of these would make.

 

[rvpopeye]

I've seen shed storage in many van and truck builds.
I really like the idea.
I wish I had that much outside storage in my Class C !!!

 

[Vagabound]

I am enjoying your build out too.  Sometimes, at a store parking lot, I see the van-cab box trucks.  I look them over, see all that underbox space, and think about tankage and stowage that could be built there, and imaging what a great camper/dwelling vehicle one of these would make.

Lee,

Cool.  Funny you should mention the underbox storage. I've been thinking about the same thing. Just behind the cab under the box there's a space on both sides that's large enough to fit something like a trunk or foot locker. I know I can get the very best stainless steel box and put one on each side. Short of winning the lottery, I'm not going to do that. 

So, I'm trying to figure out what other kind of reasonable premade, probably heavy-duty plastic box can I buy.   I'm thinking along the lines of deck boxes or large Rubbermaid tool boxes.  They would not store heavy things.

Just put two of them in those spaces, attaching them to the box floor.   Most trunks like that have a top opening lid. I've been thinking about mounting it with the front side of the trunk facing up.  Let the lid fold down away from the truck, attaching some sort of chain to each side of the lid so that the lid folds down almost into a table.  I'd have to give some thought to how to modify the trunk to keep all of my crap from falling out each time I open the lid.

Any suggestions are welcome.

Vagabound

 

[Vagabound]

SEALANT DECISION SOON:

For anyone but especially those who have been helping with the sealant information, please take a look at the 2 photos that I'm attaching. After exhausting all local sources, these seem to be what I'm left with. I need to know whether any of these are acceptable for the uses that I described earlier, and a decent substitute for Sikaflex 221?

I'll be making a decision by mid-afternoon Pacific time and buying something, so please weigh in by then, otherwise not important.

Thanks,

Vagabound

 

[B and C]

There is a rv superstore there in Pahrump.  They should have Dicor that the RV community uses.  Ask them which one for your exact application, vertical or horizontal.  I would not use house type sealers on my rig.  YMMV

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Lee,

Cool.  Funny you should mention the underbox storage. I've been thinking about the same thing. Just behind the cab under the box there's a space on both sides that's large enough to fit something like a trunk or foot locker. I know I can get the very best stainless steel box and put one on each side. Short of winning the lottery, I'm not going to do that. 

So, I'm trying to figure out what other kind of reasonable premade, probably heavy-duty plastic box can I buy.   I'm thinking along the lines of deck boxes or large Rubbermaid tool boxes.  They would not store heavy things.

Just put two of them in those spaces, attaching them to the box floor.   Most trunks like that have a top opening lid. I've been thinking about mounting it with the front side of the trunk facing up.  Let the lid fold down away from the truck, attaching some sort of chain to each side of the lid so that the lid folds down almost into a table.  I'd have to give some thought to how to modify the trunk to keep all of my crap from falling out each time I open the lid.

Any suggestions are welcome.

Vagabound

I would not expect any kind of plastic box, attached directly to the floor, to hold up for any length of time.  If it was me, I would get some of the BRACKETS used to mount those fancy tool boxes and modify them - Plywood floor or whatever - to hold the plastic box.  They're not that expensive.

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/v...mpaignId=T9F&gclid=CNGDj8_y9tACFYWEswodx0YK8Q

 

[Vagabound]

There is a rv superstore there in Pahrump.  They should have Dicor that the RV community uses.  Ask them which one for your exact application, vertical or horizontal.  I would not use house type sealers on my rig.  YMMV

Thanks for the idea.  Visited that store about a week ago.  I hadn't considered them for this task only because, well, they are much less "super" than their name implies.  Properly named, they'd be called "RV Used To Be A Somewhat Ordinary And Small But Now Almost Empty Store".  But that would be an expensive sign to get made, so I understand why they skipped it.  ;-)

In fact, they have almost no inventory at all and order nearly everything online.  If I get really desperate, maybe I'll go back.

Vagabound