Our Van Build
Ram Promaster
After a lot of research and consideration we found the Promaster to be the best choice for our build. Specifically, the Ram Promaster 2500 High Roof 159”wb. For our needs, we wanted something that was affordable as a newer vehicle with low miles. We wanted a van tall enough to stand in and to sleep in sideways in order save room for a little extra living space. Though they don’t offer this van in 4x4 which we originally wanted, they are made with front wheel drive which has worked well for us.
Other advantages of the Promaster include a more “boxy” body which makes it feel a little more open up top. Also having straighter walls helps a lot with the building process. This van also has an impressively tight turning radius (tightest in it's class!). Maintenance and repairs are not as much of an issue as with other vans. Parts are usually easy to find, and theres not really a need for speciality garages/mechanics with this vehicle. For our situation, it certainly helps to have one the finest mechanics around! (Courtnie's dad.. Thanks Pete!)
Insulation
Floor
We used 1/2” polyiso foam board for our floor insulation. Before laying down the insulation, we cut 1/2” plywood into strips to fill in the channels/ribs in the van floor and secured them with construction adhesive. We then laid down 1/2” plywood sheets and secured them to the van floor with self tapping screws and sealed them below the chassis. In hindsight and having built other vans since then, I don’t think it’s necessary to fill the channels if you use XPS foam board or another more compression resistant material that wont crack and crinkle under weight. Also framing glued to the van floor would provide a place to screw down the plywood subfloor. Anytime you can avoid drilling extra holes in the van, especially the floor, the better.
Walls
Our walls started with 1” polyiso as well. However, during the process of installation, we came across something that really changed our whole direction of thought on what we put inside our van. Sheep’s wool! In addition to being a great insulator, wool also gives you chemical-free passive filtration, helps to manage moisture and significantly reduces sound. It’s also easy to install and doesn’t require toxic chemical adhesives. We found a really cool company called Havelock Wool based in the Reno/Tahoe area that is actually also geared towards van builders. They have a ton of great info on their website, with a section for van insulation here: https://havelockwool.com/van-insulation-products. Check out the faq’s at the bottom of the page for some really good info as well. They are great people and are very helpful. We picked ours up when we were riding Squaw Valley last winter. We would suggest making the trip to meet them and check out their operation, but if you’re not in the area they also ship! This is probably our highest recommendation when it comes to sourcing building materials for you van project.
ceiling
Like our floors, we used polyiso for our ceiling with a bit more thickness at 1”. Heat rises, so in order to keep the warm air inside the van during the winter months, we wanted to have a little more insulation in or ceiling. However, after using the wool we would definitely want to go that route next time.
windows
There is a ton of radiant heat that is transferred through the windows in a vehicle. Even with good ventilation and insulation in our van, the windows are are a huge hole in our defense from the elements. For now we have been using Reflectix to cover our windows, which are held in place with neodymium(rare earth) magnets taped to the edges. This has been a huge help in keeping our van cool when its hot outside. The reflectix is double sided, so when its cold outside the reflectix also helps keep in the warm air generated by our propex heater we have installed in the van. Soon we plan to make our own insulated window covers out of wool to help keep the cold out during the winter.
Body Modifications
Windows
When we bought our van, it had no windows. Before we pulled the trigger at the dealership we decided we could install the windows ourselves, and when it came time, we chose C.R. Laurence glass. They are a highly reputable company and have been widely used in the van conversion community for years. They also have a couple of warehouses close to us, so we were able to pick our order up ourselves and save on shipping. For the sliding and rear doors we went for the factory “all glass” look with fixed windows: FW385RFG and FW384(L & R). We also decided on a small sliding window: VW1033R above the bed/couch on the same side as the sliding door. With only adding windows on the passenger side of the van, we kept a more “stealth” look on the driver side, which we have found to be beneficial when overnight camping on the street. This was the first purchase we made for the van. It was a major upgrade and really got the train rolling into the rest of the build.
Ventilation
Another one of our initial purchases was a roof exhaust fan. This was a game changer. We highly recommend spending the extra dollar on a quality exhaust fan. We run ours almost 24/7 as it really helps keep our living space well ventilated. We installed our fan directly behind the cab. For us, this placement has a couple advantages. For one, it evacuates the heat and cooking smells from our kitchen area quite efficiently as our cooktop sits just below the fan. Also our main source of fresh air most of the time is the back sliding window. With the exhaust fan running at the front of the vehicle, fresh air is pulled in through the back window and flows through our sleeping/seating area, and through to the front of the van where it is extracted out the roof. The only disadvantage to this placement is with it being so close to the windshield, we noticed it makes quite a bit of road noise. To eliminate this issue, we purchased an insulated vent cover that fits right into the opening.
Roof Rack
We went with the Fiamma roof rack for our van. Its affordable, light-weight, and looks nice on the roof. It’s also fairly minimal and has a sleek design. Its main purpose is to hold our solar panels, but we recently added one of their awnings (which only took a couple screws) and a couple planks along the edge for walking/storage space. The whole rack attaches to the factory mounting posts on the roof of the van so there is no drilling required which was another huge plus.
Suspension
For a smoother ride and to preserve the integrity of our build, we wanted some cushion from the bumps and vibrations of the road, especially with all the added weight. After some research we decided to install Sumo Springs, which are a direct replacement to the factory bumpers. This helps to keep the shocks from bottoming-out with the heavy load and also helps with general stabilization of the vehicle. This has been a major upgrade for us for a minimal investment. Installation was a breeze too. We have noticed much less bumping, swaying and vibrating. We would highly recommend these to any van owner.
Ladder
Having easy access to your roof is crucial to keeping your solar panels clean and at max charging potential. Also, if you have room up there for storage a ladder is a must. Although we were able to climb up the roof from the back with the door open, we wanted a more practical solution. We now have a Prime Design ladder that uses rubber clamps to mount to the top and bottom of the back door. This made it super easy to install and it was nice not drilling more holes into our van. It’s also fairly affordable which is always a plus, especially for quality products. Would definitely recommend!
Electrical System
With our electrical system, we wanted something that could keep us running off-grid in any situation, especially considering we are living out of our van full-time. We have the ability to connect to shore power if needed, but the power we generate from the sun usually keeps our batteries topped off. If there’s not enough sunshine, our battery bank is large enough to last us a few days before needing to recharge. We also get a charge from the vans alternator when we are driving for times when theres just not enough sun.
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Water System
We wanted to have a decent fresh water capacity in our van to be able to wash dishes, to use for drinking, and to be able to run an exterior shower. We went with a 30gal holding tank that we installed underneath the bench seat. This runs through an electric pump and is split to the outdoor shower, and to the sink. We also run it through a water heater to provide hot water at our sink and through the shower. The sink drains to a 21gal grey water tank that we mounted below the van. The remaining fresh water we use to drink after it is filtered through our Berkey Water Filtration System.
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Propane System
We run propane in our van to operate the stove, heater and hot water heater. The setup we have is fairly simple, but important steps were made to ensure that we had a safe and reliable system. We store the propane in a standard 20lb tank that you would use for your barbecue at home. It is kept in a sealed container that is vented outside the van. From there it runs to our appliances. Although it is a closed system, we are able to turn the gas on and off with the push of a button.