Adventure Van -> Truck Camper -> DIY.Roamer

Good catch...

However, LT rated doesn't mean much- I always go for E rated tires, as in 10 ply.



Ko

I run e-rated as well... but I load the van pretty heavy at times.

My van weighed 5440lbs completely stripped/empty.

Heavy duty applications (high pressure) are going to have metal valve stems, to support the higher psi. That's an easy giveaway to what you're dealing with.

That's a very heavy tire and are commonly used on 3/4T-1T trucks, around here. We've got a pretty good Firestone tire shop that ensures that customers get the correct tire for the application. Kudos, to them.

My friend has those on his Superduty that he uses to pull trailers (owns a trailer biz) all over the midwest. Last night, he was telling me he weighed his truck and it showed just over 8200lbs. He says those tires wear like iron.

At least, with an LT tire, you're getting heavier sidewalls, which are more stable than a passenger tire. Furthermore, the weight rating is going to be much higher, irregardless of what ply you choose.

:eek1 that can be a bit dangerous! Glad you caught it. I had the same thing happen to me several years ago on a used F350 that I bought. I assumed I needed to do some suspension work on it because it drove like crap but turns out it was just the sidewall flex. Once I put on proper tires it drove great. I suspect you will notice some handling improvements on the van too.

It's been quite a while, so i thought somebody should chime in:

Geek, you suck.

No, there are some really queepy specs. Even the type of anti-seize is different. I wish I could find the details on SprinterSource. Try Dennis (lindenengineering) on Sprinter Source. He appears to be guru and is in your neck of the woods.




.

I pretended my Sprinter was a snow banking today. It's in camouflage.




Route 112 - The Kancamagus Highway, New Hampshire

Nice!

I've done the same a few times






...but this guy's van has us beat :eek1 - took this photo up in Ward at 9000 feet.

I think that would be the only one that might allow me to walk upright in it, rather than like a cave man. :huh

My current vehicle is a 2001 at 235,000 miles, and my new one is a 1999 at 62,000 miles. I applaud you on the miles even though you use it for work more than pleasure sometimes.

170 is the length Sam... all the Sprinters talls are 76.4" height inside... there's no hope for your 6'8" self

...there is a "mega roof" version of the van available.. but they are hard to find. Its interior height is 84"

The T1N series (2002-2006) -at least mine- has the heavy duty glop on the undercarriage. And the craptastic cheap white paint on the topside.

I ought to wax mine too, here in the midwest rust belt.

Very nice tires. I use the Transforce, in a E rating, on my work truck. They ride nice on the road, don't make too much noise, last as well as any others I've used, and do pretty well off road. Overall I like them and am I think on my third full set of 6. I work them hard, the truck is a Dodge 1 ton weighing in at 10,580lb ready to roll and usually tows a 9000lb trailer with up to 15,000lbs on board.

Yep it's official... you short people SUCK! 84", that is 7 feet, so I would have about 3 inches of room (Shoes), I guess I better be carefull on my selection of hat.

My first *mod*. The mighty Sprinter is ready to haul a bike now. I took a wheel chock that I had in the garage. I replaced the front support bar with a piece of 1/4" angle aluminum. I bolted through to anchor points in the logistic track that were already in the floor. I drilled a couple extra holes in the front support bar so that the chock can be repositioned laterally. There won't be many occasions when I need to transport more than one bike. I'll need another solution for that. But this will get me to the track for the first vintage races in May.

In the hopes that this helps someone else:


I spent a bunch of time looking for "Interweave Fabric" (i.e. what Outside Vans calls it).

It turns out if you look for "Duramax Fabric" or "Contract Fabric" or "Church Pew Fabric" ... it is much easier to find.
It appears companies like to rename it to make it their own...



We have a dozen color samples inbound as we still haven't found the right color.


Here are the fabric's specifications:

Windows:

We basically have 4 options in the back.
1) no windows like now
2) some sort of non-sprinter specific window
3) CRL windows (which are aftermarket "Sprinter shaped windows - but you can only get an opening one for the driver's side and not the passenger side)
4) Mercedes full glass non-opening windows like we have in the front.

After lots of changing our minds.. we've decided on option 2.

The happy thought of sleeping above Crested Butte at 9000 feet, rolling over and opening a little screen window next to our faces and breathing in the fresh-mountain-air... is just too much to resist.

Next sourcing issue: Finding the right window.

We want small, *openable*, screen'd windows by our heads when in the bed.
I'm sure if we lived in Florida.. or somewhere near the ocean where they build boats.. we could go to a boat-window-store and pick out exactly what we want. As it is, we live about as far from an ocean as you can get in the USA.. so we're once again stuck looking at pictures online and making guesses (man... you'd think website retailers in this day and age would get it - but they still don't. I'm not going to drop $400 based on a 130 pix thumbnail image ).

I was looking at Outside Vans website last night (they've added some stuff since last time I looked!) and sure enough - they're now doing something exactly like what we were thinking:



...time to start surfing the yachting websites again...

I hear you on picture quality and size...

One suggestion is to look for hinged windows, I found they're better to use in rain (i.e., you flip the window up and can keep it open without worrying, even when driving). The downside is not as much airflow, unless you get couple or more.


ko

Ko: I appreciate what you are saying

The issue being the same reason CRL doesn't make a passenger side awning window - you have to clear the sliding door (which when open goes all the way to the back of the van).

Because of that, sliders are a bit more practical (and less likely to get snapped off :eek1 )

Any specific reason for a window? I would think a powered vent might be better for "smell." Then concentrate on some sunroof thingy.