Due to the potential mud, mess, bacon 🙂
I thought i'd get some seat covers... rather than the £25 universal ones i went slightly more up to the £60 and fully fitted ones. They're not completely wonderful, but they're a good 9/10. It'll at least mean we can not worry about destroying the inside as much as we might before.
I know 90% of it wouldn't matter to 99% of people... but the van isn't going anywhere soon, so will keep it nice for me and the laddo.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52593806983_166ebc02c3_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52593806983_166ebc02c3_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2o8x1tz ]2022-12-29_11-17-15[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
Look good. We went with the waterproof ones that Aldi sell. Have been great so far. Usually fit them when we are riding and remove them afterwards.
Abigale has the same in hers but since fitting then she hasn't bothered removing them.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52602220700_d8da840863_5k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52602220700_d8da840863_5k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2o9h8zE ]2023-01-02_09-28-25[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
Testing layouts still before heading out riding
That looks a bit excessive for a bike without an engine.
Take the middle one, rest the rear tyre against the outside pedal of the one on the left, handlebar against the side of the van and bungee it to the hooks.
Well, having stated my love for Trafics, mine cane up with an Antipollution fault. No codes. Local dealer has practically examined every component and there's no obvious fault....DPF clean as a whistle as it's doing plenty of good long runs.
Off to stealers next week to get fault sorted at great cost before deleting the whole system....what a total waste they are!
Think I might look at a smaller petrol van once sorted.. they've ruined the diesel engine for non-city dwellers by making it over-complex with Adblue etc. I get it for urban environments.
That looks a bit excessive for a bike without an engine.
They're only pull/cam straps not ratchet ones, so barely tied down really. But they're neatly spaced so not hitting eachother etc. The only thing I need to reconsider is where the 'stuff' goes as when I've got the 3 bikes in like this, the stuff gets in the way of unloading bikes. But I'll work it out in the coming months.
Just waiting for the carpet lining to arrive which will go on sides and wheel arches, but will mean I can velcro things onto wheel arches which will move them nicely out of the way.
With the air con off it gets a decent mpg as well. It's ace !
Bikes in the back as near to the rear door and all the other stuff through the side door between the bikes and the bulkhead ?
Bikes in the back as near to the rear door and all the other stuff through the side door between the bikes and the bulkhead ?
Maybe. But part of the tie down process is that the front wheel sits on the bulkhead which means it can't go forward or back. I'll experiment when it's not raining lol.
I've noticed from the photo that our eyelets are on the floor right at the rear and not up the side like yours.
Have you planned how you may need to transport more than 3 bikes
Have you planned how you may need to transport more than 3 bikes
It'll be some of those Evoc covers to separate them. Then pedals off etc. But in honesty I don't know if that day will come when we need more than 3. I did have 5 in it the other day but was only for 2 miles to the pub 😃
Another money saving tip depending on the thickness and durability of the bike shroud is that you don't need them on every bike for transit. Ie 2 shrouds for 3 bikes will suffice. The middle bike should be protected by the other two
Another money saving tip depending on the thickness and durability of the bike shroud is that you don’t need them on every bike for transit. Ie 2 shrouds for 3 bikes will suffice. The middle bike should be protected by the other two
Yup, already thought that. I was going to get 2 so I could easily do 4 bikes then. Although I've got gym mats in the short term that would be fine for that.
Just waiting for the lad to get out of bed and off to Dyfi shortly
Enjoy. We are dropping Abigales forks and shock off for servicing so everything will be ready for her trip
Not riding as its still banging it down here
Hey @weeksy for some reason I've only just come across your thread. I've also been looking at vans I've the last few weeks as my old transit connect has become (even more) unreliable. I've gone a bit smaller than you with a 2019 2.0 Peugeot Expert. Ill only ever be transporting 2 bikes and tbh it's really too big for its main use for my village shop. It was between an expert and a transit custom for me, but I preferred the drive and cabin of the expert.
We can compare at BPW on the 22nd 😂
Look forward to it mate.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52616419652_d09691718c_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52616419652_d09691718c_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2oawUrb ]2023-01-09_12-49-11[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
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That looks rather flash - what have you used?
How does everyone find the carpet for robustness? I have my ply lining unfinished, which doesn't look fancy but is really good for taking scrapes, knocks and mud/dirt. All sorts of stuff gets put in the back and I don't worry about it damaging anything (all the seats have seat covers on). The carpet looks nice but most of the vans I see are a bit fancier than I'd like
If I was leaning/securing bikes against the sides in my current van I'd not have bothered carpet lining. I lined mine inc the bulkhead as my bikes are all fork-mounted in the back with wheels off. Muddy wheels do rest against the carpeted sides though and its holding up well.
Previous van I used yacht varnish when I first fitted the ply, very practical and stayed looking great. Unnecessary but nice, especially combined with cheap lino:
Just cheap carpet stuff and glue…
👍
I pick up my van on Thursday....
Going to fit a non slip rubber floor and paint the ply with rubber bed lining paint to sort of match. The rubber bed liner will gather dirt but Its main use is for my shop and tbh it's too big for carrying the stock around so it'll need the rubber floor to stop it slipping about back there. My connect was a better size for the shop but not so good for bikes, kit and big trips.
How are you going to carry kit like helmets?
I'm tempted by some sort of large ply storage box, like sender ramps make but that'll have to wait for now as I've run out of budget 😂
How are you going to carry kit like helmets?
Currently i've got 2 sets of nets which go on the back doors
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52577839439_d77b14a6a8_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52577839439_d77b14a6a8_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2o78aT6 ]2022-12-21_04-42-20[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
They're fairly effective for carrying helmets etc. But overall it's still a bit 'fluid' in terms of what i've done and what i plan on doing for the future in terms of layout, shelves... It'll be something i learn as i go along really.
Oh man this starts getting fun when you get to the bigger pieces.
I'm doing the side piece behind the driver... it's top to bottom in height and about half a van length. I'm not quite sure how this one will go.
I've got it cut out, laid and the glue now drying with the carpet on.... Then need to flip it and do the edges onto the back side, then re-fit and screw back in.
I REALLY don't like drilling towards a van panel... i know i shouldn't drill through the side of the van, but it still makes me nervous !
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Like the look of the nets weeksy, where did you get those from please?
Looks good to me @weeksy. Tis indeed a big panel.
Ply in the back of my DCIV comprises one massive panel each side, so I decided to carpet it insitu. Avoided any securing screwheads being on show. That was easy compared to carpeting the bulkhead with multiple curves! Ended up using 2 separate bits of carpet for that with a lot of stretching.
I'm about to insulate my roof to try and stop the condensation at this time of year (need to wait for warmer weather to do ti though). Can't decide whether to carpet over the top, ply-line the roof then carpet over the top, or just leave it with the silver insulation on show.
Cover the silver lining, it will probably tear/scuff/damage more easily than ply or carpet. Probably not easy to skelp the roof but depending on what is being taken out or put in, there might be something that catches the roof.
Currently i’ve got 2 sets of nets which go on the back doors
+1
We had some nets that came with a couple of our cars for the boot which eldest_oab repurposed and hung under his bed, plus we installed a good few hooks. He then has a few Ikea bags, old gym bags, another random mesh bag etc to put things in an hang up.
Another one eldest_oab found useful was to install two 10lt water containers with taps - he says he uses it on days out to refill waterbottles as much as he uses when camping.
You can see them here on the right - they sit on a shelf and have a velcro tie back in place now.
https://flic.kr/p/2ny9F6r
I'll be using this on my roof soon
https://www.dodomat.com/collections/thermo-acoustic-liners/products/dodo-thermo-liner-pro-10mm-se
And I'll be stuffing this into all the crevices
https://www.diy.com/departments/diall-insulation-roll-l-6m-w-0-37m-t-100mm/3663602481812_BQ.prd
Really daft question, but where would I find cargo nets with suction cups? I'm reckoning getting 2 for the rear side windows of my Puggy Partner Tepee would get the helmets and gloves out the way and tidied away. No idea of size but reckon a sort of cargo bag that can be attached with 2 upper suckers and either 1 or 2 lower suckers would work.
My terrible googling seems to turn up safety netting and none with suckers (or smaller than 1.2m length!).
Those ones i linked are not suction but have sticky on the mounts, so as long as you're thinking semi-long term you could use the sticky ones.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52618771236_6b0c4baab8_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52618771236_6b0c4baab8_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2oaJXtJ ]2023-01-10_10-21-08[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
Side done... that's it till this evening/afternoon. Wheel arch next and then over to the passenger side later in week
Cheers fella
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52619361335_49ae907247_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52619361335_49ae907247_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2oaMYTR ]2023-01-10_12-40-03[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
Got slightly spoiled by the backing of the carpet tile on the top of the wheel arch, i didn't use the carpet i've used everywhere else because i wanted to put something harder wearing on the top as that's where we'll be sitting with muddy arses and with boxes being lobbed on there etc. But the carpet tiles have a thick black base, which is what we can see on the top of the wheel arch. I'm not convinced yet that it'll get left like that
Really daft question, but where would I find cargo nets with suction cups?
Magnet?
https://www.sign-holders.co.uk/hanging-wire-systems/magnetic-ceiling-hooks/round-magnetic-hook.html
The tops of the ply lined wheel arches are really useful. They get used as seats a lot of the time, a temporary table (e.g. put the stove on top of it) and as the main structure for a bed. It's actually significantly more useful than unprotected wheel arches, although they do eat into the rear space every so slightly
But the carpet tiles have a thick black base, which is what we can see on the top of the wheel arch. I’m not convinced yet that it’ll get left like that
I'd be tempted to trim them off with some 25mm Ali or steel angle and a corner protector.
I've changed the top already to a gym mat. Cut to size obviously. But looks better and is spongey.
I may use some rubber matting later on as i'm not convinced the rubber mat will be a forever thing as it's not hard wearing. But you can get some 'penny rubber mat' style stuff for not a lot of money.
Waiting for the lad to get home from school to do the next bits so he gets to feel like he's joining in.
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Getting there.. 1 panel and the wheel-arch left to do. Getting dark now though so it can wait until another day.
Testing the new toolbox/seating options
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52622915946_5193983c81_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52622915946_5193983c81_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2ob7cyf ]2023-01-12_03-29-08[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
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Better pics in daylight, but apart from the wheel arch top, it's done.
Next job is to work out what to do with the roof, but a lot of that will be decided by whether either of us plans on sleeping in there.
Looking good 👍
Headlining is tricky one. Last van I owned had a carpet lined headliner - but I'd have to stick It back up every summer when the roof got hot and melted the glue. I'm going to keep an eye out for a scrap headliner from the people carrier version of mine. The mk2 headliners pop up for about £80 but mines a mk3 so may take a year or two before I see one a t a decent cost (current £900 new).
Finished.... for now.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52623713462_b145e74da5_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52623713462_b145e74da5_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2obbhCw ]2023-01-13_08-14-51[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
The roof doesn't have to be pretty but I'd plan to cover all the bare metal as a priority even if you have no plans to sleep in it. Mine is just metal at the minute and it's dripping with condensation even though I'm not using it. That water runs off and flies all over the place every time the van moves.
If you want a cheap first layer you can use flashband like this- https://www.screwfix.com/p/bostik-flashband-grey-10m-x-225mm/22704
Van snobs don't like it but I've done 4 vans with it and it gives instant noise reduction and although it's not designed as insulation it's a lot less cold to the touch than sheet metal.
A decent job that looks very nice.
