Hodakaguy's 4wd Sprinter Build Out

[Hodakaguy]

Finishing up the L-track today.

Here I'm getting ready to cut and install the lower portion of vertical recessed track that will capture the lower panels.

And I'll be cutting and installing the forward horizontal section as well. I re-installed the OEM plastic pillar so I can cut the track for a snug fit.

And installed....

Hodaka Wife helping out today and installing the front Thinsulate insulation. Hoping to re-install the front headliner next weekend.

Installing the power wires that will power our portable chest refrigerator. Here I'm using the factory installed speaker wires as pull wire to pull in the new Marine duplex wire.

As I pulled up the new wire I taped some old telephone wire to the marine wire so that I could use the telephone wire as a pull wire to pull the factory speaker wires back down into place.

Loom installed. The power port for the fridge will sit in the rear section of the forward panel.

This is the power panel I fabricated for the fridge power. It has a Blue Seas Marine cigarette plug on the top and a Powerlet port on the bottom.

Went through and applied wire loom to all the ceiling wires. The wires are already double insulated but the extra measure can't hurt.

More to come....

Hodakaguy

 

[Daniel]

Curious what is a Powerlet 15 am? I looked it up on the net and not much info. Also I had no idea they made angled connectors like you show on the back of the Blue Sea/Powerlet plate.

 

[Hodakaguy]

Curious what is a Powerlet 15 am? I looked it up on the net and not much info. Also I had no idea they made angled connectors like you show on the back of the Blue Sea/Powerlet plate.

A Powerlet is a European style cigarette plug, they are smaller and they snap in when connected so you don't have to worry about the plug working its way out while you drive. I usually change the ends out on my refrigerator plugs to use a Powerlet for better reliability.

Hodakaguy

 

[Hodakaguy]

Daily update.....

Headliner back from the upholstery shop...recovered in automotive tweed.

Running wiring for a future dash cam and led lighting. The upper headliner area will have a shelf and bulkhead along with LED lighting inside of the bulk head.

Installed....looking good!

My buddy Mike at VanLab starting on the paneling. Paneling you say?....wait a minute....didn't you say that you already built and installed the overhead panels? Well that would be true, but Mike and I got together and decided to tweak a few things to make the fit up even better so we decided to remake the panels. Here Mike is test fitting the forward center section before covering. The track is hanging loose in this pics, they line up once tightened up.

More to come....

Hodakaguy

 

[Hodakaguy]

I often get asked about different tools I'm using in our Sprinter Build and figured I would highlight a few of my Must Have tools in a short video series.
This video highlights my Deburring tool...this tool is soooo handy to clean up edges when drilling holes for Rivetnuts, Plusnuts or just running wires etc.
Hope you find these videos handy for your builds

Aluminum Shaviv Brand Tool Available Here: CLICK HERE
Plastic Shaviv Brand Tool Available Here: CLICK HERE
Royal Products Tool (The Shaviv tools above are a better value) Available Here: CLICK HERE
Replacement Blades: CLICK HERE


Hodakaguy

 

[Hodakaguy]

Extending the drivers side wire chase board out a bit more to clear the wiring.

Now back up to Mike's at VanLab to get more panel work done.

Mike fitting panels and preparing to cover them in automotive tweed.

Mike hates being on camera so he used the router to whip up a "Home Improvement Wilson Fence Mask".....now he's ready to be in front of the camera lol.

Hodakaguy

 

[Hodakaguy]

Marine Grade Wire & Heat Shrink Terminals vs Automotive Grade.

In this video I highlight the differences between Marine grade wire & heat shrink crimp terminals vs standard automotive grade. I also cover the difference between standard crimping tools and specialized heat shrink crimp tools.

I use marine grade crimps and wire almost exclusively in all of my builds. This is the 3rd video in a series where I'm highlighting tools, materials and techniques I use while building out our vehicles.

Hope you find this information useful in your builds as well.

Titan Heat Shrink Crimp Tool - On Amazon here: CLICK HERE
Wirefy Heat Shrink Terminals - On Amazon here: CLICK HERE
Anchor Brand Duplex Marine Wire - On Amazon Here: CLICK HERE
Anchor Brand Primary Wire - On Amazon Here: CLICK HERE
Split Wire Loom - On Amazon Here: CLICK HERE

Hodakaguy

 

[Hodakaguy]

Back up to VanLab today to work on Panels. Mike is cutting my panels with his CNC machine....they are fitting like a glove!

Getting ready to install one of the new JBL speakers in the rear panel. There will be 4 of these in the rear of the van.

And installed. One 1 of the 4 installed but the sound is a 100% improvement over the OEM units....it sounds great!

Mike fabricating panels....going to look great!

Not sure if Mike is trying to protect his lungs or maybe he just doesn't want to be on camera lol.

Looks sweet!

More to come....

Hodakaguy

 

[Hodakaguy]

Day started of with an Awesome thunder storm....and one of the most vibrant red sunrises I've ever seen. This photo is straight out of camera.

More panel progress....

Drivers side lowers built and installed.....Nice!

This will be the power feed for our portable Dometic Refrigerator.

Time to get the forward ceiling panel wired back up with lights Mike did a bang up job on the new panel, it looks great!

Feeding the wiring on the Genuine Marine lights back through the panel.

And trim ring back in place.

Installing the 3 way switches

Getting ready to wire up the switches and lights....again lol.

Wiring up the lights to the switch.

I decided to use Flag style terminals (Available Here: CLICK HERE) this time around as the clearance behind the switch is limited with the insulation in place.

These style of crimp tools work good on Flag terminals

Some heat shrink added and the connection is ready to make up.

I also swapped out the ceiling wiring terminals over to Flag style for more clearance.

A flapper wheel made quick work on removing the sharp points sticking through the panel on the back side, don't need those wearing on wiring ect.

While I was prepping the Panel my buddy Mike at VanLab was trimming the B pillar plastic trim to fit with the new panels. Had to take a little material off the bottom edge to get the pillar to sit flush with the thicker than OEM panels. Fit's like a glove now!

Continued Below...

 

[Hodakaguy]

Continued from above....

Next up It's time to fabricate some tabs that will apply pressure to the back side of the ceiling panels and make sure they sit tight into the L-track. Some 1/8" x 2" Aluminum flat bar should do the trick.

Cut and Drilled...ready to install.

Tabs Pop riveted into place.

Some foam tape added to the ends of the pressure tabs to make a snug fit on the back side of the panels.

Wiring attached to the 3 way switch, panel is ready to be installed.

Anchoring the panel into place with screws, these screws will be hidden by the Maxxfan trim rings. Here I'm using a solder iron to seal the fabric where I'll be drilling the hole, sealing keeps the fabric from fraying over time.

Right on the money!

Now it's on to speaker installation and installing the power port for the fridge.

Here's the power port setup that I fabricated for the fridge power. There is a Blue Sea Marine cigarette plug on the top (Available Here: CLICK HERE) and a PowerLet port on the bottom. The PowerLet ports are great as they snap into place and won't vibrate loose going down rough roads etc. I always install a Powerlet port on the end of the fridge power cable for reliability. (Powerlet Ports Here: CLICK HERE)

Wired in and getting ready to screw into place.

I'm installing these JBL speakers in the new panels...they sound soooooo much better than the OEM units.

Speakers going in...

And installed. The fit and finish of the panels are great! If your looking for custom panels or cabinets Mike does great work!

The L-track stops short on the front for a tight fit against the B-pillar plastic.

Slider door panel curing and waiting to be installed.

With a severe thunder storm warning in effect and thunder not to far away we decided to call it a day and get both of our vans into the safety of Mike's shop for the night. More progress tomorrow.

More to come....

Hodakaguy

 

[Hodakaguy]

Continued from above...

I decided to use Flag style terminals (Available Here: CLICK HERE) this time around as the clearance behind the switch is limited with the insulation in place.

These style of crimp tools work good on Flag terminals

Some heat shrink added and the connection is ready to make up.

I also swapped out the ceiling wiring terminals over to Flag style for more clearance.

A flapper wheel made quick work on removing the sharp points sticking through the panel on the back side, don't need those wearing on wiring ect.

While I was prepping the Panel my buddy Mike at VanLab was trimming the B pillar plastic trim to fit with the new panels. Had to take a little material off the bottom edge to get the pillar to sit flush with the thicker than OEM panels. Fit's like a glove now!

Next up It's time to fabricate some tabs that will apply pressure to the back side of the ceiling panels and make sure they sit tight into the L-track. Some 1/8" x 2" Aluminum flat bar should do the trick.

Cut and Drilled...ready to install.

Tabs Pop riveted into place.

Some foam tape added to the ends of the pressure tabs to make a snug fit on the back side of the panels.

Wiring attached to the 3 way switch, panel is ready to be installed.

Anchoring the panel into place with screws, these screws will be hidden by the Maxxfan trim rings. Here I'm using a solder iron to seal the fabric where I'll be drilling the hole, sealing keeps the fabric from fraying over time.

Continued below...

 

[Hodakaguy]

Continued from above...

Right on the money!

Now it's on to speaker installation and installing the power port for the fridge.

Here's the power port setup that I fabricated for the fridge power. There is a Blue Sea Marine cigarette plug on the top (Available Here: CLICK HERE) and a PowerLet port on the bottom. The PowerLet ports are great as they snap into place and won't vibrate loose going down rough roads etc. I always install a Powerlet port on the end of the fridge power cable for reliability. (Powerlet Ports Here: CLICK HERE)

Wired in and getting ready to screw into place.

I'm installing these JBL speakers in the new panels...they sound soooooo much better than the OEM units.

Speakers going in...

And installed. The fit and finish of the panels are great! If your looking for custom panels or cabinets Mike does great work!

The L-track stops short on the front for a tight fit against the B-pillar plastic.

Slider door panel curing and waiting to be installed.

With a severe thunder storm warning in effect and thunder not to far away we decided to call it a day and get both of our vans into the safety of Mike's shop for the night. More progress tomorrow.

More to come....

Hodakaguy

 

[Hodakaguy]

Rear ceiling panel is in!....

Fabricating the rear tension strips. These tabs will apply pressure to the bottom side of the ceiling panel and ensure a tight fit against the L-track.

Installing lights and switches in the rear panel. Using the solder gun again to melt the fabric where the screw holes are located, prevents the fabric from unraveling.

Installing the rubber bushings on the back side of the panel to protect the wires from chaffing

Wired Up.

Installing the tension tabs

Powered up...

Pinning the panel to the center braces.

These screws will be covered by the fans trim ring.

And installed. The fit up is really good!

These aluminum tabs are temporary supports for the panel to keep it from sagging, eventually the panel will be supported by the rear trim piece. The tabs are held in place with VHB tape for now.

Couple shots with the Fisheye Lens.

More to come....

Hodakaguy

 

[Daniel]

Over the top. The level of detail is pretty awesome. So I saw the flag style connectors for the areas with less clearance that makes total sense. These panels look like a ton of work but they are turning out so nice and once done they are perfect for years to come.

Btw that morning shot looks crazy with the reds!

 

[Hodakaguy]

Installing the trim rings on the Fans.

I ordered aftermarket Black trim rings from RB components to replace the white units that came with the fans. I like the looks of the black trim as it ties into the black light switches.

Fan unit ready for a trim ring.

Black and white trims rings...figured I would put them both up into place and see which one I like the best.

White....

Black...

And one of each...

Yep....I like the black trim rings! Now to install them for good.

Time to clean up the rear wiring. The factory runs the rear taillight wiring harness down the face of the pillar and then into the cavity at the first large opening. This creates a problem when trying to make a panel to cover the rear area as you have to work around the wiring harness. Time to move the wiring out of the way and make room for panels....

Here's a shot of the factory taillight wiring harness....Yep, in the way!

To pull the wiring harness out of the pillar the wires need to be removed from the factory connectors. Here the taillight connector has been unplugged from the passenger side taillight and I used my phone to make a quick wiring diagram so I can ensure the wires get replaced in the proper order.

Using a set of pin release tools to remove each pin from the connector. There is a small lock on each side of the connector and you need to apply pressure on both sides of the connector at the same time to get it to release. If you don't have a set of pin release tools they are super handy and very affordable. Pin Release tools available here: CLICK HERE

First carefully pry up the lock tab on each side with a thin screw driver and lift the tab up out of the way.

Then slide in the pin release tool on each side of the connector. Push to release while keeping tension on the wire and it will slide out the back of the connector.

And removed. You can see the two little catches on the top and bottom of the connector. The tool releases the catch on each side that grab onto these tabs.

There are two more connectors on each side above the taillight that you need to remove in the same fashion.

Connectors removed and the wiring harness has been pulled out of the pillar.

Continued Below....

 

[Hodakaguy]

Continued from above...

I'll be routing the wiring back into the pillar up high and out of the way of the panels. Here I'm using a Unibit to open up the small factory hole to accept the wiring harness through.

Next slide a rubber grommet up the wiring harness and then slide the harness into the new hole and back down the pillar.

Just slide the wires back into the connectors and they instantly lock back into place.

And...no more wiring in the way

Process was repeated on the drivers side.

Wiring now enters the pillar behind the wood fir strip.

Next up installing more panels...

Screw installed to mark the location where I decided to install another power port in the drivers side rear ceiling panel.

Cutting and drilling the hole for the power port. Again using a heat gun to seal the edges of the fabric.

Power port wired in.

Panels going up. Velcro is installed on the back side of the panels and stapled in place. There will be 3 screws per panel as well as the Velcro for a nice tight fit.

Using matching colored Snap Caps for a finished Look. Snap Caps Available Here: CLICK HERE

Re-installing the LED Eyeball Light. This light will be for my son so he can have directional light while we travel at night. Light available here: CLICK HERE

Swapped out the black screws on the upper rear door panels with matching snap caps for a more finished look.

Coming together! Mike at Vanlab did an awesome job on the panels, They fit like a glove!

More to come....

Hodakaguy

 

[Daniel]

Looks so nice. I am going to need that pin connector tool for sure as I am adding some more factory headliner lights. The way you rerouted those wires in back is something I bet more people would love to do for sure.

The snap cap over the screws looks so nice. Great work.

 

[Hodakaguy]

Looks so nice. I am going to need that pin connector tool for sure as I am adding some more factory headliner lights. The way you rerouted those wires in back is something I bet more people would love to do for sure.

The snap cap over the screws looks so nice. Great work.

Thanks Mate, I'm really happy with how it's turning out so far.

Hodakaguy

 

[Hodakaguy]

12V Charger Ports - What's best for your build?

This in my 4th video in a series highlighting build out tools and tips. In this video I cover the differences in 12v power ports, advantages and disadvantages of each and when you might want to use each style in your own build.

Hope you find these videos helpful.

Amazon Affiliate Links to the products I use. When you purchase a product using my link I get a small kickback from Amazon for sharing the link. I don't get paid to review products and only share links that I actually use and like in my builds. Thanks for the support :beer

Blue Sea Marine Power Ports available on Amazon Here (Face plate is removable): CLICK HERE
Powerlet socket available on Amazon Here: CLICK HERE
Powerlet 90 Deg Male Plug on Amazon Here: CLICK HERE
Hussel Metal USB 3.0 Car Charger on Amazon Here: CLICK HERE

Hodakaguy

 

[Hodakaguy]

Door Speaker & Panel.

VanLab Mike finished up the panel for the slider door and we started to install it when we came upon a problem.....The speaker grill sticks to far out and won't allow the sliding door to open all the way. Once the door was about 3/4 of the way open the speaker grill would want to contact the body of the van, no good. We discussed a few options, changing out the speaker (But I already have 3 others mounted and want them all to match) or making some kind of recessed adapter. Solution below.....

Here's a shot of the speaker and grill mounted on the lower sliding door panel.....To High!

I thought about welding up an adapter, then though about making a ring of wood to attach to the panel on the back side and cover the edges in matching carpet. Mike came up with a much more elegant and factory looking solution. Here Mike printed my up a recessed adapter on his 3d printer to allow the speaker to sit flush in the door panel. Nice!!

The mount consists of two parts, first the recessed adapter that the speaker will sit in and second a locking ring for the back side of the panel that will allow clamping the speaker in place without any visible screws from the front.

Test fitting the speaker and grill in the adapter....nice!

Next up modify the door panel to accept the adapter.

Sealing the edges

Speaker in the vice and drilling the mounting holes into the adapter, the HUGE vice comes in soooooo handy for many tasks.

Bolts installed

Next up I used some scrap aluminum to make some mounting tabs for the rear of the speaker. Since you won't be seeing these ever again I didn't spend a ton of time making them Pretty

The Aluminum tabs squeeze the lock ring against the rear of the panel and pull the speaker in tight. Nice snug fit and no visible mounting hardware.

Mounted and looking great! The recessed speaker looks a lot more factory than the raised grills, gonna have to pull the other panels and do the same treatment to them now as well

No clearance issues on opening the door now.

Next up I need to start fabricating the rear bed mounts. These mounts will be vertical L-track sections to match the front bed mounts but I need to fabricate supports to bridge the rear windows before I can mount the track.

Here I'm holding up a straight section of L-track next to the forward bed mounts that are already installed in the van. The walls of the van here are curved and the mounted L-track is curved to match the walls. The rear mounts need to have this same curve so that the bed mounting bars will be even.

Starting to fabricate the rear L-track mounts by rolling a section of carbon C-channel to match the curve of the already installed forward vertical L-track.

One down and one to go.

Both pieces curved.

Here you can see how much the L-track has to curve to match the body lines.

More to come....

Hodakaguy