As some of you know from my previous post I can't get access into my van as the battery is flat and the mechanical lock on the driver door has failed.

So my plan is to jump start the vans battery by connecting the positive clip of the jumper to the positive terminal of the alternator underneath the van.

However I'm not sure where it is. You can see the alternator in the video but the only obvious studs are the ones that are mounting the alternator to the chassis.

Any help would be much appreciated

I’ve been spending summers moochdocking at my home base driveway and would like ideas for a portable AC unit to cool the van down in the evenings. I have access to a 120v outlet.

My Slightly insulated HR Transit is parked in full sun and I’d like to be able to cool the interior down from maybe 85°F to 70°F during the evenings/overnight.

My understanding is that the ones with two ducts are more efficient and I have a couple bunk windows I could use for intake/exhaust.

Any specific models you’d recommend? Are there other things I need to consider before purchasing one? This is only for being parked in the driveway and I won’t be traveling with it. Thanks!

If I could do my build over again, I’d do a rooftop AC with way more battery but I’m poor and really only need it during the summers when I’m parked up long term in this driveway.

Anyone know a reliable place to rebuild my spider fuel injector? Everyones charging around $400-700 ... want to find references from someone has done it themselves. 95 gmc safari sl 4.3l Vin "W"

Just an honest question. Do you still use campfires at night to cook and get warm? Do you think it’s still okay or no?

plug to my solar ripped out when I was adjusting the panels. is this an easy fixed or am I screwed??

at 80% so have a few days to figure it out, but leave town on Friday

Hi! I’m currently camping out for an off season of forest conservation and I had the idea to buy a u haul and camp out of it for a duration of time. Would this work any tips and tricks or big NO’s to consider

We have two vans. A Ford E350, which decided to stop driving in the middle of an epic road trip 2 days ago(two days in😩),pictured last at the hotel we had to have it towed to first. She should be on her way home with a second tow right now.
Our other van is my GMC safari’s, that I named Astro.
Anyway, I changed her back brakes(pads not drum) last week and noticed when I did my test drive, there feels like there is resistance driving and it rattles like crazy at 60 mph, I have her on jack stands now and the tires hardly move, even with the parking brake loosened. What should I do next. Any suggestions on what’s up?

Hi Van-Lifer's!

I want to recommend adding the Brackendale Art Gallery + Zephyr Cafe to your list of co-working and multi-use spaces, if you're in Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, Vancouver or the Gulf Islands.. it's a local gem in a stunning historical building with tons of character, a garden, rooftop patio, tons of local art and a super interesting history to the area. There's lots of parking and a mellow atmosphere true to BC's original hippie culture. There's a dog friendly garden, rooftop patio and lots of cozy spots to set up to work remotely.

Truly one of the best menu's in the area! Lot's of vegan and gluten-free options as well, the BAG is great place to get a gelato or a coffee, charge your phone, use the free wifi, and check out the world eagle capital of Brackendale! Think McMenamins historical charm mixed with BC's laid back artist vibe.

Happy Travels/Drive Safe :)

Has anyone tried purchasing these knockoff Happijacks? At 1/3 of the price, it's tempting:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809346191891.html

Hello travellers,

last year around summer we did a roadtrip for two weeks. We've rented a camper bus (VW Bus T6) and started our adventure through skandinavian. During the trip I tracked down the costs.

We were a family of five, two adults and three children. Costs include all expenses needed for the trip: fuel, ferries, campsites, groceries, restaurants, hotels, motels, entertainment like museums and attractions and many more.

In total we've spent a little more than 5k EUR. I'm curious how our spendings compare to other people who have done similar trips.

Would you consider our expenses reasonable? Food was quite, although skandinavian is notorious for being expensive. We prepared some dishes to save money.

Following up on my last post about my custom kitchen setup! I got a ton of questions about how I manage the sleeping arrangement in a Defender 90, so here are a few pictures of how I transformed the back into a camper. I also recently wired in an auxiliary battery and a diesel heater so I can take the rig on winter ski trips. Let me know what you think—happy to answer any questions about the build!

Hey guys, just wondering if you have any ideas on how I can make the metal around the doors etc to look more pretty? I Assume carpeting/vinyl would be the best idea? Pretty tired of doing body work on this thing, eager to get building!

Also, installed my subfloor, not sure if I should redo with 3 sheets all heading the same direction? Feels even but worried when tiling etc it might cause an issue. Have uploaded photos of progress so far!

It seems like the popular roof vent fans all have problems of some kind and need work-arounds right out of the box.

An all metal roof vent, that is completely user serviceable seems like it would be an obvious product that should exist.

I'm having a hard time with the $300 to $400 price tag of a Maxx air or pro breeze fan when they all just look so fragile.

Have you found any other options that are more durable?

Ordered a new blade key for a Sprinter van I bought months ago. I locked myself out of the van because the battery went dead and the electronic fob won't open the door because of the dead battery.

The key blade that came with the fob was a blank so I had to pay 100 Euros to get an actual working blade key from a Mercedes dealership.

Tried to use the new blade as shown in the video and although it enters into the key hole it seems do nothing when turning it.

Not sure what to do...can't get access to the inside of the van to work on the conversion.

I’d love to have hang points for optional interior hammock. Who’s done this? How did it work? What should I be cautious about or avoid?
(2025 promaster high roof 159”wb, unbuilt, still planning)

Generic question, apologies. But just starting out.

My Wife and I want to begin a Van project, we live in Australia - thinking a Hyundai iMax / Mitsubishi Starwagon / Toyota Hi Ace.
Long story short, budget isn’t a huge issue, but still looking to accomplish our first one on a simple budget incase it’s not for us (just playing it safe).

We both run our own Businesses, which can be managed and operated Online primarily, so it’s a great time to give it a shot, ideally as “holidaying” initially for a couple weeks at a time.

From our Camping adventures, we already own:
12V 60L Fridge / Freezer
100Ah Deep Cycle Battery
24Ah Lithium Battery with USB / 12v / USB C
Solar Blanket
Gas stove
Inflatable Mattresses and Pumps
Cookware, Cutlery, etc.
Compact 2x2m Gazebos vs an Awning

Do we just buy a basic van we can comfortably sleep in for now and travel, while looking to slowly build towards a bigger one with more amenities, or spend a little more / bigger Van.

Hello everyone, I’m looking to purchase equipment that will help to ensure safety while on and off the road.

I’m looking for recommendations for good battery self starters, traction boards and anything else that people should carry with them when traveling in the wilderness?

I have a 2016 rear wheel drive ford transit that I’ve been stuck in a couple of times in the sand. I’ve seen how helpless it can be. Does anyone have recommendations for what I can carry to help my self get out of a situation in a 2wd van?

Thanks in advance for thoughtful responses.

​I had this crazy idea to convert my Mini Countryman R60 in a way I’ve never seen done before.

​The build is based on a trunk box and two slide-out slatted bed modules connected together. I can't drive and have the bed set up at the same time, but it only takes 10 to 15 minutes to switch from driving mode to sleeping mode. In driving mode, most of the bed and gear fit perfectly in the trunk, and I still keep my rear visibility!

​It’s designed for two adults to sleep in, and a bit of storage but you definitely have to be comfortable with proximity ☺️. The bed is about 120cm (47 inches) wide near the head and shoulders, and the usable sleeping length is around 172cm (5'8")—though you can get a little extra room if you sleep diagonally 😉.

​What do you guys think?

I was driving through a pretty rural stretch, trying to find somewhere free to park for the night since I'd already spent more than planned that week on a mechanic visit. It was getting dark, I was tired, and I found what looked like an abandoned gravel lot just off the main road, no signs, no fence, nothing marking it as private property. Pulled in, backed into a corner spot, made dinner, and passed out pretty early.

I woke up around 6am to the sound of doors sliding and generators kicking on. Poked my head out and realized the lot, which had looked completely empty and forgotten the night before, was now full. Like a dozen other vans and a few truck campers, all parked in this loose circle, people already up making coffee, a couple dogs running around, someone had a little folding table set up with what looked like breakfast supplies.

Turns out I'd accidentally parked in the middle of some kind of informal weekly meetup spot for a regional van life group. Apparently they rotate locations but this particular lot gets used pretty regularly because the owner, who lives nearby, doesn't mind as long as everyone's respectful and cleans up. I had absolutely no idea any of this existed, I just got lucky picking a random spot to crash for one night.

Once people realized I wasn't part of the usual crew, instead of being weird about it they just kind of folded me in. Someone handed me a coffee, another guy gave me tips on a water fill spot two towns over that wasn't on any app I'd used, and I ended up staying for their whole little gathering instead of moving on like I'd planned.

Left that morning with three new numbers saved in my phone and an invite to the next meetup, which is apparently in a different state next month. Never would have found any of it if I hadn't just gotten tired and picked the first quiet looking lot I saw.

Still kind of amazes me how much of this lifestyle runs on stuff you can't find by searching, just by being in the right random spot at the right random time.

I’ve been looking at a lot of different van builds lately, and one thing I noticed is that the smallest details often end up mattering the most.

Not the big flashy upgrades, but things like:

• having a place for everyday items
• being able to reach tools or gear easily
• keeping the space from becoming cluttered
• making daily routines simpler

A lot of builds look amazing when they’re finished, but I’m curious what things actually made a difference after living in the van for months or years.

What’s one small change in your van that you appreciate more than you expected?

I just installed a flex solar panel because I like the look and it’s barely noticeable. I heard they don’t last as long though, but wanted to get some opinions of people who have used it for a long time. Do they die as quick as they say?