What did you do to your SMB today?

[BIGVANS]

Originally Posted by Zeta

Replaced a leaking pinion seal in the rear diff. Only hard part was finding a thin walled 33mm socket--ended up making one. The new seal from NAPA seemed much higher quality than the original so hopefully it'll last more than 39k miles. Also replaced the gear oil with Amsoil Severe Gear.

Also replaced the blown Skyjacker steering damper, and its mate, with Bilstein 5100 gas dampers using the Skyjacker mounts. Seems fine, and they fit better.

Z

Sounds like some quality upgrades, you should be happy with the results for many miles to come!

[Gooseberry]

Swapped my egt gauge and my tranny temp gauges so the egt is my line of site.

[ehc0720]

Had Bilstein shocks installed, original shocks had about 50K miles on an 04' EB 250 with no signs of leaking just thought they may need replacing. The van was a little too bouncey or porpoising and the rear seemed to be bobbing up and down over bumps too much. I only have done a short test ride so far with the new shocks, not a whole lot of difference but much better in turns, especially when there are bumps in the turn and control seems to return faster going over bumps. May be my imagination but side winds doesn't seem to effect it as much now too. I also added a steering dampener a few months ago, helped a lot.

[LenS]

FYI
Did some current measurements:

6600R Fantastic Vent

Fan Speed Amps
(Manual)
100% 1.52A
50% 0.52A
20% 0.22A
10% 0.10A
"OFF" 0.04A

Had replaced 9w florescent tubes in rr ceiling (SMB penthouse top) light fixture with LED strips of about same lumen level---tad less but close.

Rear LED light: 0.25A
Frt florescent light : 1.35A

Dash radio wired into house batteries: 0.08A when "OFF"

[tomesd]

I didn't get them off this website but the "Stretch Net Organizers" shown there are the ones I purchased. They attach with snaps that just screw into the ceiling. I chose them because of their mode of attachment and the fact that they have a tough nylon backing that, if the bungee wears out, I can repair with nylon straps if needed. The smaller size is perfect for an iPad, btw- we'll just tuck it right in there if we're using one before bed.

Looks like they came from Greggd's link, http://www.organizedobie.com/. If so, do yuou remember why you chose these models over the other net pockets they have?

[LenS]

We have hung a net bag at the head of the penthouse bed. Good for books, reading lights and things. The bag attaches to the roof support rods (safety rods). I have also put Velcro patches on the underside of the ceiling to hold my Ipod Touch for hands free watching movies in bed.

[BrianW]

LenS, for the mesh bag at the head of the PH bed in the photo, do you have to remove it when lowering the top or do you leave it on all the time (assuming, of course, that there is no stuff in the bag)?

[LenS]

Installed hooks on the roof support poles and that supports the mesh bag (via a rod at the top of the bag --that's why there is no sag in the bag). Lift it off (full or empty) the hooks and store it on top of the bed before lowering the penthouse. Next stop when we raise the top re-hook the bag to the support poles.

[OttoVolcomSMB]

Sat in it with the cat waiting for my wife to get home from work. Listened to steeley dan and watched drunk people walk home. It was last night after midnight. I cleaned out the fridge and then cleaned off the solar panel.

[woodbee]

The first picture is of the roof of my penthouse showing the five bolts coming through. I decided to finally install a solar panel and didn't want to drill more holes to mount it.



So I did a layout, using the existing bolts and purchased a length of 1" x 2" x 1/8" wall rectangular aluminum tubing and went to work cutting welding and drilling holes to make an adaptor for the panel.

















I removed the existing bolts and replaced them with longer ones to go through the adaptor. Where the bolts come through the roof. I calked around the bolt and placed 1/4" x 1 1/2" stainless steel washers so the adaptor wouldn't be up against the fiberglass roof. I applied calking in between each washer and under the adaptor and under the top washer before I tightened the stainless nylocks nuts.





The solar panel is a U.S.A. built "Suniva" 255 watt panel. 5' 6" long and 40" wide, so I took two pieces 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" redwood and screwed them to the aluminum frame. That left a 1/8" gap between the redwood and the panel. I put calking in several places in the gap. I did this because there is a lot of flex in a panel that size. Driving on many miles of bad roads I was worried it may crack the glass top.



Everything fit well. I only had to drill two 1/4" hole right next to each other for the wires. I am very pleased with the install.







I placed the charge controller under the Goucho and a remote display on a cabinet.









The reason for the large whole in the cabinet for the remote display is that it was cut for the first charge controller that was recommended that I use. It wouldn't handle the voltage, so I had to go to a larger charge controller. I valcroed a protective cover inside the cabinet.







This is the calking I used. It seals well and stays flexible.



The panel was less then $400.00. When I put eighteen 190 watt solar panels on my house early 2006 they cost me $1000.00 each. Wow what a difference.
I have about $1200.00 in the project and I got exactly what I wanted.