2018 Sprinter 4x4 RB150S Lithium Build ("Starr Van")

[rsamco]

I often disperse-camp with Starr and therefore safe/potable water is often not available. But a source of clean water often is (e.g., lake or stream). So I carry a Katadyn Base Camp Pro 10L water filter bag (https://www.katadyn.com/us/us/368-80...mp-pro-10l_usa). The attached picture shows how I fill Starr's under-sofa 14+ gallon water tank from it. I installed a longer piece of surgical tubing on the filter and insert about 18" of its end into the tank's fill inlet (so no funnel is required). 10L of water takes about 8 minutes to empty into the tank, with a clean Katadyn filter installed.

The bag is also handy for ferrying potable water when a hose from its source cannot be connected to Starr.

I sometimes carry an additional 5 gallon water container which can be filled from the Katadyn filter in the same way. That container's water is later transferred into the under-sofa tank by placing the container on the galley counter and siphon-feeding its contents into the under-sofa tank's inlet through a longer piece of vinyl tubing.

[rsamco]

We found the Sportsmobile sofa bed cushions to be too firm for comfortable sleeping. So we purchased a Exped MegaMat Duo 10 Sleeping Pad (size: "Double"; https://www.rei.com/product/113720/e...0-sleeping-pad) and love it. Although its width matched exactly our 150S bed width, I was a little concerned that its length was about 3-4" too long. But that hasn't been a problem. Folded in half, it exactly fits behind the sofa when the sofa is "made"; and, for our preferred inflation level, it folds without having to deflate it at all. It does impinge upon the opening of our lower "pantry cabinet" door when the bed is "down", but it is relatively easy to temporarily fold & hold back that mattress corner when cabinet access is needed. And, of course, it makes accessing the lower closet areas a little difficult, especially when folded back. [See attached photos]

We use a standard double mattress pad, and fitted bottom & flat top sheets. And we have a Rumpl Puffy 2 Person Blanket (https://www.rumpl.com) which we LOVE. The two-person Original Puffy is very warm (ours is down-filled) and is slightly larger than a queen size, so it more than covers Starr's bed, easily covering two people. Here's a link to a picture showing it: rs-20190424-190529-6456-HDR.jpg - Rick Samco Photography

[whwv]

Originally Posted by rsamco

Oh, I just realized that my post was ambiguous...I'm using both the Delta flow reducer AND toothpicks in my final solution. I did not try the toothpicks without the reducer.

Thanks for the clarification, I didn't pick up on that!

[rsamco]

I had SMB-W include a Lagun table as part of Starr's build and they installed its mount plate at the passenger side of the rear sofa:



I like and use the table in that rear location, but I have found (as others have) that I would also like a table for the front passenger seat when it is rotated to the rear. One reason is that I often leave the sofa down when traveling alone (i.e., don't "make" the bed during the day). I also personally often find the front passenger seat more comfortable than the sofa.

My design goals for a front table were (in decreasing priority):
a) Have the table be comfortable for keyboarding and mousing a laptop computer (primarily for photo editing);
b) Make my existing Lagun table also mountable in the front (to avoid having to store a 2nd table+hardware);
c) Avoid congestion in the passageway between the driver and passenger seats by the table and its mounting(s), both when the table was installed/mounted and when stored.

I found 86Scotty's front-mounted-Lagun solution (link) attractive, but thought that it might be even easier to mount the Lagun "wall bracket" to the seat's base rather than the sliding door's front pillar. After convincing myself that it was workable solution, I installed a custom bracket and have been pleased with the result:

[Fitz]

Nice work! I use my table in both locations in the same ways.

[rsamco]

I've received a request for one of my custom brackets... Rather than get into that business, I'll just post here the relevant info for fabricating one:

Here's the drawing and accompanying instructions that I gave to a local fabricator:

• 1/4" Aluminum
• 90 degree fold or weld
• dimensions only ~1/4" critical so fold/weld can have some inside radius
• please round all corners @ ~1/4" radius

Notice that no mounting holes specified -- I drilled them myself after determining exact bracket placement using actual fabricated bracket.

Other probably-helpful hints:

• Ordered extra Lagun mounting plate/bracket with mounting hardware (link) -- used the 4 included bolts, washers and nylocks to mount to my bracket. Cut off protruding bolt ends at nylocks. Recommend temporarily taping over remaining sharp bolt ends until installation complete -- to protect the very soft plastic of the vehicle's side panel (don't ask how I learned this ).
• I utilized two existing, vertically-aligned holes in my 2018 vehicle's seat base (they had to be slightly enlarged). The 3rd, left mounting hole did not exist. I installed all three seat-base mounting bolts using nylocks, together with the largest fender washer that would fit (in some cases, I trimmed off a piece of a washer, rather than go a size smaller). The left mounting bolt required two fender washers between the bracket and seat-base to fill the void caused by the seat-base's indentation in that area.
• I used one of the two Lagun plastic shim wedges (included in mounting package) between my bracket and the seat-base -- as a result, the table's post is vertically plumb when attached.

The stability of the attached table using the resulting assembly is very good, but it is not quite as solid as the van's rear table location. That is, there is slight flexing of the custom bracket under heavy load.

The fabricator I used is a small one here in Bend, OR: Home - Diversified Products Incorporated
The product's quality was excellent, fabricated by bending (not welding) the 1/4" aluminum sheet stock, the cost was $88 & took less than 2 weeks.

[FlaJoe]

Thanks Rsamco, that is exactly the set up I've been looking for. Good job. I have a question, how is the Stage 6 treating you and I guess my main question is the integrity and robustness of it, particularly the steering shaft extension? Anything to worry over?

[rsamco]

The Stage 6 VC suspension package has treated me well, however I really haven't stressed it yet on seriously difficult tracks. Ride quality on paved and unpaved roads much better IMO than stock. Huge improvement when passing over diagonal obstruction -- e.g., curb cut where stock suspension produced violent side to side van roll. No steering ramifications from steering shaft mod. Haven't used adjustability of rear shocks and don't imagine that I will -- decided to go with them due to their external reservoirs = lower temp/better life on washboard roads. Plan to add VC front swaybar disconnect at some point. I plan to do some serious off-roading in S. Utah later this year which should challenge the package.

[FlaJoe]

Good to hear and looking at the sway bar disconnect too. Thanks

[eradikate]

That’s a nice location for the mount and thanks for the bracket schematic. Now if someone could come up with some sort of tilt-top mechanism like on this table I think it would be useful to be able to tilt a Lagun-mounted table top and swivel it over out of the way against a wall or a seat instead of having to remove it from the mount every time.