Installing a MaxxFan Deluxe into the Roof! | Transit Van Conversion E08

Рет қаралды 16,744

3 жыл бұрын

It's time to install our Maxxfan Deluxe into the roof of our Ford Transit! That means cutting a big hole in it for the first time, too! We were a little nervous, but it's a right of passage for anyone building a van conversion... and a good warm up for the window install later! We spent a lot of time researching how to install a maxxfan, so were pretty confident.
We first made a frame for our maxxfan deluxe out of 4 pieces of timber, planed on one edge to make it easier to assemble, then pocket holed together. After that we just needed to wait for some decent weather to actually get up onto the roof. Because of the nature of it, we needed to do it all in one go and not have a big open skylight!
After a couple of test cuts (as it was our first time ever using a jigsaw), we cut the hole! It wasn't that bad and actually cut really easily. The harder part was pre-drilling all the screw holes as our terrible drill bits kept snapping on us (since replaced!). That meant losing a lot of time so we lost all the light and were finishing in the dark. Not ideal as it was so cold and slippery on the roof, but we got it finished!
The following morning, all that was left was to clean the roof and test it out, pretty happy with it! Our maxxfan install went and we can't wait to use it on the road when we've finished our van conversion!
Thanks for watching! Leave us a comment if you have any ideas, we'd love to hear them! 🙂
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Products used in this video (includes affiliate links *):
↠ MaxxFan Deluxe - geni.us/n9aQt (Amazon)
↠ Kreg R3 Pocket Hole Jig - geni.us/mbJk (Amazon)
↠ Bosch Jigsaw - geni.us/4Lvq7 (Amazon)
↠ Bosch Cordless Drill - geni.us/jFvH (Amazon)
↠ Jigsaw blades - geni.us/AqrKwYY (Amazon)
↠ Sikaflex 522 - geni.us/GS8kmy (Amazon)
↠ Heavy Duty Sealant Gun - geni.us/eAy7m (Amazon) (we didn't have this one at the time, but picked it up when fixing our window and it's much better than the one we had before!)
↠ Sealant Nozzles - geni.us/ZGl6F (Amazon)
* Disclaimer: Some of the links above may be affiliate links. If you choose to click on them we may earn a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you.
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* Disclaimer: Some of the links above may be affiliate links. If you choose to click on them we may earn a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you.
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Пікірлер: 45

@victatata 26 күн бұрын

My only hesitation with using untreated wood is that it’s susceptible to moisture which will cause it to expand.

@SelfBuiltStories 26 күн бұрын

Yep we treated every bit of wood in the van except for the seat slats and bed slats (as we didn't want anything leeching onto the fabric). That was with varnish, paint or oil depending on what it was and how visible it was, as we wanted to reduce warping but also the chance of it developing any mould 👍

@warrenscorner 6 ай бұрын

We just bought a Ford Transit! It’s both, exciting and nerve racking. We would like to cut holes for our fan and windows. We don’t have a garage to work on the van and it’s winter here in New York. I don’t mind being a little cold and hopefully we can get a few days without snow. Thanks for the videos! They are very helpful.

@SelfBuiltStories 6 ай бұрын

Cool, good luck with the project! Yeah definitely exciting and nerve wracking, in different ratios as you go along 😆 Glad the videos are helpful 🙂👍

@delboy9904 5 ай бұрын

Hi, i have just subscribed and now making my way through ur videos in order of release. I will be starting my own project soon like this and i can happily say that ur videos are the most helpful than any other video i have watched. Great job so far guys. I am looking forward to see the final result. And no, i wont jump straight to the end to cheat and look lol

@SelfBuiltStories 5 ай бұрын

Thank you very much! And no need to worry about that, we haven't published the final build videos yet 😆 Hope the build goes well! 👍

@ianstjohn4506 3 жыл бұрын

Another great video thanks. Very brave to make your very first jig saw use to cut a hole in your van. The fan looks great, though I was surprised to hear you say you were pleased to have cool air blowing in your van! I would have thought that was the last thing you wanted😂 Can't wait for the next episodes. Keep up the good work

@SelfBuiltStories 3 жыл бұрын

Ha yeah, well that's why we gave ourselves each a practice line first 😂 Thanks for watching!

@RooMonroe Жыл бұрын

Good job

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

Cheers! 🙂

@gonefilming2020 3 жыл бұрын

Congrats on the install! 👍😊 I actually have 2 MaxxAir fans on my list as well! This brings back memories of cutting my first "roof metal" to install a sunroof in my brandnew 1983 Ford Escort. Forgot to clean off the filings and the (white) car developed rust "measles" in the gutters. 🤦‍♂️ Ford repainted the roof free of charge though as they did not make the "connection" between the rust and the new sunroof. 🙈 I cringe every time I see those open stickpins on the van ceiling. I'd be littered with scars on top of my head. Keep the first aid kit in reach... 🧠🚑 Thank you for sharing - inspirational as always! 😊 Greets from Germany, Volker

@SelfBuiltStories 3 жыл бұрын

Nice one, sounds like you got away with that pretty well 😂 Yeah we kept finding bits we'd missed up on the roof over the next few days, crazy how quickly they start to rust on there...! Thanks for watching 😊

@jrewillis 6 ай бұрын

I had exactly the same issue with drill bits snapping. I was absolutely drilling straight. I think the issue based on what i had to pull out each time was the mastic getting wrapped around the bit. It then basically sheered it off!

@SelfBuiltStories 6 ай бұрын

Haha, it's annoying when that happens isn't it 😛 Yeah possibly, also helps to not do it in the dark like us so you can see what you're doing 😀

@stevemad4salmon 2 жыл бұрын

😳😳😳🥺 guys, be careful please, not trying to be the health and safety police, but planer thicknessers and many other powertools love to eat long loose hair, hoodie laces and baggy sleeves, usually doesn't end well. Loving the series by the way 🙌

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks glad you're enjoying the videos 😊 yeah we try to be careful but never hurts to have a reminder, we're aware we use a lot of potentially dangerous tools 👍

@Bk_MxLife 2 жыл бұрын

hey guys just came across your channel. absolutely loving these episodes. currently saving up for my first jumbo van. so watching you guys its fantastic to see what lies ahead. just out of curiosity what mileage was on your van when you brought it. I will be doing a motovan build for my motobikes. keep up the good work you too love it.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome, hope the saving up doesn't take too long and you can enjoy building one! The mileage on ours was on the higher side, around 180k, so we spent some time having it serviced and making sure it was mechanically sound and had been well looked after. Most of its life was spent just cruising up and down the motorway. Hopefully many more miles to be had!

@seanthomas4716 13 күн бұрын

Hi, loving the conversion videos. Can yiu tell us where you got the pocket hole jig please?

@SelfBuiltStories 5 күн бұрын

Sure no problem, it's the Kreg R3 from Amazon, have added a link in the description 👍

@esuomz 2 ай бұрын

Hey, love the van conversion series! Just bought my own van and made a start. One question... Why did you choose the 40x40 maxxair fan when the only difference is the size hole you cut and the flange? Wouldn't it be better to get the 35x35 one so you you have smaller hole and more insulation?

@SelfBuiltStories 2 ай бұрын

Hey, cheers :) It was actually the very first thing we bought for the van way back at the start of the conversion and at the time there was limited stock of maxxfans available anywhere, so I think it was just the one that was available. The two sizes have the exact same size fan though so you could easily use the smaller one and it would perform the same. Having the 40x40 possibly means if we ever wanted to we could do an easy swap out with another type of fan/skylight, but in reality if our fan ever broke we'd buy the exact same one as it's so good, pretty much have it on 24/7 through all weather unless we're driving and still going strong 😀 We don't have a problem insulation wise, can get the van nice and toasty. But an extra bit of insulation can't hurt either 😛

@nigelking9620 2 жыл бұрын

Enjoying you videos,can’t wait for the next one ,what width mastic tape did you use please

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! And we used the narrow 19mm W4 tape

@stevebrown6665 7 ай бұрын

I’m obviously not a true Van lifer as I’ve never put my head out of a roof vent hole

@SelfBuiltStories 7 ай бұрын

Haha, it felt like some sort of rite of passage. Back then it was quite strange to have a giant hole in the van 😀

@henriettelien1557 8 ай бұрын

Fantastisk. Such an inspiration before I start on my own van. Where did you by all the insulation material and the tinfoil tape?

@SelfBuiltStories 8 ай бұрын

Thanks! And the links to everything we used for it should be in the description of our insulation video here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hrOXqtiUvJfRcZ8.html 👍🙂

@jacobcarton3961 Жыл бұрын

Nice work! What tape do you use here? Also can you recommend a tape to stop windows sagging once they are freshly bonded?

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

Cheers :) And if you mean the tape for building up the layers for the frame to sit on, then we used W4 mastic sealing strip which is essentially butyl tape. And to hold them in place while they were bonding we just used lots of blue painters tape pulled pretty tightly. We wanted to use something that wouldn't leave a sticky residue when we took it off. But for the big window also have window suction cups so we attached those on the inside, looped some rope through and attached them to the other side of the van, to pull it in place while it was setting too. Not sure how much extra that did but we figured it couldn't hurt 😛

@ciccorilla 2 жыл бұрын

Well done. Have you had any issues with the fan or remote since installed?

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks 🙂 and no issues, we're really happy with it. Remote has always worked, doesn't use much power and can be used in the rain too 👍

@boyojones 2 жыл бұрын

Someone needs a flood lights on the shed🤣💡

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Ha, yeah that might have been useful 😀 Fortunately we haven't had to work externally on the van in the dark very much apart from for this 😬

@boyojones 2 жыл бұрын

@@SelfBuiltStories get one up there and you'll find you would use it more often, keep up the good work though 👍

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks 🙂

@diovanialmeida3420 Жыл бұрын

👏👏👏👍👍🙏🙏🙏🙂🙂🙂

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

🙂

@pet_cow_5452 7 ай бұрын

Am sitting on my roof in the middle of the night under a tarp and those bloody screws won't align just like for you! How did you get it to fit haha 😅😅

@pet_cow_5452 7 ай бұрын

Finally got it 😂😂😂😭😭😭😅😅😅

@SelfBuiltStories 7 ай бұрын

Haha ah man, we feel your pain! Yeah it was just a lot of shimmying around and trial and error until eventually it fit, not ideal! Glad you got it sorted 😅

@pet_cow_5452 7 ай бұрын

Thank you!!! You guys seriously are the best@@SelfBuiltStories

@SelfBuiltStories 6 ай бұрын

@@pet_cow_5452 ❤

@dj516nadz 2 жыл бұрын

the main reason for drill bits snapping is that people dont drill straight in. they always drill at an angle and putting to much pressure on the bit also at an angle causing it to snap, let the drill bit penetrate by itself. drill like this __¦__ no snap with absolute straightforward not like this __\__ will snap the same applies to screw bits and screws, screw bits should match the screw surface not the surface being screwed into.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks yeah they were really small bits too so can imagine we might have put a bit too much pressure on them. They weren't the best quality either, mostly using another set now that is much better 👍