M109A3 cab to van access

[jhoot1970]

Anybody opened up the cab to access the van bay?
I know it will eliminate some seating in the cab but the thought of having access to the van while traveling is a must in my opinion!

 

[red]

A few have. Requires a very flexible seal between the 2 (8-12" of movement if I remember right)

 

[jhoot1970]

I was thinking of removing cab rear window>
Enlarging it and going to van and cutting same size hole>
Softening edges all around>
Using a large inner tube between the van and cab?
Getting some decent bucket seats from junkyard?

What do you think?

 

[Jericho]

It will work, do the accordian thing with pleats , Ive installed a couple , ran pieces of soft cell foam encased in rubber roof EPDM used a four section cleat to hold it to the bodies and a two piece threshold of aluminum one section on the cab one on the box that slides across each other , for foot traffic. , been installed for 3 or 4 years with no issues and I have a frame twisty 6 mph 3 mile drive way, got the idea from two section intercity buses .

 

[59apache]

A few have. Requires a very flexible seal between the 2 (8-12" of movement if I remember right)

jfyi...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZIvg4iCaj0

 

[jhoot1970]

Thanks for the vid!!!
I doubt i ever get that off road !
Sure opened my eyes as to how I am going to do it?
Pretty sure my idea with the inner tube will work.
Gonna need a bigger hole tho?

Thanks again


Jack

 

[59apache]

i would attach the seal to the box with an angle iron frame with some magnets so it comes off without damaging the seal.
I know that EPDM pool liner also works....

 

[aleigh]

The 2IfOverland kids did this with their LMTV van. Maybe inspiration. http://twoifoverland.com/meetthetruck/

 

[ODFever]

Please read through my friend Quadjeeper's build thread. He took LOTS of pictures of the van body access he created in his M109A3.
https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?129292-Survival-109-build

 

[71m109a3]

A few have. Requires a very flexible seal between the 2 (8-12" of movement if I remember right)

Mine flexed so much that I bent the pioneer tool rack!

 

[jhoot1970]

I own a M109A3 Shop van . Getting ideas on paper for renovation ideas. Main concern is cab to van access? Cannot seem to find any
pics of this being done? Am I thinking wrong ? Seems like this would be a #1 concern?

 

[SCSG-G4]

Cab and van body are bolted to the frame at different points, so one can flex independent of the other. Also, the rear cab attachment will rise up into the 'path' of the access 'door' which will not be very high in the first place because the cab is so much lower than the van body. It will be more like a crawl-way than a walk way. And we still have not gotten to how to seal up the space between the two so you do not get rain, snow, sleet and wind in general into the van part when moving. Just maybe others have thought about how to overcome those opportunities and decided it was not worth the effort. Maybe you will be different, and document your progress so we can learn a new concept.

 

[98G]

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?174272-M109A3-cab-to-van-access

did you not like the responses you got the last time you asked this question?

 

[gringeltaube]

Merged threads and moved to the correct forum.

 

[Clay James]

I did mine with one of the accordion seals. I took it on the road in High Rock Canyon, NV which was the worst road I've ever been on and it held up fine through all the flexing.