van build – Live Like Pete

Flatline Van Co Ladder Install & Review

Pete — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 16:34:35 +0000

Over the many years of camping and exploring in our Sprinter van, I have found what works with our setup and what doesn’t. If you’ve been following this blog since the beginning of our van build, you probably remember my post about our Surco ladder installation. While that ladder was initially an inexpensive and very easy solution for a rear ladder, we found out that cheap and easy won’t always...

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Sprinter Van Tour: Moto, MTB, & Adventure Van

Pete — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 20:45:30 +0000

One of the biggest challenges when building out our Sprinter van was to make sure it could serve multiple functions for all the different activities we’d use it for. This meant it had to be very versatile and transform from 4 different modes: dinette mode, lower bed mode, open hauling mode, and platform bed mode. In this post, I’ll explain each mode and a few of the additional features that make...

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Upgrading From 3 AGM Batteries To One Lithium Battery

Pete — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 15:35:08 +0000

Time to upgrade our batteries in the Sprinter van! After only 3 years, our Renogy 200Ah battery started to drop voltage overnight and was dying a slow death. Switching to lithium isn’t as easy as just buying a lithium battery and dropping it in. Lithium batteries have special charging requirements which now means each charger has to be upgraded. Although spending some extra money and doing the...

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Xplr Outfitters Sprinter Van Window Covers Review

Pete — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 19:44:10 +0000

It can be overwhelming when searching for Sprinter van window covers. It seems everyone and their mother are making them now. We had a set from a company that worked great, but over time they seemed to shrink up for some reason and not fit quite right. That’s when I tried out a set from Xplr Outfitters. We already had their indoor van shower enclosure and were super happy with the quality so it...

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Installing Offroad Lights on Our Sprinter Van – Cheap and Awesome!

Pete — Sat, 29 May 2021 16:12:51 +0000

The biggest reason we wanted to get some insanely bright lights mounted on the front of our Sprinter van is to be able to avoid hitting wildlife at night. There have been too many close calls while driving down some dark mountain roads in the pitch black. Of course, many products on the over-saturated Sprinter market offer ways to mount lights such as big fancy bumpers for vans but they are mostly...

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Fresh Water Tank Level Sensor and Gauge Install

Pete — Sat, 16 May 2020 05:06:12 +0000

Although our Sprinter van’s freshwater tank is clear and even lights up when the utility box is opened, opening it up is not always an option when we are fully loaded with gear and ready to hit the road. So we got tired of guessing how much water is in the tank and decided to install a gauge and level sensor. It was a very simple project that I have been putting off for much too long.

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Touch Screen Camera System for Our Sprinter: Dash Cam and Backup Mirror

Pete — Sun, 29 Dec 2019 15:36:06 +0000

Anna and I recently had the idea of adding a dash cam to our Sprinter van. With all the places we go, I thought it would be nice to capture some traveling shots as well as have the camera always rolling just in case. Throughout my Amazon searches, I came across a mirror that has an integrated front camera as well as a remote rearview camera that you can mount wherever you’d like.

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Sprinter Van Surco Ladder Installation

Pete — Sat, 27 Jul 2019 03:49:37 +0000

In preparation for our roof rack/ deck project, we first needed a ladder to access our roof. There are many options out there for ladders when it comes to Sprinters. A few companies are making side mounts while others make their own rear door mount version. One thing I noticed when it comes to Sprinter Van ladders is they are extremely expensive for what they are. Most of them start around $500...

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DIY Sprinter Rear Door L Track & Storage Bags

Pete — Fri, 24 May 2019 16:56:00 +0000

In my recent van tweaking, I discovered how valuable the rear doors of our Sprinter can be for storage. We already have tons of L track hanging on our van walls and it has proved to be extremely useful when traveling. We use hooks and carabiners to secure bedding, jackets, gear, hammocks, chairs….you name it. Keeping stuff off the bed and dinette helps us get our gear in and out of the van much...

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Tunes for the Sprinter Van: House Stereo Install

Pete — Tue, 07 May 2019 23:44:30 +0000

Having a designated “house” stereo for the back of the van was important for us for a couple of reasons. First off, we didn’t want to dump a bunch of money into the van’s (dashboard) stereo. That factory MB Audio 15 stereo isn’t the greatest, but it’s good enough for driving down the road and getting to our destination. Second, if our only stereo was in the dash it would require the van’s ignition...

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