Don't Drill Holes in Your Van. Plus Nuts = a Stronger and Less Damaging Solution

[@vickimathews1970]

good video instruction, thank you for sharing. I too will be using rivnuts and the rivnut tool in my next build and from some other youtube channels I've learnt to save weight and space you can directly mount your furniture using the bolts/rivnuts without the extra framing, which is a great alternative. In my first build I learnt framing is when there isn't a structure, e.g. a new house. With a van it's already a metal body structure, like having a house with walls, if that makes sense, no need to double up with extra framing unless you need to build it out to reach the furniture, it's all about learning from living. I've found my first build didn't have anything bolted to the framework and I travelled 1/2 of Australia, down terrible washerboard roads, and everything else in between and nothing fell apart, it held together no problems at all. I think too many people overthink and don't experiment by living in it before overthinking it to see what works first, e.g. Chrome from Vancity Vanlife, Matthew from VanLife Plus and many others I watch haven't put in any framing and they actually live in a van fulltime, it works, no overthinking/overdoing necessary.

[@popatop75]

great class thank you, i wish more people would use your teaching method

[@JeremiahLuke]

thank you!

[@missingMBR]

Great video. I was racking my brain for ages how I'd fasten wood to the rivnuts. This is a really good solution.

[@JeremiahLuke]

very glad to hear it!

[@charlesmoman]

Today I am adding plus nuts to my 2018 Ford 250 Transit 148" medium roof and I was going to make cardboard templates to mark the locations. I did not know about hanger bolts and I am ordering some now. I just uploaded episode #3 of my van build series, though I am farther along. I have installed a MaxxAir 5100k fan and a MaxxAir passive vent, 4 boxes of Kilmat and have two holes cut for my CLR bunk windows. We are having trouble getting them to really clamp down tight enough, so I am going to van builder this week to have him solve it for me. We will be window framing wood around them too, so that will help reinforce them. Thanks for the hanger bolt idea!

[@JeremiahLuke]

You are welcome, Charles! Those things were super useful all along the build through EZ Cool installation and furring strip installation. I've heard some people have trouble with the CRL windows leaking with a DIY job so getting the van builder involved will probably pay out in the long term. (Leaks are awful). Love your series! Ill have to watch every once in a while and see if I can learn a thing or two from you as well.

[@viveviveka2651]

Are any of the drywall types good enough? For most or many purposes? Not as strong, but strong enough? Which type or types would you recommend (if any)?

[@deathschmelda]

thank you! this is exactly the content I was looking for.

[@JeremiahLuke]

haha my pleasure! I'm thinking of building ANOTHER van and the videos would be 10x better (and the build too, hopefully). Stay tuned.

[@jimharris8786]

Hanger bolts! Genius! Thanks for the tip!

[@JeremiahLuke]

you got it!

[@Craptastic760]

Good video. I just installed a number of these and I can say with 100% certainty that there is NO NEED for a special installation tool. Some of the dedicated tools actually do an inferior job. A grade 8 bolt, oversized nut and a couple washers combined with a drill or bit driver works perfectly. These things are really soft and I set most with a stainless screw. Just don't over-do it.

[@JeremiahLuke]

I was curious about the drill method back when I was doing this...that would have been world's easier considering the time it takes to do these by hand. Is that the same method Faroutride talk about?

[@Craptastic760]

I'm not familiar with that comment but I used a Makita bit driver and a wrench around the oversized nut. After getting frustrated with some slightly out of alignment holes, I just started driving the plus nuts with only my L-track over them, and with a stainless screw. Worked perfectly.

[@jamescarroll0615]

Just bought my rivnut set and am about to go to town on my Chevy Van build :)

[@JeremiahLuke]

haha going to town is exactly how I felt when doing this in my own build. Good luck with that Chevy, James!

[@KiwiMoto72]

sorry obvious question but I assume you pre drilled the holes to put the plus nuts into? What size drill bit please?

[@JeremiahLuke]

no dumb questions in the van build world! I did not drill a single hole. In the ford transit there are hundreds of pre existing 1/4-20 holes to choose from. I used exclusively the available, pre existing holes!

[@KiwiMoto72]

@@JeremiahLuke got it. thx u!

[@hellokass.]

This is gold. Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!!

[@JeremiahLuke]

my pleasure!

[@SuperBlobsterMan]

I just used self drilling screws to secure boards. Van builds are massively depreciating assets. The more time and money you put into the van, the more money you will want for it when you sale it someday, and it can be very hard to find a buyer that will pay over market price. If you trade it in, the dealer will low ball you because they don't care about your custom build and it can never be insured as a RV because it wasn't built by a shop. All I am saying is, your time investment will only have value to yourself and don't expect it to retain value.

[@karaleigh_eva]

Whats the difference between a plus nut and a rivet nut? I was planning to use it when installing the wall farming and cabinets into my van but I’m not sure which.

[@JeremiahLuke]

I used plus nuts in my van (I didn't know the difference between plus nuts and rivet nuts when I was making this video / building the van) and I believe the main difference is pattern on the BACK of the nut when it expands. With plus nuts, the expansion on the back is quite large with plus nuts the expansion on the back is quite small. This effects how strong the nut is and how likely it is to fail (plus nuts being stronger and rivet nuts being weaker but cheaper). I have had zero issues with my plus nuts! I love em. Hope that helps! :)

[@SoCalKevin]

Thanks for the great vid! What length bolts should we buy for everything? Can you do a vid on bolt length selection so we can order them all at one time?

[@JeremiahLuke]

hey, Kev! I believe the bolts I bought are still linked below? If you have a similar ford transit to mine you should be ok with what I used... I also 100% just went to my hardware store and tried 4-bolts before deicing which length to buy a box of. Make sure you remember how many things the bolt will have to run through (2 layers of intersecting wood? Cabinets? Appliances??)

[@sandrawillick6944]

Did you use the pre-bulbed cross nuts for a reason instead of the non-bulbed type?

[@JeremiahLuke]

i did not! I did not even know there were different types until you said this...I just went off what faroutride listed as what they used for a ford transit :)

[@robbiegoldfinch8137]

Great video very good information my friend

[@JeremiahLuke]

Thank you!

[@hembellish7546]

Hello. What do you drill into the plus nut with ?

[@JeremiahLuke]

I screwed long bolts in. I think the measurement is 1/4 20 (meaning if you get 1/4 20 bolts they should be compatible thread patterns). Good luck!

[@hembellish7546]

@@JeremiahLuke thank you ~

[@the_reale_pirates_of_nj]

Did you use these for the battens on the floor?

[@JeremiahLuke]

My floor is actually not bolted or screwed down (kzbin.info/www/bejne/h6atXpqLe5yhrK8). It's .5" rigid foam insulation between grooves, .5" solid sheets of the same rigid foam board on top of that, and then .5" hardwood ply on top of all that. Sealed with 3M spray adhesive between metal floor and rigid foam, 3M between the rigid foam, and then all purpose Silicone between rigid foam and plywood. Sealed around the edges with Gaps N Cracks, vinyl sheet on top of all that and then sealed around the entire edge with all purpose Silicone again.

[@bostinaycock8316]

bro this video was so helpful. thanks

[@JeremiahLuke]

Super glad to help! I've been so happy with my plus nuts...the feeling when I bolted my kitchen and desk to the plus nuts...those things are secure as can be! Very satisfied.

[@AndreasEUR]

Why plusnut and not rivnut? Plusnuts are literally not even possible to get here in Norway, I've looked :P Would have to import them from abroad. Steel rivnuts on the other hand, I have.

[@JeremiahLuke]

Plus nuts are more robust, to my understanding! They give a stronger seal on the metal you are punching between the nut and the expanding portion of the nut. I think Rivnuts would still work...it would just be a matter of possibly having a few "break" or fail.

[@AndreasEUR]

@@JeremiahLuke Almost all the reviews of rivnuts I've seen they're using some "homemade tool" instead of a proper tool. I kinda wonder if that could be why they fail. But as I said, plusnuts impossible to get here. Nobody carries it. No idea why..

[@JeremiahLuke]

@@AndreasEUR That is a fair point, and you're right. I remember encoutnering all the home made tool videos when I was in that stage. I'll bet you'd be fine with rivnuts...

[@KiwiMoto72]

this is super helpful thank yoU!

[@JeremiahLuke]

i think it is the best way to secure things without drilling and glueing and all that stuff! glad it is useful :)

[@donnamartinez5326]

Awesome! A great video, very helpful! Thanks!

[@JeremiahLuke]

Very glad to hear it!

[@DoingLifeWithYou]

That was super helpful and very insightful. Thanks for sharing!

[@JeremiahLuke]

always very glad to have been useful/informative!

[@yellowflowerlife]

I was planning to do this but my van had different size holes in random places... it would have taken forever if possible... I was going to drill holes then insert rivet nuts but I was like f... it I'm going to drill screws in... 🤣🤣

[@JeremiahLuke]

There are SO MANY f**k it moments in a van build. So many. Too many? haha, perhaps.

[@jcardosa02]

i’m having trouble drilling holes into my van. not sure of the metal is thick or something.

[@JeremiahLuke]

@@jcardosa02 the only holes I drilled took a LOT of umph behind the drillbit...otherwise it would just spin and spin and not dig in and bite through. At one point I was on the verge of giving up it was so ridiculously tough and then gave it one last big push. Let me know if that helps!

[@jcardosa02]

@@JeremiahLuke heyyy so i definitely slept it off and just kept trying and it worked. my whole van is framed out now!!! thank god that is over omg

[@JeremiahLuke]

@@jcardosa02 sleeping it off and and trying again could be the unifying motto of every van builder haha - especially people who don't have much prior experience! Woohoo on framing! Huge step! If you document any of the process let me know! Love to see other's get closer to being on the road.

[@Craptastic760]

There's just something unsettling about a guy who's really into his van

[@JeremiahLuke]

haha so nice to know what an outside perspective sees with me and my van (which still needs a name)

[@Craptastic760]

@@JeremiahLuke Sorry man, I just thought it was funny. I did use your info on the plus nuts for a non-van related project though. Keep up the good work.

[@JeremiahLuke]

@@Craptastic760 no harm done!! I honestly think my love of this van is strange too! But the kind of strange Im still proud of :) Glad you found use out of this even without a van!

[@chriswheeler3103]

Would have been good video if he didnt talk so much ad waste time

[@JeremiahLuke]

haha sorry - definitely a fault of mine + I tend to talk like this when nervous