Custom Van Build - FORD TRANSIT - High Roof Rack, Weight Issues and Fan Leveling Gaskets. 

The components on the roof are the minimum required, with none being unneeded. As illustrated, they add up to be more than 70 lbs over the manufacturer's rating. This will be an ongoing issue with the Ford Transit as a platform for building. I will add additional structural support to compensate for this shortcoming.

“Be a man and use real tools” … George you make me smile

When the manufacturer doesn't specify a torque setting, I usually go by the German torque standard commonly referred to as "gooden tite".

George, you’re the best! Intelligent, thoughtful and skilled. Your customers are so lucky!

If your boss hasn’t told you today, bro you’re doing a great job thanks for the video update I always look forward to seeing what you were up to!

I got lucky, mine were lined up perfectly. Nice rack.☺️

The DaVinci of Van Builds. Bravissimo Maestro! Such craftsmanship is rare today. This was a treat to watch, including the photo tips. This is the zen of van builds.

Per the BEMM all of the roofs are rated to the same 420lbs, the owners manual derates the high roof to only 220lbs based on the center of gravity of the factory configuration. Ford expects upfitters to do their own center of gravity calculations based on the formulas in the BEMM and adjust the available roof capacity based on those.

Great work preparation. It's like a surgeon! All tools and instruments needed for the operation are neatly organized within reach. I can see the pro photographer is still there in the van builder / RU-vidr with the lighting technique.

Camera and lights setup is impressive. Thanks for the roof top install.

Excellent workmanship and details with pride in everything you do with utmost superior class and quality👍.

I bought a roof rack from Flatline just a couple weeks ago after first considering 8020 and unistrut options. The weight was really the deciding factor for me. They are expensive, but the time and weight saved was nice. It was also already in stock and arrived in 2 days. I was expecting they'd have to be cut to order, so that was a nice surprise to have it so quickly.

thanks for showing the setup for filming. many people fail to realize it takes twice if not three times as long, to document your stuff as it does to plan it out and successfully complete the task itself. --great quality-- happy new year and continued wellness.

Thanks for the “behind the scene” George

Thanks for showing the camera set up, lighting makes such a difference. 😋

A little touch-up paint on those elongated holes you made would be good as a barrier against rust....

Thanks for the extra lesson in photography! 👍

George, you're a Van Build Rock Star !!! thanks for the video !!

You have supreme taste in style and design. I searched 12 years for a roof rack and when I spied one in the Pearl I buttonholed the owner to know the producer (FVC), local, a few miles away. Their business model is trim and efficient but their customer service is sterile like so many today. Their products aren't as good as you would produce but I've not found better in the last two years. My years in metal trades makes me think Flat Line refers to a positively square angle. IOW, damn straight.

Thanks for the lighting detail. I remember you saying you were a photographer in your previous life. I think you said you did commercial work??? I owned a Portrait Studio for 17 years (Families, babies & High School Seniors). Great lighting often, and should, goes unnoticed. Poor lighting is always noticed. Your attention to detail is very much appreciated.

Love your editing/milkshake making station

Thank you for this video! I will be installing a Flatline rack on a Transit soon and learned so much from this!!!

Since when do van vids provoke hilarity along with a valuable educational experience? Since Humble Road of course :-) Thank you George for the insight and the laughs and the overall impeccable quality! Flatliner out.

Thank you sir, I had learn a lot in building a camper from your channel Humble road...from 🇲🇾 the trend is coming now...

Thanks for all the great work George. Having just purchased a Transit, I can’t tell you how excited we were that you are doing two of them now.

You just keep on giving and instructing ... custom vans and ... as well as now - videography! Thanks you, for all you do, and most of all, all that you share.

You say flat lining is the last thing you want to do and ironically it exactly the last thing you will do someday. Hopefully not anytime soon cuz I love your videos and soaking up your wisdom.

Informative as ever 👍👍

Attention to detail is top notch.

Exceptional work and video, no one does it better! 👍

School is in session. I'm taking lots of notes. Thank you for these detailed videos!!!

Again, another great video. The ending shows you passion still fro photography and lighting. Well done sir.

Just wanted to say that I think your videos are great.

It is so nice to learn there is another person that notices there is a "proper" orientation for washers!!! Great info as always George.

Copernicus..!

In the not too distant future, you will see a lot more awnings designed to also have mosquito netting all around. That is a design challenge, but a real necessity in so many areas in the summer.

You're too much... I love it! Thanks for the recommendation on the Transit rack. Planning my build right now so compiling my list/resources of must haves, and this is definitely one! 👍

No one can say enough about your precision, skills, organization, and self-marketing. You're the best George. My inspiration and (difficult to reach) benchmark for my DIY Sprinter Motorhome. Thanks for sharing.

Beautiful, great stuff. ✌And hope you're having a great New Year.

love your videos, master class both in skill and language heh heh

Hi George Enjoyed your Roof Rack Install Video . Looking forward to The Next One ! Thanks

Great minds strike again! I too settled on FVC for my roof rack; waiting to see what their new model coming at the end of January brings to the table. Pretty sure those bolts from mounting bracket into the van holes are M8.😉 Great vid both informative and entertaining as always, George!

Thank you for another great episode. Not only do I enjoy the content and your meticulousness of your builds but also the care with your video production. BTW, you should do a few lightning tutorial videos for youtubers. But mostly I enjoy something intangible of your personality and humor. I get in good mood watching every one of your documentaries. This is top notch!! Thank you.

Now I feel like my FVCO rack choice has been blessed by the pope! I added the front FVCO faring option to break the wind on my front roof fan. And it looks cooler than a bar. 😉 I so appreciate the time you put into posting videos when you are so busy managing your van build family. Quite admirable, especially with the care spent your professional lighting. I have yet to start editing my van build footage. I’m slow enough as it is! But I love the puzzling process. I look forward to showing it to you when I finish it - probably around 2025😝 It has been the Perfect Pandemic Project.

Hey great info. I see Flatline has some stuff on sale right now. Very reasonable prices. Thanks George. High thumbs up on the production insight at the end!

Details and highlights with George!

Thanks George, nice rack install. As detailed as you are I don't understand why you can't cook. That's right, I said it again.....cant help myself....

Great job, but still waiting to see the mini me !

Gals play with real tools too George… lol! Like a real man.

I say “Ne Ne”! 🤣 Good morning!

Harmonics are important. Wind-induced harmonics brought down the original Tacoma Narrows Bridge for which there is film footage. I think about vertical springs on top of the roof and under the frame with round rubber feet at both ends.

Next door neighbour was fitting some roof racks to his 4WD, I was giving him a hand - we used all my tools, he had lemonade. I asked him what he going to carry, he said a small aluminium dingy and the racks were rated ( for load ) about 60lbs more than the dingy weighed. I told him to consider the wind drag of the dingy and force of the wind at 60 - 70 mph, and told him I was unhappy with the set-up and supplied my own bigger high tensile bolts. Told him and his wife I wasn't happy and if anything went wrong, it was on them. They said I worry too much. First long weekend and off he goes into the wild blue yonder, dingy family, fishing rods - the works. He comes knocking on my door on the Monday after, all gloomy with his wife and said that the dingy had torn the roof rack to bits and had come off on the highway at 60mph, onto the following car, nasty. He and his wife were going apeshit, said it was all my fault and rah, rah, rah really loudly. My son was listening for a while and went into the study, comes out about 5mins later and asked us all to go into the lounge. He put a USB stick into the tv and played the security cam footage - with sound that looks down our side by side driveways. It was high-res footage and it clearly recorded me saying over and over not to put the dingy on the rack or spend another $100 for a really heavy-duty one, got them both telling me I was a worrywart and a sad sack and also me telling them not to put the dingy on top and if they did it was on them. So just take into consideration the wind force acting on your rack and the fittings holding it to your vehicle. I was so glad my lad talked me into getting a really good camera and not that their daughter is, '' So hot, the devil would need air conditioning. '' - His words not mine.

Good to see you work with so much care and finesse George. Not kidding with the tin construction of the Transit. I had to build a surveillance vehicle on a high roof. Had to install a 15m pneumatic mast in it which was huge and very difficult to stabilize in the vehicle structure. Even the crew/operators compartment was a nightmare as rivnuts don't hold well in the flimsy inner frame. I have also noticed that corrosion on the underside is a potential issue. The van has now done around 30k and only has light use as well. Maybe the US ones are better than the UK vans? Keep up the good work.

Great to see your pro photog tips and the fact that you spend a great deal of time in the production side of your videos (unlike most all utubers). Being from the south where its hot most of the year, air cooling is something that is necessary. I'm surprised you haven't switched to something more efficient than those noisy watt hogs that most RVs use. A good high-SEER (120v or 12v) mini-split uses about half the power, is far quieter, and also provides heat when needed. Additionally, they don't add height and top heavy weight to an already tall vehicle. On the other hand, they do require something you love to do - solving the problem of where the 2 main components are installed! Keep up the good work and be careful on the scaffolding - perhaps a safety rail around 3 sides would add a layer of insurance for you and your employees.

So thanks 4 the break down on the lighting set up n camer angles, n your general due diligance the thing 2 consider re rain is angle of rest of the van it may not alway park so it maintains perfect flatness alao what was happening in the past is no where indicitave of whats poszible now expecy much more erattic weather things like massive hail dumps followed by 2 inches of rain in minutes become fairly common

Hi George, love your videos. Have you ever seen how Embassy Vans have the air-conditioner as a split? Inside and under.... pretty cool...

Hey George! Thank you for enlightening us! And for other tips and advice. Maybe I'm just going to rent one room just to put some things together. And maybe put my snow-covered pickup truck in there too.

Looks like those van windows could use some limo window tinting. Nice demo on the roof racks. 👌

Love your videos. Your the larry david of van building

Such great info as always. I really thought you were going to yell, "Makeup" during the lighting part of this video.

Big thanks for the 'behind the scenes' segment! Would love to see more of those, also involved on the shop side. I'm vey curious how you have material storage in the shop for wood and aluminum, both sheet and stick product.

@Humble Road Thank you so much for sharing your lighting setup. Are the lights fluorescents? I enjoy your content so much, and the BTS is the icing on the cupcake.

Another informative video. Hey George, since I have been a fan “from the beginning,” I know your first career was as a profession (top in his field) photographer. That is why your videos look like you hired a videographer when all time you are both the guy behind the camera and the guy in front of the camera!

1) 0:43 TOTAL WEIGHT LIMIT HIGH ROOF EXTENDED CHASIS: Transit 220 lbs, Promaster: 330 lbs, Sprinter: 330 lbs. 2) 0:47 Fiamma 45S 10’ awning = 49 lbs. 100 watt solar panels = 57 lbs. 3) 0:55 Flatline Van Company roof rack = 65 lbs (which is lighter than a custom 80/20 rack because the Flatline rails are lighter than 80/20 rails. Flatline roof rack will use 80/20 crossbars.) This rack is pre-made to accommodate the Fiamma awning and solar panels. 4) 1:27 Rack 65 lbs + Awning 49 lbs + 4 100 watt solar panels 57 lbs + 2 Maxair fans 40 lbs + AC 82 lbs = 293 lbs. 5) 1:42 Installation of Flatline roof rack on For Transit begins…

George that is a nice rack. I've seen videos of vans with walkable solar panels. It's called a deck. I believe they are on a Sprinter. With one person it would be too much weight. Looks like you will be over weight on the Transit van.

You know you threw me into a tailspin! The 220 lb weight limit on the roof isn't about the walls crumpling or any of that - it has far more to do with how top-heavy the van can be on the road without tipping over on corners! I started planning on fortifying the ribs and got way into it until the coin dropped and I realized - this isn't its structural limit it is its _practical_ limit. You did say near the beginning "perhaps because of how tall it is" and that is totally what it is.

Are you saying that lock washers have a top and bottom? Learn something new every day!

That rack system looks great! Although it seems like the roof rack will make it more challenging to get the A/C in position.

"I don't understand how it could be that far off." I guess this is his first Ford.

Nice vid George 💯...now I wonder if all the others that mount waaaay over 220 pounds up top have reinforced their setup at all....or just "wingin it"...???

Fantastic video and nice product. My feeling is weight is everything, like a serious backpacker or bicyclist. Quality and lightweight do not have to be opposites. My thinking is why carry excess weight, it stresses the vehicle, can degrade vehicle safety and limits what necessities you can carry. Is that bare metal exposed around the roof holes? I would paint any bare metal to limit future rust. It would be interesting to measure the thickness of the different van roofs. Looks like the Ford has greater flat area down the center for better opening/mounting options.

I keep the tools that they sent and put it a tool bag for the new owener in case they have to make a repair on the road if they need to.

I'm seeing rubber hockey pucks being used as cushions in roof rack systems. I'd like to know your thoughts. They also used silicone on body under puck.

How much weight savings is there compared to 80/20 as the backbones? Have you used 1.5"x3" (40/80series), run upright for backbones? You have really good & helpful data in your videos.

Your editing bay looks sweet.

George, I'm enjoying your Transit conversion. I started my 2020 Transit conversion a year ago, the Flatline roof rack was my first installation. I've come across one challenge ... the bolts that connect the 80/20 1010 rails are frozen ... at least one of them is, it's been stripped out, and I haven't found a way to get it out. It's the only failing part of the FlatlineCo roof rack for me.

Your technical thoroughness is amazing... you make shortcut a 4-letter word! I’ve been looking at manufactured and diy used vans for a little while, but your videos have set a standard that makes it hard to settle for less.. Thanks for the masterclass!!

“Be a man… use real tools” just won my sub

Probably named Flatline because those side members are formed from steel plate rather than tube or extrusion.

Hein at diyvan needs some competition. His prices are outrageously high. For any product he sells that you can get elsewhere, like insulation, thinsulate, mini cell etc……you can find it cheaper. I really wish someone else would make spacers too to bring down the price.

George, would it be an option to use brackets on just one side for the awning and utilize plastic, glue-down mounts for the solar panels (assuming you have the roof real estate)? This would eliminate the crossbars and at least one side of the rack. I’m also working to reduce weight as much as possible. Trying to avoid a roof rack entirely. Always a pleasure to watch your videos!

That is photographer light system. Just missing duck tape. :D

Silicone will be fine with the pad. I would be more concerned with the exposed metal from the Dremel. I would think it should have some prep to avoid moisture getting in there and rusting a point of support.

Thanks for creating such useful content for the community! Has anyone asked you to reinforce a roof? (Noted, comment on center of gravity; but more so for static load - rooftop deck.) I mean, how often do people climb up on to their roofs anyways? But looking at the weight limits, seems questionable to have a rack, some gear, and two adults on any roof, regardless of which manufacturer.

Need to see Mini-me Van (Ram Pro-Master City)

Did i miss where you painted the roof metal where you enlarged the hole? Rust will happen on bare metal.

Now that you have some experience with both your own 80/20 and this flatline branded rack, I am curious about your thoughts on using a plate rail vs an extrusion for the outside rails. Plusses and minuses...prefferences...

Could you do a video on your margins and running the business?

George, you are just amazing! IMO Ford as an RV van is not ideal! But then, I wouldn’t own a Ford.

What are your thoughts on the Unaka rack? Considering it over the Flatline.

Nice-nuts, I didn't know! So there's a gap between the bottom of the roof panel and the start of the "plus nut" threads? If water were to get past the silicone and the foam pad, wouldn't it leak into that void? Where is that void inside the van, in a roof rib or support strut? If that's the case, does that water drain out through a weep hole or into the insulation? My free advise, worth exactly that, is caulk the whole perimeter of the AC: Wind driven rain and the occasional high pressure wash will force water uphill.

Looks like you sold them out for the extended Transits. I guess I'll have to wait.

Do the awnings always get mounted on the roof racks? Or are there other options? I would love an awning on my future van and wanna be sure I build it correctly.

Is that a m6 or m8 thank you

Hi just had a question about the weight. I understand your concern about the weight on the rooftop, but how does the weight of the ceiling only being a few inches below affect your calculations?

Where do you suggest to purchase 8020 aluminum?

What color locktite did you use... it looked like red.

This is the rack I wanna get. I am also putting in an ac. Should I buy the rack and install it first so I know where to put the ac? I know flatline has the panels you put in the rack so you can stand up there so want to position it correctly.

Hello, can you please post a link the the item? Thanks!

Hello, can you please post a link to the item? Thanks!