Garratt
Free Member
I've recently installed the GasIt system from my previous Autotrail into my new Dreamer D55 panel van conversion and thought that some may find it interesting/ useful to see how I went about it. I'm sure that there are other and probably better ways to do it, but this is what worked for me.
The picture below was the inspiration and is @Blue Knight 's Globecar. The reason I liked this rather than the filler used by @Minxy Girl and others is that I already had it and just needed to buy the recessed housing!
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So after a bit of prevarication, I got stuck in. The first step was to remove the bumper under the rear doors and expose the corner bumper fixings, or at least some of them. With the bumper off, I could see that there was a fixing hidden under the light cluster and at least one behind the side trim panel on the rear quarter. The photo below shows the screw hole on top and the side fixings with the trim panel removed, but before this stage the light cluster and side trim have to be removed.
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The side trim panel is tricky to remove. There are a number of fixing along the wheel arch and the bottom that are the expanding pin type - remove the pin carefully and then the outer fixing with two little legs can be pulled out. Then I popped the panel carefully off the retaining clips that are fixed to the van. When I did it I popped them all, but having a look afterwards, most of them are oriented in one direction apart from the one on the middle right which goes the other way. I suspect popping this one would allow the panel to be slid off the clips.
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Removing the light cluster was "interesting" as the Dreamer doesn't exactly have a large aperture to access the fasteners. The top one is doable with a socket, but the bottom one needs a ratchet spanner to undo. Fortunately I'm blessed with small hands and good dexterity - it would be a challenge for someone with sausage fingers. The opening is approx 100mm wide x 200mm tall.
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Once the light cluster and the side trim panel are removed, all of the quarter bumper fixings are visible and it can be removed. With the rear quarter bumper removed, I could drill it and fix the gas filler. The filler hose is 1500mm long with one angled end connector and one straight connector.
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The next step was to prepare the route for the filler hose into the gas locker. As others have done, the easiest way is through the bottom vent in the locker. Underneath the grille in the vent, there is a protector plate that needs to be drilled to allow the hose to pass through. I drilled the hole with a hole saw and smoothed the edges with files and emery cloth.
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Once this was done, I opened up a hole in the grille for the hose.
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Everything could then be installed. Here is the exterior showing the filler point. The filler hose runs from here, under the rear valence and through the prepared holes in the dropout vent into the gas locker.
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And here is the finished installation in the gas locker. I reused the Truma high pressure hoses as they form part of the crash-safe regulator system. The filler hose can be seen coming through the vent and up to the rear of the front bottle.
Broken Link Removed
The picture below was the inspiration and is @Blue Knight 's Globecar. The reason I liked this rather than the filler used by @Minxy Girl and others is that I already had it and just needed to buy the recessed housing!
Broken Link Removed
So after a bit of prevarication, I got stuck in. The first step was to remove the bumper under the rear doors and expose the corner bumper fixings, or at least some of them. With the bumper off, I could see that there was a fixing hidden under the light cluster and at least one behind the side trim panel on the rear quarter. The photo below shows the screw hole on top and the side fixings with the trim panel removed, but before this stage the light cluster and side trim have to be removed.
Broken Link Removed
The side trim panel is tricky to remove. There are a number of fixing along the wheel arch and the bottom that are the expanding pin type - remove the pin carefully and then the outer fixing with two little legs can be pulled out. Then I popped the panel carefully off the retaining clips that are fixed to the van. When I did it I popped them all, but having a look afterwards, most of them are oriented in one direction apart from the one on the middle right which goes the other way. I suspect popping this one would allow the panel to be slid off the clips.
Broken Link Removed
Removing the light cluster was "interesting" as the Dreamer doesn't exactly have a large aperture to access the fasteners. The top one is doable with a socket, but the bottom one needs a ratchet spanner to undo. Fortunately I'm blessed with small hands and good dexterity - it would be a challenge for someone with sausage fingers. The opening is approx 100mm wide x 200mm tall.
Broken Link Removed
Once the light cluster and the side trim panel are removed, all of the quarter bumper fixings are visible and it can be removed. With the rear quarter bumper removed, I could drill it and fix the gas filler. The filler hose is 1500mm long with one angled end connector and one straight connector.
Broken Link Removed
The next step was to prepare the route for the filler hose into the gas locker. As others have done, the easiest way is through the bottom vent in the locker. Underneath the grille in the vent, there is a protector plate that needs to be drilled to allow the hose to pass through. I drilled the hole with a hole saw and smoothed the edges with files and emery cloth.
Broken Link Removed
Once this was done, I opened up a hole in the grille for the hose.
Broken Link Removed
Everything could then be installed. Here is the exterior showing the filler point. The filler hose runs from here, under the rear valence and through the prepared holes in the dropout vent into the gas locker.
Broken Link Removed
And here is the finished installation in the gas locker. I reused the Truma high pressure hoses as they form part of the crash-safe regulator system. The filler hose can be seen coming through the vent and up to the rear of the front bottle.
Broken Link Removed
