Uploaded August 2019 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
#vanlife #rampromaster #vanconversion
Cutting holes in your newly purchased van is terrifying. It feels like the point of no return. If you mess up….it’s over! But honestly, it’s not as bad as you think. Just take the time to do your research, snag some help from friends or family, and get to it!
Tools and Supplies
I purchased the Maxxair fans with remotes because I found a good deal on them. It’s cheaper to buy them without the remotes. You won’t be missing out on much. I also purchased two roof vent adapters so the Maxxair fans would have a flat surface to adhere to. These were super helpful when it came to making sure the fan holes were cut center and even. I ran into an issue at the front where the ribbed pattern on the roof flips, so I really only needed one adapter. I guess it all depends on where you plan on mounting your fans. Make sure to grab some butyl tape, sealant, and flex seal to keep from any moisture getting in! Luckily I already had all the tools I needed for this step of the build, so I saved some money there.
As a side note, make sure you sweep off any metal shards left over from cutting. Those little buggers will rust your van up lickity split!
Maxxair Fan with Remote and White Lid : amzn.to/31t5Heb
Promaster Roof Vent Adapter : tinyurl.com/y5efjhul
Butyl Seal Tape : amzn.to/31t6s71
Loctite Roof Sealant : amzn.to/2KhDL7i
Flex Seal : amzn.to/2GPdMBX
Caulk Gun : amzn.to/31hHFT5
Sharpie : amzn.to/2KjiSsl
Utility Knife : amzn.to/2yKPBQp
Masking Tape : amzn.to/2YLKcmS
Drill/Driver Kit : amzn.to/2YFTPmX
Jigsaw : amzn.to/2YJikQf
Assorted Jigsaw Blade Set : amzn.to/31krZP6
Angle Grinder : amzn.to/2GOgVlp
Flap Disc : amzn.to/33c1ltp
Safety Glasses : amzn.to/2GPNWxs
Brush Set : amzn.to/2T4xQF6
Clamps : amzn.to/2YKORpg
For the windows I went with Peninsula Glass’s Motion Windows. These aren’t the cheapest windows out there, but I will say they do the job. Light comes through them and I can see out of them. The install was fairly easy too. Their website is very user friendly by allowing you to pick the type of van you have, the wheelbase, and the specific type of window you want to have. I just went with the standard half slider, but they have a couple other options that are pretty cool if you’re fine with spending a little more money.
Make sure to have the proper blades for your jigsaw when cutting your holes. In the video I show the warped metal spots on the van from our window install and I thought it was from tightening the frame screws, but now that I look back at it, I'm sure it was from the amount of pressure I had to put into cutting through the metal since I didn’t have the correct blade. The added wood backing didn’t really fix the issue.
Motion windows provides a tutorial on how to install their windows on a van conversion that is very helpful and gets into more detail than I do.
Install Videos : tinyurl.com/y2wsxxtu
Motion Windows Promaster Half Slider: tinyurl.com/y38wke84
You shouldn’t need any more tools or materials for this install. Just use the same stuff you did for the fans.
I think this ended up taking me about two days with some help. There are a couple things you’re going to have to go back and clean up or tweak, but nothing major. As a final note I will say that I was really stressed about cutting the holes in the beginning, but once we got started it turned out to be one of the easiest steps of the entire build process. I guess my point is don’t overthink it, just go for it! But be safe!
If you have any questions make sure to leave it in the comments or shoot me a DM | @dogcatmanvan
#vanlife #rampromaster #vanconversion
Cutting holes in your newly purchased van is terrifying. It feels like the point of no return. If you mess up….it’s over! But honestly, it’s not as bad as you think. Just take the time to do your research, snag some help from friends or family, and get to it!
Tools and Supplies
I purchased the Maxxair fans with remotes because I found a good deal on them. It’s cheaper to buy them without the remotes. You won’t be missing out on much. I also purchased two roof vent adapters so the Maxxair fans would have a flat surface to adhere to. These were super helpful when it came to making sure the fan holes were cut center and even. I ran into an issue at the front where the ribbed pattern on the roof flips, so I really only needed one adapter. I guess it all depends on where you plan on mounting your fans. Make sure to grab some butyl tape, sealant, and flex seal to keep from any moisture getting in! Luckily I already had all the tools I needed for this step of the build, so I saved some money there.
As a side note, make sure you sweep off any metal shards left over from cutting. Those little buggers will rust your van up lickity split!
Maxxair Fan with Remote and White Lid : amzn.to/31t5Heb
Promaster Roof Vent Adapter : tinyurl.com/y5efjhul
Butyl Seal Tape : amzn.to/31t6s71
Loctite Roof Sealant : amzn.to/2KhDL7i
Flex Seal : amzn.to/2GPdMBX
Caulk Gun : amzn.to/31hHFT5
Sharpie : amzn.to/2KjiSsl
Utility Knife : amzn.to/2yKPBQp
Masking Tape : amzn.to/2YLKcmS
Drill/Driver Kit : amzn.to/2YFTPmX
Jigsaw : amzn.to/2YJikQf
Assorted Jigsaw Blade Set : amzn.to/31krZP6
Angle Grinder : amzn.to/2GOgVlp
Flap Disc : amzn.to/33c1ltp
Safety Glasses : amzn.to/2GPNWxs
Brush Set : amzn.to/2T4xQF6
Clamps : amzn.to/2YKORpg
For the windows I went with Peninsula Glass’s Motion Windows. These aren’t the cheapest windows out there, but I will say they do the job. Light comes through them and I can see out of them. The install was fairly easy too. Their website is very user friendly by allowing you to pick the type of van you have, the wheelbase, and the specific type of window you want to have. I just went with the standard half slider, but they have a couple other options that are pretty cool if you’re fine with spending a little more money.
Make sure to have the proper blades for your jigsaw when cutting your holes. In the video I show the warped metal spots on the van from our window install and I thought it was from tightening the frame screws, but now that I look back at it, I'm sure it was from the amount of pressure I had to put into cutting through the metal since I didn’t have the correct blade. The added wood backing didn’t really fix the issue.
Motion windows provides a tutorial on how to install their windows on a van conversion that is very helpful and gets into more detail than I do.
Install Videos : tinyurl.com/y2wsxxtu
Motion Windows Promaster Half Slider: tinyurl.com/y38wke84
You shouldn’t need any more tools or materials for this install. Just use the same stuff you did for the fans.
I think this ended up taking me about two days with some help. There are a couple things you’re going to have to go back and clean up or tweak, but nothing major. As a final note I will say that I was really stressed about cutting the holes in the beginning, but once we got started it turned out to be one of the easiest steps of the entire build process. I guess my point is don’t overthink it, just go for it! But be safe!
If you have any questions make sure to leave it in the comments or shoot me a DM | @dogcatmanvan
