Sealing up rear side vents in a 75 series Troopie??

[1leglance]

Question for the great minds out there...
I have a new project rig, 1994 HZ75 Troopie and it is getting a workover.
These are beyond rare over here in the USA so I am reaching out to you folks with a question.
I would like to seal up these rear side vents so I can make some storage pockets in the panels.

I understand these are there to relieve air pressure when the doors are closed...but with a Troopie body and the lack of really tight seals is that really a concern?
I noticed in cleaning the interior spaces a ton of red dirt has gotten in over the years so I would rather open a window a bit than have 2 big opening in the back.

All thoughts are welcome
thanks in advance
Lance

 

[Aussie 25]

Sealing up the vents.

I have done it to a few. Remove the 4 nuts from inside{ be carfull not to brake them out of the outside plastic}remove inside duct. remove outside grill. Icut a pice 1.2 mm alloy 10mm larger than the the hole in pannel. Mark and drill 4 holes for bolts. I silcone them on the inside and fit grill. I think you need to grind a pice off the outside grill. Put 4 washers on the outside studs to space it away from the pannel, oterrwise it wears through the paint in the 4 corners and causes rust. This works good.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

Not to hijack your thread but the above photos reminds me of a question. Does anyone know why the right wheel well ( in photo ) has a recessed area in the aft section ( looks like a giant dent ) and the left wheel well does not?
Thanks, ......1978HJ45

 

[lowenbrau]

Not to hijack your thread but the above photos reminds me of a question. Does anyone know why the right wheel well ( in photo ) has a recessed area in the aft section ( looks like a giant dent ) and the left wheel well does not?
Thanks, ......1978HJ45

Filler neck is behind there.

 

[1leglance]

hi jacks are always welcome when they provide more info for everyone...
and yep that is where the 2nd tank filler neck is

I was told on the 4wd Action forum that if I seal it up I will mess up the pass thru ventilation system or something like that...it will hurt the AC and such...

Aussie did you notice any downsides?

 

[crushers]

those vents are there for a reason
i would recommend you leave them there unless you want to open and shut the window every time someone gets in or out ...

the 70 series front doors already have issues with cracking above the handles in the sheet metal, more force being applied will compound the issue.

i had thought about it on my troopie build thread while i was making the templates for the storage bins and deleted that idea.

 

[prado t]

X2. I have found out the hard way 23 years ago when I sealed up the side vents on my FJ 40. I noticed the drip from everything inside. I sealed them up in the early spring in the Kootenays. It was litterally raining inside my 40.

Like in the post before they are there for a reason. To Ventilate!

 

[Aussie 25]

Sealing up the vents.

We have 12 troopies that have the vents sealed and find no problems from it. It also stopes the water leaking in the vents when they are washed every

 

[crushers]

how does water "leak" inside when the inside portion is above the upper lip of the outside portion?

just asking...

 

[lshobie]

The vents allow air movement, imagine a box with only one opening and you trying to blow air in it - flow isn't so good, then poke a hole of the other side of the box and the air flows much better - that is the reason.

It will still work if you plug the vents but will work like the little selector on the heater panel is on recirc all the time - not so good for de-fogging or drying it out - getting rid of fart smells etc., harder to get fresh air in - I wouldn't plug it especially in canada where we need to defrost and dry out our trucks in the winter.

 

[1leglance]

I really like the range of folks we have here on mud but sometimes I think that can cause conflicts...
I can understand how up North the vents might help...but I am wondering about someone like me in the desert, where the AC is mission critical and on recirc all the time.
I would think the more sealed the rig the better the inside temp will be with the AC.
However I understand the door issue and don't want any problems.
Maybe I will split the difference and seal up 1 of them

 

[Aussie 25]

The tempeture here ranger from about 8c to 36c , the troopier dont run aircon, the rear side pannels are replaced with wood 3ply because of where they work,so no holes are cut inside for the rear vents to work. After the 3 days driving on the beach they are given a good wash. Some have been doing this for 8 years . We find by fully sealing the side vent no water enters the rear panels. As for the doors cracking all the early doors without the intrusion bars crack bad, the later ones after 1996 with the intrusion bar are a lot better. All the pop top and high top troopies in AUS have the vents blocked off by the cupbords and bed as well. So realy it doesent here.

 

[lowenbrau]

I really like the range of folks we have here on mud but sometimes I think that can cause conflicts...
I can understand how up North the vents might help...but I am wondering about someone like me in the desert, where the AC is mission critical and on recirc all the time.
I would think the more sealed the rig the better the inside temp will be with the AC.
However I understand the door issue and don't want any problems.
Maybe I will split the difference and seal up 1 of them

This MOP explains why otherwise rust free desert rigs begin to rust from the inside out behind the rain gutters. The cold air condenses there and the lack of circulation holds it above the headliner. Even the rustiest salt belt rigs will be solid at the gutters because recirculating air setting is rarely chosen in climates where the windows fog/frost up.

I would look for other ways to create ventilation if I really wanted to use those spaces for storage ( and I would). Cut a vent into the rear door behind the spare tire if you don't think you'll get too much exhaust smell.

 

[crushers]

each to their own, i wouldn't even in desert conditions.

especially since this is a 1994 that is being discussed and the cracking in the top rail IS a serious concern.

but,

it isn't my truck or my money so what do i care?

 

[crushers]

nice catch, interesting thought process ...

This MOP explains why otherwise rust free desert rigs begin to rust from the inside out behind the rain gutters. The cold air condenses there and the lack of circulation holds it above the headliner. Even the rustiest salt belt rigs will be solid at the gutters because recirculating air setting is rarely chosen in climates where the windows fog/frost up.

I would look for other ways to create ventilation if I really wanted to use those spaces for storage ( and I would). Cut a vent into the rear door behind the spare tire if you don't think you'll get too much exhaust smell.

 

[Aussie 25]

The doors it troopies dont crack as bad as a troopcarrier because of the volume of air to compress inside, unlike a SWB or a ute. As for the rust in the roof, if you ruseproof it properly it will extend its life by years.

 

[cambelt]

The vents do serve as a good purpose of ventilating the cab but if you check closely , when you wash the car or drive in the rain , water pools in the bottem of the vent ( yes i know there is a one way rubber flap but it doesnt keep the water out) and then condensates up into the roof hence rusting the car from the inside out .
I block them all off in melbourne AUS and have never had a roof rust yet. For sure you can feel the doors dont close as easy but i tend to just close them slowly then push shut .
Toyota call it planned obsolesence to give the body a life span . Just like the square chassis plug holes that dont seem to have plugs in them anymore and more holes in the wheel areas.
Dave

 

[crushers]

how do you "close slowly and push" from the inside?

water in, water out, slots in the bottom of the doors.

square chassis plug holes?? WTF? those holes are in the side of the frame, what is your point?

so your saying that you get so much rain in Melbourne that you have a constant pool of water in the vents and it condensats on the roof and rots the roof?? are you serious?

next.

 

[1leglance]

Great thread guys and I am listening and learning...
of course I might just split the difference and seal up 1 side that way everyone is a little happy or a little pissed

 

[goldchaser]

Sure as hell leak!
At the mo im putting new int panels in my girls 75,one rear quarter was 3-4inch of water,not the first ive seen either.
We had troopys in West oz for a tour mob i was working for,one had a real bad smell i just couldn't track down,anyway found it,one quarter nearly full and old rotten water,pulled the plug and she drained for half hour i reckon.
Plug em if you can,or do what i did to my 60 vents,memory is a bit dicy but i pulled them out and maybe to pieces then glued like air filter foam where old foam was or used to be. Keeps dust out.