Newbie with Hyundai IMAX (Iload Starex)

MungoTheB · Veteran Member

RE: Newbie with Hyundai IMAX (Iload Starex)

MungoTheB · Veteran Member

nar 1 coat will do, going to cover it anyway :)

dogbox · Guru

looking good

MungoTheB · Veteran Member

decided to rivnut the wood supports

Had some center points from a dowel kit, but didnt stand or fit, so I made my own (the green stuff) out of a 3d printer I just got to experiment with (worked great) :)

I should call this next section IN/OUT the number of times i take the boards out & back in :)

This stuff is making me feel my age :P

AlexS · Member

Hi MungoTheB, I have an iMax and I really like it except for the inability to put anything long into it (eg ladder or kayak or bike) as the seats aren't removable, nor do they fold flat--previous models allowed it but for some unknown reason, they restricted that.

Anyway, I'm thinking of at least removing the single, sliding seat in the middle row. I was delighted to find that you've done that (6 star-head bolts). I was wondering, whether you found any information on mounting points on the floor or where it's safe to bolt things down to? How did you figure out where to put the rivnuts for your wood supports?

Ideally, I'd love to have a 2, 2, 2 seat configuration with a central aisle:

|O O|
|O O|
|O O|

But I'll probably have to settle for a side aisle:

| OO|
| OO|
|O O|

-- Edited by AlexS on Tuesday 14th of July 2020 05:39:54 PM

MungoTheB · Veteran Member

Hi Alex, for some reason you post wouldnt show until I went the long way around to see it, but got there.
if your not carrying more than 4 people, ditch the back & single, sooooo much space :)

I find the more seats I have the less people I have to transport.
As a weekender its usually only myself or one other (i dont want to be a buss driver :)

The seats CAN be removed & PUT BACK by one person (but knackard afterwards :) but easier with 2 people.

I havent updated the webpage for awhile.
BUT after I removed the back seat, I put locking wheels on it and used it for a mobile seat for a few months :) but after a few months I needed the space, i decided to ditch the seats. now committed 2 seater :)
I might check if I have the pics and add here later.

Latest is making a central console (org thought the gap was cool, but really just a waste of space)

AlexS · Member

Thanks for your reply Mungo! Once my kids leave home, I'll stop being a bus driver, rip out all my seats out, and do something similar to what you've done :D However, in the meantime, I've removed the single sliding seat so I can now fit 4 kayaks!

Unfortunately, it means I can only just fit 4 people, which is problematic as we're a family of 5.

I could fit 5 people if the rear seat had separate backs... Alternatively, perhaps I could put a 2 person seat in the 3rd row, although that would require me to get it certified (prohibitively expensive?). Do you still have any of the seats you removed?

-- Edited by AlexS on Monday 20th of July 2020 06:58:43 PM

MungoTheB · Veteran Member

sorry, no. got rid of the seats.
You havent looked into roof racks?
one of the advantages of an Imax/iload (and reason I got one) is low roof height.
unless you have a Lowwww garage, you should be able to roof rack and kayaks 2 high. (2x2 or even 3x1)
family of 5 but 4 kayaks? (3x2) :)

-- Edited by MungoTheB on Tuesday 21st of July 2020 01:59:35 AM

AlexS · Member

No probs about the seats. I think you're right about the roof racks, I should investigate them at least for the 2.7m adult kayak. We haven't got a 2nd adult kayak yet as we haven't figured out a way to transport it... :D

AlexS · Member

Did you find any extra bolt holes suitable for seats in the floor when you removed the carpet?

MungoTheB · Veteran Member

no, only the markings for the original tie down points, which I sunk rivnuts in to screw the plyboards down (which you can see in the pics)
But I wouldnt trust those for seats.

but if you approached car/seat dealer, they maybe able to offer you some legal solutions/fix/modification we dont know about(but wont be cheap, but never hurts to ask :)

AlexS · Member

Thanks! Looking again at your very helpful photos, I'm reminded that I need to also consider the airconditioning pipes... Anyway, I'm now investigating "universal" seats designed to fit in any van. I found a site with every kind of seat imaginable--I even found one that is entirely removable, which is tempting biggrin :

Combo Tourer 3 person seat-to-bed

"The Combo Tourer folding seat provides an easy and flexible way to switch between cargo or carriage space and a bed. This seat brings you the capability of folding forward to reclaim that cargo space, or backwards to form a bed. Additionally, the Combo Tourer comes complete with quick-release pins for easy removal from your van. Most importantly, it comes complete with 3 point retractable seat belts." https://www.revampautofit.com.au/fitting-services/van-wagon-seats#combo-tourer

I've requested a quote but I suspect it will cost as much as my van! blankstare

-- Edited by AlexS on Wednesday 22nd of July 2020 09:11:03 AM

MungoTheB · Veteran Member

yer, I'm the poorer end of things myself. thats why I try to do most myself (interior wise atleast, van mech stuff, not a hope :)

let me know how you go and changes you make :)

MichaelGJF · Newbie

Hi mate,

just wondering if the 3rd row is easy to remove, I'm planning to have my Imax as temporary Camper with 3rd row removed. and after screw all bolts from 3rd row , is the floor complete flat to sleep on ?

thanks

Michael

AlexS · Member

MichaelGJF wrote:
Hi mate,
just wondering if the 3rd row is easy to remove, I'm planning to have my Imax as temporary Camper with 3rd row removed. and after screw all bolts from 3rd row , is the floor complete flat to sleep on ?

thanks
Michael

Took about 10 minutes. Used a small flat blade screwdriver to pop the 5 bolt covers off (eg photo here https://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t66459481/newbie-with-hyundai-imax-iload-starex/?sort=oldestFirst&page=1#comment-66462415) and then removed the 6 bolts with a socket set. It's fairly heavy so I'd recommend 2 people to lift it out.

From memory, there are slight hollows but once you had a mattress in there, I don't think you'd notice.

-- Edited by AlexS on Wednesday 22nd of July 2020 06:40:09 PM

MichaelGJF · Newbie

Thanks a lot, mate! good luck and stay safe!

MungoTheB · Veteran Member

the floor is ribbed, mattress may do the job. but surgest either get a plyboard 1200x2400 or 2 600x2400. you can slide the board/s in & out as you need (use as spare table when not in van :)
makes the floor more bearable.
if you dont want to fix them, just get some noneslip mats between van & boards
or just leave the existing floor matting cut some foam to fill the seat slots (easy to remove afterwards for seats to go back)
. either way sounds like you have it worked out :)

MungoTheB · Veteran Member

about time I added here (for my senility later :)
problem with grand ideas, but subjected to time, money, resources, lack of skills is you get to a point where you just want something in :)
I'm still mainly using it as a bike van, weekender, family mover vehicle :)
The console (base plate +2 levels) as I found the gap more useless than convenient

MungoTheB · Veteran Member

the rear, still not decided on the sides yet.

The Storage

The bike rack :)

Me (hate photos, but I have to prove it was me that done it (you can see the bike in the background :)

My first build

LOTS of mistakes

DONT use 12mm ply USE 18mm (better selection of bolts, screws & work area)

most was put together with odds & sods (LOTS of room for improvements)

Still need to rethink & improve (but aleast I have some basics in)

dont know why I cant paste 1 pic in here, but attached anyway and may as well add them all to one :)

-- Edited by MungoTheB on Tuesday 6th of October 2020 01:18:32 PM

AlexS · Member

Thanks for the photo update, it's looking great!

MungoTheB · Veteran Member

water system in :) will work out howto pretty up later

vansam · Newbie

Hi Mungo,

This is a very helpful thread for me. I'm in the market for a van and have found the same as you, the iMax always seem to be cheaper than the iLoad for equivalent kms. I'm a total novice with car related things so will be back here when the time comes, especially to review how to remove seats etc! Thanks for posting all the info.

MungoTheB · Veteran Member

np :) this is my first gut & build.
My problem is I want to keep it flexible (a mover, ebike carrier, weekender) haven't committed to a full time camper.
So a record for when I want to change things & hopes it helps others :)