cooling the floor

[CanuckRV]

I have a 97 Roadtrek 190 popular We love it but have found that the floor gets super hot. The heat shields are in place so that is not the issue. We don't want to add more rugs to the floor to make it feel cooler but we would like to cut the amount of heat getting to it in the first place.
I have thought of running ducting from the bumper supplying cool air between the floor and the heat shield. Or wrapping the muffler in muffler heat tape.
Has anyone done something like this? did it help?
Thank

[hbn7hj]

Do a search for Exhaust Shield. I used Design Engineering but there are other options.

Do not wrap the exhaust pipe. Better to leave an airspace.

[mangomike]

I really Really like the duct idea. I'm proaly going to try THAT..
When I post a like Q.
I got the following.
Open your hood when you get parked
Run a fan undr your vehicle
Both are good ideas and will help with air conditioning. But the duct would help while driving , helping to eliminate some of the heat when/before you arrive
Thanks for the idea.
Michael

[Scottie409]

Originally Posted by CanuckRV

I have a 97 Roadtrek 190 popular We love it but have found that the floor gets super hot. The heat shields are in place so that is not the issue. We don't want to add more rugs to the floor to make it feel cooler but we would like to cut the amount of heat getting to it in the first place.
I have thought of running ducting from the bumper supplying cool air between the floor and the heat shield. Or wrapping the muffler in muffler heat tape.
Has anyone done something like this? did it help?
Thank

There isn't a lot of space to run effective ducting but putting reflective sheeting could reduce but not eliminate heating. On my 200 versatile the water in the storage tank gets hot enough to shower with. The floor is very warm. I used hot rod sound/heat proof sheets but not a huge reduction so basically a waste of money

[Tim R.]

We keep our dog's bed between the seats and that helps keep the heat down in the cab.

[mkguitar]

Originally Posted by Tim R.

We keep our dog's bed between the seats and that helps keep the heat down in the cab.

we store our reflectix window coverings under the dog bed, between the seats.


I was under the 05 chev van the other day engraving the Lic plate number onto the cats and painting them with yellow VHT


there are a couple of shields in place already and a fair gap between drivetrain and floor.


But I can usually feel heat radiating hours after we stop for the day

[Sensfan]

Originally Posted by CanuckRV

I have a 97 Roadtrek 190 popular We love it but have found that the floor gets super hot. The heat shields are in place so that is not the issue. We don't want to add more rugs to the floor to make it feel cooler but we would like to cut the amount of heat getting to it in the first place.
I have thought of running ducting from the bumper supplying cool air between the floor and the heat shield. Or wrapping the muffler in muffler heat tape.
Has anyone done something like this? did it help?
Thank

I check this does not fit your plan, and it will also be comparing apples to oranges if the distance between floor and heat source is greater on our 2012 Chevy 3500 190/Ranger than it is on your 97 Popular. It may however be a possible option if "Plan A” is not achieved.
We do not have carpet, rather ribbed rubber flooring that extends from the firewall back, around and behind the seats, ending with a perpendicular cut line perpendicular to the front cabin door. The floor gets a little warm between the seats but not hot, and it cleans up easily with a wet cloth.

[SteveJ]

Originally Posted by mkguitar

snippage...

But I can usually feel heat radiating hours after we stop for the day

A simple trick that I discovered by accident was to pop the hood open upon parking, lotsa heat gets convected out of the hood area that was being trapped in the engine/transmission compartment.

I "discovered" this phenomenon while camping out in AZ, propping the hood open to discourage pack rats from setting up shop.

[mloganusda]

You could install cork flooring on your floors as it reduced heat in my Rialta MH. Cost about $55 for flooring and I installed myself.

[Davydd]

SteveJ, I bet you found the popping the hood to keep pack rats out at Organ Pipe National Monument. They recommend it.

The best solution is underfloor insulation but that would not be easy to do with an existing van because it would raise the floor. I don't know if installing reflective thin layer under the floor would have much of an effect. Cork as mloganusda suggested could do it as cork is somewhat an insulation.

Wear shoes. Slip on Skechers are good.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Davydd

The best solution is underfloor insulation but that would not be easy to do with an existing van because it would raise the floor.

The other option is to install insulation outside, under the actual van floor. This isn't all that difficult. I have used sheets of extruded pink foam for this purpose. You can use it to block off the tanks as well, if they are not already insulated. If you use it as your bottom layer, it will get beat up, but it is cheap and easy to replace. In our current rig, I had to replace one sheet after about 5 years of service.

One good trick (if you have hydronic heat) is to run a secondary heating loop under the van in a small space created using foam sheets. This will keep both the tanks and any external plumbing from freezing for 4-season operation, and also creates a semi-heated area below the floor which keeps the inside floor from getting too cold.

The current Rixen's system is capable of controlling a secondary heat loop. Our new rig will use this feature plus an undermounted temperature sensor for this purpose.

[SteveJ]

Originally Posted by Davydd

SteveJ, I bet you found the popping the hood to keep pack rats out at Organ Pipe National Monument. They recommend it.

The best solution is underfloor insulation but that would not be easy to do with an existing van because it would raise the floor. I don't know if installing reflective thin layer under the floor would have much of an effect. Cork as mloganusda suggested could do it as cork is somewhat an insulation.

Wear shoes. Slip on Skechers are good.

Davydd, nope. It was up on Lake Roosevelt where I learned that little tip. Got infested once with pack rats, picked them up camping at the town park in Bonners Ferry last year. New to us Safari Trek had a hole that I missed big enough for the mom and three kids to come on board. It took a couple of days but gott'em.

Copy on the slip on Skechers, awesome comfort.

[hbn7hj]

Guys, I solved it for me, it works. Put the DEI titanium cloth shields on the exhaust pipe and/or catalytic converters. It leaves an air gap between the exhaust pipe and shield allowing cool air to take the heat away. 2003 Chevy Express 3500.

Cooking in high heat is not doing the fiberglass floor any good. The solution you use must cool the floor so insulation above it is not helpful. Pick a solution that keeps the fiberglass floor cool.

[CanuckRV]

Which shields did you use
Awfully expensive. don't want to get the wrong ones

[hbn7hj]

https://www.amazon.com/Design-Engine...356057848&th=1

Have to get larger hose clamps to put it around the catalytic converter which is where my heat was coming from. You can still add insulation under the floor if you have the room. I haven’t looked at them in years but I don’t have a floor heat problem.

[mkguitar]

now you have me thinking about crawling under the van again and see if I can get a sheet above the exhaust and the tranny on the underside of the floor


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WKC6RQC...9kZXRhaWw&th=1

[CanuckRV]

I have found this large sheet https://www.amazon.ca/050509-Square-...ci_mcx_mi&th=1 that should give me enough to cut and peice over the whole exhaust system.

[booster]

You need to be very careful in having heat reducing insulation on the underside of the van, as most of them are some kind of woven material with an aluminum face on them.


They can catch and hold water very readily and can rot through a steel floor in a very short time. Header wrap has been blamed for many exhaust failures over the years, but the ceramic coated headers and stainless steel exhaust systems, if you have them, hold up pretty well. A fiberglass floor should also be OK as long as any fasteners or other things is stainless.


Also remember that the adhesives are usually only good for a fraction of the max temp rating for the material, most often under 500*F, so mechanical fastening might be necessary and not easy to do.

[CanuckRV]

there is a sheet metal shield in place now I was planning on installing it between the exhaust and that shield and using rivets.