UK Van Life: VW Camper Door Rattle Mystery SOLVED? | TDM149

[00:00:00]Oh, good morning campers. Welcome back to another dose of the daily meet. And look, we got a blue sky there. Got the sun shining down on my face. It's the start of uh another week. It is Monday, the 20th of July, 2026.

[00:00:18]And um it's going to be quite warm today. 22° C and blue skies all day. But today I want to tackle my rattle inside door. Well, I think it's that anyway. So, we're going to investigate that.

[00:00:34]Um, as usual, we've got the the daily routine of taking Bruno for a walk on the the best daily dogging channel on Holy YouTube. I also need to need to fix my little latch of the door pin on the the back door because Yep. the rods in there somewhere.

[00:00:58]Yeah. Then we got to remove all these little pesky clips. They're a They're a pain. They're a pain. We can do them.

[00:01:06]Yeah. So, I'm having a an issue with my side door rattling as I'm driving.

[00:01:13]Something something inside there. Yeah.

[00:01:16]So, we're going to get in the the mobile greenhouse on wheels. We're going to close the door. Lock in that that heat for a bit of added fun.

[00:01:25]Yep, it's half 10. So, let's just get it over and done with before the meat wagon gets way too spicy. Actually, let's have a look at the temperature. I've had the windows open for about half an hour. Oh, look. It's only 28° in the van. That's nice. So, now we've got the side door closed just to seal in a bit of that heat. Need to undo the the side panel.

[00:01:52]There ain't many of these plastic clips on the bottom bit. It's torque screws.

[00:01:56]So, don't think we need to remove that.

[00:02:00]I think we need to concentrate on this area because there is rods and stuff and that's probably what's rattling around in there. I'm hoping it's not my shock absorber again, but from the video the other day, it sounded like it was coming from this section. So, I'm just going to undo this panel and we'll have a have a look what's going what's going down under the the wooden hood.

[00:02:32]See, when I shut that door, then I can hear hear something rattle.

[00:02:41]So, we'll have a look. Let's just get this get this panel off and see what's going on.

[00:02:54]And for some reason there's two Phillips head screws. So I just got to get a screwdriver for that.

[00:03:06]Remove that.

[00:03:11]Oh, clearly there's nothing behind there.

[00:03:14]actually thought there was some rods there from memory, but yep, clearly my memory is failing. I may take it for a quick drive just to see if we still got the rattling because it could have been that panel rattling cuz some of them screws didn't feel very tight. It's best to rule stuff out as we progress. And if it's still rattling, then we're going to have a a look under door number two.

[00:03:36]These are a bit of a a pain to get off.

[00:03:40]The way I normally do these is use this Torx forget what this is. T25 maybe and then yeah undo them very gingerely and get a flaad screwdriver just under the lip of that and you can pull them out.

[00:03:56]There is proper tools for these but we ain't got it and we like going redneck on stuff like this. But yeah, I'm just going to take it for a quick spin. See if we're still getting the the rattling noise.

[00:04:12]Still making a noise.

[00:04:16]Right, we are in the back of the greenhouse once again. I'm going to lie, it's very hot in here. Just undoing last of these clips. So, basically unscrew these, but the base spins. So, what you need to do is gently get a a T, like I said, I think it's T25 in there.

[00:04:36]Slowly twist it. Get a screwdriver in.

[00:04:39]Just help prize it out. Yep. And they they come out.

[00:04:47]Ah, that's just dandy. Nothing's obviously rattling in there.

[00:04:57]H.

[00:05:07]I wonder if that's been rattling.

[00:05:14]There's been some sort of fix done in here.

[00:05:22]Maybe this was me. I can't remember.

[00:05:24]I did do something to it a couple of years ago.

[00:05:28]H, but nothing. I was wondering if these screws would be loose. There's nothing that sticks out.

[00:05:42]Yep.

[00:05:50]Just wonder if that's been rubbing against the back of this board.

[00:05:56][sighs] Right, we'll go for another drive.

[00:06:01]See if I can hear some a little bit better. I have had Mrs. me driving this before and I've jumped in the back and had a listen and it just sounded like it was this area.

[00:06:13]It was very hard to um pinpoint it.

[00:06:18]So, it could be this rattling around or something inside there. Maybe the the latch.

[00:06:30]Difficult to say.

[00:06:33]Let's take it for another another drive.

[00:06:36]Yep.

[00:06:38]I'm still getting that noise. I actually think it's a shock absorber. Again, there's nothing at all rattling on that side door. Then, unless it's the wheels on the the roller, I think it sounds lower.

[00:07:02]I think it's that shock absorber that got replaced.

[00:07:06]Oh well, that's a that's an investigation for another day.

[00:07:15]At least we tried.

[00:07:20]Yep. We'll just have to put up with that noise a little bit longer.

[00:07:27]Oh well, at least we tried. All right, I'm going to get the the back door panel off when I get back home and um sort out that lock pin.

[00:07:36]There we go. We got the back door fairly exposed now. Took the panel off. So, this lock module, there's a rod that joins to this pin.

[00:07:48]Yep, it's come undone. The rod has dropped all the way round behind that.

[00:07:53]You can barely get your hand up there.

[00:07:55]So, I need to try and work that back around so it's facing that way. And then with that limited space there, I've got to try and line it up so I can screw that back in. Yep. It's [clears throat] uh yeah, got to do a bit of a a Houdini job with this. So, in future, I'm going to make sure at all times this is fully screwed on. I may even stick a bit of Loctite in there just to make sure it doesn't move cuz I don't want to be doing this again.

[00:08:28]That was um Yep.

[00:08:35]Right. I'm just going to get some Loctite. At least I know it's there now.

[00:08:38]And then I'm going to put a blob of that in cuz I can't really get to that pin.

[00:08:41]I'm just going to put a bit in there.

[00:08:46]Put a little blob in there.

[00:08:48]I should do this.

[00:08:56]Oh, I had to slightly adjust it. I was going out of that side of the hole. I need this side. It was getting stuck.

[00:09:05]What a finicky little job.

[00:09:09]That's better.

[00:09:12]That is on good tight. As the German say, I ain't going nowhere.

[00:09:20]Sorted. We can uh Yep. open our back doors whenever we like. Now, that's is so good. Now, one important thing I've learned over the years of messing around with vehicles is make sure it works before you uh start putting stuff back together again.

[00:09:41]Oh, yeah.

[00:09:43]She's golden.

[00:09:46]Yes. Somebody at some point, this was pre meat manifesto ownership, sprayed it with this.

[00:09:53]Yep. This tar stuff. Bammen.

[00:09:57]Very nasty. So, anytime you want to work in here, Yep. you get dirty hands.

[00:10:03]Prevents rust. It's nice, but you know.

[00:10:07]Yep. Nasty stuff. But at least the the knob is fixed. Nobody likes a a broken knob, especially on a Monday morning.

[00:10:16]It's not good. It's not a good look. And when you want to put these poppers back in, you just simply push them. Nice and easy.

[00:10:26]Oh, nice flapage.

[00:10:28]Well, we are in the back of the meat wagon. It is um yeah, incredibly spicy in here. Very hot.

[00:10:38]So, I'm just getting this panel back on.

[00:10:41]Unfortunately, we didn't um rectify the the rattling issue, but at least we at least we got the back door sorted out.

[00:10:53]So, I'm just going to button this back up, lose about a stone in body weight in the process, and then we're going to head to a supermarket.

[00:11:04]I have um still got some sausages left.

[00:11:08]Still got two porky black pudding and apple bangers left. I've got no bread rolls or what have you cuz uh I used them for my dinner last night. So, we need to get something to cocoon said sausage meeting.

[00:11:26]Man, it is hot. And um yeah, we're going to we're going to head to Audi and then at some point along the way, look at that. getting a bit of bit of sassy thigh shot there. We're going to stop and um crank up the Oh man, I'm getting cramp. Crank up the heat to the porky meat with air fry technology.

[00:11:59]Man, this is uh this is hot in there. No lying.

[00:12:04]No, no two ways about it. It is hot in there.

[00:12:13]Okay, so we're missing a couple of screws and one of them.

[00:12:19]Yep, that'll do. Anyway, let's get moving. It's too hot to even care.

[00:12:28]All right, campers. We are back out on the open road downtown Long Sutton.

[00:12:34]It is warm.

[00:12:37]It's 1:00 and um yeah, it's getting very spicy out there.

[00:12:44]It's good to be back out on the road.

[00:12:46]Get the air flow going again. But man, this hot weather, especially being stuck in that van for a little bit, makes you feel a little bit little bit woozy.

[00:12:56]Not good. Yeah, I'm still awaiting the new tension and idler pulley. They still haven't been delivered yet.

[00:13:06]cracking information is um yeah ain't coming up with a lot of information put it that way. All right, back on the A17 on a Monday afternoon.

[00:13:21]Got an Audi convertible going, guys.

[00:13:23]Look at that. We got the the roof up with the air con on.

[00:13:28]Personally, I'd be um I'd be cruising with that roof down, but you know, each to their own vehicle.

[00:13:35]We don't need air con in the the meat wagon. We're going on natural.

[00:13:41]Mrs. Meat took the Audi TT to work today, so we'll find out if the the AC is working. I have got access to the Vitara if I do want a bit of air condition luxury, but I thought we go on get the air fryer going in there just to make things a little more spicy cuz we're hardcore on the daily meat. We like to desper manly, very manly.

[00:14:09]I sold my leisure battery and split charge relay this morning. Uh guy turned up in a mini clubman. I see you're converting to a car camper. He's like, "No, I've got a van like yours."

[00:14:23]Yeah. It was a ex local authority van, 60,000 mi T4 2.5 TDI with a four-wheel drive syncro.

[00:14:34]He's had it off the road for 8 years and he's slowly doing it up and he's going to be giving it to his nephew.

[00:14:41]like could donate it to the daily meet if you like in a 4x4 technology.

[00:14:47]That's quite the uh it's quite the rare beast.

[00:14:52]Yeah. 60,000 mi on a 2.5 TDI. It's barely barely run in.

[00:14:59]Oh, what I'd give one of them that sort of mileage.

[00:15:03]It was white and very clean as well there. The only show some pictures of it. Very nice. Now, the Meat Wagon, on the other hand, rocking the 2x2 technology is currently sitting at 187,234 miles.

[00:15:22]She's still going. Sometimes it's not going, but Yep.

[00:15:30]They're good engines. They are good engines.

[00:15:33]Yep. So, we've got no backup plan now in terms of uh electrical setup. If the Avery power station fails, we're going with torches.

[00:15:46]It will be fine. It'll be good. All right. Monday lunchtime in Audi. How we're looking.

[00:15:52]Uh we always Yeah, it's quite busy. It's quite busy.

[00:16:05]Just going to let this master bongo out.

[00:16:08]Check it.

[00:16:11]97 on my P. 96 97.

[00:16:15]Oh, there's my mate in that transit.

[00:16:20]How you there, mate? You're all right.

[00:16:24]All right, let's uh Yeah, let's just park in the sun. Let's keep it spicy today. We got some tiger bread for a sausage sandwich. Got Bruno some dentist sticks.

[00:16:40]And I've got a a cheeky non-alcoholic cider. Oh yeah, that's going to load the fridge up with my dinner items. And then yeah, let's get moving.

[00:16:53]Unfortunately, once again, it's a bit too hot to uh take Bruno out in the the meat wagon.

[00:17:01]So, I'll take him for a walk a little bit later on in the day when the the weather's cooled down a little bit.

[00:17:12]I really need to find a new park up in the shade. There is another place that I know of, but it's got a 1.8 m barrier, and I think it's just a little bit too tight for the meat wagon. We'll have to go there in a in a car one day.

[00:17:33]or a small van. I'm still on the lookout. Don't worry. Still on the lookout. Meat wagon 2.0. A mini meat.

[00:17:44]I got my eyes peeled. I'm looking.

[00:17:47]Yeah, ideally we need a a second mode of transport just to lighten the load of the meat wagon a little bit.

[00:17:55]Now, in my workshop, I did used to store the meat wagon in there over winter where the the workbench is now. I have to move that out the way. And the meat wagon does fit in there.

[00:18:09]The only trouble is when I try and get the meat wagon out of there in the middle of winter when it's like the grass is boggy. I can't get the meat wagon out of there cuz you you come out of the garage straight onto the the grass and it just wheel spins.

[00:18:24]And then I have to wait until the ground's frozen up, then I can move it out.

[00:18:30]How do I know that? It's happened before. Couple of times.

[00:18:35]Oh, once again, we are back in Cinder Gash Park.

[00:18:43]Oh, yeah. We got a bit of shade there.

[00:18:46]Let's get a usual pitch.

[00:18:54]Can't quite get the corner angle today.

[00:18:56]The side angle that lady in that focus or whatever it is.

[00:19:05]The plus note, the new hose for my pressure washer should be delivered today. So hopefully tomorrow we can clean the meat wagon. Well, we are in the back of the meat wagon at Cinder Ash Park.

[00:19:18]Got our last two jolly hog black pudding porkers.

[00:19:24]Got some tiger bread. We got our juice.

[00:19:26]Got some brown sauce. We're all good to go. I brought the vitamin power station today just because we can. Got the old air fryer with us as well. So, we're going to Yeah. put a bit of air fried heat to that black pudding and apple pork meat. Oh, yeah.

[00:19:44]Right. We know the drill.

[00:19:46][clears throat] So, we're going 15 minutes, 180. I wish you could set this at 180 default. That's yeah, where we like to be. Boom. So, we're pulling 900 W of power out of that VMAN power station.

[00:20:01]This was completely flat last week. We charged it up to 100% with a 200 W solar panel purely from free energy from the sun.

[00:20:14]Yep. Right to start prepping the sandwich. I thought we go for a bit of a side angle today to our fresh clean plate.

[00:20:26]So, let's see if Mrs. Me bring in a clean film. Yep. Need to watch yesterday's video to figure it out. A couple of slices of that tiger bread.

[00:20:39]Mhm. Actually, I think we'll have a bit of Jewish. This was at the fridge section in Aldi, so it's already cold.

[00:20:47]99 p for some non-alcoholic cider.

[00:20:52]Chin chin kempers made from concentrate, but you know, at least it's ice cold and quite refreshing.

[00:21:10]So, we're currently getting a nice cool breeze going through the the meat wagon.

[00:21:14]We can crack that that door open from the inside. Oh, I've missed that. Yep, that's been another bug bear of mine.

[00:21:36]There you go, campers. Lunch is served.

[00:21:39]Bit of tiger bread with them jolly hog black pudding and apple porkers. Some brown sauce and a cheeky little non-alcoholic cider food for a champion on it. Well, [clears throat] I thought apple juice would go down well with the with a porky bangers.

[00:22:03]Anyway, good elf campers as always. them. Jolly Hog pork sausages really do go down well. They are nice.

[00:22:11]Definitely get the the gold seal of approval from the daily meat.

[00:22:17]Well, that was um that was a nice little lunch break as we uh get back into the big back world. Oh, got the church going off.

[00:22:30]2:00 on the bell.

[00:22:33]All right, let's uh get back to the homestead cuz I need an afternoon snooze. I was going to have one there, but yep, let's get back to the to the puppies.

[00:22:47]Oh, once again, we had a nice little picnic at Cinderash Park.

[00:22:53]Sausage sandwich and a drop of apple juice. Very nice, campers.

[00:22:59]All right, let's get out of this. Let's eat.

[00:23:03]Nice package.

[00:23:06]Oh, yeah. My my hose has come today.

[00:23:10]Sounds a bit wrong, doesn't it? Really?

[00:23:12]I got a good length of hose in there that we're going to be um getting wet tomorrow hopefully.

[00:23:19]All right, campers. It is 20 8 at night.

[00:23:23]I've been chilling out today. been hibernating out of the the heat of the sun. Even though it's only I think it was supposed to be 22 24ish today. Felt rather hot.

[00:23:37]But we got Bruno. Where's he gone? There we go. Best daily dogging channel on the holy YouTube. Taking him for a nice evening stroll.

[00:23:48]Yep. He still needs his exercise. He had a big walk today. We've had a couple of little gentle strolls up the garden.

[00:23:56]Oh, lovely.

[00:23:58]Yeah, just been chilling out this afternoon.

[00:24:02]Monday campers start the working week.

[00:24:04]You know, we got to we got to pace ourselves for the for the rest of the week. We did a bit of tatting with the van today. We didn't find the the rattle. We sorted out the knob and um had a nice bit of pork as well. Look at that sun. Beautiful.

[00:24:25]Beautiful. Quite a productive day.

[00:24:27]Semi-productive.

[00:24:29]Oh, there is a a bit of a chilly north wind blown into the the face of the man of meat.

[00:24:35]Some of them apples are starting to get a little larger.

[00:24:39]Yeah, they're still they're not big this year at all.

[00:24:43]Not very big. Quite a lot there though.

[00:24:45]They're good apples. Very nice. They're like pink inside.

[00:24:51]Very dinky this year.

[00:24:54]But hopefully tomorrow if it's not too hot, like direct sun, blue sky joby like today, I'll um I'll break in the hose and give the the meat wagon a good a good hosing down.

[00:25:09]I'm definitely going to be jet washing the engine anyway. Get rid of that oil.

[00:25:14]uh ready for the new kit that's going to be getting delivered hopefully tomorrow.

[00:25:22]God, it still smells of unalived animal around here.

[00:25:29]Smells bad. I was looking at the uh Yeah, it's definitely something in there.

[00:25:36]Man, that smells bad. I was looking at the tracking information for the the idler pulley and the tensioner and the belt. That should be here tomorrow morning. So, I'll inform my mechanic and range a day to install it. So, yeah, I really want to get that engine pressure washed, get rid of all the oil, make sure we've sorted the oil leaks out. So, that's going to be a plan of attack for tomorrow's portion of the daily meat.

[00:26:08]Look at the way the sunlight's just cascading through them caravan windows.

[00:26:14]Always spooky. It's got Amitville House of Horror vibes.

[00:26:20]Yeah, there's uh definitely something something in the air that don't smell very nice.

[00:26:27]Very good. Nice having a little schniff of the wind.

[00:26:32]But yeah, we've had a had a productive day. We've done some bits. So, that's probably going to do it for today's portion of the daily meat.

[00:26:42]My plums there.

[00:26:45]They're not very good this year. They're um Yeah, I'll maybe try one as I go walking down.

[00:26:55]Been a not been a good year for fruit.

[00:26:58]And tomorrow we'll be getting down and dirty with a length of hose. Oh, yeah.

[00:27:05]So anyway, thanks for watching and I'll catch you all soon. God, it smells really bad.