what is the Steepest Hill (not road) your sprinter has climbed?

[wanderat]

When driving on dirt roads in State parks, forests, etc, sometimes there are side roads that are challenging.

On one state park dirt road, there was a dirt road/path/hill to the side.. it was a short ~20 foot hill at ~30 degree slope. Going up that short hill led to a very worthwhile camping view.
Some SUV's climbed it, and I climbed it in a Kia Rio, and I wonder if a 154hp, 243torque T1N could do it (with a 4x4 conversion w/ low gear).

1. What is the steepest angle hill your sprinter has climbed?
2. What engine was inside? (or if u don't know, what year sprinter)
(the engine matters- smallest T1N is 72hp & 96lb-ft... largest NCV3 is 188hp & 325lb-ft)
3. How much weight was inside?

(Some Sprinters here have handled steep paved roads (Zion Natl Park, Grand Tetons, Canadian Rockies).
a 3500, and an unspecified T1N carrying 1000lb+ tackled these easily... So the question is how the sprinter can handle off the paved roads: steep hills on dirt and back roads...)

thread: List of Sprinter engines - horsepower & torque by year and engine number

[aljimenez]

No way I would do a 30% incline with my Pleasure Way Plateau. I have done lots of Jeeping with a very well modified '84 Jeep I own, which of course can tackle these inclines without any problems. The Jeep however has 4 wheel drive with locking rear differential and an air locker in the front and nice tires that are usually deflated when going offroad. A dirt road with 30% incline is not something to take on casually since they usually come with drop-offs on one side... Al

[johnshmit]

[Altered Sprinter]

Originally Posted by wanderat

When driving on dirt roads in State parks, forests, etc, sometimes there are side roads that are challenging.

On one state park dirt road, there was a dirt road/path/hill to the side.. it was a short ~20 foot hill at ~30 degree slope. Going up that short hill led to a very worthwhile camping view.
Some SUV's climbed it, and I climbed it in a Kia Rio, and I wonder if a 154hp, 243torque T1N could do it.

1. What is the steepest angle hill your sprinter has climbed?
2. What engine was inside? (or if u don't know, what year sprinter)
(the engine matters- smallest T1N is 72hp & 96lb-ft... largest NCV3 is 188hp & 325lb-ft)
3. How much weight was inside?

(Some Sprinters here have handled steep paved roads (Zion Natl Park, Grand Tetons, Canadian Rockies).
a 3500, and an unspecified T1N carrying 1000lb+ tackled these easily... So the question is how the sprinter can handle off the paved roads: steep hills on dirt and back roads...)

thread: List of Sprinter engines - horsepower & torque by year and engine number

I'd have to take Photos but my MWB van negotiates 45% slants uphill and I can prove it, the road is sealed of course, 313cdi 130 Hp manual 3.55 +4.31 final axle ratio.
Off road fine if the gravel surface is hard based, Highway tires let you down on switch backs where there is a marbleized surface of loose ball bearing grit. you need A/TR tires , this eliminated up to 50% wheel spin.

There are advantages with manual transmissions as to the ratios, autos can let you down as the RPM can not be fully controlled, but they also work better from a stand pull-away start-off as to a lower rpm on take off. hence Sprintshift semi automated clutch-less now discontinued.

Final axle ratios range from 3.9 hiway ratios through to 5.00 for H/D use on hill climbs to the top of the hill.

Simply put Benz spoiled us rotten, too many choices to choose from. and none meet all off road requites unless it's an optioned 4x4 , and then there are five transferee case options for varying loads and gradients...You can't win.
Long wheel base vans have less traction on switch backs the MWB have an advantage. as to a lower weight configuration. a 4/inline 313 or a 5 inline 316 both are equal, as to the variations on Transmission and final axle ratios.

My van will negotiate Jacobs ladder
Jacobs ladder (Custom).JPG
Must have A/TR tires.
Would I negotiate the road in winter with snow! NO: is in need of 4x4 with a Z5 cross diff axle transferee case option.

Long wheel base RV may get up this hill ,but on a down wards retreat the standard brakes would fail on the push principle as to weight ratios. the auto transmission ratio does not have a higher final axle ratio for Engine Brake HP, unless you have a Telma Retarder fitted.

Any van will negotiate a hill climb, but the switch backs/and/or/ corrugated underlying surfaces, are where your going to lose control of the vehicle forget ESP ABS it is not designed to assist in extreme off road operations hence turn off ASR
A rio weighs under two tonne a Sprinter at 4 Metric Tonnes you need brakes engine HP matched to the transmission ratios low and a higher final axle ratio not lower.
DSC01436(1) (Custom) (Custom).JPG
Those sharp switch backs are where a van can be caught out.
Richard

[wanderat]

Originally Posted by aljimenez

No way I would do a 30% incline with my Pleasure Way Plateau. I have done lots of Jeeping with a very well modified '84 Jeep I own, which of course can tackle these inclines without any problems. The Jeep however has 4 wheel drive with locking rear differential and an air locker in the front and nice tires that are usually deflated when going offroad. A dirt road with 30% incline is not something to take on casually since they usually come with drop-offs on one side... Al

The issues as I see them are the sprinter's height/center-of-gravity, and the required hp and torque for the tires to push the sprinter up the slope.
(btw, i'm focused on a 4x4 conversion, but the question is open to all sprinters.)

Sure jeeps and other vehicles are better suited for steep inclines, but they don't have 8x5x6 of level space inside and a 400+mile range tank.
The point of this thread is to gather examples of what hill angles the Sprinter has handled/ can handle.

And not every steep hill is on a cliff. This was a solid dirt surface and was regularly driven on. not offroad, no sand, no mud, no loose dirt/gravel, and no hazards to the sides. oh and no quicksand or alligators either.

[wanderat]

Originally Posted by johnshmit

I thought I already searched for every 4x4 sprinter video... but that was is the best to show hill climbing ability! and with at least 4 passengers shown, that's at least 500lbs of cargo.

this is one of the best I'd seen for hill climbing


both these videos were posted in March 2009, so can assume that the sprinters shown are year 2009 or earlier. The max hp&torque for all sprinter engines 2009 and before is
163hp & 266 lb-ft
That's pretty close to the largest T1N engine at 154hp 243lb-ft

List of Sprinter engines - horsepower & torque thread - http://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20362

[wanderat]

Are you sure you're not the person who designed and built the MBS wow

That's a lot of helpful understanding.

Originally Posted by Altered Sprinter

I'd have to take Photos but my MWB van negotiates 45% slants uphill and I can prove it, the road is sealed of course, 313cdi 130 Hp manual 3.55 +4.31 final axle ratio.
Off road fine if the gravel surface is hard based, Highway tires let you down on switch backs where there is a marbleized surface of loose ball bearing grit. you need A/TR tires , this eliminated up to 50% wheel spin.

Do post any photos if you have them. I wouldn't have thought a 45* was possible.. I guess the center-of-gravity is lower than it'd seem.

A/TR tires make sense. Probably reduce the paved road mpg, but for the benefit of allowing greater freedom on the dirt roads.

Originally Posted by Altered Sprinter

There are advantages with manual transmissions as to the ratios, autos can let you down as the RPM can not be fully controlled, but they also work better from a stand pull-away start-off as to a lower rpm on take off. hence Sprintshift semi automated clutch-less now discontinued.

Final axle ratios range from 3.9 hiway ratios through to 5.00 for H/D use on hill climbs to the top of the hill.

Simply put Benz spoiled us rotten, too many choices to choose from. and none meet all off road requites unless it's an optioned 4x4 , and then there are five transferee case options for varying loads and gradients...You can't win.
Long wheel base vans have less traction on switch backs the MWB have an advantage. as to a lower weight configuration. a 4/inline 313 or a 5 inline 316 both are equal, as to the variations on Transmission and final axle ratios.

Most of this is too technical for me.
Would a Diesel Power Mod help with the rpms? I was pondering having 1 module for road driving, and another set for 4x4 driving.

I'm focused on a 2012 144 or a T1N 118, so good to know shorter wheelbases will have more traction.

Originally Posted by Altered Sprinter

My van will negotiate Jacobs ladder

Must have A/TR tires.
Would I negotiate the road in winter with snow! NO: is in need of 4x4 with a Z5 cross diff axle transferee case option.

Long wheel base RV may get up this hill ,but on a down wards retreat the standard brakes would fail on the push principle as to weight ratios. the auto transmission ratio does not have a higher final axle ratio for Engine Brake HP, unless you have a Telma Retarder fitted.

I'm sure that photo doesn't show how steep the hill really is.
So again, shorter wheelbase=better for going down steep hills and turns.
I'll remember that... Telma Retarder.

Originally Posted by Altered Sprinter

Any van will negotiate a hill climb, but the switch backs/and/or/ corrugated underlying surfaces, are where your going to lose control of the vehicle forget ESP ABS it is not designed to assist in extreme off road operations hence turn off ASR
A rio weighs under two tonne a Sprinter at 4 Metric Tonnes you need brakes engine HP matched to the transmission ratios low and a higher final axle ratio not lower.

Those sharp switch backs are where a van can be caught out.
Richard

Right, I'd read that sprinterstore's 4x4 conversion for T1N turns off ESP, ABS and ASR when in 4x4 Low Range (but they are on when in 4x4 high range). (For NCV3 conversions, they stay on in low range also).

So since your van can go 45*, the center-of gravity is not much of an issue?
I pictured that on too steep a hill, the front wheels might lift off the ground. Well I guess the engine weight is in the front.. as well as a 4x4 conversion would add more weight at the wheel level.

[wanderat]

Are you sure you're not the person who designed and built the MBS wow, thanks for adding understanding beyond just the hp and torque considerations..

Originally Posted by Altered Sprinter

I'd have to take Photos but my MWB van negotiates 45% slants uphill and I can prove it, the road is sealed of course, 313cdi 130 Hp manual 3.55 +4.31 final axle ratio.
Off road fine if the gravel surface is hard based, Highway tires let you down on switch backs where there is a marbleized surface of loose ball bearing grit. you need A/TR tires , this eliminated up to 50% wheel spin.

Do post any photos if you have them. I wouldn't have thought a 45* was possible.. I guess the center-of-gravity is lower than it'd seem.

A/TR tires make sense. Probably reduce the paved road mpg, but for the benefit of allowing greater freedom on the dirt roads.

Originally Posted by Altered Sprinter

There are advantages with manual transmissions as to the ratios, autos can let you down as the RPM can not be fully controlled, but they also work better from a stand pull-away start-off as to a lower rpm on take off. hence Sprintshift semi automated clutch-less now discontinued.

Final axle ratios range from 3.9 hiway ratios through to 5.00 for H/D use on hill climbs to the top of the hill.

Simply put Benz spoiled us rotten, too many choices to choose from. and none meet all off road requites unless it's an optioned 4x4 , and then there are five transferee case options for varying loads and gradients...You can't win.
Long wheel base vans have less traction on switch backs the MWB have an advantage. as to a lower weight configuration. a 4/inline 313 or a 5 inline 316 both are equal, as to the variations on Transmission and final axle ratios.

Most of this is too technical for me.
Would a Diesel Power Mod help with the rpms? I was pondering having 1 module for road driving, and another set for 4x4 driving.

I'm focused on a 2012 144 or a T1N 118, so good to know shorter wheelbases will have more traction.

Originally Posted by Altered Sprinter

My van will negotiate Jacobs ladder

Must have A/TR tires.
Would I negotiate the road in winter with snow! NO: is in need of 4x4 with a Z5 cross diff axle transferee case option.

Long wheel base RV may get up this hill ,but on a down wards retreat the standard brakes would fail on the push principle as to weight ratios. the auto transmission ratio does not have a higher final axle ratio for Engine Brake HP, unless you have a Telma Retarder fitted.

I'm sure that photo doesn't show how steep the hill really is.
So again, less weight/shorter wheelbase=better for going down steep hills and turns.

Originally Posted by Altered Sprinter

Any van will negotiate a hill climb, but the switch backs/and/or/ corrugated underlying surfaces, are where your going to lose control of the vehicle forget ESP ABS it is not designed to assist in extreme off road operations hence turn off ASR
A rio weighs under two tonne a Sprinter at 4 Metric Tonnes you need brakes engine HP matched to the transmission ratios low and a higher final axle ratio not lower.

Those sharp switch backs are where a van can be caught out.
Richard

Right, I'd read that sprinterstore's 4x4 conversion for T1N turns off ESP, ABS and ASR when in 4x4 Low Range (but they are on when in 4x4 high range). (For NCV3 conversions, they stay on in low range also).

So since your van can go 45*, the center-of gravity is not much of an issue?

I pictured that on too steep a hill, the front wheels might lift off the ground.
Well I guess the engine weight is in the front.. as well as a 4x4 conversion would add more weight at the wheel level and lower the center-of-gravity even more.

So the major issues are hp, torque, tire traction, rpm stability, axle ratios, adequate engine breaking hp.

It would seem that a wider tire stance would help in navigating the switchbacks and surfaces.
I'll be rereading this post a few more times to get it.

[motobueno]

Here are some still shots from the day we shot the video.I did not go over the top as you can see I'd still be stuck there.I did not take a big run at it.I drove up from where I was!
The van is empty.Should have had some sand bags in the back for more rear axle traction.

[motobueno]