rvthereyet
2015.5 Unity TB
A while back, while we were getting our replacement galley window installed in Dallas, TX, we talked with a fellow sprinter owner about suspension upgrades.
He apparently has experience in this area, and highly recommends the below.
While up in Gainesville FL for the front end alignment last month, I talked to the service adviser.
He said that if we brought him the parts, he'd install them, and would not void the warranty.
What we need is someone more versed in this area that I am to chime in with your thoughts.
Thanks in advance.
--Tom
(posted with Bill's permission)...
=================================
Kathy,
I promised to send out the details to the Sprinter suspension upgrades that I have done. So, here are the details.
My issue with Sprinters is they are a bit top heavy (duh) and waddle, wiggle, sway and bounce down the road. Fortunately, the after-market parts people have solved it almost completely. After picking mine up at the factory last month ago it definitely needed some help. I got to know the technical staff at the factory and their official response is: “we are an authorized MB outfitter, so we make no modifications to the Sprinter chassis or MB will pull our license”. They don’t even drill a hole in the frame to add the Unity body. Wow! After further discussion, they admit that the Unity could use some help and most owners do some of the things I did.
The expertise that I bring to the group is MB and Sprinters. I have had a bunch of the MB products and know them better than most. I’m also a bit fearless when it come to twisting a wrench to get something to work better. All of the upgrades that I’m suggesting will not effect warranties. They are not modifications but upgrades. A subtle but important difference. I did all of the upgrades in my driveway with common tools. I have also discussed this with the Plano dealer MB tech. He will be doing my front-end alignment on Thursday. He seemed a bit amused that I was doing all of these Sprinter upgrades in my driveway. All in, it took me 3 hours to install all of it.
If you are reasonably handy, you also can do these yourself. If you need a little coaching, please ask. It will be the best $1,300 you spend on your rig! The ride and performance improvement are unbelievable. We are taking 40 MPH curves at 60 MPH and stuff isn’t shaking out of the cabinets on curves and on entering/exiting fuel stations. The machine simply performs better, is even more pleasurable and safe to drive.
Parts/prices, sources and problem resolution:
My unit - 2015.5 Leisure Travel Vans Unity MB on a 2015 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 3500 cab chassis.
These parts work for a 3500 Sprinter 2007 - 2015:
Koni shock 8805-1047 (2) rear $165/ea, UltraRVproducts.com, keeps the rear end much more composed
Koni shock 87-2657 (2) front $221.50/ea, UltraRVproducts.com, stops the front end from bobbing
Hellwig rear anti-sway bar (1) 7254 $183.62, Amazon, sway/waddle is gone!
SumoSprings front (pair) SSF-106-40 $177.30, Supersprings.com, truck passing and wind sway
SumoSprings rear (pair) SSR-335-47 $185.20, Supersprings.com, truck passing and wind sway
MB camber adjusting bolts (2) , 001-990-77-00 $25, MB dealer, when you change the front shocks you have to have the front-end aligned - theses bolts allow for adjustment.
This sounds complicated but really it is not. I have done the homework for you. I also have the torque specs on all of it.
Bill Case
He apparently has experience in this area, and highly recommends the below.
While up in Gainesville FL for the front end alignment last month, I talked to the service adviser.
He said that if we brought him the parts, he'd install them, and would not void the warranty.
What we need is someone more versed in this area that I am to chime in with your thoughts.
Thanks in advance.
--Tom
(posted with Bill's permission)...
=================================
Kathy,
I promised to send out the details to the Sprinter suspension upgrades that I have done. So, here are the details.
My issue with Sprinters is they are a bit top heavy (duh) and waddle, wiggle, sway and bounce down the road. Fortunately, the after-market parts people have solved it almost completely. After picking mine up at the factory last month ago it definitely needed some help. I got to know the technical staff at the factory and their official response is: “we are an authorized MB outfitter, so we make no modifications to the Sprinter chassis or MB will pull our license”. They don’t even drill a hole in the frame to add the Unity body. Wow! After further discussion, they admit that the Unity could use some help and most owners do some of the things I did.
The expertise that I bring to the group is MB and Sprinters. I have had a bunch of the MB products and know them better than most. I’m also a bit fearless when it come to twisting a wrench to get something to work better. All of the upgrades that I’m suggesting will not effect warranties. They are not modifications but upgrades. A subtle but important difference. I did all of the upgrades in my driveway with common tools. I have also discussed this with the Plano dealer MB tech. He will be doing my front-end alignment on Thursday. He seemed a bit amused that I was doing all of these Sprinter upgrades in my driveway. All in, it took me 3 hours to install all of it.
If you are reasonably handy, you also can do these yourself. If you need a little coaching, please ask. It will be the best $1,300 you spend on your rig! The ride and performance improvement are unbelievable. We are taking 40 MPH curves at 60 MPH and stuff isn’t shaking out of the cabinets on curves and on entering/exiting fuel stations. The machine simply performs better, is even more pleasurable and safe to drive.
Parts/prices, sources and problem resolution:
My unit - 2015.5 Leisure Travel Vans Unity MB on a 2015 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 3500 cab chassis.
These parts work for a 3500 Sprinter 2007 - 2015:
Koni shock 8805-1047 (2) rear $165/ea, UltraRVproducts.com, keeps the rear end much more composed
Koni shock 87-2657 (2) front $221.50/ea, UltraRVproducts.com, stops the front end from bobbing
Hellwig rear anti-sway bar (1) 7254 $183.62, Amazon, sway/waddle is gone!
SumoSprings front (pair) SSF-106-40 $177.30, Supersprings.com, truck passing and wind sway
SumoSprings rear (pair) SSR-335-47 $185.20, Supersprings.com, truck passing and wind sway
MB camber adjusting bolts (2) , 001-990-77-00 $25, MB dealer, when you change the front shocks you have to have the front-end aligned - theses bolts allow for adjustment.
This sounds complicated but really it is not. I have done the homework for you. I also have the torque specs on all of it.
Bill Case