NCV3 High Roof Sprinter Interior Height?

Hello, I've seen the interior height of the NCV3 high roof Sprinter listed online from 75" to 79". Mercedes Benz currently lists the height as 78.2 inches online which I would tend to trust the most.

http://www.mbsprinterusa.com/sprinter/cargo-van/specifications/2500-high-roof-170-wb-ext/5

However, seeing is believing. Check out this measurement here taken realtime of 75.5".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia11T1aFxi0


Can anyone account for the discrepancy? Does the height vary in different locations. Is the Mercedes measurement without the standard flooring? I doubt the flooring is 2" thick.

Another anomaly. The new RAM Promaster advertises an interior height of only 76". 2" less than the Sprinter's listing. Yet Winnebago list both finished RV interior heights as the same 75".

I'm 75" tall and was wondering how much interior height I could really get out of a Sprinter in a simple home camper conversion.

I just measured the interior height in my 2011 Sprinter 2500 144" WB high-roof crew van, and it's 75" at the apex of the ceiling, same as my previous 2008 hi-roof 144" cargo van. That's from the factory ceiling panels to the top of the factory floor. The floor is ribbed metal, and if you stripped the floor you might get another couple of inches.

The 2012 Sprinter Cargo Van Data Sheet also shows 78" "in base configuration", which I assume would be with the roof panels and/or floor stripped. I think 72"-75" is much more of a real-world range, depending on how you do your ceiling and floors in your conversion; many people add a solid layer of 3/4" ply over the floor as a convenient attachment layer.

Greg

Thanks Greg. Not sure what you mean by stripping the ceiling and/or floor of the cargo van. I understand removing the factory wood floor might gain some room, but don't know what else could be done to increase height and how Mercedes could/would include that in their specs.

The measurements are what they are. There are 3 different lengths, 2 different door heights, 3 different body heights, and 2 different wheel configurations. Other than that, the bodies of the NCV3 Sprinters are identical.

If you have just the bare steel floor, the interior dimensions will be a little greater than if you have additional flooring. Neither the sides, nor the rear doors are square, but are a little convex, so it matters where you measure. For me, I care about the distance between the wheel wells, and the size of the rear door, measured square.

It you are measuring to calculate the capacity to carry cubed, boxed freight, you have one 'capacity', but if you are measuring to carry ping pong balls, where they can fill every odd cavity, then your 'capacity' will be greater. ... just be careful when you open up the doors!

My 08 144" NCV3 measures 74 1/8" from floor to ceiling. Van has the factory wood floor with 1 1/2" thick composite floor on top of the OEM floor. The ceiling is 1/4" thick expanded PVC white that is bolted directly to the roof rib. So standard height with factory wood floor is 74 1/8" + 1/4" + 1 1/2" = 75 7/8" measured on the van centerline. Less height off of centerline. Suggest you take tape measure to your local dealer to confirm. I just measured it to see if the middle height Ford Transit would work for my next conversion. Ford gives 72" height for the middle roof height. I am 70" tall so think it will work if I reduce my added floor thickness to 1" and move the LED lights so they are not in the aisle.

I just measured it to see if the middle height Ford Transit would work for my next conversion. Ford gives 72" height for the middle roof height. I am 70" tall so think it will work if I reduce my added floor thickness to 1" and move the LED lights so they are not in the aisle.[/QUOTE]

Sounds like I am going to have to join the Transit forum to follow your next build.

The best part of owning a Sprinter is this forum. I have about 100 improvements on my list for the next build. This build works great but as always the second can be better. Biggest reason for the change is the lack of confidence I have in the Sprinter. With a Ford at least I can get service/repairs in every other town and parts are reasonably priced. The Ford would be a gas non-turbo engine with the natural gas/propane option. I know it would get less MPG but it would not have DEF fluid, DPF exhaust filter, would not require regen, would not have fuel filter changes, would not have dirty diesel exhaust dumped in the engine, would not have glo plugs, would not need 14 quarts of special expensive oil, would not have butterfly valves in the intake manifold etc. Current diesel engines are now more complicated than gas engines due to government mandated emission requirements. I did not have a choice when I bought the Sprinter and also assumed it would be bulletproof because it was a commercial vehicle. I am always worried about it getting me to my destination.

I'm with you Dave but couldn't wait for Ford. Didn't know there was a non turbo gas option. Enjoyed following your build and have a few of your drawings to use on mine. Sorry for getting off topic. Mine is almost tall enough for me to stand up straight if that helps.

Thanks, but I'm still confused by what Greg means when he talks about "stripping" the roof and/or floor of the cargo van to gain the missing 3 inches of interior height between the measured 75" and Mercedes claim of 78"???? Maybe Mercedes has a mistake in their specifications?

Can anyone clarify the situation?

I think he is referring to removing the headliner and factory floor down to metal. I haven't pulled a tape on mine but I am 6'4" or 76" ( maybe a hair over) and have factory headliner and "wood" floor with rubber matting from the factory on top of that. I can stand up straight with my head touching the headliner. I don't know if you would gain 2" but it would be close to that removing the HL and flooring.

The height dimensions in a 2011 144 WB high roof 2500 Cargo Sprinter van are as follows.

From stock floor to roof top is 78" (this is the maximum height in a cargo van without a headliner) . However you must take into account the horizontal beams (there are a total of five which run left to right across the rooftop. The beams are approximately 2" in height.

In which case the height from floor to bottom of the center horizontal beam is 76" (I am referring to the #3 horizontal beam located right above the C pillar at the end of the sliding door)

If you add a headliner and rooftop AC unit in the center sliding door area of the van the approximate height from floor to the AC unit will be approximately 73- 73.5".

The variables to consider are any modifications which are done to the increase or lower the height of the factory floor as well height placement of the headliner, AC unit, fan etc on the roof.

driveon said:

In which case the height from floor to bottom of the center horizontal beam is 76" (I am referring to the #3 horizontal beam located right above the C pillar at the end of the sliding door)

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76" is fairly close to my 75 7/8" measured dimension. Any more questions?

In the video included in the first post, you can see a measurement of 75.5" from factory floor to the uppermost ceiling of the cargo van. No headliner! No ceiling beam!

Has anyone here ever actually measured this mythical 78" interior height?

Here's the video link again. The measurement is at around the 1:00 minute mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia11T1aFxi0

I stripped the headliner this weekend to sound proof and insulate in my 2013 high roof. 26-1/8 from factory floor and rubber mat to bottom of roof support, 78" to the roof. Headliner at ribs subtracts about 1/8" your results may vary.

Pfflyer, what is the difference between how you took your measurement and the method in the video? That van does not have a headliner either, but you get a 2.5" difference.

yogiyoda said:

Pfflyer, what is the difference between how you took your measurement and the method in the video? That van does not have a headliner either, but you get a 2.5" difference.

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Isn't it amazing how so many different people can measure the same distance and get so many different measurements? There is a smart end, and a not so smart end of any tape measure. The trick is to look at both ends at the same time! (or at least hold the first end still while you measure the distance to the other end! ... and it helps if you are smart enough to read the tape measure ...



hey, Rocky! Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat ...

In case you missed it, Hans is trying to take his measurements with an English tape measure, in inches and not centimeters. I think something must have got lost in the translation ...

yogiyoda said:

Pfflyer, what is the difference between how you took your measurement and the method in the video? That van does not have a headliner either, but you get a 2.5" difference.

Click to expand...

Same way he did but from a rib farther back. It your tape measure is not plumb you can get different readings. I didn't watch the whole video but what year is the van in the video? My 2002 was shorter. I feel my measurement is close because like I said I am 76" tall and can stand up straight with headliner in with my head touching. My 02 I had to duck slightly to go under ribs with no headliner. Like I said your results may vary. I did not put a level on the tape but I did eyeball it to make sure I wasn't way off. Find a dealer and measure for yourself if you have doubts.

in the video if you look very carefully Steven measures the vertical height from the floor to the bottom of the 3rd horizontal beam as I mentioned in my prior post. Due to the camera angle in the video the beam is slightly cut off.

There is an additional 2" in height to the roof. The height of the horizontal beam is approximately 2" and would normally support a headliner .

The dimensions I provided in my earlier post are based on actual measurements I took myself in my van.

The maximum height floor to rooftop not accounting for the horizontal beam is approximately 78".


As Dave mentioned earlier "any more questions"

There is not much more to add as the measurements points are clear once you understand where the final vertical height point it is take from. The bottom of the horizontal beam or the absolute top bottom of the roof.

In the case of allowing for a person to walk underneath the roof (no headliner installed) without hitting your forehead on the horizontal beam then I advise using the height dimensions between 75.5 to 76" .

If you are taller than that try removing your shoes .

OP needs to take his tape measure to a dealer and measure. This is not rocket science.