Davydd
Well-known member
My Sprinter 144 WB 2500 Silver Metallic has been delivered and waiting for conversion. It is not a 4 x 4. Windows all around but the driver's side quarter panel is filled with a tall closet and bathroom so will be filled in and a glass fake window will cover it. MB delivers to ARV with the window openings cut out and ARV uses something like CR Lawrence. The label taped to the cab door has our name on it.
The wheels will be replaced with aluminum in an effort to keep the GVWR down if we have to. I don't mind the stock black after seeing this. We are overweight in our design.
A 4x4 adds about 300 lbs. as I understand it in the weight of the vehicle and the conversion still has to be under 7,400 lbs. delivered. So, I desire to put the pounds elsewhere. I don't need a 4x4 but I will explore, if I feel I need to, lifting the van so the nerf bar addition clears a 6" curb.
I have designed 844ah of Valence lithium batteries configured in a single row of six to fit under our beds. The Gayle video shows them as a block of 2 rows of 3. They are drop ins (group 27 profile) but treated as one battery in ARV's design. If I have to save more weight I could consider 4 batteries at 576ah. The Isotherm refrigerator takes less energy consumption than my present Novakool and the Houghton air conditioner saves 20% of our present Mach 8. I'm not sure I want to give up air conditioning as Gayle did (see video) even though we rarely run it and never overnight in 15 years of Class B vans.
I've reduced the refrigerator to an Isotherm Freeline 115 EL: Volume (CF): 4 (fridge: 2.9 + freezer 1.1) from our previously planned Novakool 6800. The freezer still holds 4 frozen pizzas or a quart of ice cream. Those kind of items I don't want to give up on the road.
In our video mocking up the bunk beds we said a Super Single wheel configuration for the narrower wheel wells. Though the gross weight goes up to 9,990 lbs. the build as delivered still has to stay under 7,400 lbs. and the wheels and suspension add to the delivered weight so less conversion weight. Doesn't make much sense but that is what I understand. We don't need more gross weight as we probably can only utilize half of the 1,650 lbs. (9,050 - 7,400 = 1,650) allowed and we are not ever going to tow. A bathroom vanity is going to be built atop of the wheel well. A dually configuration would just create a deeper vanity I don't need and cut down on the rest of the bathroom floor plan.
It is my understanding that ARV cannot build over 7,400 lbs. and maintain it's Master Upfitter status with MB. Once I take possession, I as the owner, can add more improvements but still cannot or should not exceed 9,050 lbs. meaning water, equipment, ourselves, clothes, groceries, beer, etc. I rough inventoried what we add to our current extended van and could not reach 800 lbs. The new van is designed to only be able to haul the two of us. It has been an interesting exercise in designing a van.
The wheels will be replaced with aluminum in an effort to keep the GVWR down if we have to. I don't mind the stock black after seeing this. We are overweight in our design.
A 4x4 adds about 300 lbs. as I understand it in the weight of the vehicle and the conversion still has to be under 7,400 lbs. delivered. So, I desire to put the pounds elsewhere. I don't need a 4x4 but I will explore, if I feel I need to, lifting the van so the nerf bar addition clears a 6" curb.
I have designed 844ah of Valence lithium batteries configured in a single row of six to fit under our beds. The Gayle video shows them as a block of 2 rows of 3. They are drop ins (group 27 profile) but treated as one battery in ARV's design. If I have to save more weight I could consider 4 batteries at 576ah. The Isotherm refrigerator takes less energy consumption than my present Novakool and the Houghton air conditioner saves 20% of our present Mach 8. I'm not sure I want to give up air conditioning as Gayle did (see video) even though we rarely run it and never overnight in 15 years of Class B vans.
I've reduced the refrigerator to an Isotherm Freeline 115 EL: Volume (CF): 4 (fridge: 2.9 + freezer 1.1) from our previously planned Novakool 6800. The freezer still holds 4 frozen pizzas or a quart of ice cream. Those kind of items I don't want to give up on the road.
In our video mocking up the bunk beds we said a Super Single wheel configuration for the narrower wheel wells. Though the gross weight goes up to 9,990 lbs. the build as delivered still has to stay under 7,400 lbs. and the wheels and suspension add to the delivered weight so less conversion weight. Doesn't make much sense but that is what I understand. We don't need more gross weight as we probably can only utilize half of the 1,650 lbs. (9,050 - 7,400 = 1,650) allowed and we are not ever going to tow. A bathroom vanity is going to be built atop of the wheel well. A dually configuration would just create a deeper vanity I don't need and cut down on the rest of the bathroom floor plan.
It is my understanding that ARV cannot build over 7,400 lbs. and maintain it's Master Upfitter status with MB. Once I take possession, I as the owner, can add more improvements but still cannot or should not exceed 9,050 lbs. meaning water, equipment, ourselves, clothes, groceries, beer, etc. I rough inventoried what we add to our current extended van and could not reach 800 lbs. The new van is designed to only be able to haul the two of us. It has been an interesting exercise in designing a van.