DIY Sprinter Rear Door Opener/Stays For <$50

[Tim and Katie]

Coming from a Ford Transit which has the ability to lock the rear door in the open position, I decided to use gas struts to assist with opening and hold the rear doors in place on our 2024 Sprinter build. Here are the parts I used (and install video showing how I did it) to make my own rear door struts for under $50. These are a must-have upgrade for Sprinter vans imo; they assist with opening and hold the door in the open position preventing wind from blowing them fully open or closed.

10 mm gas strut mounting brackets: https://amzn.to/4mdGJt5
- you will need to increase the hole size to 1/4”, and slightly modify the 2 bent brackets as shown in the video

35.43” 60 lbs Gas Strut: https://amzn.to/43ttfCb
- choose 60, 40, or 20 lbs strut depending on the weight of your rear doors. I will have spare tire and cargo box/bikes so went with 60 lbs struts

1/4-20 Pre-bulbed Plus Nuts: https://amzn.to/4jR0vsT

1/4-20 x 1” Button Head SS Black Screws (20 pcs): https://amzn.to/458Lz4R

Spacer 3D Print File/DXF: https://makerworld.com/en/models/1418327-sprinter-strut-ball-mount-bracket-spacer#profileId-1473193
- Height should be 8 mm (0.315") if cutting out of wood or other material. If 3D printing I used and recommend ASA (7 perimeter lines, 100% infill), but PETG should also be fine.

Detailed install video:

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions and if you do this install I’d love to see the result. Cheers - Tim

 

[Sonntag69]

Clever and informative! Thank you for providing a DIY version for 1/8 the price of retail versions.

 

[Rocksnsalt]

Nice work and wow nice clean and organized shop!
Early on you mentioned having rear carriers so went with the 60lb strut but I didn’t see any carriers on the van yet.
Please update with how is this working once you have installed the carriers and tire etc.

And just a heads up, the drivers side rear door has had some cases of cracking so best to use a gentle touch with it vs slamming, especially with extra weight. You can see and feel it flex!

Agile makes a brace for this issue:

Rear Door Reinforcement Kit for Sprinter (2019+) » Agile Offroad

The Rear Door Reinforcement prevents damage and helps support the weight of heavy rear door-mounted accessories on your Sprinter.

agileoffroad.com

Thanks again for your diy solution and video 👍🏽👍🏽

 

[todddangerfarr]

Hey Tim, nice work! It looks like the struts are angled slightly upwards. If you flip them around so the rod end is downhill they should open a bit more predictably and extend the service life.

 

[RVBarry]

Hi, what makes them stop at 90°?
Hitting the max extension on the strut?
Thanks!

 

[amigob]

I did this also but, I ,mounted them on the top of the door
Closing of the door works still very well

 

[amigob]

Here movie of closing

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

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[klempak]

Here movie of closing

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

Video is private

 

[Rocksnsalt]

Hi, what makes them stop at 90°?
Hitting the max extension on the strut?
Thanks!

That’s a good question.
I think if I was setting that up, I’d try to make it stop with or just after the hinge stop.
So ideally there might be a smidge of room left for the strut to extend.

 

[Yardverkauf]

That’s a good question.
I think if I was setting that up, I’d try to make it stop with or just after the hinge stop.
So ideally there might be a smidge of room left for the strut to extend.

That is how the CAV setup is… the 90 degree detent is located a smidge before the struts top out.

Of course if you let the struts open the door it is going to go past the detent and top out the strut, but if you control the door you can stop it at the detent.

I can’t say enough good things about these types of systems, CAV, Moonraker, custom. Best mod ever if you have stuff on your doors.

 

[Rocksnsalt]

On my list and rising…

 

[Rocksnsalt]

Ich mag den neuen Namen

 

[Yardverkauf]

Ich mag den neuen Namen

I want to have the same screen name everywhere I post. Sometimes yardsale, my original screen name is taken. Hence the #. Should be better with the new one.

Apology to the OP for the bird walking.

 

[Tim and Katie]

Clever and informative! Thank you for providing a DIY version for 1/8 the price of retail versions.

Thank you! I hope it is helpful for others wanting to do the same.

Nice work and wow nice clean and organized shop!
Early on you mentioned having rear carriers so went with the 60lb strut but I didn’t see any carriers on the van yet.
Please update with how is this working once you have installed the carriers and tire etc.

And just a heads up, the drivers side rear door has had some cases of cracking so best to use a gentle touch with it vs slamming, especially with extra weight. You can see and feel it flex!

Agile makes a brace for this issue:

Rear Door Reinforcement Kit for Sprinter (2019+) » Agile Offroad

The Rear Door Reinforcement prevents damage and helps support the weight of heavy rear door-mounted accessories on your Sprinter.

agileoffroad.com

Thanks again for your diy solution and video 👍🏽👍🏽

Thank you! I will be mounting the Reika Super Single Spare (wwrapped with Falken 285/70/17) on the Rover Van's tire carrier on the driver's side door and Rover Van's expedition box, 2x Kuat SR bike trays + bikes, and soon to be released lightweight bike lift on the passenger side. Thanks for the tip re slamming it - the sprinter doors close nicely with a gentle push at the end so there really is no need for me to be slamming them... I will try to update once the rest of the build is nearing completion and all of the weight is on the rear doors.

Hey Tim, nice work! It looks like the struts are angled slightly upwards. If you flip them around so the rod end is downhill they should open a bit more predictably and extend the service life.

Hey Todd, Thanks for the tip! I will give that a try when I put them back on later in the build. I have also had a few people contact me asking about an upper door version so I've recommended them your Moon Raker Design Co rear door strut kit. It looks like a great option.

Hi, what makes them stop at 90°?
Hitting the max extension on the strut?
Thanks!

I spaced them so that the middle of the 90 degree detent is just before the lockout point of the strut. This was the main reason I went with the 35.43” struts instead of the 36" version as I didn't want the struts pushing all the way past the detent.

 

[amigob]

Video is private

fixed

 

[ohmyjersh]

Sick! Like to see a solid DIY solution with great installation directions plus the open sourcing of the 3d printing. I already sent this to a friend who wants something similar.

 

[Happy29]

Excellent, thank you. I have nothing on my doors and will try the 20lbs. struts.

If you don't have a rivnut/plusnut tool they can be installed using a few bits from your parts bin. https://www.spyderindustries.com/blogs/news/diy-how-to-install-nut-inserts-rivet-nuts

 

[Happy29]

Excellent, thank you. I have nothing on my doors and will try the 20lbs. struts.

If you don't have a rivnut/plusnut tool they can be installed using a few bits from your parts bin. https://www.spyderindustries.com/blogs/news/diy-how-to-install-nut-inserts-rivet-nuts

Out of stock on the 20lbs so I went with 40lbs. Works great and probably a better choice than 20lbs. I've had the wind take the doors away from me and I don't think the 20 would be strong enough to defeat a good gust. Thanks for the parts list.

Oh, the rivnet 'tool' made from a bolt, washer, slightly larger nut and star washer worked perfectly. I wouldn't want to drive 30+ this way but for a handful, no sweat.

 

[Rocksnsalt]

Out of stock on the 20lbs so I went with 40lbs. Works great and probably a better choice than 20lbs. I've had the wind take the doors away from me and I don't think the 20 would be strong enough to defeat a good gust. Thanks for the parts list.

Oh, the rivnet 'tool' made from a bolt, washer, slightly larger nut and star washer worked perfectly. I wouldn't want to drive 30+ this way but for a handful, no sweat.

How long did install take?

 

[Happy29]

How long did install take?

Oh, about 20 mins to modify and paint the brackets. Another 20 mins or so each side to install. I had to carve out some wood as my build extends 1/4" over the black plastic 'plate'. Not a big deal. Touched up with paint, done.