500 lbs. versus 1000 lbs. capacity rating at 50 percent compression.
Suspension upgrades to improve handling in gusty winds
- Thread starter kmay
- Start date
kmay
2013 Unity MB
fox shocks for sprinter not listed on sites
So, I visited Agile Off-road and Sprinter Upgrades as well as Fox shocks and a few other suspension sites looking for further info.
I can readily find the Hellwig sway bar and Sumo Springs. Sprinter Upgrades even offers a complete kit, only with Koni shocks.
I consistently cannot find anything on the elusive and wary Fox shock for a Sprinter. Is this one of those items that you just have to ask, slip the man at the door a c-note or something?
This project is beginning to look like a DIY job for all the rear bits for several reasons. Finding a local shop with Sprinter experience is difficult enough, finding one that will install customer supplied parts... There is the added benefit of building knowledge base as I feel compelled to learn to lift this vehicle properly, even if only to know when AAA/Good Sam or Coach Net guy is full of beans.
Not sure how the front Sumo's install. The only real professional requirement looks like alignment and I can hopefully get our Mercedes dealer to do that.
So, I visited Agile Off-road and Sprinter Upgrades as well as Fox shocks and a few other suspension sites looking for further info.
I can readily find the Hellwig sway bar and Sumo Springs. Sprinter Upgrades even offers a complete kit, only with Koni shocks.
I consistently cannot find anything on the elusive and wary Fox shock for a Sprinter. Is this one of those items that you just have to ask, slip the man at the door a c-note or something?
This project is beginning to look like a DIY job for all the rear bits for several reasons. Finding a local shop with Sprinter experience is difficult enough, finding one that will install customer supplied parts... There is the added benefit of building knowledge base as I feel compelled to learn to lift this vehicle properly, even if only to know when AAA/Good Sam or Coach Net guy is full of beans.
Not sure how the front Sumo's install. The only real professional requirement looks like alignment and I can hopefully get our Mercedes dealer to do that.
Re: fox shocks for sprinter not listed on sites
I've provided lots of info on the modified Fox shocks that Agile Offroad sells. Do a search on Agile. What's missing?
You can also contact John (the owner) at Agile.
I've provided lots of info on the modified Fox shocks that Agile Offroad sells. Do a search on Agile. What's missing?
You can also contact John (the owner) at Agile.
kmay
2013 Unity MB
Re: fox shocks for sprinter not listed on sites
If so, I just saw Quigley and 4 x 4 Ford vans. I am not saying they don't have Sprinter stuff, just surprised neither this company nor the US main site for Fox shocks list Sprinter application info prominently on their web site. I went back and drilled a little deeper, the only Sprinter word I found on agileoffroad is on the pull-down menu for vehicle manufacturers on their request for estimate form.
Omission could simply be that Sprinter part of their business is a low volume add-on and not productive enough to warrant adding another link to the web page and/or not a part of their identity or marketing plan.
I have a reason for asking. I have a couple of independent shops in mind I would like to groom for general chassis service. Having spent some time in the auto parts business, I learned shops appreciate manufacturer/jobber support for the products they install for their customers. And, typical business model includes revenue from reselling parts. So I would like to be able to point to a distributor/jobber where they could order Sprinter stuff with appropriate back end support, warranty service etc. And in the bigger picture, I would like to have options before wandering into the Mercedes service department. Finding alternatives is made much more difficult due to Mercedes' business practices that alienated a large part of the non-OEM service sector.
Thanks for all the well thought out responses on this thread and others related to suspension options. While there is not a complete consensus and purchase confirmation bias tends to skew opinion, all of your contributions on forums like this help the community.
Agile Off-road of El Cajon CA? on this site: http://agileoffroad.com/ ?
If so, I just saw Quigley and 4 x 4 Ford vans. I am not saying they don't have Sprinter stuff, just surprised neither this company nor the US main site for Fox shocks list Sprinter application info prominently on their web site. I went back and drilled a little deeper, the only Sprinter word I found on agileoffroad is on the pull-down menu for vehicle manufacturers on their request for estimate form.
Omission could simply be that Sprinter part of their business is a low volume add-on and not productive enough to warrant adding another link to the web page and/or not a part of their identity or marketing plan.
I have a reason for asking. I have a couple of independent shops in mind I would like to groom for general chassis service. Having spent some time in the auto parts business, I learned shops appreciate manufacturer/jobber support for the products they install for their customers. And, typical business model includes revenue from reselling parts. So I would like to be able to point to a distributor/jobber where they could order Sprinter stuff with appropriate back end support, warranty service etc. And in the bigger picture, I would like to have options before wandering into the Mercedes service department. Finding alternatives is made much more difficult due to Mercedes' business practices that alienated a large part of the non-OEM service sector.
Thanks for all the well thought out responses on this thread and others related to suspension options. While there is not a complete consensus and purchase confirmation bias tends to skew opinion, all of your contributions on forums like this help the community.
highsierrabear
Member
Here's a shout out for Van Compass.
They stock and tune the Fox Shocks.
I did their lift kit, Skid plates, and Fox rear shocks (Koni front shocks since fitting the fox shocks to a 2WD is a pain). I actually bought the suspension upgrade kit from sprinter upgrades and van compass installed everything during the lift.
Instantly made a huge difference in my ride despite the nearly 3" of lift between suspension and tires. The body roll is minimized (acceptable for a tall van). Body lean while cornering or driving rural roads is now minimal. Driving dirt washboard roads is much better with the Fox rear shocks. Only have about 500 miles on everything but very happy so far.
They also installed a killer onboard air system in the aux battery space. Viair 450C compressor wth 2 gallon tank and air outlets in the grill and inside the back doors.
Great guys, building a nice small business.
They stock and tune the Fox Shocks.
I did their lift kit, Skid plates, and Fox rear shocks (Koni front shocks since fitting the fox shocks to a 2WD is a pain). I actually bought the suspension upgrade kit from sprinter upgrades and van compass installed everything during the lift.
Instantly made a huge difference in my ride despite the nearly 3" of lift between suspension and tires. The body roll is minimized (acceptable for a tall van). Body lean while cornering or driving rural roads is now minimal. Driving dirt washboard roads is much better with the Fox rear shocks. Only have about 500 miles on everything but very happy so far.
They also installed a killer onboard air system in the aux battery space. Viair 450C compressor wth 2 gallon tank and air outlets in the grill and inside the back doors.
Great guys, building a nice small business.
imstilllarry
Active member
I would like to find a shock I can tune real time from an app. In a big side wind make it very firm. Wind stops and road get rough set them soft. Just experiment with options and find what I like.
2014 Unity MB 2013 Sprinter 3500
2014 Unity MB 2013 Sprinter 3500
highsierrabear
Member
Re: fox shocks for sprinter not listed on sites
That's the place. As I understand it, Agile specializes in converting 4 x 4 Ford vans for heavy duty off road use. They are now branching out to 2500 Sprinter 4 x 4 as the supply of Ford vans is decreasing. They are using a shim-modified Fox shock designed for Jeeps in the 2500 Sprinter. I came to them (Ramsey), to see if this shock would work in my 3500 Sprinter motorhome. We did some test drives and determined I needed more damping than what they configured for the 2500. The shock shims where then readjusted for my needs. I'm very happy with the results. I can say there was a significant improvement in stability when switching the stock shocks to Koni reds set to max damping, and then again another significant improvement when switching to the Fox shocks.
Providing shocks for Sprinter motorhomes is just a side show for them. If you want more info then talk to John Brindell at Agile. Send me a message if you want his #.
As already mentioned, Van Compass is another off road Sprinter supplier.
That's the place. As I understand it, Agile specializes in converting 4 x 4 Ford vans for heavy duty off road use. They are now branching out to 2500 Sprinter 4 x 4 as the supply of Ford vans is decreasing. They are using a shim-modified Fox shock designed for Jeeps in the 2500 Sprinter. I came to them (Ramsey), to see if this shock would work in my 3500 Sprinter motorhome. We did some test drives and determined I needed more damping than what they configured for the 2500. The shock shims where then readjusted for my needs. I'm very happy with the results. I can say there was a significant improvement in stability when switching the stock shocks to Koni reds set to max damping, and then again another significant improvement when switching to the Fox shocks.
Providing shocks for Sprinter motorhomes is just a side show for them. If you want more info then talk to John Brindell at Agile. Send me a message if you want his #.
As already mentioned, Van Compass is another off road Sprinter supplier.
imstilllarry
Active member
http://www.bilsteinus.com/products/electronic-suspension-systems/bilstein-b16-irc/
Reasonable maybe not yet. Hopefully soon. $4,000 ish is a little steep.
2014 Unity MB 2013 Sprinter 3500
Both before and after the November delivery and 1,200 mile break-in trip in our new 2017 FX, I read multiple threads regarding suspension upgrades, focusing on the oft-touted trio of Sumo Solos, Heilwig sway bar and Koni (or Fox) shocks. I am neither an engineer nor a mechanic, and do not purport to understand the physics principles discussed by several posters. However, in hopes that my experience may assist those similarly situated, I offer the following purely subjective explanation and evaluation.
I opted for the Sumos (front and rear) and the Heilwig sway bar from Amazon: $529. These items were installed by a local spring shop for $156. (At 68, I don't feel like lifting and crawling under a 10,000 lb machine in my pole barn.) I decided against the shocks, installation and requisite front-end alignment because, given the mixed reviews on this option, I didn't want to spend another $1,000 before evaluating the effect of the other two modifications.
My 50 mile round-trip route to and from the spring shop consisted of freeway, two-lane highway and city street driving, on both asphalt and concrete. For 80% of the distance, including all of the 65 mph freeway travel, there were 20-30 mph gusty winds at 90 degrees to the roadway, with a lot of semi-truck traffic. On the return trip:
1. I could travel at a higher speed on the circular freeway ramps, and around corners, without the uncomfortable "lean" in the OEM condition.
2. While the cross-winds and semi buffeting were still present, their adverse effect on handling was significantly diminished, and the coach again did not "lean" away from those forces.
3. The vertical ride was smoother, in that expansion joints, small potholes and freeway overpass transitions no longer produced as intense a jarring sensation.
4. When crossing driveway approaches from the street at an angle, I had to proceed more slowly than before, to reduce what seemed like a stronger side-to-side rocking tendency. (I assume this is the result of the larger and stiffer sway bar.)
In short, for under $700 I got what feels like a smoother and more stable ride. No shocks for now.
I opted for the Sumos (front and rear) and the Heilwig sway bar from Amazon: $529. These items were installed by a local spring shop for $156. (At 68, I don't feel like lifting and crawling under a 10,000 lb machine in my pole barn.) I decided against the shocks, installation and requisite front-end alignment because, given the mixed reviews on this option, I didn't want to spend another $1,000 before evaluating the effect of the other two modifications.
My 50 mile round-trip route to and from the spring shop consisted of freeway, two-lane highway and city street driving, on both asphalt and concrete. For 80% of the distance, including all of the 65 mph freeway travel, there were 20-30 mph gusty winds at 90 degrees to the roadway, with a lot of semi-truck traffic. On the return trip:
1. I could travel at a higher speed on the circular freeway ramps, and around corners, without the uncomfortable "lean" in the OEM condition.
2. While the cross-winds and semi buffeting were still present, their adverse effect on handling was significantly diminished, and the coach again did not "lean" away from those forces.
3. The vertical ride was smoother, in that expansion joints, small potholes and freeway overpass transitions no longer produced as intense a jarring sensation.
4. When crossing driveway approaches from the street at an angle, I had to proceed more slowly than before, to reduce what seemed like a stronger side-to-side rocking tendency. (I assume this is the result of the larger and stiffer sway bar.)
In short, for under $700 I got what feels like a smoother and more stable ride. No shocks for now.
Ovrlnd_Trvlr
On A Journey
Would you have a link to the ones you got? Thanks.
If you have a Sprinter 2500, what aarpskier has would not be what you need, at least for the rear.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ER5ODIY?fp=1&pc_redir=T1
https://www.amazon.com/SuperSprings...olo-Upgrade/dp/compatibility-chart/B00715DLOY
Last edited:
HighPockets
Active member
I think you were wise not to replace almost new OEM shocks. If I am not mistaken the OEMs are decent shocks and will provide reasonable performance for thousands of miles. That being said I just put new red Konis on my '07 sprinter, but then it had 270K miles on it, original shocks I think. I also added the Helwig anti-sway bar. A very remarkable difference. I can now drive with confidence instead of fear going over 45 mph on these old curvy country roads where I live.
It's all relative to what you expect from your suspension. I replaced my OEM shocks/struts with Koni reds with just a few hundred miles on the odometer. That was a significant improvement. I again got a significant improvement when changing to Fox shocks.
I consider the OEM shocks/struts the absolute worst component in regards to handling.. They could have easily installed something better. Install the right shocks and you'll see a significant improvement in gusty wind conditions or rocking.
I consider the OEM shocks/struts the absolute worst component in regards to handling.. They could have easily installed something better. Install the right shocks and you'll see a significant improvement in gusty wind conditions or rocking.
Yes, you sure can. We spent the afternoon at Agile OffRoad with John this week and progressively installed Fox 2.0 Performance IFP shocks (rear-only), Hellig 7254 rear sway bar, and SumoSprings SSF-106-40 (front) & SSR-338-147 (rear).
The shocks were valved to provide Touring-grade dampening (not OEM or HD/racing) at maximum load. Road test showed dramatic roll-reduction when exiting driveways etc. Rolling down the road at 30-40mph simply felt more stable and the shock did a much better job of absorbing 3"+ speed bumps at speed.
Adding the sway bars eliminated corner rolls. Over the past 11K miles, I had been settling-in on taking turns at 10 mph below the yellow-signed suggestions. Post sway-bar, I am now confident taking yellow-signed turns at 5-10 mph over as measured by glances at my wife for signs of increased anxiety.
Adding the SumoSprings dampened all the little stuff on the road less than 2", up or down. To me, it feels like the Sumo's have the initial impact, then the shocks engage, next the sway bar looks to prevent any excess roll of the unibody, and in those cases where you do roll, the Sumo's are again present as a spring/bump-stop. We are thrilled with the results and feel more comfortable and safer with these changes.
During certain conditions, the front Sumo's feel just a bit too bright, like the uncoiling from a compression was too strong. We believe that additional dampening from higher performance front struts will take care of that. We are going to drive as-is for a while and decide later.
Has anyone installed the Suspension Upgrade Package B from Sprinter Upgrades?
https://sprinterupgrades.com/collec...printer-suspension-upgrade-package-b-for-3500
I am thinking that may be the way to go? Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.
https://sprinterupgrades.com/collec...printer-suspension-upgrade-package-b-for-3500
I am thinking that may be the way to go? Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.
I've done a lot of suspension testing. I've found the most critical components to improve handling are the shocks/struts. The Koni FSD shocks do not help much is this regards. They do not have adjustable damping. If you have a Sprinter motor home (which has a narrow track and very high center of gravity) then you need a boat load of slow-speed damping. I had Agile Offroad revalve the Fox shocks to the max slow speed damping that the shock can achieve. My MH needs every bit of that damping to keep the chassis stable.
We installed the Koni rear shocks and sumo springs front and rear and are on our way back from a cross country trip from San Diego to Orlando and are very pleased with the results. I also purchased the Hellwig 1 1/2" rear sway bar but did not have time to install it before we left on the trip. Bought the components separately for about $300 less than Srinter upgrades
Check out SD Truck Springs...