INSTALLATION OF REAR GRAB BAR

Dr_Paul

New member
INSTALLATION OF REAR GRAB BAR
I am offering this post in the hope of saving other Sprinter owners some time and frustration.
I own a 2018 4X4 Passenger van that was not originally equipped with rear grab bar handles. Needless to say without the aid of the grab bar it was a bit difficult to enter the van through the back door. If a van isn’t originally equipped with grab bars the holes for its mounting (in the panel) are also absent. You would think that MB could simply have the panel perforated with the holes for the grab bar and fill them with buttons but they don’t. Worse yet, while some vans have the threaded holes for the grab bar behind the panel I am told others do not. Fortunately, my van had the threaded holes but the trick was to precisely cut the two holes in the panel directly in front of the threads.
See the two pics. The top hole is for the button. The distance between the middle of the top button and the middle of the top grab bar hole is 6.5 inches. The distance between the grab bar holes is 16.5 inches. Finally, the grab bar holes are 1.5 inches from the rear edge of the panel. The other pic shows the finished work.
Hope this helps another Sprinter owner.
 

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Dr_Paul

New member
I would like to add two other pieces of information to assist in the installation of the grab bar. The bolts I used are the same as the bolts for the floor tie down cups - 8mm, 1.25 coarse, T45, 1 3/16 in length. Second, be sure to include spacers on the bolts between the van metal and the rear of the plastic panel. If you don't, you will crush the panel. I first tried 3/8" spacers and found them to be a bit too large then switched to 1/4".
 
D

Deleted member 50714

Guest
A popular hole locating method employed by woodworkers, are inexpensive pointed buttons used to mark dowell locations.

Easily fabricated out of a short bolt, one end sharpened to a point and a screwed into the threaded hole with sufficient protrusion to mark the inside of the Lexan panel. A bit more work because the panel will have to be removed and briefly reinstalled for marking but hole location will be marked accurately.
 

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Dr_Paul

New member
I appreciate the reply. I also first considered removing the panel but a speaker is attached to it. Honestly, I couldn't figure out how to detach the speaker without messing things up so I resorted to the manual measuring method.
 

Kajtek1

2015 3500 X long limo RV
I am dealing with factory bars right now and they mount under the plastic. Might take a picture tomorrow if somebody needs it?
Looking at factory mount and bolt, they seem very strong and since I made elevated dinette in the rear, I am planning to use the lower bolt for adding safety belts.
 
I installed the grab bars in my 2018 4x4 today.
Kajtek1 is correct about the mounting of the bars. I removed the plastic panels and on the back of the panels they are marked for the cutouts for the grab bars. I used a dremel tool and ground out to the cutout marks. Really nice to have the bars, much easier to get in to van now.
Hardest part was removing the plastic plugs in the panels.
None broke and they all were able to be re-used.
 

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KentuckyWR

Member
What I need to know is the part number for the grab handle shown above in the post by @auburnbuilder. The one with the 90 degree bend just before the mounting holes. See the image below. I ordered PN 906-815-03-36 as shown below but it doesn't have the bend. I appears to be the same grab handle as shown in the top post by @Dr_Paul. I'm fairly certain that the one I have came off a MB sliding partition door and was originally gray in color. Any help with the appropriate PN would be greatly appreciated.


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See you on the trail!
 
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Rocksnsalt

There Can Be Only ONE
Did this grab handle come with bolts?
You have to order the bolts separately. At least when I bought mine 2 yrs ago.
Ordered from my dealer. Had to overcome the usual “your vin doesn’t show this part” bs.
I used the bars with the bend shown in post #10 in my 2019 passenger.
part number 906-815-02-36.
 
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MS42

2014 Freightliner 3500
Has anyone tried bending the straight bar into the angled configuration?
 
Does anyone know if there are existing factory holes on a 2021 passenger in order to install grab handle with the bend 906-815-02-36 in the B pillar because its hard for the kids to climb up the steps of the passenger sliding door, the existing grab bar is too high for them
 

Kajtek1

2015 3500 X long limo RV
Has anyone tried bending the straight bar into the angled configuration?
Everything is doable if time and money are not object, but considering the shape and material demand, I think you'd be better ordering them from dealer.
I experienced that even Sprinter who was order as a bus shell did have holes for the bars, so I assume most, if not all Sprinters do have them.
 

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