Anyone with a Sprinter feeling helpful?

Put your VIN into this link. It will give you the build info from MB. Tell us the codes and we can tell you what you have.

http://carinfo.kiev.ua/cars/vin/mercedes

Hi Ron, I don't think you need to worry unduly about your springs other than watching you max axle loading. 
This whole post is probably due to my engineering brain not letting go of a 'want to know but can't get the answer' situation. Any 'normal' person would have given up ages ago 

Jaytee wrote:Hi Ron, I don't think you need to worry unduly about your springs other than watching you max axle loading. 
This whole post is probably due to my engineering brain not letting go of a 'want to know but can't get the answer' situation. Any 'normal' person would have given up ages ago 

I don't have a springs problem - I was merely encouraging you to keep up the pressure. I would certainly be chasing it myself.

Sorry Ron, I meant Alan gemdeco who was worrying after reading this very long thread 

Don't give up now Jaytee, as hard as it is keep up the pressure!

Thanks for the excellent link Peter,really useful. Seems I have the C33 'harder' but a quick glance underneath there is a single spring ( it was a quick glance though)

Will just be careful about the back axle load.

Pitched next to a Gloucester, uprated to 4000kg but still got single leaf C33 spring ( went under to check).

Peter

Thanks Peter, that IS interesting. See if you can get his vin #  as the C38 (3880 rated spring) is single leaf. 

I have it and will check spec when I get home next week.
Peter

Peter Brown wrote:I have it and will check spec when I get home next week.
Peter

Brilliant 

well i am really put off adding a towbar or rear cycle rack to my winchcombe, i am begining to think i made a big mistake buying it

duffie wrote:well i am really put off adding a towbar or rear cycle rack to my winchcombe, i am begining to think i made a big mistake buying it

You will be fine, trust me   What is it you are towing?

Don't forget I am probably making a fuss over nothing  I absolutley 'love' my Winchcombe and am quite happy and confident with it. Just a little niggle I want the answer to.  And because I cannot get that answer I have got stuck in a rut trying to get it.
When I put it over the weighbridge we were heading off to Iceland and the box on the cycle rack even had a spare full gas bottle in it and the axle load wasn't 'that' bad. I normally travel with full fresh water as well.

Plate on upgraded Gloucester.  Merc spec says C33 rear spring.

Jaytee, have you talked to SvTech?

Peter

Brilliant, thanks Peter. Yes, that's a brilliant idea

Was thinking of up-plating ours so that is very interesting. I am at the point now of leaving things as are and as I mentioned to Duffie I am not really concerened at all about the springs (especially while under warranty) they are now just a niggle thats needs de-niggling.



Will talk with SvTech and report back.

Peter, interesting that it is uprated to MTPLM 4000kg,  but GTM is 5500kg, less than standard Gloucester 5880kg.? ie lower towing capacity.

Having studiously followed all of the foregoing slightly worrying sagas – and with my previous life as an A/C engineer and safety hat on I have been investigated the possibility of fitting a semi air system to my 2014 Malvern.

My research lead me to a company called VB Air Suspension Systems - a Dutch based company who are the official approved suppliers to Mercedes-Benz for factory fit and aftermarket sales for the Sprinter range of chassis’s.

Having persuaded my financial manager (SWMBO) that it would be a good idea to have a semi-air system fitted, I approached my local VB agent and provided him with all of the relevant chassis build details.

I then received a call back from the agent querying what exactly had been fitted to the chassis as they could not recognised it as one of the regular variants of Sprinter coming off the MB line! And indeed, if it had options C15, C17 or XL8+C33 there was a potential problem! 
He had discovered a Tech Note produced by VB in September 2014 stating that any chassis with the afore mentioned options required the development of a modified kit before the system could be fitted! 
Whilst I was aware from previous research that it had XL8 and C33 fitted – but just to be sure, I confirmed this with A/S Homologation.  
So a major problem – and VB cannot fit their system to my van at the moment until a mod has been approved and produced.

So where does that leave us;

- It suggests that our 3880kg chassis’s are not the norm and presumably not many (in the grand scheme of things) have been produced by MB!
– This might also explain why all of the suspension design/strength queries that have been raised by forum members have hit brick walls in the wider Sprinter community!
– From what I am told it is not just a question of drilling some additional holes but involves a fairly major revision of the current kit and presumably sign off and approval by MB!
– Development of which is in the system with VB but with no promise of when it might be available.

So I am still confused and in my mind raises the question of other semi-air producers - are they recognising this chassis difference and are they somehow getting over this issue?

Liam

PS More bad news – just got notification from the headlight protector suppliers that they are no longer available - the Aussies have ceased production!!

That is 'really' interesting Laim. I had reached a point where the swmbo had told me to get a life and move on but you have now re-enthused me

I think I will do as Peter suggested and talk with SV-tech.

Great shame about the headlight protectors. Which Co did you try and buy from? I had my stolen ones replaced by MB in Hull about two months ago and they bought them (I think) from Auto Styling Truckman 0845 6444704.

Good luck and I won't tell the swmbo you have got me back as Clouseau

Yes Jaytee it was Auto Styling - I also tried Tops4Trucks - they also use the Aus producer.

Liam
PS we will need a few more bottles to discuss this whilst in France!!

Liam wrote:Yes Jaytee it was Auto Styling - I also tried Tops4Trucks - they also use the Aus producer.

Liam
PS we will need a few more bottles to discuss this whilst in France!!

Ha ha, funnily enough I am just finalising the ferry , routes et al and am really looking fwd to the trip , a holiday in the sunshine   , plus of course good company      and the odd drop of  

Jaytee,
I have just sent you a pm in response to your email of to day - let me know if doesn't arrive - never confident that the system has worked!
Cheers,
Liam

Liam
The PM sits in you Outbox until read by Jaytee then moves to the sent box.

Hi Liam, yes thanks, got as an email. Thanks Peter as well.

Thanks Peter,
Wasn't sure how it worked  - I think I am just old and impatient!
Liam

Peter,
Further education - how do I include a pdf. file in a post?
Liam

You can either save it as a jpg and post via Photobucket or you can put it on a 'cloud' drive and post a 'read only' link to it.

Peter,
Many thanks, sounds complicated, but in the meantime I have managed to send the relevant file via pm to Jaytee.
Cheers,
Liam