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Old 03-20-2017, 10:57 PM   #321
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Locking door on side of passenger seat base

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The space under the Passenger's seat on a Sprinter is typically empty.....

It is my hope that in the future this space with a locking cover will suffice for secure storage. So far the reviews are good, we will see if real-world use is the same. I am hopeful!



The locking door is available from The Sprinter Store, here is the link:

https://sprinterstore.com/product/sa...-sprinter-van/
Just back from a five day trip (I will see about doing a trip report, time will be scarce the next couple of weeks...) Just wanted to report that the addition of this little locking door worked great. We bounced the van around pretty good with no rattles, the quality is top-notch, and best of all, Laura liked it!

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Old 03-21-2017, 09:27 AM   #322
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DPF Regeneration

Refer to previous Post #309

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Here is what the screen looks like with the engine running and the five DPF readings selected:



As you can see, there is a readout for temperature, pressure and average distance between regeneration. As for me, I've only noticed the van regenerating once during the time we've owned it, almost 9,000 miles as of today. I will leave these settings enabled and see how much variation I get with driving.
Here is a recent screen shot taken running down the road at 70 mph. As you can see from the top line, "DPF Regen in progress".



Watching the screen while the regeneration cycle is happening is interesting as you can see the temperature cycle up and down while the DPF regenerates. Other than that there is no indication that anything is happening.
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Old 03-21-2017, 11:19 PM   #323
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Fitz’ 2016 Sprinter 4x4 RB 150S Build

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Post 207, Front Table Update

I am very pleased to report that the front table I added is working MUCH better than anticipated! It swings around into various position very easily and after being on the road with it for a week I can't imagine being without it! It works great to swing next to the counter for extra space when preparing dinner and it is even better as a desk with the front seat rotated and facing the rear. The last few days has seen us at several rock shows (Laura's thing, not mine, but I learned long ago the wisdom of Happy Wife, Happy Life) thus I have been working remotely while she has been beating up the dealers looking for those "special" deals!



Hey Fitz, glad your table is working out so well for you. What are your table dimensions? Today I mounted a Lagun table pedestal in the same location you did (have an extra mount for the rear seating area), and I want to experiment with table sizes.

In the spirit of using what ever is on hand, I found some 1" starboard and milled it down to fit the contours/angles of the seat:


Mounted it up, and am looking forward to having a table.



BTW- when you mentioned your wife was taking you rock shows, I at first figured it was to see a different kind of Rolling Stones...
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Old 03-22-2017, 07:20 AM   #324
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Front Table in RB 50 Layout

[QUOTE=Beached;199440]Hey Fitz, glad your table is working out so well for you. What are your table dimensions? Today I mounted a Lagun table pedestal in the same location you did (have an extra mount for the rear seating area), and I want to experiment with table sizes.
QUOTE]


Beached,

VERY nice, I am sure you will like it as much as I like mine! My table top dimensions are 16" x 24", it makes for a very nice and versatile size in this particular location.

For those of you wondering what a Lagun table is, here are a couple of pictures I took of one when I was at SMB Fresno a month or so ago:




Beached, please show us your finished product. both front and rear, when you are done. I have been thinking of either adding a rear mount for mine or adding a Lagun table in the rear position, seeing yours may push me over the edge!
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Old 03-22-2017, 07:31 AM   #325
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Rock Shows = NO Music!

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BTW- when you mentioned your wife was taking you rock shows, I at first figured it was to see a different kind of Rolling Stones...
Beached,

You are a Geologist, you better assume the (best?) (worst?) when I say rock shows! Quartzite looks to be a regular event on the calendar, and I know there has been talk of Madras in the near future, plus we were in Parkfield two days ago...

I've started taking pictures titled "Can you find the Geologist?" Here are what I have so far, one taken each month of this year as we have moved around.



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Old 04-03-2017, 10:40 PM   #326
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Out with the Good (Old), in with the Good (New) - Nerf Bars vs. Sliders

When we originally installed the Aluminess Nerf Bars on Flint it was with the full knowledge that we needed something to provide a step up but that we knew we wanted something a bit more "robust". Whitefeather had an offering that I wasn't much interested in and Van Compass was talking about rock sliders that were "in development", thus we went ahead and installed the very well done Aluminess Nerf bars.

Aluminess Nerf Bars, Passenger's side:



Aluminess Nerf Bars, Driver's side:



It didn't take long to realize that using the van the way we do would be a sure prescription for failure of the Aluminess Nerf Bars. They have been on the van for seven months and nothing bad has happened to them, but there are a few well-earned stripes along the bottom...

Last Friday saw us in Atascadero where Mark and Rob installed their Van Compass rock sliders on the van. Steel vs. Aluminum, more weight and more protection, you will have to decide for yourself. As for me, I know we made the right choice.

Van Compass Rock Sliders, Passenger's side:



Van Compass Rock Sliders, Driver's side:



These are strong and robust and offer a solid step up to get into the van, plus they are designed to accommodate a High Lift Jack with the strength to allow the jack to lift the van from all four corners - for those times when the supplied two-stage hydraulic jack just isn't going to work when you are off pavement.

Here are some pictures from the underside; front, center and rear attachment brackets, plus a full length shot down the side.

Front attachment:



Center attachment:



Rear Attachment:



And finally, a shot from the underside looking from the front to the back to illustrate the overall look:



I really like the strength, appearance and functionality of the Van Compass Rock Sliders. If you haven't met Mark and Rob they are a pleasure to deal with and they produce a quality product.

In addition, we picked up a couple of other additions while we were there, stay tuned for time availability for me to report back!
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Old 04-03-2017, 11:12 PM   #327
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I am going to get every item they offer (including the sliders) ASAP after getting my rig from Fresno.

They are moving to Spokane soon. I think they should buy a location adjacent to SMB Fresno.
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Old 04-03-2017, 11:17 PM   #328
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They will most likely be relocated to the Spokane area by then, fine by me as I love any excuse to visit that part of the country! Their plans are to relocate right after Overland Expo, but they have a trained installer for their products in Atascadero plus they are currently working with several other installers to get them trained.

Also, Fresno has a display of the Van Compass products and will install many of them as part of the build.
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Old 04-06-2017, 11:17 PM   #329
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Van Compass Rear Suspension Upgrade

Flint weighs in right at, if not a bit over, GVWR. The result? A saggy rear end with the suspension operating at its maximum design point.

I have been dealing with Mark and Rob (great guys) at Van Compass. If you follow them on Instagram you have seen pictures of their prototype rear spring pack. Keep reading and you will see their prototype installed on Flint!

What they did:
1. Replaced the rear stock factory shocks with custom tuned Fox shocks set up for a heavy build - think SMB with all the goodies.
2. Added their new rear spring pack. The spring pack comes with five leaves, in this case we decided to go with three.

The result: Added 1-5/8" of lift, restored suspension travel, increased articulation, improved handling, and made the van look better. What's not to like!!?!!

The pictures:

Original bump stop clearance with the stock suspension and the van fully loaded. (Lifted Ford and etc. owners, don't laugh, the nickname "Tripod" had to come from somewhere!)



View of the new rear spring pack and a new, but slightly dirty, tuned Fox shock next to it.



Added center height of the spring pack (plus an additional 5/8" due to the camber of the springs, for an overall increase of 1-5/8").



New bump stop clearance with rear leaf springs and tuned Fox shocks in place.



We have about 500 miles on the van since the install, both on and off road, and the improvements in handling and ride comfort are very noticeable. VERY glad we made the improvements, thank you Mark and Rob, there is no going back!
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Old 04-07-2017, 06:28 AM   #330
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Looks great. Be sure to check the u-bolts once in a while. As new spring packs move around and settle, sometimes the nuts need to be tightened up.


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