Hodakaguy's 4x4 Sprinter Build

[Farfrumwork]

^^ Whoa - did not know about the wet wipers. Going to have to get on that train, as the factory spray 'pattern' is pretty lame on my '17. Thanks for the info!


Also noticed your rock sliders, but must have missed that in your build documentation. Who makes them? They look like they would make for a good step.


(I'm also weight conscious in our van build, 'light is right'. I need another weigh-in but I'm around <7500# loaded for adventure)

 

[Arjan]

Nice modification these wipers / washers.
Interesting

 

[Redline61]

Love the air setup! Such a well thought out idea.

 

[Hodakaguy]

^^ Whoa - did not know about the wet wipers. Going to have to get on that train, as the factory spray 'pattern' is pretty lame on my '17. Thanks for the info!


Also noticed your rock sliders, but must have missed that in your build documentation. Who makes them? They look like they would make for a good step.


(I'm also weight conscious in our van build, 'light is right'. I need another weigh-in but I'm around <7500# loaded for adventure)

Just getting to posting about the sliders, see below for full details . Light is definatly better!

Hodakaguy

 

[Hodakaguy]

Backland Expedition Gear Slider Install.

After installing the lift I wanted to install a set of sliders. The sliders offer several benefits: They act as a solid step, protect the rocker panels from damage, protect the side of the van from door dings, can act as bench to sit on or a table platform to set drinks on etc at camp.

I wanted a set of sliders that are built solid and able to be scraped/banged on something without denting or folding up. After a bit of looking I settled on Backland EG steel sliders as I liked the construction and looks of these units. They offer two sizes on the sliders, 4" and 6". I ordered the 6" as I wanted them to be a solid step platform that your whole foot can fit on, not just your toes. I thought about fabricating my own setup but just don't have the time right now.

Install went pretty straight forward with a couple minor hiccups.

The sliders bolt onto the Van with 4 braces on each side, bolted into the van with rivet nuts and a series of screws along the pinch seam. The rivet nuts and bolts were sealed with Sikaflex 221. The sheet metal screws that go through the pinch seam was sealed with Sikaflex between the slider and seam and will have a Waxoil coating on the bolt heads and washers (Not applied yet). The rivet nut on the front mounting brackets required the plastic to be removed on the OEM drivers and passenger foot wells to drill/install the rivet nuts, there are plastic tabs on the underside of the foot wells that need to be trimmed to allow clearance for the rivet nut (Sorry got busy and didn't get pics of this step). The two drivers side middle brackets had a gap between the brackets and the body, looks like there were possibly built slightly off. I fabricated and painted some steel spacers to install between the brackets and van body then the fit was perfect.

The sliders are very solid and fit and finish is top notch. The bed liner coating that comes on the sliders looks to be ultra durable and offers a great grip. They make stepping up into the lifted van a breeze, a huge improvement!


The Sliders arrived packed very well in a wooded crate and foam bits. The sliders are coated in INDY Bed Liner and should be very durable over time.

Mounting brackets and hardware. Brackets are coated in the same INDY coating as the sliders.

Test filling the slider. Fit perfectly.

Drilling holes (and painting) in the pinch seam. There are 8 screws that are installed along the pinch seam.

Sikaflex 221 applied between the slider and the pinch seam for a waterproof seal.

Will Sikaflex installed at all 8 hole locations the sliders are pressed into place and held in place with the jacks as the screws are inserted into the sliders from the underside.

The 8 supplied mounting brackets are mounted to the van via Rivet nuts. First you find the location that you want to install the brackets then hold the brackets in place and use a marker to mark out the bolt/Rivet Nut locations. You then drill the holes (1/2") and install the Rivet Nuts using a install tool (Not included with the sliders). Once the Rivet Nuts are installed I sealed the edges with Sikaflex then bolted the brackets in place using more Sikaflex to seal the bolts themselves.

Manual Install Tool

Bracket 1 out of 8 installed.

Continued below....

 

[Hodakaguy]

Continued from above....

The two middle brackets on the drivers side didn't quite match up with the body and left a gap, looks like maybe a slight error in manufacturing. I fabricated some steel spacers to fill the gap and everything fit up nicely.

The rear mounts get drilled and bolted in place.

The front mounts

And some installed shots. Fit and Finish is excellent.

Hodakaguy

 

[fireball]

They look great thanks for documenting the install. Mine are still packed in the crate they came in. I also got their rear step which is really nice!

Do you have a ballpark install time for the sliders?

 

[Matt.H]

Drilling holes (and painting) in the pinch seam. There are 8 screws that are installed along the pinch seam.

Do you have a ballpark install time for the sliders?

Looking good!

With all those inserts how many times did you have to mark, remove the slider, drill, fasten, mark and repeat as necessary? Or are you as good at centering pilot holes as you are with everything else?

 

[ITTOG]

Are those really sliders? Look like they will bend fairly easily.

 

[Hodakaguy]

They look great thanks for documenting the install. Mine are still packed in the crate they came in. I also got their rear step which is really nice!

Do you have a ballpark install time for the sliders?

Your gonna love them. I took about 6-7 hrs, but that includes time to fabricate spacers and time to remove and re-install both plastic footwells on the driver's and passenger side. Make sure you have a low profile manual rivet nut setter on hand.

Hodakaguy

 

[Hodakaguy]

Looking good!

With all those inserts how many times did you have to mark, remove the slider, drill, fasten, mark and repeat as necessary? Or are you as good at centering pilot holes as you are with everything else?

It was actually pretty easy. I measured, market out and drilled all 8 of the pinch seam holes on each side. Then put the slider in place and drilled through the slider through the pre-drilled holes, quick and easy. The rest of the rivet nut holes were marked and drilled on an individual basis at each mount location while the slider was on the van ?

Hodakaguy

 

[Hodakaguy]

Are those really sliders? Look like they will bend fairly easily.

The sliders themselves are steel and rock solid, the mounts will be the weakest point. Normally a slider would be mounted right to a frame, but with the sprinter lacking an actual fame a compromise has to me made. Although the sliders are very stout and very solid I will keep the mounting situation In mind and use them accordingly. Used within limits they will be perfect.

Hodakaguy

 

[over_roaded]

2017 Sprinter Wet Wiper System Upgrade!

Seen this upgrade in a previous post and did it to our van today, great upgrade! For this install you install Mercedes OEm wet wiper arms and blades from a 2019-2020 Sprinter. The washer fluid travels up through a hose on the arm then into the blade itself where it squirts out small holes that are drilled all the way down the length of the blade.

The OEM washer nozzles on the 2017 clip onto the arm and they break off super easy, especially when washing the window with a squeegee. They also don't spray where you actually want the fluid to go. With the Wet Wipers the fluid is evenly distributed onto the windshield

Install took maybe 10 minutes, pretty happy to have this addition on the van.
Total $175. If you want to order this setup here are the Mercedes Part Numbers.

Wiper Blades (Set): 9108240100
Wiper Arm Left: 9108205600
Wiper Arm Right: 9108205700

New parts.

The washer fluid travels up the wiper arms through tubing then into the wipers themselves, there are holes all along the wiper blade that the water squirts out of.

Photo of the wipers/washers in action.

Video of the washers/wipers in action.



Hodakaguy

Oh this is great - it's always annoyed me that the spray wasn't even.

 

[over_roaded]

The sliders themselves are steel and rock solid, the mounts will be the weakest point. Normally a slider would be mounted right to a frame, but with the sprinter lacking an actual fame a compromise has to me made. Although the sliders are very stout and very solid I will keep the mounting situation In mind and use them accordingly. Used within limits they will be perfect.

Hodakaguy

Can I inquire as to why the VanCompass Sliders didn't make the cut? The mounting locations on them are significantly beefier IMO

 

[Hodakaguy]

Can I inquire as to why the VanCompass Sliders didn't make the cut? The mounting locations on them are significantly beefier IMO

Agreed I do like the mounting solution on the Vancompass sliders better than the Backland units, but that said it came down to asthetics for me. I don't personally care for the look of the VC sliders with the flat plate construction and for how I intend to use them either will be sufficiently strong

Hodakaguy