Hey all,
I haven’t posted about the van in a while however I have been steadily busy modifying and tweaking things as I find the set-up that works best for my needs.
I just had a major upgrade to the rig and couldn’t wait to post some pictures and rave about the components and the folks at Auto FX for putting it all together.
Finding Components
Finding anything for the van is an exciting process; searching for companies that make them, reading forums about what people like as well as things they don’t. Did they have to modify it, did it accomplish their goal and fit there needs. What do they think 6 months or a year later?
Stuff
With Kauila; after putting in the initial floor, insulation, 3/4 birch plywood walls for the garage and sleeping area. Building the bed frame out of 3/4 birch plywood, then putting in the refrigerator, cabinets, toilet and my stuff; well Kauila gained a lot of weight. So much so that I put him on a diet by removing the birch bed frame and platform and put in an aluminum frame. Shout out to Premier Manufacturing for custom making the bed frame! So that helped some but Kauila was still heavy on the backend and the weight was affecting the ride and handling.
Add in the Flatline Van Company Pull Out Tray then two bikes and more stuff and Kauila keeps putting on the pounds. I needed to do something and soon.
Suspension
Well just down the road in Post Falls ID there is a company that specializes in Sprinter Van suspensions. Van Compass has multiple systems, nine in total (4×4 2500 VS30 years 2019 and up) for various van use from light/medium to heavy duty, So much to choose from; so it is worth doing your due diligence. I cannot stress this enough; it is important to find the one that works for you. Ask questions, lots of questions and then find a company that will install it for you. You can definitely install the system yourself and it will save you on having to pay someone to do it for you however there are a couple factors that made paying a professional to install all the components.
1- Safety: Sprinter Vans are big and heavy. A bad suspension is just that…BAD! There are install videos for do it yourself but I do not have the tools or set up to feel comfortable doing this on a weekend in my backyard. I will be honest I did contemplate making some install videos and posting on the “Let’s Do it” page but reality set in.
2- Van Insurance: This is the big one and I will address it in more detail in another post. In short; insurance companies will not insure a custom built van. This is a big investment in adventure but not an investment in disaster so I am having the “big things” done professionally.
But I digress
Choosing a suspension system: after comparing systems and defining what my uses would be, I opted for the Van Compass Stage 6.3 System with 2” lift. I felt like the Falcon 3.3 SP2 adjustable shock offered ease of changing from road/highway driving to off road with just a turn of a knob (actually four knobs). Highway driving in reality is a lot of what I am going to be doing so level 3 is great for that. Level 1 is going to be more Montana Country driving; mountain roads, wash board roads out to the ranch or up into the mountains to get away.
Finding and shipping parts
Once you have found the components you need to get them delivered. Well that is easier said than done. Don’t think you can order something on Monday and it will be delivered on Wednesday. This ain’t no Amazon people, this is reality. This is simple supply and demand. Demand is through the roof so having items in stock and ready to ship can take weeks. This can actually work out well (being an optimist) because getting a service appointment can take months or years. Just be prepared to not only budget your money but also the project build time.
Finding someone to install components
Once you have figured out when the components will arrive you will need to have a service appointment to get them installed. There are a lot of companies out there that work on vans and will install parts. Some of these companies have a two year wait list, others five to nine month for a single service. I made a list and started calling, emailing and sending out good vibes. “We can in February.” “Does March work?” “We have an opening for single service but we are in California and have no shops in your area.”
The thing is; it is all about timing. One company said they move eight to ten vans through their shop a week. That is crazy volume but also provides opportunity. Just need one cancellation to get an appointment, perhaps a delay in parts for another van.
Blessed by the Van Gods!
There is always a possibility that the universe aligns and things just fall into place. It is possible to find a company that not only will install your parts and accessories but actually has them in stock. You heard me correctly, they have everything you want on the shelf with your name on them.
I was a recipient of such good fortune. I emailed Auto FX in Tacoma and was ecstatic to find out they had the Van Compass 6.3 system in stock. Not only did they have the suspension system in stock but they also had some owl products that were on my want list.
After a couple back and forth emails we set up an appointment date about three weeks out. Not only was I getting the suspension system; they were going to install some Owl Vans products. I could not have asked for a better opportunity.
Ladders and Bike Rack
Auto FX is eager to help and have the components in stock that will fit but my needs and van.
As the roof rack has a deck on top, getting up there was a definite desire. That and the eventual need to preform maintenance on the solar panels requires access and the Owl Explorer Side Ladder and Ladder Tire Carrier were great options and no shipping required and Auto FX has them in stock. Add in the Owl B2 mount and the van is starting to look like an adventure van.
I have an unconventional plan for the B2. I want to use it as a mount for my ski rack. Owl has a ski box however my cross country skis are too long to fit on the box. In addition; I want to put a medium box on the carry dirty, soiled, stinky items that I don’t want stinking up my van. Other considerations include storage for small generator, fuel or maybe a outdoor beer cooler. The options are only limited by the diameter of the box.
