Starting Sprinter Van build. Flarespace Tenzing Brush guard, CATuned Hoodstrut upgrades 

Hello. Glad you are finding some useful info for your future van build plans. Lots of great info on YT and also the various Van life forums on the internet. Our theory is we can build our own Camper Van to fit our own particular needs better and do so for much cheaper then buying a turn key. Our design philosophy is build a simpler more basic van while still using first rate good quality components. Also trying to keep the weight down so that we don’t have to modify and beef up the suspension and increase power to compensate. Learning from building many off-road vehicles, when you make one change it can have unforeseen effects that forces you to make a bunch of other modifications to compensate for the first change that you didn’t account or budget for. People tend to go overboard, the “bigger is better” route and end up throwing money at it which can get very expensive. The wheels are actually Method Race Wheels not Black Rhino. Method wheels are probably the second most popular brand used by most van builders. They are about the same price and I think slightly better in design. The tires are BF Goodrich TA KO2 all terrains. These are pretty much the goto tires for most people. Size is 255/70R17’s so about 3/4” taller and 3/8ths inch wider. The wheels width and offset are adjusted appropriately to keep everything under the wheel well as close to stock as possible. This size tire will 100% fit with zero modifications to the Sprinters wheel well, Suspension, Brakes and drivetrain/driver assistance computer systems. We are only planning to do minimal mods to the stock suspension. No lifts or expensive off-road suspension kits. Probably Summo springs front/rear and the Add-a-leaf kit in the back to compensate for the additional weight of the conversion. Added lift and taller tires do enhance ground clearance if you plan to do more serious off roading but it also forces you to spend buckets of money and raises your center of gravity making an already top heavy vehicle even more top heavy. I’m not going to roll my expensive Sprinter van or trail damage it trying to drive it where it was never designed to go. I’ve been driving around on the backroads here in Montana just fine and I can already go places where there are few if any people around, just minutes from my house. One last thing to mention. Bigger tires and raised suspension changes the road manners of your vehicle and usually not in a good way. Big tires and tall suspension puts additional strain on your steering, brakes, suspension components etc. Big tires and lift kits also kill your mileage. Realistically 90% of your driving is on pavement so something to consider when planning your van. Your dad or any good diesel mechanic probably has some good insight into the finer points of designs and longevity that work in the real world. The new 4-cylinder in-line dual turbo is a question mark that only time will tell. Mercedes has been working on this engine for many years and made several versions of it so it does have some history. We’ve had two 3.0l six cylinder diesels and consider them about bullet proof and proven. You can find plenty of newer Sprinters for sale with the 3.0/6. I’d stick with the newer 7-speed transmission if you go that route. I am absolutely in love with the new 9-speed in the 2023 Sprinters though. It is the perfect paring to the 4/cly 2.0 Bi-turbo diesel. The mileage is great with this combo. Much better then either 3.0/6 we’ve had. Anyway you can use this time to do your research and figure out just exactly what you’ll be doing with your van. Then research every part your planning to use. The itself research takes allot of time. Also needed tools and space to do your conversion. Yes check back from time to time. We are doing a full buildout and will be releasing more video’s shortly. Summers here are short and I had allot of outside projects that needed to be done before winter. We’ve already had freezing nights. Also the summer traveling, going to visit the wife’s relatives in Norway and a road trip to Cali cut into our time but now back on the van conversion. Best of luck with your build

Nice and informative video. I'm thinking to use your videos as a reference source , when I get into the van world! I saw you opted for a black rhino wheels? Are they 17'? And did you make adjustments at the suspension, so you could fit these larger wheels +tires? I know there are plenty of videos in here about van conversion, but I like your pace and I believe we have similar approach at these vehicles and how and what to use them for. At this particular moment I'm still contemplating at the longevity this new motor MB put on the Sprinter. I understand that turbo chargers put a lot of strain on cylinders and although increase performance and lower fuel usage, they aren't last as much as non turbo charged motors. I asked my dad who has spent his life on ships being a chief engineer and understood that he prefers inline engines over boxer or v-shaped, because he said the pistons always get worn one sidedly over long stretch of use. Anyways cheers and enjoy this exciting new ride you got! I'll follow your updates.

Hello. I'm trying to install this same tenzing brushguard on my 2022 Mercedes Sprinter 4x4. Hardware included were: 2 small 1/4 spacers, 2 thicker 5/8 spacers, 2 hex type black bolts, 2 metal flat washers, 2 plastic washers, and 2 front sensor mounts. Did you receive these same hardwares with your brushguard. Regarding installing: after removing the original T45 bolts on the top of the sprinter bumper (step 9), step 10 say to install both spacers in each holes. Did you put both spacers in those holes ( 2 spacers on each side? If i put both in the holes, the spacers extend above the plastic bumper. The spacers appear not to be flush against the wall and not sturdy. How did you attach the hex bolt using the plastic and metal washers, in what order? I attempted to watch the video from Storyteller Overland on how to install the bumper and noticed the hardwares are different. They are using washers instead of spacers to put in the holes and they are using standard bolt and metal washer to secure it down from the top. It will be great if you can help out.