Arrive and Glamp in Safety with Timbren SES Helper Springs Supporting Your New Camper
The recent pandemic saw a tremendous surge in sales for the RV industry. Because people were no longer free to board a plane and fly to their favorite vacation spot, this ushered in a sudden interest in Sprinter vans: The RV incognito... a clever idea that put a new spin on glamping.
Since Sprinter Camper Vans are becoming a popular way for adventure seekers to take on the country one road at a time, we at Timbren have put together a helpful list of common questions you should be asking the respective answers. Remember when making these upgrades that suspensions can sag causing an unsafe traveling experience. Make sure that every camper van is equipped with Timbren SES helper springs. It is the bulletproof suspension upgrade solution for Sprinter Vans.
In this short article, we’ll focus on the Sprinter camper van by answering the following questions:
- What is a Sprinter van?
- Who makes the Sprinter camper van?
- What size do they come in?
- What's the average cost of a Sprinter camper van conversion?
- What safety measure should you consider for a Sprinter camper?
- What other Sprinter-like vans can be converted?
What is a Sprinter van?
Designed primarily for business, ‘Sprinter’ is the name of a commercial van made by Mercedes-Benz. It has nothing to do with what the van is used for or how fast it goes. The most popular variation is the cargo van, but it is also available as a crew van and a passenger van.
- As a cargo van, the Sprinter features one row of seating up front for three people and the room in the back is for cargo.
- A crew van has two rows of seats that can seat up to six people while the remaining room is for cargo space.
- The passenger van is either equipped with 4 or 5 rows of seats to fit up to 15 people.
Who makes the Sprinter camper van?
There are several manufacturers who customize the Sprinter van in North America. Let’s take a look at the top 10 conversion companies that can offer you the van of your dreams, in no specific order:
- Sportsmobile has been converting vans since 1961, making them the oldest conversion company out there. Their conversions are ultra-customizable, so you can choose your favorite option from all sorts of categories, including seats and beds, bath and toilets, refrigeration and cooktops, windows, heating, and cooling, electrical and solar, plumbing, and propane appliances.
- SYNC Van specializes in Mercedes Sprinters, and they pride themselves on getting you out on the road faster than their competitors, with a turnaround time of less than four months. They offer three suggested layouts, which lean more towards facilitating adventure and outdoor activities than luxury living.
- Vanworks has been customizing and converting vans since 1978. Like SYNC Van, they offer three conversion packages that can be tweaked to perfection, or you can go fully custom. They specialize in conversions for Mercedes Sprinter, Dodge Promaster, and Nissan NV, and offer free estimates for whatever you want to do with your van.
- Boulder Campervan does it all: they will build you a custom van conversion, rent out one of their fleet of pre-converted vans, or facilitate the process for you to rent out your converted van during the times you aren’t using it. In this way, you can try before you buy, then get your Sprinter (or other van) converted exactly how you want it, and then make back some of your money by renting it out.
- Beartooth Vanworks offers several conversion packages that you can choose from, or you can opt to go fully custom. This Montana-based company is all about ‘Rugged Liberation’ — allowing you to explore the great outdoors in comfort and style. They have an impressive build gallery, including a van they built for a family of eight to get after it in the outdoors.
- CampoVan creates some of the most beautiful and ingenious builds ever seen (including a Sprinter with a bathtub!), but they don’t come cheap. Owned and operated by a couple who essentially grew up in adventure vehicles, this company can do almost anything you want. They don’t have any stock design options to choose from because every single build is fully customized.
- Benchmark Vehicles operates similarly to CampoVans in that they do not supply the van and build everything custom for you. However, they can help with purchasing a van by connecting clients with their partner dealers and providing advice on the exact specifications to choose for the van.
- Yetibus does more than just buses, including vans, trucks, ambulances, tiny house trailers, and shipping container tiny homes. In true Pacific Northwest fashion, they even offer consulting on biodiesel and vegetable oil fuel conversions.
- Momentum Vans specializes in Sprinter van builds. They are a small, family-owned business that create incredible vans that range from austerely functional to stylishly comfortable.
- Freedom Vans specializes in van conversions for Mercedes Sprinter, Ford Transit, and Dodge Promaster, although they do offer single services on other types of vans –things like window installation, solar systems, fans, diesel heaters, and battery system installations. They do not supply vans but can recommend a Mercedes dealer on the West Coast as well as certain van features to include or avoid.
What size do Sprinters come in?
- The first option is length. It is available in three wheel-base sizes, ranging from 144 to 170 inches.
- The next option is roof height. There are three options offering enough room for someone 6-feet tall to stand upright.
- The last size selection is the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating or GVWR. This is a measurement ranging between 8,550 lbs. – 11,030 lbs.
What's the average cost of a Sprinter camper van conversion?
The base price of a new, empty Sprinter van starts around $44,000 for the smallest and shortest models and up to $65,000 for a longer wheelbase and stronger engine.
Compared with other makes, the cost to manufacture a Sprinter camper van is the highest starting at $32,000 for a basic design and skyrocketing to $150,000 for a luxury model.
What safety measure should you consider for a Sprinter camper van?
When you consider the height and length of some of the Sprinter conversions and the fact that much of the weight is top-heavy, it should seem fairly obvious that there will be issues with stability. After all, a large Sprinter van acts like a sail when it gets windy resulting in dangerous roll and sway.
In order to maximize stability and safety, we recommend the easy-to-install Timbren SES suspension helper springs.
Every Timbren zero-maintenance upgrade prevents sag, reduces sway, and enhances ride quality loaded or unloaded. All Timbren SES products come with a no B.S. Lifetime Warranty and a 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee.
What other manufacturers produce a Sprinter-like van that can be converted?
In addition to the Mercedes Sprinter, there are three manufacturers that produce a Sprinter-like van:
- Ford Transit
- Dodge Promaster
- Nissan NV
If you have read through this short article, you now know what a Sprinter camper van can offer you even though it comes with a high price tag. One thing we didn’t mention is the flexibility you have when it comes to overnight parking. Anywhere vehicles are allowed overnight parking is a safe bet.
Be sure to check out the Timbren SES kit for 1-ton Sprinter camper vans: part # MBRSP35A by clicking here.
