BAJA BRACKET REAR SHOCK MOUNT - SPRINTER (2007+ 2500 ONLY) by VAN COMPASS
BAJA BRACKET REAR SHOCK MOUNT - SPRINTER (2007+ 2500 ONLY) by VAN COMPASS
SKU:3063
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- Reinforces weak factory upper shock bolt.
- Includes all necessary hardware.
- Works with stock and aftermarket shocks.
- Works with stock and lifted vans.
- Simple installation with basic hand tools.
It's no secret that the Sprinter has some shortcomings when used for serious off road usage. As many owners are discovering, a heavily loaded van driven hard off road can stress the factory components beyond their original design parameters. From rutted Alpine 2-tracks, to the box canyons of Death Valley, to the rugged coast of Baja, owners are taking these vans to places Mercedes never really intended.
The Baja Bracket Rear Shock mount kit is a solution Van Compass has developed to eliminate one of the glaring shortcomings in the Sprinter's rear suspension setup: a single shear upper shock bolt. A single shear bolt has its benefits mostly in cost and ease of packaging, and for a delivery van on the street with frequent fleet service checks, this isn't a problem. Without reinforcement on both sides of the upper shock bushing, this puts a large amount of cyclical stress on the factory shock bolt. Over time, the bolts can stretch or come loose after long miles of washboards, and the bolt eventually yields at the worst possible location: right where it enters the threaded bung on the chassis. For our customers, exploring remote backcountry terrain the shock is a critical part of safe travel ensuring that the weight of the vehicle is kept safely under control in all conditions.
Our Baja Bracket is a sturdy, precision engineered solution to capture both sides of the upper shock bushing and eliminate the dangerous fulcrum effect that causes a bolt to eventually shear. The part is laser cut and CNC bent from 3/16" formed steel, fixture welded to ensure accuracy, then powder coated for good looks and longevity. A complete hardware kit and slotted holes ensure perfect fit and alignment on all vans, while a machined tubular brace dissipates the load of the shock safely throughout the frame rail. At Van Compass, we have the solution that won't leave you stranded. Van Further.
INCLUDED COMPONENTS
- Left and Right Baja Bracket Double Shear shock bracket
- All necessary mounting hardware
FITMENT GUIDE
INSTRUCTIONS
Sprinter Baja Bracket shock mount installation instructions:
LABOR TIMES
Straightforward install instructions. Overcomes potential weakness in single strut mounting. Peace of mind for off road suspension upgrade
I installed these in my driveway using a floor jack, jack stands and basic hand tools, I do work on motor cycles as a living so I was comfortable installing the mounts and new shocks. My van had a ton of glue that had to be removed, way more than described, I used a large wood chisel and my Milwaukee multi tool. The provided spacers used at the front of the mount weren't used, instead I had to remove all the glue from the front mounting surface and use a hammer to make room for the bracket. There is a piece of metal in the corner where the Baja shock mounts goes on my van, I didn't really want to grind I away so I ground the Baja bracket to make it fit. All in all it was an easy fit, I would say the manufacturing tolerances of my van exceeded the extra space engineered into the Baja bracket. I have yet to take the for a test jump, I do have the Van Compass Rally struts and bottom out bumpers in the front and they are amazing. I really enjoy the capability to adjust the compression rate and that the shocks are serviceable if needed.
The bracket really needed to go a little higher than they could to seat squarely with the body. I scaped all the body seam glue out as recommended but the bracket still could not go as high as needed due to part of the body. The bracket really needs a notch for this or the holes a tad higher in the bracket to compensate. It all did go together and when bolting the shock it mostly squared it up but seemed like it wanted to cross thread the shock bolt. All in all, they seem like they will help but in my particular installation the design could have been a little better to ease installation.
Installed the Baja brackets when I upgraded to Falcon shocks. Was a bit concerned the factory shock mounts would be stressed with the stiffer shock settings I wanted to use. Installation was straightforward. Took me about 6 hours to install the brackets, shocks and sumo springs.
Really like the quality of these. Great security/insurance.
The install, for me, was a two day process. First day, besides prep, I spent a couple hours removing glue. Also had to notch out the bracket due to body metal in upper corner. Then I covered area, where glue was removed and notches, with POR-15 and painted over. Continued next day to allow paint to dry. I opted for rivet nuts on RH side (18/19 Revel) and also applied adhesive caulk along corners on both.
