VANCOMPASS 7042-2015 Mercedes Sprinter 4×4 Falcon Front Shock Kit Instruction Manual

7042 – 2015-PRESENT, MERCEDES SPRINTER 4X4, FALCON FRONT SHOCK KIT

Version 1.0

General Notes

• For the most up to date and current instructions, please visit our website at www.vancompass.com
• Please read all instructions thoroughly before starting installing Van Compass products.
• This is a bolt on shock kit that can be installed with basic hand tools.
• NOTE: This kit cannot be installed on vehicles equipped with factory rear A/C as there are A/C lines present in the location where these shock brackets bolt to the vehicle on the passenger side.
• Removal and trimming of the plastic inner fender well liner will be required for installation.
• This shock kit can be completely removed, allowing the vehicle to be returned back to stock configuration if desired.

Parts List

1048 – 2015-PRESENT, MERCEDES SPRINTER 4X4, AUXILLARY FRONT UPPER SHOCK

MOUNT

• (1) 104801-LH                 MERCEDES SPRINTER VS30 4X4, FRONT LH UPPER SHOCK MOUNT
• (1) 104801-RH                MERCEDES SPRINTER VS30 4X4, FRONT RH UPPER SHOCK MOUNT
• (2) 104803                        REAR NUT TAB
• (1) 104804                        DRIVER (LEFT HAND) SIDE NUT TAB
• (1) 104805                        PASSENGER (RIGHT HAND) SIDE NUT TAB
• (3) HC8-8-12                   ½-13 UNC, GR8, HEX HEAD BOLT X 1-1/2″ LONG
• (1) HC8-8-10                   ½-13 UNC, GR8, HEX HEAD BOLT X 1.0″ LONG
• (5) WF8-8                        ½” GR8 FLAT WAHER
• (3) WL8-8                        ½” GR8 LOCK WASHER
• (6) HC8-6-10                   3/8-16 UNC X 1″ LONG, GR8, HEX HEAD BOLT
• (4) NSC-6                        3/8-16 UNC STOVER NUT
• (10) WF8-6                      3/8″ GR8 FLAT WASHER
• (2) WL8-6                        3/8″ GR8 LOCK WASHER

1023 – 2015-PRESENT, MERCEDES SPRINTER 4X4, AUXILLARY FRONT LOWER SHOCK

MOUNT

• (2) 102301                        MERCEDES SPRINTER 4X4, FRONT LOWER SHOCK MOUNT
• (2) HC8-9-30                   9/16-12 UNC X 3.0″ LONG, GR8, HEX HEAD BOLT
• (2) NS8-9                         9/16-12 UNC STOVER NUT
• (4) WF8-9                        9/16″ GR8 FLAT WASHER
• (2) HM10-1.50-70-10.9    M10-1.50 X 70MM LONG, GR10.9, HEX HEAD BOLT
• (4) HM10-1.50-40-10.9    M10-1.50 X 40MM LONG, GR10.9, HEX HEAD BOLT
• (6) NSM10-1.50               M10-1.50 STOVER NUT
• (10) WF-M10                   M10 FLAT WASHER

1037 – 2015-PRESENT, MERCEDES SPRINTER 4X4, FALCON ADJUSTABLE PIGGYBACK

RESERVOIR FRONT SHOCKS

• (1) 1037-LH                   MERCEDES SPRINTER 4X4, FALCON ADJUSTABLE PIGGYBACK FRONT SHOCK, DRIVER SIDE
• (1) 1037-RH                   MERCEDES SPRINTER 4X4, FALCON ADJUSTABLE PIGGYBACK FRONT SHOCK, PASSENGER SIDE

OR

1038 – 2015-PRESENT, MERCEDES SPRINTER 4X4, FALCON MONOTUBE FRONT

SHOCKS

• (2) 103801                    MERCEDES SPRINTER 4X4, FALCON MONOTUBE FRONT SHOCK

Tools Needed

• Quality Jack and 2 jack stands.
• Simple hand tools:
  • Basic wrench and socket set:
  • Metric sizes: 10mm, 13mm, 16mm, 17mm
  • SAE sizes: ½”, 13/16″, 7/8″
• Automotive trim removal tool
• Drill with 3/8″ (10mm) diameter metal cutting drill bit.
• Hammer & chisel.
• Cutting tool for plastic inner fender well trimming.
  • Tin snips
  • 4-½” angle grinder or 3″ pneumatic cut off tool
  • Die grinder or Dremel style tool

Approximate Installation Time

• Professional shop with automotive lift:        3-4 hours
• Driveway install with jack and jack stands:   4-6 hours

Installation

1. Begin by safely supporting the vehicle so that the front suspension can hang free.
2. With the front suspension hanging free, remove the front wheels / tires. Factory lug bolts are typically a 19mm bolt head.
3. These instructions will show installation on the driver’s (left hand) side of the vehicle. Installation on the passenger side is similar. Any differences will be addressed in the following instructions.
4. Remove the inner fender well liners by first removing the two push pins located near the front bottom side of the bumper which connect the inner fender well to the front bumper. See image below.

1. REMOVE THESE TWO PUSH PINS

5. Use an automotive trim removal tool to pry up under the head of the push pin prior to prying under the body of the fastener to fully remove it.

6. Next, on the inside of the fender well, remove the three push pin fasteners near the outer lip of the bumper.

1. REMOVE THESE THREE PUSH PINS

7. Locate and remove the three plastic nuts securing the front half of the inner fender well liner to the chassis. Use a 10mm socket for removal.
8. Remove the mudflap by removing the two T-25 torx screws and two 10mm plastic nuts securing it to the vehicle. All fasteners denoted with an orange arrow in the images below must be removed for mudflap removal.

a. Note, there is one plastic 10mm nut on the underside of the vehicle towards the center of the wheel well. See images below for reference.

1. REMOVE THIS NUT

9. Locate and remove the remaining two plastic 10mm nuts securing the rear half of the inner fender well liner to the chassis. These are denoted in the image above with the white arrows.
10. Remove the rear half of the inner fender liner first by pulling it free of the threaded studs and out from under the lip of the fender itself.
11. Remove the front half of the inner fender liner by pulling the outer edge out from under the lip of the plastic bumper cover and from the outer lip of the metal fender. Rotate down so the liner clears the threaded studs and remove from vehicle.
12. Install the 102301 lower shock mount by locating the front gusset plate of the bump stop mount on the lower control arm.
13. Remove the two bottom bolts on the front gusset using a 16mm socket / wrench. Loosen the top bolt approximately 3 turns but do not fully remove it.

1. LOOSEN THIS BOLT
2. REMOVE THESE TWO BOLTS

14. Install the lower shock mount as pictured below. The mounts are left and right specific and will only install one way. Use the new M10-1.5 x 40mm long bolts in the bump stop mount gusset. Use a washer under the bolt head and under the stover nut. Start all hardware but do not tighten at this time.

a. Install the M10-1.5 x 70mm long bolt provided from the bottom of the control arm and up through the slotted hole near the lower control arm’s front pivot bushing. Use a washer under the bolt head but not under the nut.
b. See image below for reference.

1. M10-1.50 X 40MM LONG BOLT
2. M10-1.50 X 70MM LONG BOLT

15. Once all three bolts have been started snug all hardware. Use a 17mm socket / wrench for the new hardware and a 16mm socket / wrench to re-tighten the upper bolt of the bump stop gusset which was loosened in step 20.

a. Torque all hardware to 43 ft-lbs (58 N.m)
b. Repeat lower shock mount installation on the passenger side.

16. Place the appropriate upper nut tab into the fender well. The image below denotes which side of the vehicle each nut tab goes on.

1. 104804 DRIVER (LEFT HAND) SIDE NUT TAB
2. 104805 PASSENGER (RIGHT HAND) SIDE NUT TAB

17. Install the nut tab from the engine bay so the threads of the nut tab are centered over the hole already present in the chassis. Install so the plate is flat against the body, the welds on the nuts should be on the top side.

a. Driver side nut tab shown in position below on the flat spot of the inner fender near the ABS module.

1. DRIVER SIDE NUT TAB IN PLACE NEAR ABS MODULE

18. Install the upper shock bracket on the driver side (left hand). The mounts are left and right specific and can only be installed one way. For the nut tab locations, use a lock washer under the bolt head, followed by a flat washer as shown below.

19. Note; make sure the bracket sits relatively flat in the fender well. In some instances, the factory glue / undercoating is applied in excess and can cause the bracket to not sit completely flush against the fender well. A small chisel and hammer can easily knock off any excess glue so the bracket can sit flush. The image below shows where we have encountered excess glue during installations.

20. Install the ½-13 x 1-½” long bolt in the outer upper mounting hole.

a. Start the ½-13 x 1″ long bolt in the forward mounting hole. Use a washer under the bolt head and under the included stover nut.
b. Start both bolts so the bracket stays in place on the chassis.

1. INSTALL ½-13 X 1-½” LONG BOLT HERE
2. INSTALL ½-13 X 1.0″ LONG BOLT HERE WITH STOVER NUT
3. DRILLED HOLE LOCATIONS (STEP 24)

21. Next use the rear nut tab to attach the rear part of the bracket to the chassis.

a. Insert the rear nut tab through the slot behind the strut as shown below. Once in the slot, rotate the nut tab so the nut is flush against the inside of the chassis.
b. Be careful not to drop the nut tab into the chassis as it is difficult to fish back out.

22. Use the 3/8-16 x 1″ long bolt provided in the kit. Again use a lock washer under the bolt head, followed by a flat washer. Snug bolt but do not fully tighten at this time. Use a 9/16″ socket / wrench to snug.
23. Go back to the ½-13 bolts at the front of the bracket and snug using a ¾” socket. Again, do not fully tighten at this time.
24. With the upper mounting bolts installed and the upper mounting bracket snugged into place, mark and drill the two lower mounting holes. See image from step 20 above for hole locations.

a. Drill using a 3/8″ (10mm) drill bit.
b. Use the bracket itself as a drill guide and carefully drill through the inner fender.
c. NOTE There shouldn’t be anything behind the drill locations on the fender but always double check prior to drilling that there are no accessories or wiring behind the fender which could potentially be damaged from drilling.

25. With the holes drilled, install the included 3/8-16 x 1″ long bolts provided in the kit. Use a washer under the bolt head and under the stover nut on the back side. Snug hardware.
26. Fully tighten hardware.

a. Torque the upper ½-13 bolts to 50 ft-lbs (68 N.m)
b. Torque the 3/8-16 bolts to 20 ft-lbs (27 N.m)

27. On the passenger (right hand) side of the vehicle, locate the wiring that runs the length of the fender well above the ABS / wheel speed sensor wiring.

a. Pry this wiring free from its threaded studs. We’ve found it easiest to unclip the wire from the plastic fasteners and spin them off rather than try to pry them free of the studs.
b. Use a flat blade screwdriver to open up the clips and free the wiring from the clips.
c. See image below for reference.

1. UNCLIP WIRING FROM FASTENERS AND SPIN OFF BOTH WIRING CLIPS FROM THE THREADED STUDS

1. PRY CLIP OPEN HERE TO FREE WIRING

28. Cut / grind smooth the threaded studs where the upper wiring was attached to. See the following two images for before / after reference images.

1. CUT/GRIND THESE TWO STUDS OFF SO THE BRACKET CAN SIT FLUSH ON FENDER WELL

1. FACTORY HOLES USED TO LOCATE BRACKET
2. EXCESS GLUE REMOVED

29. Touch up any bare areas of metal with paint to prevent corrosion.
30. Install the passenger side bracket in the same order / fashion as the driver side.

a. Again, if needed, remove any excess glue that prevents the bracket from sitting flush on the chassis. Note the brown arrow in the above image showing excess glue removed with a hammer / chisel.
b. Insert the upper nut tab from above and aligning it with the two holes in the fender well denoted by the yellow arrows in the image above.
c. NOTE: Install nut tab with the welds facing up. The nut tab is thing gauge material that will deform over the ridge on the chassis. Below is an image of the nut tab fully installed and formed over the inner fender rib.

1. NUT TAB INSTALLED AND FORMED INTO PLACE OVER RIB

31. Reference steps 22-38 to complete bracket installation on the passenger side. The only real difference between installation on the driver and passenger side is the vertical mounting bolts on the passenger side bracket are both ½-13 so a ¾” wrench is used for both upper bolts.
32. With brackets installed, install the shocks into the lower mounting bracket first. Use the 9/16-12 x 3.0″ long bolt provided in the kit and install as shown below. Use a washer under the bolt head and stover nut.

33. With the shock installed in the lower mount use a 13/16″ socket / wrench for the head of the bolt, while a 7/8″ socket or wrench is used for the nut and snug the lower shock bolt. Do not fully tighten at this time.
34. Install the shock into the upper mount.
35. If installing Falcon Adjustable Piggyback shocks, note that the shocks are left and right specific. Make sure the correct shock is installed on each side of the vehicle. 1037-LH is for the driver (left hand) side. 1037-RH is for the passenger (right hand) side. Falcon monotube (nonadjustable) shocks are the same left to right.

a. Remove the upper nut, washer and upper bushing from the shock and compress the shock down until it can be positioned into the upper mount. Orient the reservoir towards the front of the vehicle.
i. Note; the Falcon sticker and VC logo on the reservoir should be positioned out.
b. Once the shock is in position on the upper mount, re-install the shock bushing, washer and nut as shown below. Tighten nut using a 19mm open ended wrench. Tighten the nut until it bottoms on the shoulder of the stud.
c. Torque the lower shock bolt to 100 ft-lbs (135 N.m)

1. RESERVOIR POSITIONED FORWARD. NOTE STICKERS/LOGOS OUT

36. Trim the front half of the factory inner fender well liner. See reference photos below for cut location.

a. Trim out the plastic using some tin snips or similar metal cutting shears. Round the edges with a Dremel or die grinder.
b. A small rounded file works well for removing any remaining plastic burrs before re-installing.

FALCON TRIMMING

STEP 1: MEASURE 1″ DOWN FROM THIS LIP, MARK LINE STRAIGHT ACROSS PERPENDICULAR TO EDGE OF FENDER LINER
STEP 2: BRING CUT LINE TO WITHIN ½” OF THIS FEATURE
STEP 3: BRING CUT LINE OVER AND STRAIGHT DOWN. EVEN BETWEEN THE TWO PROTRUSIONS IF FENDER LINER.

37. Test fit the fender liner and make sure the shock body / reservoir is not contacting the fender liner. Any contact will potentially cause noise transference into the cabin of the vehicle.
38. The rear half of the factory inner fender well liner doesn’t require any trimming.
39. Re-install fender well liners and zip tie upper ABS / wheel speed sensor wiring in place as shown below.

40. Re-install wheels and tires and lower van to ground. OEM torque spec for wheel studs are as follows:

c. 2500 SRW: 177-187 ft-lbs (240-250 N.m)
d. 3500 DRW: 140-150 ft-lbs (190-200 N.m)

41. Double check shock clearance to the inner fender liner once the vehicle is on the ground.
42. Re-check all bolt torques after 100 miles of driving.

Installation is Complete

RELEASE OF LIABILITY

I, the customer, do hereby release and forever discharge Van Compass LLC their agents, employees, successors and assigns, and their respective heirs, personal representatives, affiliates, successors and assigns, and any and all persons, firms or corporations liable or who might be claimed to be liable, whether or not herein named, from any and all claims, demands, damages, actions, causes of action or suits of any kind or nature whatsoever, whether known or unknown, fixed or contingent, which I now have or may hereafter have or claim to have, as a result of or in any way relating to the following: Parts sold & installed by Van Compass LLC or parts sold & installed by end- user; any parts sold online, any parts sold online or installed by a re- seller, any parts installed by an installation shop.

It is understood and agreed that this payment is made and received in full and complete settlement and satisfaction of the aforesaid actions, causes of action, claims and demands; that this Release contains the entire agreement between the parties; and that the terms of this Agreement are contractual and not merely a recital. Furthermore, this Release shall be binding upon the undersigned, and his respective heirs, executors, administrators, personal representatives, successors and assigns. This Release shall be subject to and governed by the laws of the State of Idaho.

PRODUCT SAFETY WARNING:

Van Compass LLC strongly recommends the installation of products be done by a certified mechanic. If this does not occur, be certain the person(s) installing the product read, understand and follow all instructions and warnings pertaining to the application before installation. Do not add, alter, or fabricate any factory or aftermarket parts to increase vehicle height over the intended height of the Van Compass LLC product purchased. Mixing component brands is not recommended.

Installation of suspension lift kits or any other lifting kits or devices will raise the center of gravity. For this reason, Van Compass LLC urges that extreme caution be used when encountering driving conditions which may cause vehicle imbalance. Furthermore, the driver’s field of vision and judgment will not be as good due to the height of the vehicle. Due to the installation of larger tires, the speedometer will read slower than the actual speed being traveled and more distance will be required to stop the vehicle. It is the owner’s responsibility to caution and warn any potential driver of the vehicle about these driving and handling conditions. Van Compass LLC will not be held liable or responsible for damages or personal injuries resulting from the use of lifting devices and or related products. The tires and rims should be changed to sufficiently increase the vehicle’s total overall width and stability to help accommodate lifting devices.

Van Compass LLC aftermarket suspension products and accessories modify a vehicle for uses which exceed conditions anticipated by the vehicle manufacturer. The uses include the high performance demands required during off-road. These conditions vary in the degree of extremity and cannot be controlled by the vehicle or product manufacturer. If the components within the suspension system or accessories become worn due to frequent and/or extreme use, the safety and reliability of the vehicle is at risk. The maintenance of aftermarket equipment to ensure the vehicle occupants safety is entirely your responsibility. Do not purchase Van Compass LLC products unless you are willing to accept this responsibility. Do not install any Van Compass LLC suspension products or accessories unless you feel competent at installing the product without causing present or future injury to yourself or other vehicle occupants; seek an authorized installation center.

Most states have some type of law limiting vehicle height. The amount of lift allowed, and how the lift can be achieved, varies greatly. Several states offer exemptions for farm and commercial registered vehicles. It is the vehicle owner’s responsibility to check state and local laws to ensure that their vehicle will be incompliance. Van Compass LLC reserves the right to make changes in design, materials and specifications as deemed necessary without prior notice and without assuming obligation to modify any product previously manufactured. Obligation or liabilities will not be assumed with respect to similar products previously advertised.

This Release of Liability and Product Safety Warning has been read and fully understood by the undersigned and has been explained to me.

References

• Van Compass
• Van Compass

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