Save your money and buy a hidden winch bumper and replace the factory Sprinter horn
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- Опубликовано: 1 апр 2021
- Why I think the Van Compass Hidden Winch Bumper on a Mercedes Sprinter is a better choice than an aftermarket winch bumper such as those great ones from Aluminess, Backwoods and others, and why a Superwinch winch is also better than a Warn winch, and other tips to get you unstuck and save you money as well as help you install a Van Compass hidden winch bumper, a winch and wiring tips as well. I also installed a Factor 55 Hawse fairlead, a Factor 55 FlatLink and Rigid Light Bar in the bumper recess. This also has a mount for a front 2" receiver to be bolted onto the Sprinter.
Also, here is a link to the PIAA horns I installed that replace the pathetic sounding Mercedes Sprinter horns: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
#VanLife #Recovery #VanTripping @VanCompass #4x4 #OverlandingVan #offroad #OverlandTravel #Warnwinch #sprintervan #Sprinterhorn @Superwinchllc
@Factor55 @vantripping #winch 
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You saved me a bunch of time doing the research and presenting it in way that makes my decision easy both for the bumper and the winch. Thanks!
You're welcome! Glad the info I shared was helpful.
This is an excellent and very thorough video !! Thank you for taking the time to explain your rational and installation experience. This will greatly help me when I install mine 😎
Thank you for your comment and you're welcome. Glad it helped.
Great video. Thank you for post such a thorough post. Been looking at these for a few years and just made up my mind. Also ordered the horn. I was glad I saw this. I refused to use my horn, your right it was embarrassing. Thank you!
Glad my video share was helpful. I really like this winch bumper and has worked well pulling out three others. And absolutely, that factory horn is embarrassing and pretty quick, low cost and easy to significantly improve. Maybe #Mercedes should offer an upgraded horn option for $50 more, probably would only cost them $5 more and make many customers much happier with the #Sprinter.
Nice, looks good! Great addition.
Thanks. It has been a great addition, keeping streamlined aerodynamics and weight down while adding an excellent recovery winch which has pulled others out with ease.
Took you advice and couldn't be more pleased.
Right on!
Well done. Thanks for the clear review.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for showing us how to. I’m in the market for a winch bumper and the hidden one looks like a great deal compared to the exposed bumpers. I want my van to keep its slick appearance so I’ll probably end up getting the hidden one and save some $$$ along the way
TYA
Gabe
You're welcome. I like the slicker look and better aerodyanmics, much lighter weight and also better approach angle.
Great video. My winch bumper is arriving tomorrow. Recovery points are also my main reason for the investment, winch is secondary, but for half the price of the Warn I figure it’s well worth it. Installing Agile Off Road engine skid plate. Wish me luck with installation!
Thank you. Yes, and also the Superwinch receives a higher rating from owners then all of the Warn models of same size, which says a lot. I think for ~$700 for a 12,000 synthetic winch, it's a great value and rated higher than Warn's ~$2,000 winch (Amazon pricing), plus many excellent features. Even if you only use a few times, it could be worth it, but also budget for a different hook or fairlead if you want like I did, and the extra weight of it up front. Your installation should go well--a good time to replace horns or paint the grille. The radiator grille clips can be easy to break--I replaced two of mine with screws and insert nuts to make disassembly easier in the future after breaking a couple. Check your hardware before you start to ensure it's everything you need. It's a tight fit but the Superwinch fit with about an inch between it and radiator/intercooler--just enough to run wires. Let us know how it goes.
@@vantripping thanks much... The winch not being my priority, I suppose I’m ok to install the bumper and deal with the winch later?
@@macabhaird8789 Yes, you can always install a winch later. Doing so would require removing the grille and bumper cover once again, then inserting the winch into the tray on the bumper and connecting its wires. Removing the grille and bumper cover would probably take about an 30 mins to an hour, and maybe even less to reinstall. Installing the winch is likely an hour to 2-3 hours total depending upon wiring, so installing a winch later may add 2-4 hours total at some later date and all easily manageable by one person. Not a big deal and way easier than removing a very heavy aftermarket bumper, so again, another reason/benefit for the hidden winch bumper vs an aftermarket one. Hope it goes well.
@@vantripping Great video. I am going to go this route myself. Could you provide a link to horns?
@@robsonomasold Thanks. Here is a link to the horns I installed to replace the factory horns--much better sounding: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0060ZB43G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Hello and thank you for taking the time explaining this issue step by step.
I was watching many videos in the past because this theme interested me, but no one at least in the videos which I was watching and they were many was coming near to the weight issue so thoroughly as you did adding and subtracting weight in order to know the end result of this modification, thank you another time.
I do not know how other youtuber do manage with the weight issue if they are really going to drive off grid and need many recovery articles in addition to the personal stuff and needed Liquids water diesel and add blue,…. plus, the other modifications.
I am really sorry that we have a long distance between us otherwise I would make stop and take your advice doing the work.
But who knows we are planning in the next period a long trip to the USA and Canada who knows maybe we can see each other. Regards and stay safe
Thanks for your comments. It is easy to overload a Sprinter or other van built out as a camper on its weight carrying capacity, especially once adding bumpers, winch, armor and other upgrades, so best to always keep an eye on the weight of things and make prudent decisions so as not to overload the vehicle's payload capacity.
@@vantripping Thank you for your kind words and answer, you say it we must keep an eye on the weight issue always.
I am still searching for a light weight front & back receiver hitch and on this way i can use a portable winch in both direction. But as i said still searching and tell we get the new ordered sprinter i still have time to serch further :) kind regards
@@abdmasoud I know @VanCompass has a front hitch mount for their winch bumper and you don't need to install a winch in it. Rear hitches are common, low cost and light, but make sure if using a winch in a hitch, that the hitch is very strong to support the loads, and keep the pull mostly straight--not sideways--as I doubt the hitch has as much strength other than straight out.
@@vantripping Thank you very much for the Information and the hint concerning pulling direction. Regards
@@abdmasoud You're welcome. Although I had to once do a fairly off-direction pull to recovery a pretty heavy Land Cruiser and the bumper and large recovery points did not show any wear or issue from it.
I looked at this a bunch of times when installing mine. Thanks. I have been looking for the covers that you have on either side of the fairlead to cover the bumper cover mounting holes. My fairlead does not stick out enough to look right with the license plate plastic. Those covers are not in the parts diagrams.
You're welcome. Those covers came with my bumper. I ordered the van without the front license plate mount, so maybe that's why it came with those little covers. Maybe you can order them although MB makes it really hard to order things that don't match your VIN which is problematic especially with so many options. Hopefully you can get those covers or make something like a plate to cover them.
Thanks for this
you're welcome.
If you didn't have the extra battery, how would you recommend connecting to the factory battery (cables are too short)? Is there a cable extension? Some 'pod' you can run from the factory battery in to the engine compartment? Thx.
Without the factory Auxillary battery, you can install a new fuse into the starter battery fuse block under the driver footwell. There is usually space for a a few extra fuses. And run the cables back under the driver seat, across the wire path under the floor under the passenger seat to get to the passenger side, or straight back on the driver side. You can also use the grommets to exit the base of either base to go under the van. You can also install the factory Aux battery kit even without the Aux battery and use the relay, but cheaper to install your own. In my upcoming video that should be out early next week, I'm going to talk about how I ran my large battery cables from driver seat to passenger side behind slider. It was quite easy but a little planning. I'll also post more on my electrical system soon too.
Do you have to cut the bumper around the outside of the haas fairleed cover or can you just cut a slot the size of the mouth of the fairleed covering up where you cut into the bumper?
You can just cut a slot for the rope thru the fairlead, but I chose to cut out the factory bumper around the fairlead and also the two recovery points. The recovery points are bolted so optional. The bumper is easy to cut yet a little challenging to get perfectly lined up. I installed the winch bumper and winch and recovery points, took measurements, and made small cuts, then kept placing the factory bumper cover over it until I had every thing lined up and cut out. That may have taken about half of the ~four hours to install everything.
What type of switches do you have on your headliner those look really nice where did you get them
Those are Blue Seas WeatherDeck 12vdc switches. Available in 2, 4, 6, 8 switches. They are weather-tight, durable, lighted indicators from red to green when on....I ordered custom labels for my various light and air compressor system that they actuate.
@@vantripping Thank you for the reply great video
What brand is that overhead switch setup?
A Blue Sea Systems Weatherdeck DC switch panel. Available in many sizes, and this one happens to perfectly fit within the headliner DIN cut out space or self-cut out. A great switch panel within fuse per circuit, lighted lables that can be custom ordered, and even waterproof. www.bluesea.com/products/category/25/22/DC_Panels/WeatherDeck
With this hidden mount, do you find it any difficult to properly respool the rope? Can you clearly see how the rope goes in as you do it?
Yes, I can respool the top easily and see if clearly. If anything, it's easier to see as the top step of the factory bumper as a cover that you cut back to accommodate your winch and space to see the rope, but generally it's cut back the full width of the winch so very easy to see all of the rope in there and respool it. I'll create another video of respooling it to better show that.
@@vantripping Thank you! Do you know if Van Compass tested their winch mounts and anchor points for rated strength. My Sprinter easily approaches 10,000lbs and can even go over if so my tanks are full and pulling it out of the ditch would not only put a strain on the winch, but also the attachments to the frame.
@@user-ym6lc7pk1e Yes and it's a great question and one I too wondered and was concerned about in purchasing it and during my first use which happened to be a very angular pull on one of the recovery points of a very heavy Land Cruiser sliding off of a rather steep slope. I will say that I was very worried even though I had installed those recovery points and felt they looked very solid--like 1" or thicker metal and strong bolting points, etc. The recovery point did not seem to even notice while my heavy van tilted several inches from the angular pull. After that I have the upmost confidence in them as very strong recovery points. My van too is heavy and feel these recovery points can handle it with ease.
@@vantripping Great answer, thank you! I’m ordering this mount after your video and these terrific explanations!
@@user-ym6lc7pk1e You are welcome. Glad my video was helpful to you. I have many more detailed videos to upload and make that will helpfully be helpful as well. I'm sure you'll enjoy your @vanCompass bumper.
I just ran over a mile marker and did about $5k in damage to my factory bumper and grill. So I want to take the opportunity to put something like this in. Should I ask my insurance company to work with me on doing something like this to replace the factory bumper that to me is really only cosmetically damaged. Mine is a 20/22 MB 2500 4x4 Sanctuary 19L Class B.
Most insurance companies will authorize a payout to you of the estimated cost to repair minus your deductible, and you can spend that how you want, so instead of on the factory bumper and upgraded bumper which likely costs about the same as the factory bumper, maybe even less. This was an easy DIY project.
@@vantrippingThanks van tripping. That's exactly what I'd like to do. Seems a waste to put a new factory bumper on only to replace it or cut into it again. I'll ask State Farm if they'll do that. Makes sense.
@@headinghome1644 You're welcome, should be easy, just ask for that and good luck with the process and converting the bumper to a much more useful one.
Cost of Smittybilt winch cost ?
The Gen3 12k winch with synthetic rope was ~$750--a great value. Well built, lots of features. Love the lighted rope spool. Used it just again today. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B3QGNNS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Until you hit a deer and total your van. That’s why a full bumper is vital to protecting your radiator, engine, lights, etc.
A full bull bar bumper will certainly protect some of the front end components from a collision more than a hidden bumper that only protects the bumper area. From what I've seen, the chances of a collision are low and if there is one, there will likely be damage with or without a bull bar, but a bull bar will certainly provide added protection and worth considering if that is fear.
There's a reason why waterproofing a winch is not a good thing. AMPS and heat.
Most modern electronics are water proofed for higher reliability and broader use applications and waterproofing doesn't prevent the transfer of heat thru the winch body/frame, integrated heat sinks and air transfer. Also vehicle recovery winches usually have very low use/load factors--meaning they may only run at or near their higher amperage loads very low periods, like a few seconds and only a few mins at a lower loads each hour in total. Most winches only achieve about half of their rated capacity when unspooled. The battery providing the power to the winch and even the cable/wire running to it are "waterproof"/could be submerged except for connections and continue running/providing high current and they have no heat sinks or large thermal mass frame like the winch, only transfer of heat to air and yet can support high loads for extended time. Think about the electric motors that drive locomotives, or the electric drive motors in EVs--all waterproof, all many times to thousands of times higher horsepower than this winch, and all without heat sinks for the motor and yet run continuously under high load for hours.