OZK Customs + Van Compass Stage 4.3 Suspension System

Overview

The Van Compass 4.3 system is a non-lifted suspension kit that can add critical confidence and comfort to the ride of your loaded Sprinter conversion van. It may be easy to assume that if you aren’t looking for a lift kit, then there is no need to upgrade your van’s suspension, however upgrading these critical components can dramatically improve your van’s ride and handling. Stick with us here – this may look long, but trust us – if you are serious about building an adventure van, you will want to know about this suspension system.

The Sprinter suspension kit from Van Compass was purpose-designed for the built-out adventure van with upgraded springs and shocks to counter heavy weight and correct any rear sag that can easily leave you with a wallowing, poor-quality ride. Available for 2WD, 4WD, and 4x4 Sprinter vans, this Van Compass Suspension kit represents years of cumulative knowledge and testing directly for the adventure van market. It combines the Mini Leaf Spring pack, upgraded Sumo Spring bump stops, and adjustable 3.3 Fast Adjust Shocks to noticeably address swaying, harsh ride quality, and poor handling that can occur with stock suspension.

Falcon 3.3 Fast Adjust Shocks

Perhaps the key components to the entire Van Compass 4.3 system are the Falcon 3.3 Fast Adjust Piggyback Reservoir Shocks. They are built specifically to Van Compass tune specifications and backed by this company’s decades of combined knowledge and experience in both the performance vehicle and adventure van market. With 10 compression damping settings available through the simple turn of a knob, these shocks offer a truly impressive range of compression adjustment. This level of damping flexibility means that you can quick tune your shocks for comfort and stability in almost any situation to enhance cornering stability, reduce wind sway on the interstate, control the van’s reaction to bumpy terrain, and also adjust for weight if you are traveling light or fully loaded.

Most non-adjustable shocks can really only function in a few applications – and shocks manufactured to be comfortable in really rough, off-road terrain, may not offer the stability or rigidity needed for long stretches of interstate travel in heavy crosswinds. Similarly, shocks that may be built to support your van at its heaviest can feel harsh when taken on a trip with a much lighter load. Tuned and adjustable shocks like the Falcon 3.3 Fast Adjust shocks really are the only way to get a comfortable, stable, controlled ride and handling experience no matter your adventure plans. With an industry-leading range of compression adjustment with easy access to the adjustment knob, these represent a pinnacle in strategically tuned components for the precise needs of an adventure van owner.

Sumo Spring Bump Stops

With your van’s suspension system, especially a fully loaded adventure van like your Sprinter, everything does matter, and Van Compass has thought of everything. You may not consider the need to replace your factory bump stops as part of a suspension upgrade – but the hard rubber stops that come from the factory do relatively little to control bottom out resistance in a secure, comfortable way. The Sumo Spring bump stops from Van Compass are manufactured to their precise specifications for this Stage 4.3 Kit. Designed to be taller than your factory stops and made from an advanced microcellular foam with superior compression and rebound abilities, they are a far more purpose-built and progressive solution. They create contact with the control arm at the van’s ride height, and while their dense foam construction does not limit suspension travel, it does help improve resistance to bottoming out and sway. So these updated Sumo Spring bounce stops, a component often ignored by other suspension systems, are a small, but strategic piece of Van Compass’ smart suspension kit for Sprinters to reduce ride harshness and optimize front suspension travel and chassis load.

Mini Leaf Spring Pack

The Mini Leaf Spring pack provides a convenient way to improve your Sprinter’s rear spring rate. From the factory, the 3rd Generation Sprinter 2500s are built for a GVWR of around 8500 lbs., a weight that is easy for a full upfitted van to reach or surpass. And as your Sprinter gets closer to that GVWR, the rear end will be the first to begin sagging under the weight. These 3-leaf Mini Leaf Springs are designed to be installed underneath the factory springs and tuned to help restore suspension geometry. Depending on your van’s weight distribution, they will add 1”-1.5” of back-end lift to restore any lost ride height and reduce the risk of bottoming out. While there are other spring options that Van Compass offers for truly heavy builds (10,000 lb + range) – for most adventure builds these Mini Leaf Springs will pull their weight to dramatically improve your vehicle’s stability and ride at close to GVWR.

A Recap

Van Compass’ intelligently engineered Sprinter Suspension upgrade replaces only what it needs to, and is strategically crafted to retain your van’s factory suspension geometry, while working to eliminate the sway and heavy handling of a fully upfitted van on factory shocks and springs. It doesn’t matter if you are in a 4x4 or 2WD model, your Sprinter never has to handle like a lumbering cargo van again. If you aren’t ready for a lift kit yet but would like your Sprinter adventure van to perform and handle more like the precisely engineered German luxury vehicle it is intended to be, even off road, the Van Compass 4.3 system is guaranteed to help address any rear sag and improve your van’s ride and performance.

Also Recommended! Baja Bracket Rear Shock Mount

When you upgrade the suspension kit on your van, it’s probably because you intend to take it some place where roads are not, and desire not just improved ride comfort and handling but also added durability of the suspension components. The issue is that even leading suspension kits do not address your van’s factory mounts – such as the rear shock mount in the Sprinter. When heavily loaded and driven on demanding terrain, the single shear upper shock bolt the Sprinters come with from the factory can be prone to failing, especially when matched with more aggressive and durable suspensions parts – like those in the Stage 4.3 System from Van Compass. The Baja Bracket Rear Shock mount addresses those issues. Engineered precisely to eliminate the fulcrum effect of the original single bolt, the bracket captures both sides of the upper shock bushing and distributes load more safely through the frame rail. This should be considered a must-add-on for Sprinter owners who are upgrading their adventure van’s suspension system and looking for the most dependable off-road solutions for a built-out van.

Check back soon for more info on the Van Compass Stage 4.3 System from our OZK Customs podcast experts. Learn more about use cases, the pros and cons of this suspension kit versus the others we install, and other questions you never thought to ask!