Front wheel Drive Sprinter

Lenny HB

Lenny HB

LIFE MEMBER
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Posts
61,132
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Location
On the coast in West Sussex
Funster No
658
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 2008 & many years tugging
Not a great fan of Mercs but browsing around I noticed Frankia are already building on the Front Wheel Drive Sprinter, don't know about other manufacturers but if they all go that way won't be much point in opting for a Merc chassis.
 
Exactly, can't see the point of them without rear wheel drive, obviously they must have done the research and there is a call for front wheel drive.
 
Lenny HB said:
Not a great fan of Mercs but browsing around I noticed Frankia are already building on the Front Wheel Drive Sprinter, don't know about other manufacturers but if they all go that way won't be much point in opting for a Merc chassis.
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Are you sure that they are using the FWD Sprinter, all I can find is RWD options or Fiat tandem axle.

Martin
 
funflair said:
Are you sure that they are using the FWD Sprinter, all I can find is RWD options or Fiat tandem axle.

Martin
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Found it on the Frankia site until I saw it I didn't know they had bought out a FWD Sprinter had to look at the Merc site to confirm before posting, in case it was a mistake.

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There will always be a market for them as long as they are easily recognised and cost more than an ordinary van.
 
@Lenny HB I have trolled through the Frankia web site and can't find anything relating to FWD Merc.

Martin
 
The 50kg weight saving of the fwd Merc is reason enough for the motorhome manufactuters to be looking at this. Perhaps combined with a robotised auto instead of a traditional one the weight savings could be significant.
 
Pausim said:
The 50kg weight saving of the fwd Merc is reason enough for the motorhome manufactuters to be looking at this. Perhaps combined with a robotised auto instead of a traditional one the weight savings could be significant.
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Ah!. A Mercedes Fiat?. C/W Alko Chassis?.
 
funflair said:
I don't doubt the existence of the FWD option on th new Sprinter I just can't find it relate to Frankia motorhomes.

Martin
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I was lying it was the German magazine Promobil, heres a Google translation.

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busby said:
Where does it mention FWD? BUSBY,,
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Just read it in Canopus post,,,not out until June,,,Not good on a van of that size,,,BUSBY,,
 
busby said:
What advantages are those other than a lower floor ?? BUSBY,,
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Massive advantage in the panel van market to have a very low floor as easier to load and also higher volume for a given height, which is why FWD is popular as well as cheaper in some cases
 
busby said:
Where does it mention FWD? BUSBY,,
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Don't think my brains in gear looks like I've read it wrong and posted a meaningless waste of time thread.:(

Oh well it's made everyone aware of the FWD Sprinter.:)
 
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Lenny HB said:
Don't think my brains in grear looks like I've read it wrong and posted a meaningless waste of time thread.:(

Oh well it's made everyone aware of the FWD Sprinter.:)
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Perhaps it was that second bottle of wine:D that made your eyes go a bit wonky
 
I still think the motorhome manufacturers will take advantage of the weight and lower floor when it is available.

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The front wheel drive version offers a nine speed torque converter automatic gearbox, so definitely worth a look. Also 50 kg lighter than the equivalent RWD
 
A
DuxDeluxe said:
Massive advantage in the panel van market to have a very low floor as easier to load and also higher volume for a given height, which is why FWD is popular as well as cheaper in some cases
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A rear axle diff. will be a very significant expense. Although I'm at this moment on a train to collect a Merc based van I've never been sold on RWD. It works but reversing a FWD carefully works too. I'm hoping the twin rear wheels will be a significant feature though.
 
DuxDeluxe said:
Massive advantage in the panel van market to have a very low floor as easier to load and also higher volume for a given height, which is why FWD is popular as well as cheaper in some cases
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Mentioned the lower floor but the heavier the van the worse the traction,,Have noticed later MB s,,panel vans showing quite a lot of rust,,,looks like they have returned to the crap they produced between 1999 and 2003 when their COE was an accountant and sacrificed quality for cost,,,BUSBY,,
 
tonyidle said:
A

A rear axle diff. will be a very significant expense. Although I'm at this moment on a train to collect a Merc based van I've never been sold on RWD. It works but reversing a FWD carefully works too. I'm hoping the twin rear wheels will be a significant feature though.
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Twin wheels give less traction than wide singles but unfortunately i have never seen wide singles fitted to the rear of panel vans or motorhomes,,BUSBY,,
 
I have had Sprinters Vans and busses from the day they replaced the old T2 Transporter. They were a major transformation and far better then the T2. Then they went to the newer 2000 Model with the gear lever on the dash. That was when we started to have problems with my fleet.

We have had three RWD Sprinter motorhomes. A 416CDi Sprintshift Eura Mobil, 3.0 V6 Manual Frankia and a La Strada 3.0 V6 5G-Tronic. I have to say, that whilst the RWD Propulsion was superb, getting stuck only a couple of brief times in the lower chassis Frankia, the rest of the Mercedes chassis were a nightmare and cost me a vast fortune.

August 2016, I bought an old 2000 Fiat Hymer. I was dreading the traction of FWD being an issue. I fitted Michelin Alpin Winter tyres as I always do. Looking at the layout of the FWD Fiat+Hymer Chassis Build, the Fuel Tank, Batteries, LPG Bottles, Water tank, Engine, plus Driver and passenger weight are all over the front wheels. This gives much better grip than an ordinary FWD delivery van.

So far, we have been to Grimentz (Switzerland) and St. Lary Soulan (French Pyrenees) To Ski. Along with the Snow in the UK In December and not had any issues. Okay, the Fiat Does not feel as stable as the Mercedes and has no ABS/ASR/ESP or BAS like the others. But I am very happy with the Motorhome.

I currently also own two RWD Sprinters, both SWB, one is 5G-Tronic and the other 7G-Tronic. As a work tool, for me, these are brilliant. Again, with winter tyres, they will go almost anywhere as they are usually fully loaded.

Both Mercedes and VW with their all-new crafter have decided to produce FWD versions of their new Transporters. VW have dropped the SWB and as far as I know, Mercedes thankfully are continuing with all four wheelbases.

So, if I were to buy a new Sprinter for my daily use, it would have to be a RWD Fully Automatic.

If I were to Specify a new FWD Motorhome, it would only be the Mercedes for the 7G-Tronic Gearbox.

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