do winchcombe's have rear shock absorbers -?

by road warrior Fri Sep 23, 2022 12:10 pm

do winchcombe's have rear shock absorbers -? a quick look and only found anti roll bars ? confused3

by OOF Fri Sep 23, 2022 10:44 pm

Yes, the Winchcombe is based on the Mercedes Sprinter chassis cab and is certainly fitted with shock absorbers on the rear suspension.

by road warrior Mon Sep 26, 2022 10:28 pm

ok thanks - its seems reasonable to expect but i had a look the other day and was damned if i could find them .. i will look harder
at the risk of sounding stupid - have you physically seen them or are you just assuming like me that they must be there - if so WHERE exactly ? shrugg

by Paulmold Mon Sep 26, 2022 10:32 pm

Alko chassis have torsion bars, Merc chassis have shocks. Is it possible that is has an alko chassis?

by road warrior Mon Sep 26, 2022 10:43 pm

well its a merc van but i can see anti roll bars on the back wheels for sure

by OOF Mon Sep 26, 2022 10:54 pm

I’ll see if I can post a photo tomorrow.

by PLOUGHLIN Tue Sep 27, 2022 9:15 am

Rear shock absorbers on my 2011 Sprinter. 2016 should be similar. Ignore the airbag assistors.

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by OOF Tue Sep 27, 2022 9:20 am

So Road Warrior. You can see the near side lower shock mount hanging down in front of the anti roll bar mounting in Ploughlin’s photo. Yours will be the same.

by road warrior Tue Sep 27, 2022 9:23 am

Thank you , I will do the shocks first, but I can't help but feel I will be fitting air bags as well and upping the payload. Am i right in thinking the new winchcombe is something like 4100 now ?
I will be out there today looking harder, because of my sloping drive the one rear corner I have on a ramp and it was that one I looked at and so couldn't see it where I expected to find it. allthumbz

by OOF Tue Sep 27, 2022 9:43 am

Mine is a 2017 model ‘technical up-plating’ to 3880kgs GVM & 5880kgs GTM by SV Tech.
You can’t increase the plated weights of the vehicle or payload just by adding air bags or changing shocks. In my opinion the Winchcombe already has a very generous payload. People add air bags for an ‘improved’ ride quality or help with body roll. Thicker, stiffer anti roll bars are a available to help reduce body roll. It would assist if you mention what you are looking to achieve. However the first reply answered your initial question.

by road warrior Tue Sep 27, 2022 5:42 pm

ok, shocks found , that all good, thats first job, yes i have already upwighted my previous autotrail 634 which has aweful payload, as i say after the shocks i will probably have air bags fitted using dunlop bags and SV Tech, my thinking being that if i do have bags fitted on the rear for stability i may as well get SV tech to uprate it to finish the job.

by Peter Brown Fri Oct 07, 2022 2:45 pm

Living on the edge of the Peak District and having a Lotus Elise and MX5 for comparison, I've had my Malvern on a Sprinter since new for eleven years and can't imagine how anyone could improve on the standard suspension.

I often use the van to carry my bike into the heart of the Peak District and wouldn't be much faster in either of the cars.

by OOF Fri Oct 07, 2022 4:45 pm

Not to mention the Winchcombe’s generous payload. From my recent MOT brake test with a full tank of fresh water I still have 200 kgs available. But, the Sprinter coachbuilt’s do suffer a bit of body roll. Doesn’t bother me, as you mention Peter the ride quality is excellent.

by Peter Brown Fri Oct 07, 2022 4:47 pm

The body roll is up to about 5 mph and doesn't affect ride but on the longer vans the steadies are a must in high winds when pitched.

by OOF Fri Oct 07, 2022 5:37 pm

Not sure what you mean? I’m talking about cornering body roll. Maybe not as prevalent on a PVC. Certainly exists on my Wincombe, but it’s not a racing car. Coming from a rock solid when pitched caravan with E&P hyd levelling, a motorhome on tyres and suspension in wind takes some getting used to. Hmm, next upgrade…. smile!

by Peter Brown Fri Oct 07, 2022 5:44 pm

My Malvern is the same size, weight, etc as your Winchcombe but a little older. If you drive very slowly over rough ground the body rolls significantly from side to side. The same happens when pitched if exposed to a strong wind or as you move round/get in and out of the van. There are wind down steadies on the rear corners of the van that if deployed, when pitched, minimise the roll (they dont stop it as the front suspension still moves). Under normal driving conditions the suspension is super and the roll does not occur. The van is also the most stable I've had when being overtaken by a large vehicle at high motorway speed.

by groundhog Fri Oct 07, 2022 7:00 pm

On the subject of stability, I believe the 2016 Winchcombe will probably have sidewind assist as standard, if yours doesn't then get it. Our 2012 Worcester which is the forerunner didn't. Seems to be a simple software upgrade, our local Merc dealer did it for us for free as it is the first one they had done. Guess they wouldn't have done that had it been a big job!!
Agree with Peter about the wind down legs, we were parked in France recently in a strong sidewind and without the legs down we were rocking, one of those things you may only use on rare occasions but when you need them, you are glad they are there.

by OOF Fri Oct 07, 2022 8:20 pm

Agreed, the stabilisers help and so far only one very windy stay at Trewethett Farm were they completely useless, where I am certain that hyd jacks would have eliminated any movement (at a price, of course).
No issues with sidewinds or passing trucks so perhaps I already have the “side wind assist”.

Regardless it seems we all agree that the Mercedes suspension is amongst the best and shouldn’t need much by way of upgrade to answer the OP.

by groundhog Fri Oct 07, 2022 8:59 pm

Almost certainly on a 2017 you will already have sidewind assist, you will know as a light will flash on the dashboard if you are hit with a sudden gust and it kicks in. up!

by road warrior Sat Oct 08, 2022 7:11 am

Yes it's a strange phenomenon rocks like aship at sea at lower speeds but is fine when on the move at normal road speeds. I imagine it's because the sprinter van is narrow but the motorhome is wide. Anyway shocks wil be fitted next week and will go from there. What does sidewind assist do or maybe HOW does it work ?

by OOF Sat Oct 08, 2022 8:18 am

A brief web search shows it works with the ESP (Electronic Stability Programme). In other words it operates each brake independently to keep the vehicle on course. Apparently Mercedes did not activate this on chassis cabs since they could be fitted with various bodies not so affected by cross winds. Interesting, in the US many owners requested for it to be deactivated, being fed up with the repeated warning flashes on the dashboard.

by groundhog Sat Oct 08, 2022 9:32 am

There is a YouTube video on it.

by road warrior Tue Oct 11, 2022 6:31 pm

thank you gents - shockers fitted, that have to be the easiest shocks to fit i have ever done, just crawled underneath - didnt even need a jack ! - although i wont know for a couple of days when i go out in it, but my gut instinct is no differance as i found no problem with the ones i took off sadly, so may have wasted my money - although i fitted KYB, so i might notice something and the outgoing ones will be 6 years old, so ..

by road warrior Tue Oct 11, 2022 6:56 pm

so now - following the theme we come to DRUM ROLL - tyre pressures !
its accepted the front on a winchcombe and similer is about 54 psi - but the rear ?
i have yet to take it to a wieghbridge but im guessing it will be similar to other auto sleeper's with the same wieght capacity, so what pressures do we run at the back - im running continentals 235/65 16 which have a max of 76 psi but i run at 65 psi currently

by groundhog Tue Oct 11, 2022 7:11 pm

I run the same as you on our 3880kgs Worcester 65rear but increase to 68 when fully loaded. Seems to be perfect at that and tyres have worn evenly with life left in them at 30,000 miles. Will change them in the Spring purely on age grounds 10 years plus. Fronts are set at 55psi.

do winchcombe's have rear shock absorbers -?

do winchcombe's have rear shock absorbers -?

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Re: do winchcombe's have rear shock absorbers -?