What's up with the tall, skinny vans?

[Danno]

Originally Posted By: loneryder
Mercedes gets away with tall skinny vans because they have an advanced traction control which helps to prevent roll over. Without it they would roll over easily. I'm guessing these new models have a similar system. Ford still makes the E350/450 chassis' for the motorhome industry.

I have had more than one rollover with the MB Sprinter. Tends to happen in severe wind conditions.
It is usually a write-off as the engine hydrolocks and then it is a $20K repair bill just for the engine replacement.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: artificialist
Originally Posted By: Jetronic
front drive makes a lot of sense for delivery vans. Much lower floor.

It is also an advantage for building an RV. The Winnebago Rialta was based on a front wheel drive VW van and it was a popular RV.


The REAL stardard-bearer of the front-drive RV was the GMC motorhome of the 1970s, with Olds 455 power and a Toronado drivetrain up front. Still immensely popular, with its own following on the internet, clubs of them running around, and so on. Hard to believe they were only made over a span of 5 years!

http://www.gmcpc.org/fmca08.html

 

[Silk]

Originally Posted By: nobb
Is it those Japanese imported vans? Eg. Mitsubishi Delica?


Yes, I don't think they quite grasp what tall and skinny is, the vehicles they are talking about look pretty normal to me. These are pretty common here, and are what I call tall and narrow.

 

[Jetronic]

but that one doesn't have skinny tyres...

 

[Silk]

We have one in at work now with skinny tyres...but I don't consider them worthy of a photo.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: artificialist
Originally Posted By: Jetronic
front drive makes a lot of sense for delivery vans. Much lower floor.

It is also an advantage for building an RV. The Winnebago Rialta was based on a front wheel drive VW van and it was a popular RV.


The REAL stardard-bearer of the front-drive RV was the GMC motorhome of the 1970s, with Olds 455 power and a Toronado drivetrain up front. Still immensely popular, with its own following on the internet, clubs of them running around, and so on. Hard to believe they were only made over a span of 5 years!

http://www.gmcpc.org/fmca08.html



Saw one of those the other day. I always snap my neck when I see a GMC motorhome.

 

[chrisri]

Originally Posted By: Silk
We have one in at work now with skinny tyres...but I don't consider them worthy of a photo.

KIA pickups, those are skinny and weird. Double spare tyres, front ones are bigger. What a POS.

 

[chrisri]

Originally Posted By: Danno
Originally Posted By: loneryder
Mercedes gets away with tall skinny vans because they have an advanced traction control which helps to prevent roll over. Without it they would roll over easily. I'm guessing these new models have a similar system. Ford still makes the E350/450 chassis' for the motorhome industry.

I have had more than one rollover with the MB Sprinter. Tends to happen in severe wind conditions.
It is usually a write-off as the engine hydrolocks and then it is a $20K repair bill just for the engine replacement.


Seriously? Learn how to load your vehicle.

 

[hpb]

Sprinters are what we use in Oz for ambulances.

 

[Silk]

Same here. Where I last worked there was a Brethren school next door, and they had 16 Mercedes vans as school buses that we used to look after. No school children were harmed.

 

[hpb]

The Brethren have an even higher power than Bosch stability control on their side though

I'm not aware of any Sprinter roll overs either - but back in the 90's when our ambulances were Ford F-series, they often went wheels up...

 

[Silk]

They've sure got money on their side though. I guess we've got too many corners and vans just don't get up to enough speed to roll over in a straight line.

 

[addyguy]

Originally Posted By: DuckRyder
Originally Posted By: Jetronic
Originally Posted By: Kibitoshin
Ram Promasters are Fiat Doblo's if anyone's wondering. I can't imagine a Chrysler dealership having to service Mercedes and Fiat platforms along with it's own platforms now.


fiat Ducato....

this is a doblo:

Which is a Promaster CITY

Those look so much like a larger version on my Kia Soul!

Look at the tailights, the arch around the wheels, and the back window...

 

[Danno]

Originally Posted By: chrisri
Originally Posted By: Danno
Originally Posted By: loneryder
Mercedes gets away with tall skinny vans because they have an advanced traction control which helps to prevent roll over. Without it they would roll over easily. I'm guessing these new models have a similar system. Ford still makes the E350/450 chassis' for the motorhome industry.

I have had more than one rollover with the MB Sprinter. Tends to happen in severe wind conditions.
It is usually a write-off as the engine hydrolocks and then it is a $20K repair bill just for the engine replacement.


Seriously? Learn how to load your vehicle.



They are built and loaded to manufacturer specs - we run legal.

 

[edyvw]

MB Sprinter would be rollover prone if it was built by Ford or GM.
Since it is MB I would give it more benefit of doubt.
I drove some of them in Europe, and they are very stable. Drove many times POS E350, Chevy Express etc. and I can say one thing: MB all the way.
Dodge now brings FIAT products to the U.S. and Chevy is bit behind the curve here.

 

[exranger06]

I found this video. The Sprinter vans seem surprisingly stable, more so than I thought they would be.