Summit Lift Skid: How Van Compass Solved Sprinter’s 12,000 lb Headache
Look, we aren't interested in just padding out a catalog. If we're building a part, it’s because we found a problem on the trail that actually needed a solution—not just a Band-Aid. Lately, we’ve been tackling the "sagging elephant" in the room: the front suspension on heavy Sprinter builds.
In a recent deep-dive shop session, General Manager Andy Knox and Lead Engineer Rob Peterson sat down to hash out why the industry standard for lifting these rigs is fundamentally broken, and how we decided to fix it — check out that must-watch video below for the full convo:
If you’re piloting a fully built-out Sprinter or a Class-C RV like the Winnebago Ekko, you know exactly what I’m talking about. You’re driving a 12,000-pound machine that handles more like a boat than a truck. You hit the brakes, the nose dives. You hit a crosswind, and it’s a white-knuckle wrestling match just to stay in your lane. And leaving the pavement? Good luck with that.
"It Was Never Meant to Carry a Condo"
If you’ve gone looking for a front-end fix, you’ve probably seen the "standard" move: wrapping a coil-over around the strut. Sure, it might get you some height, but as Rob pointed out, the logic is flawed when you’re dealing with a heavy build.
"The factory transverse leaf spring is actually a great piece of engineering," Rob said. "But it’s fiberglass. It was designed for a delivery van, not for carrying a 12,000-pound permanent 'condo' on its back. When you park that kind of weight on it 24/7, the spring just suffers."
The bigger issue isn't just the sag—it’s the trade-off. Mercedes spent a lot of time engineering the Sprinter to carry loads into the subframe specifically to keep the cabin quiet and smooth (what the engineers call NVH).
"When you go the coil-over route, you’re essentially bypassing the subframe and forcing all that energy directly into the floorboards," Rob explained. "Yeah, you get your height back, but you’re trading that Mercedes refinement for a rattling cabin and a ride that just feels 'off.' You’re literally trading silence for a noisy floorboard."
Introducing The Summit Lift Skid
The breakthrough didn't come from trying to out-think the Mercedes engineers; it came from looking at what we’d already done for the back of the van. We solved the rear-end headaches years ago with our Opti-Rate adjustable leaf springs, using a precision spacer system to tune the ride based on actual weight.
"We realized we didn't need to fight the factory engineering," Rob said. "We just needed to support it. If we could 'boost' that factory fiberglass spring from underneath, we could restore the height while keeping every ounce of load exactly where it belongs—on the subframe."
That’s where the Summit Lift Skid comes in. We swapped the thin factory spring plate for a heavy-duty, ¼” powder-coated steel version to create a rock-solid foundation. Then, we integrated an innovative series of bushing spacer plates—direct DNA from our Opti-Rate system—that let you dial in the front-end height.
Whether you’re running a standard build or a heavyweight 12,000-pound RV, the Summit Lift Skid restores that lost ride height and gives your rig the aggressive, level stance it was always supposed to have.
Another major bonus — installation won’t require a specialized shop or a massive bill.
We designed this to be different. Since we're supporting the spring from underneath, it’s a true bolt-on. You can realistically knock this out in your own driveway with some pretty basic tools in a couple of hours. It’s a Saturday afternoon project that pays off the second you pull out for your next trip. Just be sure to hit an alignment shop right after, so everything is dialed in perfectly.
More Than Just a Lift
In our shop, "over-engineered" is a compliment. We figure if we were already working in the front subframe area, we might as well make the most of that real estate.
"This isn't just a suspension part; it’s armor," Andy noted. "We built this as a structural brace that’s even tougher than our standard front engine skid plate."
If you’re already running our 4095 engine armor, no worries—we included a modular adapter plate to keep the upgrade seamless. If you’re starting fresh, you can pair the Summit Lift Skid with our matching front plate. It’s the total package: you get the clearance to run bigger tires, the spring rate to handle the weight, and the peace of mind knowing your vitals are protected by high-strength steel.
The Verdict: Confidence on the Road
The difference is immediate the second you pull out of the driveway. The "boaty" feeling is gone. The steering feels crisp, the nose-dive is minimized, and most importantly, the cabin stays as quiet as it should be.
"At the end of the day," Andy said, "this is about confidence. It’s about not having to cringe when you see a steep approach or fight the wheel in a canyon wind. It’s about making your 12,000-pound condo drive like a true Van Compass rig."
Click here to buy the Summit Lift Skid
