ArtistWithAView
Member
* I have in no way been compensated for the review and neither VB or the installer were aware that I would do a write-up on the Air Suspension install. Hopefully this will help others decide if this system is for them.
INTRODUCTION
Anyone who has a Sprinter based class C knows first-hand about the bone-jarring rear suspension, the often violent rocking that occurs when making a turn and encountering an off-camber bump, and what happens in high winds and when being passed by a large truck. It is not just about comfort - it is also about rider fatigue and safety. I can only imagine what this type of punishment will do to the coach construction and electronics over time.
I tried a Hellwig sway bar, Koni FSD shocks, and Agile Off-Road Fox shocks, and while these helped I was still not satisfied. I knew from reviews that there was a safer and smoother solution in the VB air suspension system.
PART 1: About The VB Air Suspension System
I talked to the VB National Sales Manager Jeff Whitlow and he likes to tell customers that the advantage of the system is that it gives a smoother, safer, and more controlled ride. More on each of these will be addressed later - as well if I found them to be true. How the system accomplishes this is by replacing the leaf springs with a computerized air bag system.
Here are some links and video?s on the VB system
VB Air Suspension website: https://www.vbairsuspensionusa.com/us/
Airstream VB Air Suspension: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imf2IQcEJk0
The Fit RV VB Air Suspension Install: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww5p744ymms
Advanced RV VB Air Suspension Generation 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypk9R6661gA
Advanced RV VB Air Suspension Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F43gRg_8TV8
Part 2: My Installation Experience
Once I had decided to seriously explore installing the system I wanted to know how much it would cost and where I could get the system installed. Going to the VB website I looked for installers close to me in Iowa, and began making calls. The first two quotes came in at $7,500 and $15,000. Yes, you read that right. A third quote was also about $7,500. The two $7,500 installers estimated one day for the install. The high bid estimated 30-50 hours to install. Hmmmm?
The installer I went with was Utility BodyWerks in Elkhart, Indiana. I enjoyed talking to Tom Underwood who I found out after the install was the owner. He had me take a few pictures of specific areas under my View and gave me a solid bid.
We dropped the motorhome off the night before and Tom had me back the motorhome in the shop for the night. He showed me my kit which was meticulously laid out on a bench. I?ll bet the guy that installed it separates his Skittles before eating them. That is meant to be a compliment in that it seemed he was meticulous about doing things right. I found out later from the VB National Sales Manager that Sam (the installer) was a former machinist and was a perfectionist. The VB National Sales Manager used to work with Sam so he should know. I also got to see a couple of other jobs they were working on and I was impressed with the workmanship.
By 3:00 the next day the suspension was done. I was disappointed that I did not get to see the installer and have him explain the system to me in depth.
Tom suggested that I contact Jeff Whitlow who just became the National Sales Manager for VB, who was also based in Elkhart. Jeff used to work for Tom and managed all of the air suspension installs for Utility BodyWerks.
I first exchanged a few e-mails with Jeff and then talked to him on the phone. He explained to me the whole system in depth and said that he had even stopped by to see my install and was sorry he missed me. He is very interested in talking to customers and is going to begin monitoring the forums and would love to answer any questions.
I don?t want you to get the idea that I am a fanboy of Utility BodyWerks OR that other dealers would not be just as good, it was just my experience and it was a good one. One area Utility BodyWerks could improve on is in communicating the advantages of the VB System and doing more on their website to communicate the professionalism of their installation process.
Part 3: My Experience Once the System was Installed
How do you quantify the results of a suspension upgrade like this? Even with expensive measuring equipment it might not get to the heart of the matter. Hopefully my experience with the system and effort to write all this up and endure the scorn of flamers will assist you in some way. Again, I have nothing to gain by this review from the installer or VB either way. I will be comparing the VB air suspension to my Hellwig Sway Bar / Agile Off-Road Fox Shocks combination.
SWAY
What I mean by sway is when your RV swings back and forth when a large truck passes you. The VB system performed just as well as the Hellwig / Agile Off-Road Fox Shock combination, which is to say excellent.
CROSS WINDS
By this I mean the way winds or gusts of 15 MPH or higher effect how the vehicle handles. On the return home we had 3 hours of sustained side winds of 19 MPH with gusts up to 30 MPH. Although one look at the cocked steering wheel confirmed the high winds it felt less of an effort to keep it under control than the Hellwig / Agile Off-Road Fox Shock combination.
OFF-CAMBER ROCKING
By this I mean the side-to-side rocking that happens when you are turn into a driveway or side road that is uneven with the road you are on. While the Hellwig is great for sway and crosswinds it actually can make off-camber rocking worse than stock, which is what I experienced (Thanks for the explanation on why from CALBIKER on the Sprinter Forum). The Fox shocks did a great job of controlling this, but the VB did even better. The View felt much more stable and safe making these type of turns. I also did not feel the bumps when turning like I did before.
SMALL BUMPS IN THE ROAD
The new suspension handled the small bumps & holes that are common SO MUCH BETTER. My wife and I could not believe the difference. The rig was so much quieter and things in the cabinets did not rattle around as much. I actually sought out the rough spots and ran over them to feel and hear the result. Amazing!
EXPANSION JOINTS
The normal smooth joints were fine with my old system but as they became uneven or the gap was wider than it should of been the thud as the duals hit them would really rattle things and stuff in the back end really took a beating. With the VB you could still feel them, but now they felt about the same as the front-end did when hitting them, which was not bad at all.
MONSTER POT HOLES
When you dropped in a big pot hole the system still made a big thud, but the resulting sound and shock was much more muted than with my old system. I wish it would do better here and be more like a car, but it is not. Still it is so much better than the stock setup and even the modifications I made.
DRIVER FATIGUE
After my 7 hour trip through some of the worst roads I have been on, 30 MPH wind gusts and Chicago traffic, I was much more relaxed. The vehicle did not beat me up as it did before. We bought this View to drive and explore and this is a big deal to me.
SAFETY
I have not had to make a panic stop, quick lane change, or other high speed maneuver with the View, although I knew that with the stock suspension it could be very dangerous. Whether the Fox Shocks would control the side-to-side rock well enough in a bad situation I do not know. VB specifically touts the ability to vastly improve handling in braking and panic situations and has video of busses and RV?s going through cones and braking with and without the system. It is quite an eye-opener.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Well, there you have it my friends. Only you can decide if the VB suspension is worth the expense fo you, but you already knew that. I will answer any questions you have as honestly as I can and can also direct you to Jeff the VB National Sales Manager as he said he is very interested in talking to customers. He is not just a sales guy but actually has experience installing these systems.
Steve in Iowa
2017 View J
INTRODUCTION
Anyone who has a Sprinter based class C knows first-hand about the bone-jarring rear suspension, the often violent rocking that occurs when making a turn and encountering an off-camber bump, and what happens in high winds and when being passed by a large truck. It is not just about comfort - it is also about rider fatigue and safety. I can only imagine what this type of punishment will do to the coach construction and electronics over time.
I tried a Hellwig sway bar, Koni FSD shocks, and Agile Off-Road Fox shocks, and while these helped I was still not satisfied. I knew from reviews that there was a safer and smoother solution in the VB air suspension system.
PART 1: About The VB Air Suspension System
I talked to the VB National Sales Manager Jeff Whitlow and he likes to tell customers that the advantage of the system is that it gives a smoother, safer, and more controlled ride. More on each of these will be addressed later - as well if I found them to be true. How the system accomplishes this is by replacing the leaf springs with a computerized air bag system.
Here are some links and video?s on the VB system
VB Air Suspension website: https://www.vbairsuspensionusa.com/us/
Airstream VB Air Suspension: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imf2IQcEJk0
The Fit RV VB Air Suspension Install: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww5p744ymms
Advanced RV VB Air Suspension Generation 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypk9R6661gA
Advanced RV VB Air Suspension Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F43gRg_8TV8
Part 2: My Installation Experience
Once I had decided to seriously explore installing the system I wanted to know how much it would cost and where I could get the system installed. Going to the VB website I looked for installers close to me in Iowa, and began making calls. The first two quotes came in at $7,500 and $15,000. Yes, you read that right. A third quote was also about $7,500. The two $7,500 installers estimated one day for the install. The high bid estimated 30-50 hours to install. Hmmmm?
The installer I went with was Utility BodyWerks in Elkhart, Indiana. I enjoyed talking to Tom Underwood who I found out after the install was the owner. He had me take a few pictures of specific areas under my View and gave me a solid bid.
We dropped the motorhome off the night before and Tom had me back the motorhome in the shop for the night. He showed me my kit which was meticulously laid out on a bench. I?ll bet the guy that installed it separates his Skittles before eating them. That is meant to be a compliment in that it seemed he was meticulous about doing things right. I found out later from the VB National Sales Manager that Sam (the installer) was a former machinist and was a perfectionist. The VB National Sales Manager used to work with Sam so he should know. I also got to see a couple of other jobs they were working on and I was impressed with the workmanship.
By 3:00 the next day the suspension was done. I was disappointed that I did not get to see the installer and have him explain the system to me in depth.
Tom suggested that I contact Jeff Whitlow who just became the National Sales Manager for VB, who was also based in Elkhart. Jeff used to work for Tom and managed all of the air suspension installs for Utility BodyWerks.
I first exchanged a few e-mails with Jeff and then talked to him on the phone. He explained to me the whole system in depth and said that he had even stopped by to see my install and was sorry he missed me. He is very interested in talking to customers and is going to begin monitoring the forums and would love to answer any questions.
I don?t want you to get the idea that I am a fanboy of Utility BodyWerks OR that other dealers would not be just as good, it was just my experience and it was a good one. One area Utility BodyWerks could improve on is in communicating the advantages of the VB System and doing more on their website to communicate the professionalism of their installation process.
Part 3: My Experience Once the System was Installed
How do you quantify the results of a suspension upgrade like this? Even with expensive measuring equipment it might not get to the heart of the matter. Hopefully my experience with the system and effort to write all this up and endure the scorn of flamers will assist you in some way. Again, I have nothing to gain by this review from the installer or VB either way. I will be comparing the VB air suspension to my Hellwig Sway Bar / Agile Off-Road Fox Shocks combination.
SWAY
What I mean by sway is when your RV swings back and forth when a large truck passes you. The VB system performed just as well as the Hellwig / Agile Off-Road Fox Shock combination, which is to say excellent.
CROSS WINDS
By this I mean the way winds or gusts of 15 MPH or higher effect how the vehicle handles. On the return home we had 3 hours of sustained side winds of 19 MPH with gusts up to 30 MPH. Although one look at the cocked steering wheel confirmed the high winds it felt less of an effort to keep it under control than the Hellwig / Agile Off-Road Fox Shock combination.
OFF-CAMBER ROCKING
By this I mean the side-to-side rocking that happens when you are turn into a driveway or side road that is uneven with the road you are on. While the Hellwig is great for sway and crosswinds it actually can make off-camber rocking worse than stock, which is what I experienced (Thanks for the explanation on why from CALBIKER on the Sprinter Forum). The Fox shocks did a great job of controlling this, but the VB did even better. The View felt much more stable and safe making these type of turns. I also did not feel the bumps when turning like I did before.
SMALL BUMPS IN THE ROAD
The new suspension handled the small bumps & holes that are common SO MUCH BETTER. My wife and I could not believe the difference. The rig was so much quieter and things in the cabinets did not rattle around as much. I actually sought out the rough spots and ran over them to feel and hear the result. Amazing!
EXPANSION JOINTS
The normal smooth joints were fine with my old system but as they became uneven or the gap was wider than it should of been the thud as the duals hit them would really rattle things and stuff in the back end really took a beating. With the VB you could still feel them, but now they felt about the same as the front-end did when hitting them, which was not bad at all.
MONSTER POT HOLES
When you dropped in a big pot hole the system still made a big thud, but the resulting sound and shock was much more muted than with my old system. I wish it would do better here and be more like a car, but it is not. Still it is so much better than the stock setup and even the modifications I made.
DRIVER FATIGUE
After my 7 hour trip through some of the worst roads I have been on, 30 MPH wind gusts and Chicago traffic, I was much more relaxed. The vehicle did not beat me up as it did before. We bought this View to drive and explore and this is a big deal to me.
SAFETY
I have not had to make a panic stop, quick lane change, or other high speed maneuver with the View, although I knew that with the stock suspension it could be very dangerous. Whether the Fox Shocks would control the side-to-side rock well enough in a bad situation I do not know. VB specifically touts the ability to vastly improve handling in braking and panic situations and has video of busses and RV?s going through cones and braking with and without the system. It is quite an eye-opener.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Well, there you have it my friends. Only you can decide if the VB suspension is worth the expense fo you, but you already knew that. I will answer any questions you have as honestly as I can and can also direct you to Jeff the VB National Sales Manager as he said he is very interested in talking to customers. He is not just a sales guy but actually has experience installing these systems.
Steve in Iowa
2017 View J
