Pacer | Suspension Upgrade featuring Fox Factory and Agile Off-Road Components
One of the key features that is the hallmark of an Outside Van is a upgraded suspension system. Enhancing the suspension on heavy conversions like Pacer is a necessity not only for off-road performance, but for on-road ride comfort. The RIP Kit by Agile Off Road featuring components made by FOX Factory are purpose built to help eliminate the sway and harsh ride of the stock Sprinter suspension.
Let’s discuss the shock package on the Pacer. This dually Sprinter 3500 features custom-tuned rear leaf springs, front coil-over struts, FOX 2.0 front shocks, and FOX 2.5 rear shocks to keep this rig under control on and off-pavement adventures.
The 2.0 and 2.5 FOX shocks are tuned using the weight and performance characteristics unique to Pacer. These shocks possess all the outstanding features and benefits of any performance shock, including an aluminum body and an internal floating piston that separates the fluid from the air. This feature fully eliminates any cavitation (air bubbles) you might experience with a steel-bodied shock, which creates a much more consistent and smooth shock absorption experience. These shocks maintain air and oil in two separate places, ensuring your comfort while driving on bumpy and washboard roads.
When adding shocks like the FOX Shocks featured in the RIP Kit, the primary purpose is to mitigate side-to-side sway that a top-heavy and fully-loaded van like an Outside Van will encounter when turning at speed and going over uneven terrain. However, Side-to-side motion is not the only factor that needs to be addressed!
Included with the RIP Kit are upgraded struts, which replaces the factory strut with a more robust strut with a coil-over spring, and an upgraded leaf spring that replaces the factory leaf spring. Both the strut and leaf springs primary purpose is to help counter the added weight from the van conversion by creating a lift between the chassis and the suspension, and dampen the up and down forces that are encountered when going over bumpy terrain like washboard roads or uneven roadways.
As we add the custom build, more weight rests on the spring, so we need a spring that will support the extra weight and keep your ride comfortable. If you were to keep the stock struts and springs, the van would sag under the weight, affecting wheel travel and cause impacts between the chassis and the suspension system. Therefore, by having a proper spring built for the conversion, the weight is adequately supported, and ride height is established with no sagging.
By combining FOX shocks with improved coil-over struts and leaf springs, you get a much more pleasant driving experience. One of the main goals of the RIP Kit is to provide the smoothest and comfortable ride experience on and off the road. More often than not, the benefits of the RIP Kit manifest during long road trips on highways and and curvy mountain roads. As you take turns and go over dips at higher speeds, the ability for a van like Pacer with a RIP Kit to mitigate those effects on its passengers makes a huge difference.
Pacer stands out as one of the most capable vans you can get, alongside our other custom and model builds, thanks to the suite of products that FOX offers.
