Sprinter 170 Wall and Ceiling Kit Installation Guide – Featherbuilt

Step-by-step instructions for installing the Featherbuilt wall and ceiling panel kit and aluminum rail system in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 170 high roof. Every step is written out below, with the hole maps and diagrams from the PDF. The PDF has the same instructions if you'd rather print them.

Download: Sprinter 170 Wall and Ceiling Kit installation guide (PDF)

What you'll need

Permanent marker to mark the factory holes you'll expand and your match-drill holes
Cordless drill. Don't skimp on the drill!
10mm step-up drill bit to expand the factory holes
1/16" and 3/8" drill bits to mark the match-drilled holes in the panels and rails, then expand those holes to fit the 1/4-20 screws
Rivet nut gun: pneumatic, drill adapter or manual all work
Rust prevention paint or primer to protect the bare metal after you expand each hole
5/32" hex wrench: one is included, but a backup doesn't hurt

The process at a glance

Mark your holes. Use the hole maps below to mark which factory holes the rail system uses.
Install the factory-hole rivnuts (see how to install a rivnut below).
Install the rails plus panels G, H, I, R and Q. These are the only panels that need a match drill.
Mark the match-drill locations. The rails that need match drilling are labeled.
Install the match-drill rivnuts.
Loosely install all the panels and rails. Trust the process.
Tighten all the screws. And you're done!

What is match drilling?

Match drilling means drilling a hole through several assembled parts at once, so the parts line up exactly in the final assembly.

Each van has a series of holes from the factory ("factory holes") that the rail system uses. A few extra holes are needed to make the system more stable and to hold some of the larger panels in place. Those are the match-drill holes.

On the rails, the factory hole locations are the larger holes. We pre-drill a 1/16" pilot hole to guide each match drill, and each one is labeled "Match Drill".

How to install a rivnut

Every rail and panel screw threads into a rivet nut (rivnut) set in the van's sheet metal. Do this at each hole:

Drill. Use the step-up bit to expand the hole to 10mm. Test the size by lightly setting a rivnut in the hole.
Treat. Carefully remove any metal debris from the hole, then apply primer or rust prevention paint to cover the exposed sheet metal.
Set. Insert and set (crunch) a rivnut in the drilled and primed hole (1/4-20).
Check. Carefully thread in a screw (1/4-20) to make sure the rivnut is properly set and the threads are clean.

Match drilling

Install the rails and panels G, H, I, R and Q. The rails that need match drilling are 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 3.2, 6.2 and 8.2.
Make sure the rails are tightly installed and lined up with each other.
Drill a 1/16" hole through the indicated pilot hole. Don't drill through the side of your van! Use a short drill bit, less than 1¾" long.
Uninstall the rails, then install your new rivnuts as usual before the final installation. Also expand each match-drill hole in the panels and rails (3/8" bit) so the 1/4-20 screws fit.

Tips:

The wall panels have some play between the rails. Make sure they're lined up where you want them to stay, and that the flexible panels are flexed into place, before you drill the 1/16" hole.
Pro tip: hold a panel in place with a self-drilling screw while you mark the match-drill hole.
We do our best to pick a good match-drill location. If your van needs a different spot, go ahead and use it.

Rivnut locations

Yellow marks factory holes and red marks match-drill holes.

Rail and panel diagrams

Driver side: panels A to L with rails 1.1 to 3.3. Passenger side: panels M to T with rails 6.1 to 8.2. Ceiling: panels A to I with rails 4.1 to 5.3.

Your kit may have different window, fan or electrical cutouts, or other custom features, than the diagrams show.

Install the wall panels

Start at the bottom. Starting with the lowest row, place the panel first and then the rail above it, letting the rail sit on top of the panel's tongue.
Move up. Continue up the side of the van, alternating panel and rail.
Stay loose. Start every screw, but keep them loose. The panels and rails have a bit of tolerance that works best when everything can shift until all the parts are in.
Tighten. Once every panel and rail is installed, and after any changes for outlets, wiring and so on, go back and tighten all of the screws.

The rail clamps the panel's tongue between the rail and the van's sheet metal wall. Don't overtighten: too much force on the screw can spin the rivnut and leave a loose connection.

Optional: put thread locker (such as Loctite Blue 242) on each screw so it can't back out. It's unlikely they will, but results vary with driving and vehicle conditions.

Install the ceiling panels

Start at the side. Starting on the driver side, install the front and rear panels before adding the driver side rails.
Move across. With the driver side in, continue to the center panels and then the passenger side panels.
Stay loose. Start every screw, but keep them loose until all the parts are in.
Tighten. Once every panel and rail is installed, go back and tighten all of the screws. Because each panel is held by screws, you can also install all of the panels first and then clamp them in place with the rails.

The ceiling panels don't have tongues like the wall panels do. That allows extra movement between panels so you can line up each seam.

The driver and passenger side ceiling panels (the "wings") are meant to be furred down. That creates a channel for wiring (the van's or your own) and hides the notches at the top of the wall panels. Use the longest screws provided to set the height.

Install photos

Products this guide covers

Need a hand?

You can do this, and we're here if you get stuck. Email support@featherbuilt.com or send us a message from the chat on featherbuilt.com. Photos of where you're stuck help us answer faster.