Volkswagen Crafter

The 1st generation produced from 2006 to November 2016 was largely identical in construction to the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, apart from the engines and the vehicle front. It was produced together with the Sprinter at the Ludwigsfelde and Düsseldorf plants.

Landing gear

The chassis is essentially the same as that of the second-generation VW LT, but has been revised in some details.

Front axle

The front wheels are individually suspended on damper legs and wishbones. The Crafter now has 16-inch wheels and a wider track. As with the predecessor, the transversely mounted leaf spring is made of GRP and is therefore lighter in weight with improved stabilisation capacity. A stabiliser is now also standard on the Crafter. The axle has been acoustically decoupled from the vehicle body with rubber mounts. The driving behaviour has been designed to be slightly understeering to neutral.

Rear axle

The rigid rear axle is guided on two longitudinally mounted leaf springs. In the panel van and estate versions, the body is acoustically decoupled via large rubber mounts. The suspension tuning has been improved and the shock absorbers have been moved a little further out to better counteract the dangerous tendency to roll, for example when changing lanes quickly. A stabiliser is standard on the Crafter 50, available at extra cost on the Crafter 35.

Tyres

The Crafter 30 is equipped with 205/75R16C tyres on 5.5J×16-H2 rims as standard. The tyre size 235/65R16C with 6.5J×16-H2 rim is standard equipment on the Crafter 35 and is available as optional equipment for the Crafter 30. On the rear axle of the Crafter 50 there are twin tyres in size 195/75R16C or 205/75R16C on rim 5.5J×16-H2. The Crafter 50 can also be equipped with so-called supersingle tyres instead of twin tyres. In this case the permissible gross weight is reduced to 4.6 tonnes. The high load capacity of 128 corresponds to a maximum tyre load capacity of 1800 kg. The maximum speed is limited to 140 km/h. The advantage is the lower rolling resistance and the narrower wheel arches.

Brake system

Disc brakes are fitted to the front and rear axles, with the front and, from the Crafter 50, also the rear being internally ventilated. As on the LT2, the parking brake consists of a small drum brake integrated into the rear brake disc. The hydraulic dual-circuit system with diagonal splitting and hydraulic brake assist is supported by a 10-inch pneumatic brake booster. As standard, the Crafter has been equipped with anti-lock brakes (ABS), traction control (ASR) and an electronic stability program (ESP). This is the latest generation of systems from Bosch, which takes into account the vehicle's load in its control characteristics.

Steering

To achieve a high level of comfort, a hydraulically assisted rack-and-pinion steering system has been installed. The steering column is designed to slide telescopically for improved crash safety and can be adjusted in height and tilt as an option. The steering lock is no longer of purely mechanical design as before, but is locked via the electromechanical ignition lock with a servomotor.

Drive

Initially, the Crafter was supplied exclusively with a five-cylinder diesel engine with a displacement of 2.5 litres. The engine was available in various power ratings from 65 to 120 kW (88 to 163 hp). Since 2012, the four-cylinder diesel engine with the displacement of 2.0 liters has been installed instead; the five-cylinder was completely eliminated. Advances in engine technology have made it possible to produce the power needed for a heavy-duty van even with 2.0 liters of displacement. Power levels have since ranged from 80 to 120 kW (109 to 163 hp). In Australia and New Zealand, the six-cylinder diesel engine from the identically constructed Mercedes Sprinter was used in the Crafter.

Engine Technology

The engines installed in the Crafter longitudinally to the direction of travel are based on the in-line five-cylinder engine with a displacement of 2.5 litres already used in the VW Transporter and VW LT 2. In contrast to the left-turning 4- and 6-cylinders of the Sprinter, the 5-cylinders of the Crafter are right-turning, like all older five-cylinders from Audi or VW. However, a common-rail injection system and a soot particle filter are now fitted to improve running quality and to meet the new stringent emissions standards. A reinforced timing belt is used to drive the camshaft, high-pressure pump and coolant pump. It has a change interval of 200,000 km. The six-bearing drop-forged crankshaft is housed in a grey cast iron casing with lamellar graphite. It now has thicker crank pins to better absorb torsional forces.

The aluminum alloy pistons, like those of the previous models, have an asymmetrical piston cavity for better swirling of the injected fuel. To increase the stability, it was slightly larger and thus reduced the compression. In addition, the pistons are reinforced compared to the previous models and the connecting rods are trapezoidal. As with all other VW TDI engines, the piston crowns are additionally cooled from below by oil spray nozzles. The new five-layer metal cylinder-head gasket enables a more stable seal between the combustion chambers as well as to the outside. The engine's ancillary units such as the generator, refrigerant compressor, hydraulic pump and cooling fan are driven by a V-ribbed belt.

Technical data

Lubrication

Oil circulation is ensured by a sickle pump located at the front of the crankshaft. An internal pressure relief valve protects the pump and the engine against excessive oil pressure. The oil filter module with paper insert is flange-mounted vertically on the side of the engine block. An oil pressure retaining valve is provided for the cylinder head, which ensures residual lubrication when the oil pressure drops, thus protecting the camshaft bearings from damage. The oil quantity in the engine is about 9 liters.

Cooling

A coolant pump driven via the toothed belt is used to circulate the coolant. In addition, an electrically operated pump is intended to prevent a build-up of heat when the engine is switched off; it also assumes the function of residual engine heat utilisation. In this case, a button in the heater control unit allows the vehicle heater to be used for a further 20 minutes after the engine has been switched off, depending on the outside temperature. The flow through the water cooler is controlled by an expansion thermostat. The cooler for exhaust gas recirculation and the engine oil cooler are also cooled via the cooling system.

Fuel system

Fuel supply

The plastic fuel tank contains an electric pre-feed pump for continuous fuel delivery. From there, the mechanically driven high-pressure pump is supplied via the fuel filter and the fuel accumulator. This provides the pressure required for injection. The fuel filter has an electric heater which prevents the formation of paraffin crystals and thus clogging of the filter at low outside temperatures. Fuel not required by the injection valves is returned to the fuel tank via a pressure retaining valve and a return line.

Common rail injection

The piezoelectric injectors, which operate at a maximum pressure of 1600 bar, enable multiple pre- and post-injections and thus low-noise and low-emission engine running. The injection of the 2.5 TDI engines up to 2010 was controlled by a Bosch EDC-16C (Electronic Diesel Control) system. The 2.5 TDI engines of the 2010-2012 model years, as well as 2.0 TDI models available from 2012 onwards, have their injection controlled by a Bosch EDC-17C system.

Exhaust gas turbocharger

The exhaust gas turbocharger with adjustable guide vanes is controlled via a vacuum cell. The engine control unit adjusts the optimum boost pressure depending on the load condition. The maximum boost pressure is also limited by the control unit. Since the air in the turbocharger heats up, an intercooler is connected downstream of it.

Exhaust gas cleaning

The exhaust gases are cleaned with a soot particle filter. In this case, the oxidation catalytic converter and particulate filter are combined into a single unit and mounted directly behind the turbocharger. This enables the operating temperature to be reached quickly and optimum regeneration to take place. The use of an additive is not necessary here. If the engine is operated predominantly in the part-load range, the filter is regenerated by raising the exhaust gas temperature.

Exhaust gas recirculation

Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is also installed in the Crafter to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. Here, part of the exhaust gases is fed back into the combustion process, which reduces the oxygen content of the mixture. This can slow down combustion and reduce the combustion chamber temperature. This is supported by the EGR cooler. In the Crafter, the EGR valve is electrically operated and can thus better regulate the amount of recirculated exhaust gas. A lambda sensor installed upstream of the soot particle filter serves as a sensor to determine the residual oxygen content in the exhaust gas. An electrically operated intake manifold flap is used upstream of the EGR valve, which can reduce the amount of air drawn in if required. This is required for engine shutdown and regeneration of the particulate filter and supports exhaust gas recirculation.

Preheating system

The quick-start glow system with ceramic glow plugs enables an instant start at temperatures as low as -24 °C. The control unit supplies the glow plugs with a time-delayed pulse-width modulated current to relieve the electrical system. It monitors each individual glow plug and signals faults in the system by lighting up the glow time indicator lamp.

Power transmission

All transmission variants used in the Crafter were developed by Daimler-Benz.

6-speed manual transmission

The Crafter comes as standard with 6-speed manual transmissions in a three-shaft design, which transmit power to the rear axle via a multi-part cardan shaft. The gearboxes with a die-cast aluminium housing are available in two variants for a maximum torque of 330 or 350 Nm, with the more powerful variant being used with the 120 kW engine. The gearshift is operated by cables with a joystick-like gear lever in the control panel. For special attachments (tipper, crane, tow truck, etc.), an auxiliary drive that can be engaged from the driver's seat is available. A power output of 28 kW and a torque of 140 Nm at an engine speed of 1200 rpm can be provided permanently. Subsequent installation in a standard transmission is not possible.

Shiftmatic (SMC)

To improve comfort and reduce the driver's workload, the Crafter can be fitted with the Shiftmatic (SMC) automated manual transmission as an optional extra. This is available for the 80 kW and 100 kW engines. The internal structure is essentially the same as that of the 6-speed manual gearbox. The gears can be shifted manually by tapping the joystick or fully automatically. Although a conventional single-disc dry clutch is fitted, this transmission eliminates the clutch pedal. The clutch and individual gears are operated hydraulically and monitored by the transmission control unit. The Shiftmatic has its own hydraulic pump, pressure accumulator, hydraulic control unit and separate hydraulic oil reservoir. If individual components fail, an emergency program is activated and the automatic mode is switched off. Only manual shifting up to third gear is possible. The transmission oil only needs to be replaced after ten years or 320,000 kilometres.

Electrical system

In the Crafter, the individual control units are networked via CAN and MOST bus systems.

Power supply

A dual-battery concept is optionally possible, in which a second battery is installed for additional components. This relieves the load on the starter battery, which is decoupled via an isolating relay. A special feature is that the starter battery is installed under the footwell on the driver's side and the additional battery is located in the engine compartment. A positive terminal connection is provided near the air filter for external starting of the engine.

Lighting

The central control unit for all main functions is the vehicle electrical system control unit. The light switch only passes on switching commands to this control unit via the data bus. Automatic driving lights and daytime running lights are also available as options. The turn signal system has a lane change function like that of the passenger car models, where a single tap of the turn signal switch results in the turn signal lights flashing three times. If the airbag has been deployed in the event of an accident, the hazard warning lights come on automatically.

Optional equipment

A wide range of additional equipment is available for the Crafter:

• Rain sensor
• heated windshield
• Central locking
• Anti-theft alarm system with interior monitoring and towing protection
• Parking aid
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Radio and navigation systems
• Phone
• Tachograph
• Radio
• Cruise control system
• Parking heater
• Seat heating
• Rear view camera

Body

The Crafter has a self-supporting all-steel body in integral construction in the panel van and estate versions. Compared with the LT, the design has been improved in some details to optimise stability and crash behaviour. For example, the pillars have been reinforced and laser brazing and welding processes are used. Some parts are joined by adhesive bonding to increase torsional rigidity. The side members have energy-absorbing deformation elements that absorb the impact force in a frontal crash.

Seats

The driver and front passenger seats are equipped with three-point safety belts with belt force limiters. The passenger seat can be fitted with a double bench seat as an optional extra. The station wagon has two rows of seats with double bench seats in the passenger compartment, the third bench seat has three places. There are 3-point seat belts on all seats, and the double bench seats can be fitted with Isofix holders for child seats on request.

Passenger protection

The floor structure has been reinforced compared to the LT to better protect the passengers. A driver's airbag is fitted as standard in the Crafter, with passenger and head airbags available as optional extras. Pyrotechnic belt tensioners are available for the driver's cab.

Variants