Armaplate installation lessons
How to Fit Armaplate?
An information video on what's involved in fitting Armaplate sentinel protection to a van, demonstrated on a Mercedes Sprinter.
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Why consistent terminology, colour photographs and detailed warnings became part of the product.
Clear printed instructions reduce installation mistakes, protect the vehicle and make it easier to achieve a consistent result.
A technically good product can still create unnecessary problems when its instructions are incomplete, unclear or inconsistent.
The installer should not be left to guess the intended orientation, fitting sequence or hazards hidden inside the door.
One lesson that stayed with me came from fitting Locks 4 Vans slamlocks. A cam assembly could be fitted in four possible orientations but would only work correctly in one. Different instructions described the correct position using different references, such as facing the latch, facing the window or facing inside the van.
The problem was not the complexity of the product. It was that inconsistent terminology had turned a simple black-and-white instruction into fifty shades of grey.
The problem was not the complexity of the product. It was that inconsistent terminology had turned a simple black-and-white instruction into fifty shades of grey.
In 2014 Sussex Installation Team Ltd was carrying out security installations for four local Rossetts Commercial dealerships. Because Armaplate did not provide any fitting documentation, I wrote my own Mercedes Vito installation document for my staff.
If I was responsible for the quality of the installation, I needed a repeatable method that warned about difficult stud positions, internal handle components, cables, wiring and the other risks inside the door.
Fitting instructions that I wrote for fitting Armaplate to a Vito →
Clear colour photographs, consistent names, orientation references, warnings and a logical step-by-step sequence help reduce avoidable mistakes.
Videos can expand the explanation, but the current printed instructions should remain the definitive fitting guide for the product.
These extracts are from genuine five-star Google reviews.
★★★★★"The quality of products and the level of detail in the instruction manuals were fantastic. There is even a full set of photos specifically for my vehicle to aid the process."
Hassan “Hass” Ahmet · Google review, 2024
★★★★★"Instructions for fitting, step by step actual photos and easy. Good solid product."
gary deen · Google review, 2024
★★★★★"Instructions were clear, have had the locks on my van for a few weeks and they work perfectly."
Dale · Google review, November 2025
Review wording has been lightly shortened for display without changing its meaning. Full reviews remain available on the Sussex Installations Google Business Profile.
Fitting Locks 4 Vans slamlocks, where a cam assembly could be fitted in four possible orientations but only worked correctly in one, while different instructions described the correct position using inconsistent references such as facing the latch, facing the window or facing inside the van.
In 2014 my company was carrying out installations for four local Rossetts Commercial dealerships, and because Armaplate had not provided the fitting documentation I needed, I had to write a repeatable method myself so I could be confident of the quality my staff were delivering.
No. Videos can help expand an explanation, but I believe the current printed instructions should remain the definitive fitting guide for a product, with consistent terminology, colour photographs and warnings placed at the relevant step.
An information video on what's involved in fitting Armaplate sentinel protection to a van, demonstrated on a Mercedes Sprinter.
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Jeff Scott demonstrates the fitting standards used while securing a Mercedes Vito, including removal of metal filings, protection of cut edges, deadlocks, Armaplate and an alarm system.
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