Really NEED Wallies' help for article (trucks)

helpingothershelpthemselves_4

John,

And thank you for all you do too .
I will look for a copy of ACHR News 7/31 issue to share with my students . It will be nice to take a break from control wiring lecture and lab, and have some fun with your article.

Ken Resnick

John R. Hall

Best bang for the buck

I am working on a tight deadline and would like some help with finding out what "the buzz" is on the best vans/trucks for the mechanical services trades today. It doesn't have to necessarily be brand specific as opposed to body style and features. Any help, i.e. recommendations or even a case history (personal experience) would be greatly appreciated! Please e-mail me as soo nas you can (johnhall@achrnews.com). Thanks!

DanHolohan

WRITER NEEDS HELP!

Lads, can you rally 'roud our friend John for a bit here. He's on a deadline, and I know how that is.

Please help him out with a few truck posts. Thanks.

Techman

Help is here!

Hi John Hi Dan!
I have a 3500 series 14'step-in van,with an "attic" and dual-wheels.It is packed to the hilt to keep the truck on the job,it gets 7miles per gallon and I dont mind.I built my own shelving,and installed top and bottom tool chests, and the truck is to small at times. Does this help?Enjoy!

DanHolohan

Thanks!

Anyone else own a truck ? Love to hear about it. Thanks.

Guy_6

Trucks

I always had 1 ton vans, as they seemed to hold up better than their 3/4 ton counterparts. We never carried the extra weight, but the 1 tons held up better.
I also preferred homemade shelving, as it was always simple, and I could build it to the wall of the van, as opposed to leaving a gap of wasted space behind. I found that the designed shelving always seemed to have specific spaces set aside for stuff that I didn't carry.
The downside of building the shelves was alloting the time necessary to build them.

DanHolohan

Thanks, Guy.

Anyone else got a truck ?

D lux_2

1995 E 350

Bought at state surplus @ 97000. mile brakes front ball joints fun job. new plugs cap etc friend had shelves , Best of all sliding side door I hate parking next to tree light post and not being able to open door . wish it was bigger with to days A/C condensers 7000.lbs W/ tools real good in snow with michlen MS tires

DanHolohan

Oldie

but godie!

S Ebels

Always Whinin' bout sumpin'

> I am working on a tight deadline and would like

> some help with finding out what "the buzz" is on

> the best vans/trucks for the mechanical services

> trades today. It doesn't have to necessarily be

> brand specific as opposed to body style and

> features. Any help, i.e. recommendations or even

> a case history (personal experience) would be

> greatly appreciated! Please e-mail me as soo nas

> you can (johnhall@achrnews.com). Thanks!

Mad Dog_2

I've worked out of Toyotas, station wagons

vans, utility trucks and various size box trucks. My next truck will be....a smallish (height and weight) box truck
with a lift gate. Mad Dog

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DanHolohan

Thanks, guys, for helping out John.

I appreciate it. Anyone else like to talk truck?

John@Reliable_5

Trucks

Ford E-350 diesel long body, has store brought cabinets everywhere, can never have enough cabinets.Everything has a place to be.I don't always put things back when real busy running service calls,but sooner or later it gets back where it belongs.Has power windows and locks,remote start and alarm which is great both winter and summer. Nothing like having the heat running or the a/c cooling coming out from a job. The alarm and power locks are a great feature, just hit the remote and it's secure, last have a computer stand and laptop up front w/printer and a 1000 watt inverter which runs computer and power tools in van if needed.

Techman

Truck?

My first"service vehicle"was a "loaner"from my Dad in 1980, it was a 1964 Caddy Coup-de-Ville with a"big" trunk and a "big back seat" It smoked a lot,used a quart of oil every 100 miles. But,it got me started! Thanks Dad!(I did-in a bunch of mosquitos too !)

Scott Kneeland

Trucks

> I appreciate it. Anyone else like to talk truck?



Hi John,
I see you made it home safe from oil stock.
I bought a new Freightliner Sprinter in Sept of 05 to add to my fleet and dispite several problems at first it has to be the best service vehicle I have ever worked out of. I did not opt. for the "high Top " due to the clearance in many drive ways. The fuel mileage is great about 20 mpg in town and not much better on the highway. It has 63" of head room in the rear and the 5 cylinder turbo diesel has the get up and go od any gas v-8. I'ed buy another one tomorrow.

Scott Kneeland
Scotland Heating

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Unknown

my truck

All my working experince, I grew up with open untily boxes, made my own compartments and heavy duty to hauls equipment etc... All gas hogs but get jobs done...

S Ebels

Always whinin' bout sumpin' :}

2004 Sprinter purchased in Feb of 05 and it just flipped over 30K. I like the vehicle very well overall. The strong points are mileage with a steady 21-23mpg being measured. Being designed for European streets, it will turn on a dime. We have the extended roof model and being that the shortest driver currently using the vehicle is 6'3", that's a real bonus. I only have to duck a couple inches in the 6'2" interior. The long interval maintenance is also a big plus with 10,000 miles between oil changes. That saves about 4-5 trips to the shop per year. Total oil consumption per 10K miles, now that it seems to be broken in is only about 3/4 of a quart. Not bad. The rear doors swing 270* which allows them to stand flush with the sides of the van instead of sticking out in traffic. That feature along with the large sliding passenger side door make for unobstructed loading and unloading. Did I mention the mileage? How's 540 to 580 per tank sound. We often drive a week or more without filling up.........Oh yep ......I did mention the mileage. Sorry to make all those driving vehicles that run in the 8-12mpg range feel bad.

The heavy hauler is a 2006 F-250 rated at 10,000# GVW. (why they call it an F-250 is beyond me, my old 350 was rated at 9800) It pulls the 24' gooseneck with the Kubota backhoe on it with power to actually pull out and pass a
slower vehicle. Gotta love the diesel for the mileage too. Consistent 18mpg empty and 10-12 pulling 12-14,000 lbs.


Getting back to the van, any service type vehicle is only as good as the storage system in it. I got in touch with the Swede's that import the System Edstrom line of shelves and bins and purchased a set made for the Sprinter. Theyoffer complete packages designed for specific vehicles and also allow you to totally customize your rack configuration. They are extremely well made, nothing chintzy about them anywhere. The drawers are even available with ball bearing slides which allow you to carry some serious weight in each one if needed. We are VERY happy with those racks!

Dave Stroman

1995 Chevy G30 box van with a 10' box. The 14'ers are too long for the city. Aluminum box special ordered from Intercontinental Truck Body in MT. This truck is rated for 10,000 lbs. but usually weights about 11,000 lbs. with all the tools and everyday parts inside. Load it up with radiators and I have had as much as 15,000 lbs. in it. I know that is too much, but sometime it just has to be. Very hard on front ends, brakes, and tires. At 150,000 miles, the 454 engine is running strong. 7 miles to the gallon, no matter how much weight you have in it.

I am surprised no one has posted a photo yet.

Dave in Denver

Mike C_3

90 E250 Van

It's the extended body and higher top( was a shuttle van) We have a 20' piece of 6" of PVC running through the roof to fit full lenths of copper/pex. It is awkward as all crap to get in and out of we made a platform inside the passenger side sliding door area to put toolboxes and spare tire under and have a little more room and I just built some shelves for the side but it still donsn't have the accesibility of the walk-ins nor the ease of entry of a utility body. I'd be interested in finding out the sum of your story. I'm doing my homework on a new work truck!!

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John R. Hall

You guys are great

...and special thanks to Dan for stirring the pot. I am grateful for the answers and please don't stop.

John R. Hall

One more thing, make yourself a star

If any of you have a photo of yourself next to your favorite truck or van and it is high res (300 dpi at 4 inches), please e-mail to me. There is a good chance it will make it in The NEWS. Thanks again!

Rookie

Trucks

Hackney P2000 12' or 14' has full shelving with storage bins. The only service vehicle box to have.

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ScottMP

Hi John

We have two Chevy 10 foot box trucks, Two Chevy 3/4 ton Vans, two ford 3/4 ton vans and a little white Ford Ranger with 147,000.00 miles on her that just won't quit.

We have retired a Dodge van that I bought 2nd hand and worked for me about six years with No Problems. Its beat and tired and the tranny is gone. My Other Dodge that I had did the same thing, I wish they still made work vans.

I am currently saving up for a Sprinter.

Scott

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Bill Nye_2

trucks

Scott Kneeland Freightliner

Pat Follo

Trucks

2003 GMC 3500 series with a utility body. This truck pretty much carries all of the materials and tools needed for our service, remodeling, and heating sectors of the business. The body is Stahl USV and is 12' long.

Al Corelli

We have an 87 Chevy 10' box truck, formerly a US Postal truck, fresh 6.2 diesel and automatic tranny, 70,000 miles. Loaded with all things necessary to complete most any boiler job, and keep the customer's basement clean.
For service, we have a 2003 Chevy 2500 Access van for plumbing (jobbing), and a 2003 AWD AstroVan for heating service. Then there is a 2005 Silverado for clean deliveries (condensers, boilers, water heaters, etc), and checking jobs. We farm out removals to keep the trucks clean. I hate messy trucks.
The pictures are very big, so click on the attachments please.

helpingothershelpthemselves_2

Trucks

2005 Chevy Express Stahl 12 ft.USV service body.Dual Wheel.
Inverter for 120V AC outlets and lighting in bins and box. Aluminum diamond plate pipe/conduit holder on top , steps for access. Full automatic locking bins and doors on alarm.

Creature comforts include remote start ( on alarm) , 12 disk cd changer , hands free cell phone , air horns , Garmin Street Pilot satellite navigation.

Eric_25

vans

We have four Chevy G-30 cube vans, two are 12' long with dual wheels and two are 10' long with single rears. Two 1 ton regular Chevy vans, three Chevy pickups the oldest one just turned 250K with no major repairs (knock on wood). The last four we bought are the cube vans with the toolbox access on the outside, this is the only way to go, we have all had a van loaded with stock and needed a tool way up the front buried. These vans you can load to the gills when necessary and still get to your tools and primary stock, if you put it away where it belongs.

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Cosmo_3

Truck

I bought this '98 E-450 cutaway w/ Stahl USV 13' utility body in 2000. The power-stroke gets me 9-10 mpg depending how much city/highway driving I do. It has gotten as much as 12 mpg on highway only driving! That is incredible when you consider that this truck's normal GVW is 13,400 lbs....

I have tried to keep most of the things I need everyday on the outside compartments as much as possible. I have compartments set up for specific jobs, one that holds all my A/C refrigerant service small tools, testers, instruments, another that hold my oil and gas service tools and instruments, etc. One big advantage is with pipe storage! I moved my 6" PVC copper carrier to the inside of my truck not only for easier access, but also by keeping this in the truck keeps condensation to a minimum and the copper no longer patinas like it did when I kept it on the ladder racks outside on my old truck.

I can usually get to anything I need in my truck within seconds, which is a huge improvement over my last truck, a E-350 Maxi van.

I think that I would stick to this same body style on my next truck, just maybe a little taller and hopefully by then someone will make an all aluminum utility body so rust will no longer be a factor and the aluminum would keep the weight down a little also. I actually was looking at the Ford E-550 as this trucks replacement. Until Mercedes developes a truck for the US market that stacks up with my 13 foot 14,500lb cutaway I will be looking at Ford/Chevy...... oh well.

As far as road manners I love this truck. It corners a lot better than my old van, the dual wheel axle also gets great traction in the snow! Of course the brakes could be bigger, and I keep my Alignment shop busy with twice a year alignments and they usually have to replace ball joints every 3 years or so.

I am getting new logos for my truck in a month or so, after the body gets a paint job. That's me in the pic getting ready to go for lunch!!!!

Cosmo

Dan Goodridge

We have had great luck with our Sprinter. Plenty of power, turns on a dime and 22 MPG

Wethead7

Trucks

Currently have two KUV181DHK from Knapheide. One is on a ford E-550. The other is on a Chevy 5500 cutaway. Looking for another. The ford is a better unit but, is no longer made.

Knapheide made two additional units A Ford E-450 with a KUV153DHK and a sprinter ( I forgot the model number)

Also have a Stahl usv unit on chevy chasis. We also have a couple of chevy pick-ups. A dodge with the cummins, crew cab.
Several vans ford, chevy, dodge both sprinter and B vans. Old Ford Louville dump truck used to hual digging equipment and large items around. Dump truck travels less than 5,000 miles a year.

Mike

John R. Hall

One last bump

In case you're stuck inside today.

hr

Built my own

to fit my exact needs. Started with a Super Duty 1 ton C&C. I built my own flat bed with electro hydraulic crane for loading heavy components.

Large aluminum boxes allow me to fit all my tools and fitting in a lockable "space".

I got away from the box trucks for ease of driveability and wanting 4wd. Trailering is easier with an open bed truck also.

The Power Stroke provides 16 mpg loaded or unloaded uphill or downhill. This truck tips the scale at around 9800lbs.

Ford doesn't offer their top line cab package with this truck. My previous Dodges had SLT trim. I miss all the creature comforts the Dodge offers.

hot rod

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Albert Huntermark

Size does matter!

Seeing some of the postings of the sizes of the different trucks I feel inadequate! But it proves that size does matter, for trucks and vans anyway! You need the right size truck that is suited for the type of work and the way you have to operate your business. This year I “downsized” my vehicle. I went from having a ¾ ton Dodge Van to a 2006 GMC Canyon pick-up truck. It is a perfect work truck for me and the type of work I get involved with. It came equipped with a utility body with built on ladder racks. After years of climbing around in the van it is so nice to just walk up to the truck and reach into the compartments! Although it is much smaller, with the organization of the utility body, I still carry the same tools and parts. The bed is big enough to throw in a water heater when I use conventional type. The only draw back is when I do a boiler change, they won’t fit. However, for me, that became an improvement. It’s nice having my supplier lower the new boiler off their truck with the lift gate! I’m getting too old I guess! The Canyon has a 5-cylinder engine, something I never heard of. So, far it seems to have enough power for the terrain that I cover. I get almost double the gas mileage as I did with the van. The new high gas prices were my main motivation for getting rid the van. So far, the smaller truck is a nice fit for me.

Tony_23

Uh-oh

You've gotta change your bumper sticker

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John R. Hall

Thanks to all

Several of you will be featured (along with your trucks/vans) in the 7/31 issue of The NEWS. I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedules to help one from the "dark side."

Ken D.

Truck

I have a 1 ton Grumman step van with Chevy powertrain and chassis. It is a 1998 with a Chevy gas engine and automatic tranny. 95 K mi. I have no AC, but the newer ones do. 10 MPG.
6 ft. ceiling with 12 ft. long usable cargo box.I have every bit of 1 ton of equipt. on it.Have had no major problems, save for fuel injector cleaning and a muffler. As it is getting older , it is rattling a little more than previously. R O O M Y. I can stand upright in the cargo area and not kill my knees and back. (I'm 5ft. 9 in.)I carry everything I need with no clutter. Can fit the large selving units in it. We do oil heat, HVAC, heat pumps, Hydronics, hot air,etc. Carry a lot of parts. Mine does not have a lot of creature comforts, although the newer ones in the fleet are better. Very easy to work out of. The aluminum body will last almost forever.I have driven almost everything (except Sprinter).If I have any say (which I don't) I would not get anything else.