Trucks

Tommy Stojanov · September 2003

We are on our 2nd Isuzu, with the GMC name on it. The last one was an early 80's model, and it spun a bearing when it was one of the coldest nights in a while. We have had the current one for about 11 years, and it has been one heck of a truck. 200,000mi, 5 spd, 4 cyl turbo diesel. Although, during its life we have replaced quite a few pieces and parts from the injector return lines, to the radiator (recore), leaf springs, etc (these are recent.) It helps when you are familiar with diesels though. This one I beleive is rated for 14K and change. 12 or 14?? foot box, a nice size for getting into driveways and such. We are now after a new truck, preferably an Isuzu cube van with a plumber's body. The current truck is starting to bother the proprietor's knees, as going up about 3 foot in 11/2 steps isn't the best thing to do.
The Isuzus are equipped with a decent engine, although they are quite underpowered with a 4 cyl, 135+ hp diesel, even the 350 gas might be a little too small, but the diesel sure looks nicer in terms of mileage. They are equiped with Allison automatics, and personally I would reccomend the 5 spd, although, when the truck gets up near 200,000 miles, and the shift cables have not been lubed, you will know for sure when you try to downshift going down a hill and hit your exhaust brake and you can't get it into gear.
In terms of Fords, Chevys, etc, the diesel engines never seemed to get good reviews, the Ford's 7.3L had problems with liners cavitating, and the Chevy's from the 350 olds to the 6.5L never seemed popular.
The little Freightliners have an average US tire life of somewhere near 8,000 miles, as they were originally designed under a metric tire for use in Europe. But, the Mercedes diesel engine is in a class of its own.
The Isuzu is probably a contractor's best bet, glow it and it will start; we are always in a hurry and just start it without glowing :) . The manuals are nice since you have the exhaust brake and you don't hurt your brakes and rotors as much. And, when you have Allison problems- it's right to the Detroit Diesel parts distributor nearest you! Although, I have heard of them being somewhat reliable. See ya.

Andy Morgan_2 · September 2003

Truck Info

Hey Guys...

I am looking at buying an Isuzu NPR diesel. How are these trucks? What kind of mileage can you get out of them?
I am tired of utility bodies, don't like regular vans and Chevy does not put a diesel in a cube van.

What do you think????

Thanks

Andy Morgan

R Morgan Mechanical, LLC

paul lessard_2 · September 2003

nice choice Andy!!!

I also hated vans.I almost considered burning two chevy cutaways (real bad brake problems) when I started driving these beauties I felt like I had a real truck
...great mileage, fun to drive,extremely good maneuverability...cons?...make sure you have block heater included,and STOP for signs which are mounted into 5 gallon buckets with concrete!!! they have these low radiators

harvey · September 2003

96 npr

We bought a 1996 NPR {new style}. Put on a flat bed body with side mount boxes. Works well for us, the rest are cube vans. I am disappointed with the brakes. We have to replace pads every 30,000 miles and no we don't overload it or always carry max. loads. I think they use two car type calipers per wheel

John@Reliable_4 · September 2003

Andy, as Paul said...........

Mine is a GMC cabover which really is a Isuzu and you can't kill it. Great to drive but watch the height(just ask my helper why). I also have a E350 diesel service van but I do like the box truck better but don't use it daily as it's set up for installs only.John@Reliable

clammy · September 2003

white freightliner

check out the white freightliner carried by dodge there mercedesbenz built diesels fed x uses them low to ground with single and dualies avable with or with turbo great mileage and 14" tires real work horse probaly the best keeped truck secert around ,plenty of room inside can even stand up as long as your not a 6 ft

Al Letellier · September 2003

chevy cubes

Something new???We've had two chevy C-30 cubes with diesels, got them through the body company...

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

Bill_14 · September 2003

ISUZU NPR

Recommend the GM gas engine and the U.S. built transmission if you go with Isuzu.

Also, recommend you be certain and get the correct GVW package, especially if you are using it for continuous heavy loads, as in a plumbing-use truck.

Brakes, engines and transmissions get really stressed with these units.

The units in our business average 8 to 12 miles per gallon depending on the driver. We had one that got 5 to 6 MPG for over a year, but this unit jumped up to 10 MPG when another driver took that truck.

Bill

Andy Morgan_2 · September 2003

New body style

When GM went to the new body style and with the Duramax, they do not offer it in a van. According to GM, they have no plans to offer it in the future either. I thought that was one of the reasons they made the nose on the new vans longer so that the Duramax would fit in it. Guess not!

Andy

Andy Morgan_2 · September 2003

New body style

When GM went to the new body style and with the Duramax, they do not offer it in a van. According to GM, they have no plans to offer it in the future either. I thought that was one of the reasons they made the nose on the new vans longer so that the Duramax would fit in it. Guess not!

Andy

Andy Morgan_2 · September 2003

Brakes

The new vans have brakes that are at least twice the size as the older ones(95-02?). Disks front AND rear, also. I would buy one, but I would have to own a Mobile station to feed it!

Andy

Andy Morgan_2 · September 2003

Trucks Continued...

Andy Morgan_2 · September 2003

Trucks Continued...

Is there an advantage, other than fuel milage, for the four speed auto over the three speed auto?

How are these NPR's on the hills? Do they get scared when they come to one!?

How do they handle in the snow?

Great Responses, thanks for the info!

Andy

Andy Morgan_2 · September 2003

Gas

How do the 350's hold in these trucks? Seems like a lot of truck for a gas engine, no?

Thanks

Andy

Bill_14 · September 2003

Diesel

Our diesel engines are 4-cylinder turbo and they are worked exactly the same as the gasoline engines...same stock & tools on each truck with lots of constant weight.

I prefer the GM gasoline engine & the GM transmission...cheaper to repair and maintain...don't have to wait and wait for parts (always know where a spare engine can be located quickly--our rebuilt Isuzu diesel engines arrive in 2 to 3 days)...don't have to take truck to a limited number of mechanics for major repairs...can get up to speed much faster...handles the load better.

Please keep in mind that our diesel units are 5 to 10 years old...things have probably improved by now.

The diesel units are nice, but I'm not sure they were properly designed for constant heavy loads. Someone else might have some more positive comments pertaining to the newer trucks.

Bill

John_21 · September 2003

Trucks

We have a 14 year old NRR that has sevice box and top. Am retiring it this month, dying of cancer. Just bought a FRR with 16' sevice box made out of pepcore and aluminum. This looks to improve our shop. The old truck was a money maker.Both are desils and have had no problems in Alaska.John

hot_rod · September 2003

For the first time

in a long time diesel fuel is less expensive the gasoline, at least in my area. 10-12 cents!

This, combined with the better mileage make diesels look affordable, again.

Ford, Chevy, and Dodge get a premium for diesel, adds about 5 grand to the sticker. Plan on 100 K or more miles to recoup the up charge. Although trade in brings quite a bit more than gas.

I worked for a shop with a fleet of Izzys. Constant brake maintenance. Lucky to get 30K in city driving. Worse on the automatics! If your drivers don't alert you and you ruin a rotor, plan on spending big bucks. Seems like that should be a problem they could engineer out of them!

I ran Ford Super Duty in the mountains of Utah, with 4 wheel discs they stopped! Even at 12,000 and up GVW's. At least 50K on brakes. Plenty of Ford dealers to chose from

My biggest diesel complaint is NOISE, although they are getting quieter. Also the smell. A little harder on emissions than gas engines,also. Sometimes it's tough finding diesel fuel in urban areas.

As with any tool choice, pros and cons.

hot rod

TGO_40 · September 2003

You have to

pay attention to the GVW rating, most trucks are figured for diminishing load. The way we use them the weight generally stays the same (plus or minus a boiler

)You carry more weight on a truck than you think, so it pays to go a little heavier on the GVW. See if you can find a dealer with a truck guy - my local dealer has a division just for truck sales, the head salesman has been working there for 38 years and the man knows his business. He worked with me to spec out my last truck and I will go to him for the next one.

Jeff Lawrence_20 · September 2003

Uh

When was this picture taken?

What's the white stuff on the ground?

John Abbott · September 2003

Trucks

> pay attention to the GVW rating, most trucks are

> figured for diminishing load. The way we use them

> the weight generally stays the same (plus or

> minus a boiler

)You carry more weight on a

> truck than you think, so it pays to go a little

> heavier on the GVW. See if you can find a dealer

> with a truck guy - my local dealer has a division

> just for truck sales, the head salesman has been

> working there for 38 years and the man knows his

> business. He worked with me to spec out my last

> truck and I will go to him for the next one.

I have a 2003 GMC C4500 with a Duramax diesel and Allison 5 speed automatic 16500 GVW 15' aerocell body and it's great.
This is my sixth cube van,second diesel and I can't say enough about the GMC service .They are TRUCK people.The Duramax is much quieter than most other diesels and the brakes are HUGE.If there is GMC dealer in your area you might want to consider this option.

John

Bill_14 · September 2003

Good Advice for Andy

Take your fully equipped truck, loaded with your potential maximum load, full of fuel, and take it to some commercial scales and get it weighed.

Figure the arithmetic on the net weight of the load, add about 10% to 15% for stuff you overlooked, then go talk with your commercial truck expert.

Most guys guess very low on the weight they care around and buy less GVW than they need. Everything on the correct rated truck will last longer if it is loaded to the maximum all the time...especially the brakes and tires.

Keep in mind, you can put more stuff in a cube. Thus, much more weight.

John Abbott · September 2003

GMC/Duramax van

a picture is worth a thousand words.

John

John Abbott · September 2003

GMC/Duramax

a picture is worth a thousand words.

John

Jim_47 · September 2003

trucks

is this a cabthru design?

paul lessard_2 · September 2003

Nice!! now that's a truck

Not a van on steroids!!

John Abbott · September 2003

Cab through?

There is plywood between the cab and box.I ordered it without the door because I never found it usefull on my previous cube vans.The cab and chasis is a cutaway and could have the door.

John

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