It’s a long story but for the sake of time let’s just say I am going back into the home repair/remodeling field after being out for the last 20years. Kitchens/baths/basement upgrades etc. I used to work out of a pick-up with a fairly high cap. Crawled in after stuff etc. I am know thinking of a 3/4 ton van. What are you guys using who do this type of work and why? Thanks. Older and wiser.
Mike L.
Replies
I am often amused by folks that get a pickup with a big cap because it looks a lot like a van to me :)
I am working out of a Chevy Astro because it is large enough to fit most of my needs, gets better ecomomy than a full size van and I could afford the vehicle.
If I could afford one, I would buy a Dodge Sprinter. Maybe next time. Definitely no more trucks for me.
I've had the same 3/4 ton GMC since '95. Kathy and I were just talking the other night about how good a vehicle it's been. I drive it empty as often as full, but when I need to I can get way more in there than a pick up. Plus, tools stay semi secure, warm and dry.
A lot more visible signage panels on a van, too.
I was a pick up guy until a plumber buddy traded me a seldom used van for some work in the early 80's. Eventually sold my pick up and ordered another van when that one bit the dust. Extremely versitile vehicles. I can't imagine going back to a pick up.
Jim,
Van? No way a PU? LOL You bet a van...especially with a the precip we have here! When I worked out of a PU with cross-over box and side box, I shoulda bought stock in WD-40. I'd be retired by now! Still have a PU...but it doesn't carry tools anymore.
Peace
Larso:
This topic was kicked around a couple of months ago - check the old threads for comments.
Rookie
Larso,
you may consider a contractor body on a truck.
I have one made by royal and it holds a tun of stuff, and i still have the bed to drop ...... 20 sheets of ply, or dw or a unit of brick.... etc, I think of it as the best of both worlds.... more so if you are doing remodeling, where you can leave your more stationary tools on site ( TS, chop saw , big compressor etc)
james
Definitely a van.
I used an older Ford extended van for many years. I had everything I needed for any job in that van. I never could do that with my trucks.
Also, I would drive the van to a jobsite, park it, and leave it (like a cargo trailer). Then I would just take it to the next jobsite and do the same.
Like Blodgett, I can't imagine going back to a truck.
Just my humble opinion...James DuHamel
He who dies with the most toys.... Still dies!
"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul?" MARK 8:36
http://www.godsfreemusic.com
Here is the link to the other thread someone mentioned
And below are the pics of my rig that I posted on that thread (on its last leg at 250K mi., but its been a good work truck for almost 20 yrs. now). I remodel, and as a result I carry a lot of tools, but I can still put a wheelbarrow, or a stack of drywall or plywood on top of the boxes, without impeding them. And more room on the rack above, if I need it..
What I like about it is easy access to (almost) all my tools, and you can't see them when you peek in the window. The two big boxes are full-length (6'). I built it so that I can pull the whole thing out of my truck by myself in about 10 minutes, with a helper I can do it in 5.
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Like that Blodgett kid said. VAN!
For the life of me I have no idea why one would use a pick up other than it looks cool (specially the one Jeff Buck posted the other day...the Jeep).....or because you need to pile bales of hay up high.
I have an extended super van ....Ford...never had one days problem with it and its over ten years old now.
Its keeps my tools dry and secure.
The extended van lets me pack in 4x8 sheets of ply or whatever and I still have over four feet for tools
Be well
####
The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
From many years experience, i dont recommend a truck if you carry any more than a small hand tool box. A van is ok but an enclosed trailer is the best way to go. i have a 16ft so i can carry moulding but a 10 or 12 would be great too. i carry a huge amount of tools, ladders,compressors and i can still get 60 sht of drywall in there too and it all stays dry. my tools are more secure than in a canopy, i can stand up in it. its really cheap to maintain and insure, it can handle alot more weight, no tying loads down, i can pack up all my tools and load it for the dump at once, and at the end of the day i disconnect it and i have a nice truck to drive.
Sounds good - can you post a couple of pics? - Thanks, Huck
Vans are fine if you don't plan on driving long distances, I've had plenty of them and they work but if you spend several hours a day in a van sooner or later you're gonna wanna chew your left leg off.. the wheel arch is there.
another thing vans do not make themselves easy to work on. removing the doghouse is a royal pain in the butt and getting it back on properly even worse maybe that's why so many of them leak! I would really avoid a used van since so many van owners delay maintinace untill trade in time..
One final slam against vans, it's very easy to have tools come loose and whack you in the back (or the head) or just come sling forward in a panic stop.. collison? even riskier..
but get whatever you like, please don't let someone you disagree with affect your opinion. the opinions written here are worth exactly what you had to pay to get them, nothing!
I've worked out of a van, and a truck. I worked with one guy who's worktruck was an SUV. I personally didn't like the van I worked out of, because I always had to be hunched over when I was getting anything out or putting it away. At any rate, to each his own. But I am a big advocate of drawers. I posted pics of my drawer setup, and I really love it. The SUV guy I mentioned used drawers, and it was a very efficient arrangement. I knew a finish carpenter in Ojai who used a van, but with big drawers built in that pulled out the back and side. BTW, here's my idea of a cool rig:
http://www.worktruck.com/Features/AreFleet/SiteCommander2001/
Huck, I like your setup, it's a nicer version of my own. I like the stacked drawers on the left, and the lower box top. My top is right at the top of the tailgate, which allows me to get more stuff underneath and any bigger tools fit up top, but some days lifting my thickness planer up there makes me wish for something different.
What I like about setups like yours and mine over vans are that:
Seems like it would be really hard to get anything on or off the ladder racks.
Like Frenchy said, without a bulkhead, dangerous b/c of flying tools.
Also dangerous in a front-end collision.
Uncomfortable cab.
Dirty cab b/c open to tool storage. In my truck, the cab stays pretty clean, which is important because it's my only vehicle. On date night, my tools and my girl can all ride along and be happy!
Speaking of girls, when Jeff B said chicks dig vans, guess he didn't talk to mine. When I was shopping for a new vehicle she voted for a pickup big-time over the van.
Finally, I like that I don't have room to carry every tool I own with me, all the time. It forces me to plan a little better, to carry the tools I will need that day, and to order material delivered. If I had every tool and supply with me, like you could in a van, it would be tempting to do more handyman work. Now, if I only bring tools for doing trim, well, looks like I'll be doing trim that day.
I think he was directing this Q to guys that actually work for a living ...
Anyways ... a van.
the reason ... because I'm older and wiser.
That .. and the fact I don't have a shop/garage to leave my stuff in ...
90% of my tools ride with me ... whether or not I need them that day ...
when I have to make a big materials run I have to unload the big stuff first ...
which .. is why I'm looking to move up to a box van or step van ...
having most everything with me anyways means I don't have to make due without the proper tool when yet another problem arises ... it's out there in the van ..
plus ..... can't say this enought times ...
Chicks dig vans!
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
I vote for the van as well. Around here, dirtbags treat home center and lumber yard parking lots as supermarkets for tools and equipment. Leave anything in the back of a pickup, and it's gone.I use a stretch Econoline for typical work. Am in the process of welding a dump bed conversion on to an old F-150 (that a friend gave me for free) for demo work.-Jonathan Ward
Jeff,
ouch! that one hurts..
I visit about 2500 jobsites a year, have for the past 14 years... most guys use pickups. most guys also don't use their vehicle as a tool room..Someone steals their truck and they lose their livelyhood as well..
if you have a tool and it rides in the truck for the hundreds of thousands of miles the typical truck lasts, it's going to be worn out just from the bouncing and vibration..
Yes, you're hunched over getting stuff from a van , yes stuff will rattle and slide in a van, yes without a divider you have the risk of something from the rear hitting you in the head (or elsewhere) in an accident.. If you have a van with a divider you lose visability to the rear and on some jobsites that could lead to a expensive crunch..
When I first started to build I too carried a lot of my tools up the ladder with me in the nail pouches etc. hanging off me.. as I learned to think about what I would be doing I left most tools and only took up those I would need.. Saved a lot of energy that way.. Try that appraoch to your truck!
One final point, Chicks dig dirty work vans filled with tools? where do you live?
Edited 1/22/2005 4:22 pm ET by frenchy
face facts Frenchy ...
you are wrong.
van's are better.
btw ... how'd if feel voting for Bush?
the Dow's been dropping for a coupla weeks ... still about 10K, I believe ...
sorry to be right ... again.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Thanks to all for your replys. I was using a pick-up with slide out drawers years back. Very similar to the pics posted. Got the idea from a garage door installer. Worked great and never had a theft because things were hidden plus I was real careful where I parked. Pretty easy to remove if need be too. Sometimes we would take the drawers right to where we were working. ie building pole barns
Could anyone post a few pics of a trailer set-up? I would love to see some ideas on layout for a 7'6''x 10' or 7"6' x 12'. Since I am going back into this line of work I think the trailer concept will get me up and running at a min. cost. I already have a 99 Silverado Ext. cab 4x4 with under 50k on her. It is in very nice condition...never really used as a work truck. I bought it new so I know the truck. A matching trailer set up right might be the way for me to go for now.
BTW- This is a great site. It is interesting to me in that many of the issues are the same ones faced when I was young and dumb. Now I am just dumb.
Mike L.
Ohio
Not a minimum cost deal, but to show you what can be done with 6' x 12' trailer.Let's not confuse the issue with facts!
You are just showing what an overachiever can do. <g> Nice rig.
99 Honda Odyssey
I thought i put the name in first just to get the readers going in a different direction.
I work on small to medium size jobs , use to use a Ford eco. Van and had a two vehicles to insure and maintain. My income just did not cover all the cost of two vehicles.
The Honda has been great it can carry 14 sheets of 4x8 drywall and later that night I just lift up the rear seat out of the floor and I can but three boys in the back to take to hockey. It drives great low maintance/gas and when I do demolition I put a open trailer on the back.
I do have a garage to store my tools and spend some time loading and unloading the tools but have been very happy with the overall result.
The down side is however that customers may feal you do not look like a construction company and i may lose the odd job to a beat up full size van. Honda could make a stronger roof rack and the van would be great.
George
Now that's cool!
I'd like to see more pics of that trailer if it would not be too much of a hassle.
Does the top open up to put the table saw and miter saw in? And, how about leaks?
For those who asked for a few more pics here they are.
The main box is made of MDO with an industrial 'hammered metal' paint. The big front left drawer does in fact swallow up a 12" sliding compound miter saw. The top of the main box is the outfeed table for the table saw, alowing me to rip material up to 10' in lenght, 4x8 sheets single handed, and the table saw fits in a drawer too. I've built in a master rod that locks all the side drawers and is only accessible through a dead bolted small door at the back.
This is my prototype and some water seal improvements would be necessary. Secucrity is as good as it gets I think, I leave it at the job site most of the time. Puppy does weigh in over 4,000 pounds with all the tools, so a V8 is kind of necessary. Then again I carry everything from a large veticle 25 gallon compressor, through most every tool imagineable, from saws to biscuit cutter.
I'm a small contractor doing everything from in and out repairs to decks, additions, build outs, custom builtins, etc. See http://gdcarpenterinc.com for more ideas of who I am. The drawer slides are heavy duty. One drawer in the back end is 6' long inside for carrying my long levels, and a ton of other stuff. The trailer, called the gdboss (Builders On Site Shop & Storage) has seen almost 2 years of service and has stood up and serves me as well as I had hoped when I designed it. Leaves my truck free for material runs, although with the 5,200# axles I have I could add a small deck package onto the trailer. Really cuts down on my set up and take down time every day, and I always have what I need.Let's not confuse the issue with facts!
I like the trailer a lot, but I will caution that 5200 lb axles have 6 lugs on the rims.
The photo you see the lug nuts in was the trailer with the origiinal axles, 3,000#. I later upgraded the axle to the 5,200# with electric brakes once I realized the gross weight of the trailer loaded with tools. Good eyes!Let's not confuse the issue with facts!
Upgrading the alxes also led me to raise the trailer bed 4", which gave me more clearance over bumps, just made the chop saw height 4" higher too. The original tailer was a 4" drop axle.Let's not confuse the issue with facts!
My compliments. Very well done. Organization is everything. I like how you can leave it and use the pickup for marterial runs.
Being that you already have the truck, the trailer sounds like the way for you to go. If you were starting from scratch, I would go with the Freightliner/ Dodge Sprinter. You can get it with the high roof from the factory which allows you about six feet of headroom. It comes with a turbo charged diesel engine. Your going to get over 25MPG with this. This vehicle was designed as a truck, it is made by Mercades. These vehicles were used for years in Europe before we got them here. They are much more durable than a Ford or Chevy van. Federal Express, UPS, DHL and our local utility company in New York all us them. I am sure they take a beating. But this is just my opinon, and opinions are like a_ _ holes, everybody has one.
Bill
Yeah, now THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN 'BOUT!! Gittin organized! Drawers is where its at.
OK, that was so cool, I just had to post it here without the link. So you wanna tell us a little about it? Looks like that table saw is set up so that the platform of the table lines up with the top of the trailer. What is the top made of - sheet metal? And does that compound miter saw fit in the big drawer right next to it? How secure is it when its locked up? Any security issues? Do you have a shop to house it in overnight, or does it stay in the garage? Must be some heavy-duty glides on that puppy. What type of work are you into? Fill us in.
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I place my vote for a 6 cyl. PU w ext. or crew cab and a trailer.
Tow the trailer to the job and park it.
You have all your tools where you need them and you got reasonably economic transport the rest of the time.
and you can still take the family some where on the weekend.
My dream setup: Toyota Tacoma 4 door 4wd 6cyl Auto with a 7x12 box trailer or a rig like GDCARP has.
makes no sense to me to drive a big arse 8 cyl. van or PU around just to get my butt to work and back.
Trailers rock because they provide enough storage to carry all the stuff that would otherwise mean a dozen trips a week to the Lumper yard.
Mr T
I can't afford to be affordable anymore
Mr. T, I used to have a 3.7L 6-cyl Dakota. Now I have a 4.7L 8-cyl F150, and I get pretty much the same gas mileage. Those little engines have to work harder to pull the weight of a big vehicle.
Maybe the Toyotas are light enough to make a difference?
Mike
I think one of the coolest rigs I have seen was posted by Diesel Pig a couple of months ago -- a Stahl challenger on a pickup bed.
If you put a top on it, you have the advantages of a van and a pick-up combined into one vehicle.
http://www.stahl.cc/challenger/
I have always had a pickup. when started to look for a replacement for my 94 chev with 155000 miles I was looking for a extended cab with a 8 ft bed which a was going to add a 14 ft trailer to carry and keep everthing dry and secure. This became an expensive truck.
I have a friend that is the general manager at the local GMC dealership Tell me that he had a truck that was perfect for my needs. A left over 2004 Savannah cutaway van with a 12 ft service box on it .
Plenty of room for tools and materials and I saved around 8000 from the pickup route
I will try to post a picture when I figure how.
mike
No good deed goes unpunished
Edited 1/29/2005 2:39 am ET by Affordable Solutions
I would like to see pics of your set-up. Thanks for the help.
Mike L.
Ohio
I HAVE to agree with the guy from Affordable Solutions-----really 110%
I am glad he mentioned the model 'cause I had it written down here somewhere---didn't want to get up and look---and couldn't remember the name
GMC SAVANNAH
I saw one of these back in November---and decided right then that it was my next ride---maybe my last one---or next to last work ride BTW
I have been working out of F150's for YEARS---which I love----but the side mount toolboxes are filling up fast---and it is getting increasingly awkward to deal with.
Saw this GMC Savannah----oh so sweet.
For security---no windows in back doors or rear sides.
BUT---where the rear side windows would be---were lift up hatches like on the side of contractors caps on pick up trucks. The guy who had the van had put a shelf inside running along the bottom of those hatches for his most frequently used small tools, misc. supplies etc. The entire cargo area was easilly accesible from either the back door or the side door----plenty of room inside for air compressors etc. and still load plywood, drywall etc. He had a loadder rack on top but the entire thing was low enough to still get inside my garage with its 8 ft. overhead door.
BTW---he said when the van is parked you can leave the side hatches up in a medium rain and your tools still stay dry.
Just a beautiful set up that eliminates a lot of crawling around,plus dry secure storage---and acres of room on the sides for signage---I can be a mobile billboard if I want.
Target acquisition-----spring 2006.
Stephen
I took a look at the web page for the GMC Savanna: http://www.gmc.com/savana/index.jsp
Do you think it would be hard to get ladders on and off the top? Matt
A couple things about vans, from over 20 years driving them -
When I ordered my new van in '95 I could have ordered a switch that allowed the doors to remain open and the dome lights not on. I didn't order that feature and have regretted it ever since.
I am glad I got the windows in the side door. Increased visibility when driving is a big plus, especially if you drive on multiple lane roads alot. Plus, the increased natural light is nice in a lot of ways.
I am REALLY glad I ordered opening windows for the rear doors. Great to have that ventillation and keep fresh air circulating throughout the van - fumes from paint, wet tarps, thinners, form oil...that stuff can get pretty funky smelling after a while.
About ladders - look around, they make ladder racks that load from the side, then rotate up to the top of the van. I'd think that would be really helpful with a taller van. I don't pack a ladder that often, so I get by fine without that type rack, but for a roofer or electrician I would think that'd be a great feature. A ladder up the rear door, or at least a couple steps would be great too.
Shoot. Can't add a photo to an edit?
Edited 1/30/2005 11:09 am ET by jim blodgett
Okay, here's a photo of old faithful. 160k. Still gets 16-17 mpg and home in time for dinner most nights. We have a removable bench seat for packing people hither and yon. Great for helping kids move, too.
Jim,You can still install a toggle or rocker switch of your choice to do that.Fairly simple job.
The person you offend today, may have been your best friend tomorrow
Matt,
the guy I had seen with the Savannah was siding a house that I had previously roofed and was in the process of hanging spouting on.
I am 6 foot---the sider was approx. the same size--------neither of us felt ladders would be a problem with the ladder rack he had on top----he had been working out of that van for some time with no problems.
I specifically measured his set up because I wanted to be sure I could fit the rig inside my garage with 2 ladders stacked on top of each other on top of the ladder rack.
Frankly where to carry my sheet metal brake is my only concern.
Stephen
I'm 5ft 8 ....
and can reach the ladder rack on top of my van ...
don't U worker type guys climb and reach for stuff all day?
sudenly no one can figure out how to get a laddy off a van!
anyways ... that's why-for they put that bumper thing back there ... to step up on ... plus .. there's these round rubber things at each "corner" ... tire, I think they're called.
I stand on those too ...
but usually .. seeing as how I an genius ... and ... I have enough room in the van to carry such silly things ... I simply pull out my 3 step aluminum ladder ... then one that's hung off the side door .. and stand on it ...
that's used for tying stuff down ...
for removing a laddy ... I just hop up on each wheel ... hold the drip rail with one hand ... undo the bungie with the other ....
then onto the rear bumper ... slide her back ...
then hop to the ground with a ladder rung in hand.
btw .. my van has one side window ... small barndoor ...
and one rear window ... pass side ....
both smoked black ... both fixed/non-opening
very secure ... all the back-up viewing ya need.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
You still haven't given me an answer to my three complaints about vans, In case you overlooked it, they are,
Left leg/ wheel conflict.. I've driven vans hundreds of thousands of miles and usually for 12/ 14 /18 hours at a stretch.. someplace around the third or fourth hour I want to chew off my left leg since the wheel intrudes into the area that I would normally move the leg around into..
Maintinance, working on a van is an excercise in frustration and usually requires that you unbolt the dog house cover and drag oily greasy parts across the carpet or over the seat. (that or ignore proper maintinance and trade it in rather than do the work) when finished you can have all the fun of trying (usually unsuccessfully ) to rebolt the dog house on in a fashion that will eliminate much of the leakage// engine noise and such.
Traction.. two wheel drive vans have all the traction of a pig on a skating rink. Maybe in the tropics it's not a serious issue but here in Minnesota they are found in ditches any time it snows or the roads get slippery..
1) I put my left leg on the wheel hump as a foot rest.
Sorry if I can get comfy and U can't?
2) I unbolt the dog house.
again ... sorry if it's not that hard for me. Then again ... most of the maintenence is done by my mechanic. And really ... is this something you're doing every other week?
Just how many times do ya have to clean the airfilter and change the plugs ...
3) Yeah .. I'm in the tropics. Pittsburgh is nationally known for it's lack of 4 season ... we get no snow .... and it's flat here ... AH ha ha ha ...
I live in the part of the city known as Mt Washington. Ya know why it's "Mt" Washington ... because I live on a freaking mountain! It's also made up of tight little side streets ... everywhere .... twisting .. turning ... up hill ... down hill ...
so we're the last to get plowed by the city.
My solution .... have a 2 wheel/rear wheel drive van .. and carry my tools in it!
That adds a bit of weight ... that ... and I only buy all terrain tires with very aggressive treads.
That .. and oh yeah ... I grew up here ... and learned to drive in the snow and mud.
again ... sorry.
When working out in the sticks ... I can get my van most anywhere the 4x4 pick up guys go ... just takes a little knwoing how to drive. The idea .. especially when yer driving thru other peoples property ... is to go low and slow ... not tear it up.
If I did foundations or framing .... maybe I'd think differently ...
then .. I'd probably be on the look out for a 4x4 van conversion ...
tropics ... yeah, that's us!
btw ... "drag oily greasy parts across the carpet or over the seat. "
what's up wit that! U forget we're talking about work vans here? Carpet ... what's carpet?
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Jeff,
If you're in the van for a few minutes or even an hour you can live without the space for your leg, but as I said after 3 or four hours you'll want to chew your leg off..(and I have legs so short that they almost don't touch the ground,... <G> )
I've done too much maINTINANCE ON VANS TO EVER CONSIDER THEM USER FRIENDLY WITH REGARD TO MAINTINACE, (oops sorry, caps lock) Part of my secret for getting maximum mileage out of a vehicle is to do all the maintinace my self and that way I know it gets done correctly. I don't consider 300,000 miles unusual and vans aren't gonna get there since it's too darn hard to work on them.. Too easy to put off the needed maintinace..
You idea of wieght solving all of your problems isn't really valid.. not if you use your truck as hard as I use mine.. I think nothing of hauling home a load of 12 to 14 foot long timbers but they will completely fill the bed of my pickup.. thus to go get them I need to start out empty.. I dare you to come and try to drive up the hill next to my driveway after it snows with an empty two wheeel drive van..
wow .. yer getting even more annoying.
did ya ever stop to think that most carpenters/contractors ain't planning their work truck choice on your exact job site?
Here's a crazy thought ... I have shelves in my van ... so guess what ... even when it's rearranged to fit materials ... ply/drywall/2x's ... I still have a ton of tolls on the shelves .. and the bigger stuff is stacked tight along the side door well ...
the van is never empty. That's cause ... it's a work van!
btw .... U got to unload yers to go get the stuff .... so it's empty going down your big mud hill .... what'sa matter? U such a bad driver U can't drive DOWN a hill without getting stuck?
and how's all that self maintenence go when ya can't figure out how to get the doghouse in and out? Reaching those last 2 spark plugs must really be a bitch for ya?
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Jeff,
Could you please watch the tone of your posts? I've politely answered you each time and made my points rather clearly without the need for insults... I've even made jokes at my own expense to add an element of fun to the discussion..
(legs so short they barely touch the ground for example )
Anyway to answer your points. Like most here in Minnesota we go to all sorts of job sites. some are really crowded and to get in and out of those muddy crowded job sites you are often forced to stop in places without good traction.. deep enough mud, slippery enough conditions, heavy snow and or ice and vans simply can't get around on those sites.. They are either forced to park out on the paved road and carry everything in or they buy 4x4's
You claim that shelves are your answer and my response is that you can either have shelves or carry the load, you cannot do both.. In addition the back doors of your van would be open if you were to carry a full load of 14 foot long timbers/wood (kinda cold here in Minnesota) My truck is most definately a work truck but I don't use it at a portable storage shed.. I fill it and I empty it as needed...
Finally I never said I couldn't get the dog house on or off, I said it was a hassle and often when you put the dog house back on it's not correct. Pop the hood on a pick up and there is everything you need to service. I wonder what a flat rate manual charges just to pull the dog house off, sure bet it's more than it costs to pop the hood of a pickup..
To each his own. Somebody once told me its not your decisions that determine your success, as much as your commitment to those decisions. I'm a truck fan myself, but I've gotten a new perspective on vans (and trailers) from the posts here. I always considered vans a subcontractor's vehicle, not a general's, or a remodeler's. But I'm giving then a second look. Not to mention, I came across this totally cool van ("toolbox on wheels") in Taunton's THE TOOLBOX BOOK by Jim Tolpin (cool book, by the way). Check it out. - Huck (trucklover, but trying to keep an open mind!)
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"Could you please watch the tone of your posts?"
No.
U annoy the hell outta me when U talk out of your element.
a discussion on work vans and you're talking about 24 hour lemans driving comfort.
gimme a break.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
just waiting for your all to quit bickering and see that the utility body is the truck for the renovation contractor.....
tools stay nice and dry, plenty of room for trash, plywood/ drywall, I can even cary a 6X12X20 gluelam on the rack, no problem.... try that with a van.
I had a van and was really not impressed with how it worked out for me, i liked the storage but cursed crawling in and out of the back to get stuff.
just my thoughts
james
ended up with two shots of the same top box, well you didn't miss much... the other one has an assortment of screws and nails in parachute bags etc.
james
Nice looking rig, I do not intend to work enough to justify one like that. Got me thinking, I drive by a neighbor every day who has one sitting on the ground that looks like it would fit my 91 Silverado and even looks close in color. Think I will go ask what $.
Edited 2/1/2005 9:28 pm ET by RASCONC
RASCONC
If you get it you will love it, I am amazed how much i can carry, the photos of that one show it not quite full, I have some stuff I left on site.
I run two of those and they are set up alike... so in theroy i could roll out in either and know what is in it and where it is but my lead is not as dilligent as i in keeping the one he drives stocked.
If parking was not an issue i would go with the npr or nrp cab and a 12' box, I looked and they are set up the same as far as the boxes except that the npr has an additional row of boxes that run under the flatbed portion of the bed, I will consider the 8' bed and crew cab npr if i need to replace the current rig due to it being the same length.
james
I looked at one before buying the current van.
still not enough room for my bigger stuff.
I don't have a garage for tool storage ... the van is the tool storage.
the extra height of a van lets me stack the bigger stuff .... table saw, chop saw and their stands ... either at the headache rack or at the side doors ...
and still make a materials run if need be.
Some jobs I have everything to the last nail delivered ... others ... I pick up and deliver everything myself. Need the flexibility of hauling all my tools and all my materials.
Next truck ... will be a step van.
more room and less speed/comfort ... but ... it is a work van. More room wins.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
I am fortunate in that the house i live in has the living space over a full front to back garage/ storage, that gives me about 1100sq ft of storage in theroy, now if i could just get those pesky antique motorcycles and stuff out of there i would have pleanty of room :).
most of the jobs i work i am at for anywhere from 1month to 8 so i have a tendency to store equipment at jobsites if i am using it anyways, the barn sure gets full around christmas when everything comes home....
james
So where's the recliner?
guess i could put it on the rack, or ...... well i guess you got me there.
maybe i should get a trailer for the recliner?
honey i need a trailer....
answer
sell one of your bikes and store the rest in the trailer
my answer
come to think of it a trailer would be handy for the sidecar outfit
her answer
don't even think about it
james
what I'd really like is a Utility Van ...
but ...
seing as how those are about 30K new and in the high teens used ...
and a step van in great shape can be had for around $6 to $8K ....
I'm thinking step van is the next ... wait ... here it comes ...
step!
ahh ha ha ...
plus ... U can stand straight up in a step van.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Jeff,
one other thing i don't like about step vans or any van for that matter is in the city ( and i live in a good neighborhood) they become a big pallete for the local grafitti artist, seen them all over town, tastefully lettered van with some idiots mark all over it.
Guess your just a van guy, I tried it and it left kind of a sour taste in my mouth, ( however i did sell it for more than i paid for it, that i can say is good with vans...... resale is very good..... that is improtant to me being that i live a stones throw from the coast and cant keep a vehicle much more than 5-7 years before the salt starts eating away at it and it becomes a burden to sell)
james
my van is parked in a city alley each nite ....
I get tagged about 2 times a year.
by luck I had it hand lettered instead of the vinly overlay lettering.
found out after the first time that was a good choice.
The only thing that'll completely remove the hand painting is brake fluid.
graffitti remover will eat the vinyl lettering.
won't hurt the paint.
it's a pain in the butt ... but it pretty much wipes clean ...
just an $8 bottle and a coupla old towels ... and some heavy elbow grease.
at first I got it more when it was a "blank canvas" ...
last coupla times they switched from just hitting my big white van ... to spraying all the cars parking in the alley.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
All pickups and vans are a pain to get in to! What we need is Front wheel drive with traction control, a very low level bed with a rear wheel setup with self leveling. Most pickups are sold on looks not from being useable. Try finding a F150 with 8 foot bed in stock! Sprinter is what I will be looking at next but even thats up in the air but less of a drinker than my '97 f150.
James,
Untill I saw the GMC Savannah---I would have agreed with you about crawling in and out of the van.
But when I saw the side hatches instead of windows ------I realized it would give me as convenient access to my most frequently used tools as my side mount truck boxes------with greatly improved storage and inventory space.
Plus with rear door and side door access-----there will be less crawling than when I have to crawl all the way to the front of my truck.
My biggest priority is double, checking, triple checking, quadruple checking that it will fit inside my garage with ladders on top the way my pick-up does.
oops---just thought of a snag---I bet my hook ladder will catch on the rear doors when they open.........................
Stephen
Wow, bro, why you being so abrasive, especially towards Fenchy? I find your constant attempts to pick a fight annoying. And, what's with making it personal and trying to troll this post into a political argument? Frency seemed to make every attempt to keep a positive tone, even to the extent of being self deprecating. He was only stating his opinion. What, did he burn you with a "your mama" joke?
Take a deep breath, have another red stripe on me, and try to mellow out and say something nice. I've enjoyed many of your posts in the past, but these suck.
Derek
FWIW, My mentor runs a van with bulk head, I use a Nissan Frontier with tall topper (cap) and drawers and my partner goes with a full size pickup and topper. We all get by fine and all have positives and negatives as explained in other posts.
forgive me for trying to keep the info pretaining to real world answers ...
18 hr drives and removing the dog house issues don't happen on a regular basis.
and if that don't work ...
simply ignore me.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
and again ....
did it feel weird voting for Bush?
10,491 as we speak .... has it even been below your predicted 10,000 since the election?
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Jeff,
I anticipate ZERO problems putting ladders on and off a van.
In fact I suspect it's gonna be LOTS easier with a van.
with a truck---I can easily stack 2 ladders on the left side, 2 ladders on the right side, and 2 ladders or a pic or a stack of toe boards in the center. Tie downs for the outside stack is simple---and the rear tie down for the center stack is simple--------the center/front tie down requires some climbing with a truck as the engine/hood gets in the way.------I assume that will not be a problem with a van.
I was kind of hoping Blodgett could give me some pointers on how he transports my sheet metal brake he stole from me in the fall of 2003! LOL
Stephen
"I was kind of hoping Blodgett could give me some pointers on how he transports my sheet metal brake he stole from me in the fall of 2003!"
That's never been proven...in a court of law...in the State of Washington...and I believe there is a staute of limitations on petty theft.
Not that I DID steal that brake (why would I want a break with a smile in it?).
But if I DID happen to carry a brake around, I sure wouldn't just hang it off the side of a rack on a pick up, stop for a cherry Slurpee on the way home, and be surprised to come outside and find SOMEONE had removed it from my pick up. No sir.
In fact, I don't even drive a pick up. So there you go.
Whew. Glad we cleared that up.
And we can back to discussing vans. (geez, you guys ever notice Stephen can be like a dog on a bone sometimes?)
So this morning, there I am sanding away in the shop, minding my own business, humming along with the radio, thinking about how good life can be, when the power goes out.
Not unusual, but certainly not predictable when we'd have power again, so after a few minutes I decide this would be a great time to take that load of construction debris to the dump.
So I back the van up to the trailer, hook up, plug in the lights, and down the road I go, minding my own business, humming along with the radio, thinking about how good life can be, and soon enough, I get to the dump. Back up to the edge of the transfer station, remove the tarp and tailgate, pull the pin, and tilt the load over the edge without spilling my coffee (Starbucks coffee of the day - Sumatra).
Throw the tarp and tailgate in the back of the van and get home in time to meet my neighbor who wanted some help matching stains...but that's another story.
Point is - you guys driving pick-ups so you can haul stuff to the dump? Better take a look at these tilt trailers. About 1500 bones with trailer hitch and electric brakes. Plus, you still have all the dry storage of a van (which also includes room for that old recliner you keep in there for inclement weather lunches and that occasional nap mid afternoon).
big jobs get dumpsters ...
small jobs ... I can fill that van to the brim with debris.
to make life easier on me ... I bag most of it.
the dirty little swept up stuff stays in the can ... I have about 6 at any given moment ... the cans go in the van first ... then the ramdon lengths of nail embeded lumber ... then ... all those garbage bags ... then the cardboard ...
same tool arrangement as if I'm carrying materials. Shelves packed full.
there's always a half sheet or 3 of ply .... I lay them in first to make for my "garbage walls" ... or use the big cardboard boxes that are ever-present ... I "line" the van ... then load her up.
each and every time ... the garbage run helper says ... Guess we're gonna have to make two trips ....
Then I pack it up to the roof solid from front to back .... and one trip it is.
my dump fee .... a "van load" for $40.
my favorite dump .. ya back up to the edge of the cliff ... down below are their dumpsters .... right at ground level to ya .... so the first round of stuff just gets rolled out ..... no lifting what so ever.
I loove dump day .... sometimes I'll even pick the kid up early from daycare to bring him along!
hum the theme from Sanford and Son the whole time ...
bum bum baa daa ....
bum bum baa daa baa daa baaaa ...
bum bum baa daa ......
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Jim, that tilt trailer looks like the way to go. The last guys I was working with had one--it was great on the extremely tight site we were on. Back it into the driveway, toss in all the trash we'd been saving up, and pull it out to go to the dump. If you estimate it/charge it the same as if you had a dumpster dropped off, it wouldn't take long to pay for itself. Plus another chance to advertise on the side!
I've been a truck guy (well, I started off as a station wagon guy, but that didn't last long) but I think when my current ride is ready for pasture I'll check out vans, especially panel vans. They take up the same space as a regular van, have a lot more space inside, look a bit more "professional," what is the downside except price?
Mike
Jim,
I really loved that brake.........
Stephen
Left leg/ wheel conflict.. I've driven vans hundreds of thousands of miles and usually for 12/ 14 /18 hours at a stretch.. someplace around the third or fourth hour I want to chew off my left leg since the wheel intrudes into the area that I would normally move the leg around into..
I have a Chevy Astro. Not much conflict for legroom. The gas and brake pedals are a little close, though. Crash ratings suck.
Maintinance, working on a van is an excercise in frustration and usually requires that you unbolt the dog house cover and drag oily greasy parts across the carpet or over the seat. (that or ignore proper maintinance and trade it in rather than do the work) when finished you can have all the fun of trying (usually unsuccessfully ) to rebolt the dog house on in a fashion that will eliminate much of the leakage// engine noise and such.
Yup, maintenance will probably suck. With modern conveniences such as fuel injection, better gasket technology and better ignition systems, I do not expect to take the engine cover off too many times. The air and oil filters are easily accessed. Changing those as scheduled should reduce other maintenance. I do not know too many people that can honestly do much maintenance (besides changing known bad parts) with a modern vehicle. The dog house on my van pulls off- no bolts.
Traction.. two wheel drive vans have all the traction of a pig on a skating rink. Maybe in the tropics it's not a serious issue but here in Minnesota they are found in ditches any time it snows or the roads get slippery..
Mine is 2wd, and I have no problems in the snow on the factory Uniroyal tires. I bet the few hundred pounds of shelving and tools has a lot to do with that. I also have the limited slip differential. I do not see how an empty pickup is any better than an empty van. I never got my 87 F250 (also 2wd) stuck in mud or snow, but then I had Michelin LTX AT tires, and I didn't drive like an idiot.
Why pay to drag all that 4wd hardware for the 361 days or so it is not needed? Better drivings skills or staying home during the blizzard would be cheaper.
Vans are not perfect, sometimes I wish I still had my truck. I can rent one for the couple of times I really need one in a year. I do not think I will buy another pickup for work. Next van will be a Sprinter.
frenchy,
12-18 hours of driving at a stretch ?
aren't we talking about a work vehicle for locals ?
seriously, who lives in New Jersey and is a member of the Chicago Carpenters' Union ?
If your job requires driving 12-18 hours at a stretch, then you need to think about getting a Mercury Crown Vic or a Buick Roadmaster, not a van.
I have a 1989 Ford E-350 Extended Van. The one ton over the 3/4 ton got me the BIG brakes and the major suspension and only cost $1000. As a result, the rear brakes were done once at 105,000 miles and the fronts were done at 70,000 and 140,000. I have 185,000 miles and the front end has never been aligned. Tires go 55,000.
I have never needed 4WD because there was never a slick spot that a bag of EZ-Sand 90 couldn't get me out of. 1000 lbs. of tools in the back keeps you chugging too.
Until I start hauling trash, it will be a van for me.......
carpenter in transition
When I want some 4x12 sheets of drywall and I don't want to wait on my local lumber yard to deliver. I can haul 10 and sometimes 11 (if I hold my mouth right) sheets of 4x12 drywall in a regular sized GMC Savannah. Stand em' up and push all the way to the glove compartment and lean the other end against the rear passenger corner and shut the door. Mighty handy when it's raining cats and dogs.Can't do that in the rain with a pickup and there is nothing worse than trying to hook up a trailer in pouring rain.Another reason vans rule.
Dodge Sprinter has large footwell. Diesel engine is easy to maintain, well thought out engine compartment. If you have a load of tools, the weight will give you traction, use real snow tires, opt for the limited slip rear for less than 300 bucks. It it is real bad, use tire chains and you can go just about anywhere.
Van my boy. An E-250 with all the racks drawers and bins, roof racks a must. Weatherguard the only way to go. Everything's filed and filled to capacity down to the smallest type of fastener to one of a kind tool. Guys look at it and turn green. Only way to fly. Organization save ya $$, I hate running out during the day.
Two words: Step van
Back years ago I used an old Railway Express van when I was in the construction biz. But then I was young and dumb then. Really did a great job though. 12 feet from the divider to back overhead door about 7-8 feet wide. Lots of room stand upright, skylight, no onboard power back then. My brother in law does finish and trim work. Uses Tacoma with 6x12 enclosed trailer, this works well for him.
Love my Sprinter. Affordable to buy and operate.
Made SO MUCH more efficient with the addition of 2 Extendo-Beds from Kim Cherry's outfit in Star, Idaho. One goes out the side door, the other the back. My Sprinter was the first to receive them in the country. Each extends past the doors, and holds up to 1200#. Finest beds made in the world-I know, I shopped well.
Kim advertises in the magazine... All my best, Les
There is nothing wrong with a pick-up. I easily built a deck in mine with two drawers that are 22x11x72. The plastic bed inserts make building a deck easy. The drawers allow me to keep stuff organized (sort of) but most of all, anything I put in them is hidden from view and a tailgate lock (std on fords but aftermarket for every other kind of truck for $35-$45) prevents anyone from opening the drawers. My drawers are deep enough to hold the case for my PC batter power tools (it is the thickest case) and just about anything else I shove in there. About the only thing that wont fit in the drawers are my compressor and compound saw and stand. I have a crew cab so I can lock up stuff in there too. I have never owened a van, but a pick up is very usefull when you need to move around something big.
Sounds nice, any pictures and how did you waterproof it? Are you talking about a bedliner when you say plastic bed insert? On mine if I were to park down hill the water pools in the front of the bedliner and would soak the bottom of a box.