Anyone working out of a cargo box trailer?

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iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
active1 said:
Step vans are great to work out of.
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They look great and I would love to work out of one if it where not for all the miles I drive. 100 miles one way is not at all odd and I can't imagine spending that much wheel time in a step van.

My diesel van drives smooth, easy and pretty quietly at speeds well beyond 65 mph ...... or so I have been told.:wink:
 
480sparky

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
Mule said:
......
So who makes something like a box van but lower to the ground, or has steps?
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Be lazy, and get a Tommy Lift.
wink3.gif
 
quogueelectric

quogueelectric

Senior Member
Location
new york
Mule said:
Be lazy? I am lazy !!! :D just ask my wife....

How about frito vans....are they built below the back wheels? or sunken?
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Make sure you carry an extra set of bearings if you go with a trailer. When I sold my boat last month I followed the guy home so I could take my plates back. I saw smoke coming out of the wheel. Lucky for me it broke down 2 blocks from a trailer store so we changed the bearing on the side of the road. Back in buisness 50 bucks. Could have been a disaster had the wheel come off completely.
 
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active1

Senior Member
Location
Las Vegas
Na, this is what I was talking about:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Othe...id=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=65:3|39:1|240:1318

I'm guessing it has an International powertrain and chassis. AL body and balk head. Metal insulated back door. I would bet the cargo locks are a deadbolt style and all the keys are a higher security, do not duplicate, special order key blank. It has a back up camra. A spring step bumper. It looks like it has a anti slip tread plate option in the cargo. The sliding side door has a lower window to help with lane changes and merging. Both front doors slide open (an option). I guessing the cargo area at 16' or 18'. The cieling height should be about 6'5". The trucks come in 2 withs with the Fed Ex ones always being the wider at about 5" wall to wall. It has a fiberglass translucent roof down the cargo walkway. That it nice in that it allows you to see in the cargo area without turning the light on most of the time. It has the cab and cargo lights. Also has the optional rub rails down the side of the truck. The passenger seat is a jump seat that should flip up when not in use. The drivers seat has the sholder seat belt (that was an option also). The drivers side has a flip out air vent on the side. It has no dents seen and only surface rust on mirrors and rims requiring spray paint. The passenger side has a grab handel to help your guys that are taking too long get in the truck, & hang on as your pulling away. The AL shelves in the back might seem handy but to get better use of the space they may need to come out. The wipper blades need to be bigger. It has plenty of room on the side for advertising and you will never loose it in a parking lot. It does not say A/C and probibly does not have it. It can be retrofitted with a universal set-up if needed. But it's not that bad with the doors open.

At BIN at $5,000 and only 20K miles on it seems like a great deal. It's problibly worth almost that in unsed parts and scrap metal. I'm guessing the thing has another good 150K miles with only basic maintance and many more after that.

The Chevy you linked to is just a bit better than a van. I can't tell on that one but some don't allow you to stand strait up with maybe a 5'10" cieling. Don't be affraid of duel wheels. One nice thing is I had tires go flat and still made to the job and then tthe tire store. They lesson the load off the rear tire. What I don't like about some of those small cargo vans is they don't seem heavy duty enough. As in the brakes work with it loaded but could be better. The parts don't break but brakes, suspension, & steering wear out faster than it should IMO. My guess is the Chevy may need brake, steering, and suspension work at 75K miles. Also the engines work but they are not ideal for a heavy work truck compaired to a meadum / heavy manufacture like International, Cummings, etc.
 
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active1

Senior Member
Location
Las Vegas
Mule said:
This is kinda classy lookn.....but up and down and up and down out of the back....
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chev....c0.m245&_trkparms=72:727|65:12|39:1|240:1318

So who makes something like a box van but lower to the ground, or has steps?
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When I see all the waning stickers on a box truck I think it may be a rental.

One easy way to judge a truck box height is to look for the wheel well boxes. If the floor is flat the box is high such as loading dock height. If the floor has boxes around the rear wheels in the cargo area, then the box is dropped down to a lower height. For cargo trucks it seems that a flat floor and dock height is perfured. For personal moving, frequent stop delivery, or work trucks they tend to have the lower boxes. The problem is trucks with low boxes are a lot less common.
 
ceb58

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
480sparky said:
Upside to trailers: Lots of room. You can stand up.

Downside to trailers: Back up, pull forward, back up, pull forward, back up, pull forward, back up, pull forward, back up, pull forward, back up, pull forward. Get out and lower tongue onto hitch. Hook up safety chains. Attach wiring harness. Check lights. NOW you can drive to work.

Get to job site. Back up, pull forward, back up, pull forward, back up, pull forward, back up, pull forward, back up, pull forward, back up, pull forward.

Going to lunch? Undo hitch and raise tongue. Undo safety chains and wiring harness. Don't forget to lock it up! Not only the doors, but the tongue as well!

Time to go home now...... Back up, pull forward, back up, pull forward, back up, pull forward, back up, pull forward, back up, pull forward, back up, pull forward. Get out and lower tongue onto hitch. Hook up safety chains. Attach wiring harness. Check lights. NOW you can go home.

I've seen guys spend a total of an hour a day.... ONE HOUR PER DAY..... monkeying with a trailer.

Oh, by the way, did I mention that it's pouring cats & dogs while you're doing this? Or it's 20 below? And the job site won't see a concrete truck for another 3 months?

Now, unless you're fortunate to have another vehicle to drive at home, you'll need to repeat the last two steps (again) if you use your truck to go to the grocery store or take the misses out for dinner .......

You also need additional insurance, license fees, etc. as it is a vehicle.
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Sorry 480 but if it took me an hour to do all of that I would shoot my self. Besides when I hook up it stays hooked up until I know I wont need it for several days. I have pulled my trailers long enough it has become second nature. As far as extra cost the only thing is the lic. plates which is a whopping $6.00 per year. As long as the trailer is hooked to my truck it is insured. ( different states different rules). If my wife and I want to go out and I dont want to drive her car then we go in the truck, trailer or not. If she doesnt want to ride in my truck with the trailer then she can just stay home and split wood till I get back!
 
480sparky

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
ceb58 said:


Sorry 480 but if it took me an hour to do all of that I would shoot my self. Besides when I hook up it stays hooked up until I know I wont need it for several days. I have pulled my trailers long enough it has become second nature. As far as extra cost the only thing is the lic. plates which is a whopping $6.00 per year. As long as the trailer is hooked to my truck it is insured. ( different states different rules). If my wife and I want to go out and I dont want to drive her car then we go in the truck, trailer or not. If she doesnt want to ride in my truck with the trailer then she can just stay home and split wood till I get back!
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To each his own. OP asked for opinions, and that's what he got.
 
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ohm

Senior Member
Location
Birmingham, AL
Mule said:
Sparky....Do you really need to hook and un-hook multiple times per day? That would not be effecient at all...I was thinking a small trailer, and leaving it hitched up most of the time..

Looked at the box van down the road this morning....Its a Chevy 06 with a overhead box and and tool doors on the sides....nice, lots of room $7500....negatives where 140k miles and its dual wheels....might be nice for folks that carry more weight than I do.

Still looking and thinking..........
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If it's a diesel it's just getting broken in. I have 24' 7.3L E450 and love it.
 
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Pullnwire

Senior Member
Location
Surrounded by Oranges
Occupation
Electrician, Business Owner, SME and Trade Instructor
Mule,
I started out with 6'X10' Haulmark that I custom ordered to be tall enough for me. I am 6'5" and i can walk around inside no problem. I spent 1000$ in steel and parts bins and welded myself a rolling supply house. Pipe fit well in a 12x12 pipe storage that i put on the floor under the driver side shelf. there is an 8' shelf for milk crates and 3 8' shelves for parts style bins for fittings, devices, coverplates, breakers.......... I had a hardware bin in the front for screws, nuts, bolts, washers and wire terminals. Another shelf for rolls of romex, mc or flex. the 6' ladders stood up in the back, and an 8' laid on the floor. It was good to me for two years, but my main problem was parking here in so. california. I bought a chevy service body, and love it, but I miss the capacity of the trailer. I am trying to sell the trailer, I only use it on rare ocasions, and I want the driveway back.
As for maintenance, I spent $200 and put brakes, bearings on it after 20k miles.
It did work well for haveng to leasve during the day, no raiding the truck so that I can leave. BTW I could back up, hitch, hook up, plug in and leave in 2 minutes. The trailer is the exact width of a chevy truck, which made towing/backing easy.
 
electricmanscott

electricmanscott

Senior Member
Location
Boston, MA
Took me a while to find pix of my work ride although it's on this board somewhere.

Good size, not too big, 4X4 to get in and out of jobs, comfortable, and professional.

I like the idea of having a fully loaded trailer but I hate the thought of having to drag it around.

sizeimage.php



sizeimage.php
 
Mule

Mule

Senior Member
Location
Oklahoma
ceb58 said:


Sorry 480 but if it took me an hour to do all of that I would shoot my self. Besides when I hook up it stays hooked up until I know I wont need it for several days. I have pulled my trailers long enough it has become second nature. As far as extra cost the only thing is the lic. plates which is a whopping $6.00 per year. As long as the trailer is hooked to my truck it is insured. ( different states different rules). If my wife and I want to go out and I dont want to drive her car then we go in the truck, trailer or not. If she doesnt want to ride in my truck with the trailer then she can just stay home and split wood till I get back!
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How did you train your wife to split wood? Does she have a sister?

Nice trailer....is that a 7x14 V nose? or 7x12? I have a long bed quad cab HD2500 Dodge that I pull my RV with... I was going to trade for a short box

I think the truth is everything has its positives and negatives....backing up in tight spaces and such....but look at the room !!!
 
Mule

Mule

Senior Member
Location
Oklahoma
Pullnwire said:
Mule,
I started out with 6'X10' Haulmark that I custom ordered to be tall enough for me. I am 6'5" and i can walk around inside no problem. I spent 1000$ in steel and parts bins and welded myself a rolling supply house. Pipe fit well in a 12x12 pipe storage that i put on the floor under the driver side shelf. there is an 8' shelf for milk crates and 3 8' shelves for parts style bins for fittings, devices, coverplates, breakers.......... I had a hardware bin in the front for screws, nuts, bolts, washers and wire terminals. Another shelf for rolls of romex, mc or flex. the 6' ladders stood up in the back, and an 8' laid on the floor. It was good to me for two years, but my main problem was parking here in so. california. I bought a chevy service body, and love it, but I miss the capacity of the trailer. I am trying to sell the trailer, I only use it on rare ocasions, and I want the driveway back.
As for maintenance, I spent $200 and put brakes, bearings on it after 20k miles.
It did work well for haveng to leasve during the day, no raiding the truck so that I can leave. BTW I could back up, hitch, hook up, plug in and leave in 2 minutes. The trailer is the exact width of a chevy truck, which made towing/backing easy.
Click to expand...

Great comments....if you werent so far...I'd try to buy it from you....haha

electricmanscott said:
Took me a while to find pix of my work ride although it's on this board somewhere.

Good size, not too big, 4X4 to get in and out of jobs, comfortable, and professional.

I like the idea of having a fully loaded trailer but I hate the thought of having to drag it around.

sizeimage.php



sizeimage.php
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Now that's Kewl !! purdy...

Great comments guys....I've got a feel for the pro's and con's now. Im thinking in my situation with one van already, I'll choose to get a trailer, so I dont have two business trucks setting around. I'll double my personal truck as a RV Tugger and a work trailer tugger....

I called a couple of days ago about a trade on my Dodge diesel for a shorter version..."trade in" values are down, because Chrysler is offering 8-10'000 rebates so the dealer said.....
 
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