Help on Choosing a Truck

[tom baker]

Re: Help on Choosing a Truck

In our shop we have 3 Chevy 3500 1 ton vans. I like them better than a truck. In (western )Washington State we get a lot of rain, so the vans are the most popular with contractors. A contractor would still need a pickup for hauling generators, conduit etc for larger jobs.
My van gross weight is about 8,000 pounds so the one ton version is a must.

 

[jxofaltrds]

Re: Help on Choosing a Truck

THANXS for starting this topic. It almost sent me to the big D.

I had a Dodge 2500 van. Loved everything about it but the $2200 trany repair.

Bought a 03 Chevy 1 ton with a conversion by Knapheide. This vehicle will be the new standard for contracors.

Looks like a $50,000 truck. Lists for $40,000. You can buy it for $27,000 cash or finance it for 0% at $30,000.

It is raining now so give me a couple of days and I will post pictures.

This vehicle is NOT a box truck. It is the same price ase a new empty van.

If it does what it is doing now. I would HIGHLY recommend it. PS I am not easily impressed.

Mike P.

[ May 14, 2003, 07:24 PM: Message edited by: jxofaltrds ]

 

[jxofaltrds]

Re: Help on Choosing a Truck

This must be an old picture http://www.knapheide.com/van.asp
Tey have improve this style. Above the taillights are 2 small lockable doors that let you insert 10' staock without opening the backdoors or installing containers on the outside.

Mike P.

 

[hurk27]

Re: Help on Choosing a Truck

Mike we have one like these and the electrican that uses it loves it. But it does need a better way to haul your ladders.

As for the subject of which maker is better I would have to say GMC as we have all three and the Fords and Dodges dont hold up as well.

With Dodge it's the trany if you put them under to much load they will fail.
Fords we have had alot problems with the engines the 300 straight six is junk it gets worse gas milage than most V-8's 302's are not bad but no power.
If you do get a ford go desiel.

Also just a note on tires I started useing the Good Year Work Horse Extra Grip probely the best tire that I ever had for a work truck came across them just by accident as I bought a pickup with them on it and never got a flat had nails stick in them and just bend over so when I went to put tires on my van I read up on them and found that they have a nail guard steel belt that keeps the nails from going through and the milage is out of this world the pickup has 85,000 on these tires and the van has 58,000 on it and they still have a lot of tread left and for traction lets say I've been in to some deep sand and pulled right through and mud or snow.
they also make the same tire with a hiway tread that is not as griping but has all of the other features.
also they have a 8pr rating so they stand up to the heavy loads that I carry this was a big down fall with regular 4 pr tires as I was only getting about 15,000 to 20,000 out of a set.

and the price is not too bad if you can order them through a Sam's Club About $86.00 for 235-15 and about $106.00 for 31x12.50-15 or 265-16
If you want a tire that will hold up to nails give good traction and last a long time these are the ones

[ May 14, 2003, 10:23 PM: Message edited by: hurk27 ]

 

[iwire]

Re: Help on Choosing a Truck

Does anyone have any experience with these?

The Sprinter

They look like they have a lot of room inside.

 

[electricmanscott]

Re: Help on Choosing a Truck

Here's a link to more discussion on this. My truck is in there somewhere. http://electrical-contractor.net/ubb/Forum1/HTML/002187.html

 

[iwire]

Re: Help on Choosing a Truck

Good looking truck Scott, is there a wall between the cab and cargo?

Maybe I'll see you drive by, I am working on RT9 1/2 mile West of "Spags" under the big crane.

Bob

 

[electricmanscott]

Re: Help on Choosing a Truck

Umass Bob? I go by there all the time. Spag's ain't what it used to be! There is a wall with a door seperating the body and cab. Keeps the heat and a/c in the cab!

 

[frenchelectrican]

Re: Help on Choosing a Truck

curentally i have f250 hd pickup truck for all use work with diesel engine and it have over 560,000 miles btw this is the oringal engine with 5 sp manual tranny with 4:10 gearing ( i monify the diesel turn up wick from 185 to 235 with out turbo and it work good for me ) and fuel is averageing me about 16 to 18 depend what you do with it the lowest i have with diesel was 10 the highest one is 19.5 mpg but alway run in 16 to 17 range no matter what load it put on the truck( i just replace the tranny not too long ago the overdrive gear worn out ) otherwise stay with diesel i dont have much troble with it and my frenid ( a electrican also) have diesel and put alot of mile and hours on engine too compare to gas engine espcally with hevey load it will out pull big block gassers. the last heavey load it was 14,000 # trailer and load it to max and still do alot better than gasser it ran about 10 mpg compare my freind have big 8 liter gas motor it ran 5 i repeat 5 miles per gallon !!


merci marc

 

[jxofaltrds]

Re: Help on Choosing a Truck

Go to www.yourhomesok.com and click on the truck at the bottom of the page.

Note the master locking system at the rear of the truck it locks all the side bays at once.

Also 10' stock can be loaded through the two small lockable doors.

Mike P.

 

[dia480]

Re: Help on Choosing a Truck

My outfit here runs two full time service call type electricians that run in full size vans. But the remaining construction side which consist of up to 15 electricians use nothing but small S-10 and Rangers to get back and fourth to jobs, all material is stored in trailers on site or in a central location, they all have ladder racks but for the most part they are used to shuttle people and product on the site itself. We also own one full size ford rack body with a Tommy liftgate that we have a laborer type running around picking up and moving trailers and gang boxes ect. This really works out and while the payload isn't quite the capacity of the full size trucks the cost is well over 1/2. Beat That!!!!!!!!!!


Mikey D