Trailer or Van?

J

J & J

New member
I see that most everybody has a trailer. Is this better than having a truck in your opinion? When we bought the business in April it came with an old chevy flat bed that had a box put on it. Well, the frame rusted thru in July on that. Now we're running out of the back of a pickup until we get the box affixed on a trailer. We'll run off that until we get the "new" truck paid for. It's a very large fire tanker fire truck. I'm just looking for ideas. Maybe we should just get a box trailer?

Thanks, the newbie.
Jennie
 
Lot of circumstances need to be evaluated when deciding.
Here are a few:

- Do you use your pick-up truck for business only? Do you always want to unload everything because you want to haul something else. A trailer you can detach and leave all equipment on it. Place a trailer lock on it and you're fairly secure.
- If you need to run a portable/mobile washer, some weigh in excess of 160/200 pounds. Now me, I wouldn't want to try to lift anything over 100 lbs. at the end of a long workday into the back of my pick-up - it's easier to roll onto a trailer.
- To me, having cover over the equipment is a must. It deters theft, it extends the equipments life (exposure from sun, rain and other elements).
- Will you be hauling water? The weight is a consideration at 8.34 pounds per gallon. Buying a larger truck is a lot more expensive than a larger trailer.
- A trailer can be a pain to hook up and tow. A box truck can be more manueverable and compact than a pick-up and trailer.

The list goes on and on.


Regards,
 
I agree Paul there are so many advantages and disadvantages with both.
The main disadvatage with a flatbed or box truck is the extra ins. you have to pay for when you can only use it for work. But like paul said you can't beat the manuverability of a truck like a Isuzu NPR or Chevy Tiltmaster.

The downside to the truck mounted unit is if something breaks you have to put everything up to go get parts, with a trailer u unhook and go, much easier.

I could go on all night about the diffrences but i hope this little bit helps.
 
Thank you both Paul anc Chuck. We are currently running out of the back of a Ford pickup and it is a real pain. I hate the idea of the equipment being exposed. We don't use portable machines, but it may be something to think about in the future. We are lucky in the aspect that we always have a company vehicle to use at whichever Fleet we're washing. The fire truck we're buying currently is a steal. lol I almost feel guilty for the price we offered, but they took it. I am excited because it is big. The designs are running around in my head as to how I want it planned out.

Anyway, I strayed off topic. Don't think I'm for the truck over the trailer, I was just ticking off all the things mentioned. And everybody has a wonderful setup.

Have a good one.
Jennie
 
I find that the van setup work great for our roof cleaning and pressure cleaning operations.

I am a little confused as to why you guys would spend the money on trucks and trailers. If someone could clue me in, I would appreciate it.
 
i can get these isuzu npr style trucks for the same price or less than it costs for a van and they have 4 times the hauling capability. thats the reason i spend the money.

Don't get me wrong, these are $30,000 trucks new, but i get mine at auction from lease companies for dirt cheap. if you don't have this ability than you won't get one cheap.
 
I buy my vans from Bellsouth (our regional telephone company) for about $2,000 each.

On average they have about 100k miles on them when we buy them, but they are maintained in excellent condition. When we get them they have been overhauled and freshly painted.
 
ARC

Just from my little experience with our equipment our 8 x 10 box from our box truck, it is to small for our stuff. The other factor is weight. We haul 300 gallons of water to some places to wash. There are some customers who will not let us hook up to their water.

I wanted to apologize also for starting a different subject on this thread. I should have started a whole new thread for my question.

Jennie
 
arc, you can get some good vans at these places...
I have a 87 astro I bought at wonder bread for 1000, it has 253,000 on it and still going strong... But it is going to be sold here in a few I had bought a trailer and will be using it for my hauls...

Matt
 
Trucks & trailers & cold weather

I'm looking purchasing a trailier, my concern is the cold weather. In Maine it gets alittle chilly up here. Any thoughts?
 
Trucks , Trailers and Vans I have used them all

But I sort of like my new creation..

And we are going to sale our extended van.. It runs good , its one ton , and it needs a new a/c compressor clutch... We will miss it but won't miss the 10 MPG....
 

Attachments

  • SANY0359.JPG
    SANY0359.JPG
    96.9 KB · Views: 113
  • SANY0360.JPG
    SANY0360.JPG
    91.2 KB · Views: 123
  • SANY0361.JPG
    SANY0361.JPG
    96 KB · Views: 135
  • SANY0366.JPG
    SANY0366.JPG
    84.6 KB · Views: 68
Trucks & trailiers and exposing

John...nice looking setup...with an open flat bed I take you don't worry to much about cold / snow in the winter months. My old Ford 150 will most likely ended up as a flat bed as well...but I'm really concerned about my equipment being exposed. You know what is you guys have all the nice weather...and we up here Maine are now starting to see the 50-60s:)
I have a two cleaning guys who clean a Texas road house restaurant nightly for me and about ever three months or so, a company will come by to clean a hood (there are three in the restaurant) anyway last winter it got down to 30 below and they working out of a large van, wind blowing, up on the roof power washing an exhaust fan...alittle off the subject...but how do you guys deal with the cold weather in exposed trailiers / flatbeds...they were have big time problems with frozen powerwash hose, water cooling off etc.
 
IT usually gets about 30 or 40 here or sometimes 20 , we just fill the machine up with anti freeze... It works good.. The garden hose usually freezes but we always have hot water at the restaurants to thaw the garden hose.....The machine froze one time this winter but that was it...
The flat bed cost about $250 to build.... And I like not having to worry about hooking up a trailer... One day if I get rich I might invest in a NPR.. But believe it or not my little set-up in Mississippi is considered a big set up...
 
Ok big freakin scare today .. I was doing some work on the electrical on the whitco machine and for some reason the hot wire shorted out in the winco generator.. Damn !!! I got lucky I just pulled the head off and replace the hot and the neutral wires and put it all back together and lucky me it works again.. This time I mounted a weather proof box to the side of the generator .. I will take photos tommorrow.... It seems to work good... Now that the flat bed is done it's time to fix up on the machine a bit... I have to weld one of the mounting brackets back on the generator because it broke off, also I have to get some new pump mounts for the ts-1511...... The change the pump oil ( it's been about 650 hours... ) oops!! and also change the honda oil and air filter......
Hopefully after summer vacation is over I will be able to afford some 2WB Non-Marking Hose ( 200ft all one peice) Then I will probably use my 150ft 2wb marks -alot hose for a garden hose ... ( Maybe) ( P.S.) ( All donations accept graciously)

I am starting to really like my flat bed set up but I sort of hate my homemade black Iron pipe ladder rack.. It might be time to bust out the wire welder and do some ladder rack building....
 
Van to Trailer this year

I moved my equipment out of a van and into an enclosed 12 foot trailer this year.

Advantages:
1. The box trailer can be lettered for a big portable billboard ad
2. When I'm not washing I can unhook and have my truck back
3. I have a lot more room
4. I can lock it up at night
5. It was cheaper than replacing the van

Downsides:
1. Its big, takes up a more space in the customers driveway
2. Im sure I got better gas millage w/ the van and rates are climbing
 
I currently have a van and has worked very well but would love more room. Am going to purchase a 12 foot enclosed trailer to help keep more chems, brushes, ladder etc in. Can't stand packing the van so full.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top