Irrigation repair Van setup

citywidefw · Mar 25, 2014

I am looking for a Van to set up as our irrigation or sprinkler repair vehicle. We have been using a box truck and I am hoping to save on gas by using a van.

I would love some pictures and suggestions of how your set up your van.

Thanks

Matt

bcg · Mar 25, 2014

My E250's only get about 9 - 10 MPG, you won't save much fuel...

AI Inc · Mar 25, 2014

bcg said:
My E250's only get about 9 - 10 MPG, you won't save much fuel...

yep, that's what the one I used to use got.

Wet_Boots · Mar 25, 2014

put a cap on a Saipa, and you can get 40 mpg, and haul a roll of funny pipe and a bag of shrubblers

AI Inc · Mar 25, 2014

And employ Indians while unemployed Americans starve. Great idea.

Without A Drought · Mar 25, 2014

we bought a transit last year, will probably get another one this year.
my guys love them. your not a rolling warehouse, but if you don't stock every manufacturer, and are a little creative, they work.
ours are stocked 1"-2" poly and PVC. they can hold a few days worth of stock.
ill get pics later, it's due for a spring cleaning this week.

SoCalLandscapeMgmt · Mar 25, 2014

Without A Drought said:
we bought a transit last year, will probably get another one this year.
my guys love them. your not a rolling warehouse, but if you don't stock every manufacturer, and are a little creative, they work.
ours are stocked 1"-2" poly and PVC. they can hold a few days worth of stock.
ill get pics later, it's due for a spring cleaning this week.

GM has a small van like the Transit coming out either late this year or early next year. No word yet on MPG though but with a 2.0L I4 I'm guessing it gets pretty decent mileage.

http://www.chevrolet.com/city-express-small-van.html

bcg · Mar 25, 2014

I really like the looks of the Transit my only problem with them is that it's all PVC in my area so we need to carry at least a bundle of 1/2", 3/4" and 1" and a couple of sticks of Sch 40 3/4" and 1" with at least a stick each of 1.25", 1.5" and 2" as well. I just can't figure out how to put 20' sticks of pipe on a Transit. It doesn't take up much space (I have almost all of it inside a piece of 6" pipe on the ladder rack), it's just the length.

I'd like to get one of the diesel Sprinters and give that a try but I have a buddy that had a fleet of them and he was constantly rebuilding turbos, so that scared me off of them.

irritation · Mar 25, 2014

No way that little thing would work for me. Maybe a salesman.

Without A Drought · Mar 25, 2014

20 footers might be a little dicey.
In poly land, we can just carry a few pieces, usually cut in half.
the install quantities get delivered.

here's a shot of my guy loading down some 4" SDR pipe, 14'ers.

1idejim · Mar 25, 2014

irritation said:
No way that little thing would work for me. Maybe a salesman.

No kidding. You don't even have room for a shop vac.
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greenmonster304 · Mar 26, 2014

bcg said:
I really like the looks of the Transit my only problem with them is that it's all PVC in my area so we need to carry at least a bundle of 1/2", 3/4" and 1" and a couple of sticks of Sch 40 3/4" and 1" with at least a stick each of 1.25", 1.5" and 2" as well. I just can't figure out how to put 20' sticks of pipe on a Transit. It doesn't take up much space (I have almost all of it inside a piece of 6" pipe on the ladder rack), it's just the length.

I'd like to get one of the diesel Sprinters and give that a try but I have a buddy that had a fleet of them and he was constantly rebuilding turbos, so that scared me off of them.

If its just for service why couldn't they be ten footers?
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greenmonster304 · Mar 26, 2014

AI Inc said:
And employ Indians while unemployed Americans starve. Great idea.

I am all for buying American when an American company offers a product I want or need. But American car companies have been making vehicles that they wanted to build not ones the people wanted (full size trucks aside). The big three are now importing these small vans with diesel engines from their euro divisions and rebadging them. They have been available in Europe for decades. Ford has finally retired the Last generation of E series vans after about a 25 year run with no major changes. The replacement looks cool

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bcg · Mar 26, 2014

greenmonster304 said:
If its just for service why couldn't they be ten footers?
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Because when you need more pipe, you need more pipe. I hate to be on a job and not have what I need more than just about anything, return trips cut too far into job profits.

I've done full installs off of van stock before (except for the pipe, I don't carry 4,000 feet) and restocked the van from the shop inventory the next morning. I just like having everything I could possibly need. Heck, I even have diaphragms for HIT, Hardie and Nelson valves in the van.

AI Inc · Mar 26, 2014

greenmonster304 said:
I am all for buying American when an American company offers a product I want or need. But American car companies have been making vehicles that they wanted to build not ones the people wanted (full size trucks aside). The big three are now importing these small vans with diesel engines from their euro divisions and rebadging them. They have been available in Europe for decades. Ford has finally retired the Last generation of E series vans after about a 25 year run with no major changes. The replacement looks cool

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They build what people buy. If GM 's marketing division proved the American worker wanted a truck that would blow them on their way to work , they would sell one.

AI Inc · Mar 26, 2014

Without A Drought said:
we bought a transit last year, will probably get another one this year.
my guys love them. your not a rolling warehouse, but if you don't stock every manufacturer, and are a little creative, they work.
ours are stocked 1"-2" poly and PVC. they can hold a few days worth of stock.
ill get pics later, it's due for a spring cleaning this week.

Company next town over from me runs em. Guys who drive em love em.
WE are all 1" polly here. My lead tech is currently in a ranger with a 3 box setup. Transit would work great for him.

DanaMac · Mar 26, 2014

AI Inc said:
Company next town over from me runs em. Guys who drive em love em.
WE are all 1" polly here. My lead tech is currently in a ranger with a 3 box setup. Transit would work great for him.

I agree. We run two Rangers now, and I know we could get by with a Transit. It comes down to carrying the proper parts and quantities. I'm not carrying 100 rotors on the truck, 300 spray heads, 3 boxes of every single fitting and bushing of PVC/poly/copper, 5 rolls of poly, or parts for every single zone valve ever made. Just not going to happen. Restock every 1-3 days, keep the parts that you trust, replace old outdated valves, clean trash and scrap out daily.

Without A Drought · Mar 26, 2014

thats pretty much our set up. we only really stock/service what we install, outside of the larger valves. that really cuts down on the amount a service truck needs to carry.

1idejim · Mar 26, 2014

AI Inc said:
They build what people buy. If GM 's marketing division proved the American worker wanted a truck that would blow them on their way to work , they would sell one.

I've been a ford guy but I'd consider changing my opinion with options like that.
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Irrigation repair Van setup

citywidefw

bcg

AI Inc

Wet_Boots

AI Inc

Without A Drought

SoCalLandscapeMgmt

bcg

irritation

Without A Drought

1idejim

greenmonster304

greenmonster304

bcg

AI Inc

AI Inc

DanaMac

Without A Drought

1idejim

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