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Life expectancy of a wfp van

joe34

Member
Messages
282
Hi, just wondered with the weight of a system in the back van how long you could expect it to last especially with a bigger system like a 800lt like I have in it?has anyone out there had a their van with a system in it had it for the best part of its life time?

 
Hi, just wondered with the weight of a system in the back van how long you could expect it to last especially with a bigger system like a 800lt like I have in it?has anyone out there had a their van with a system in it had it for the best part of its life time?

What is the payload of your van?

Aslong as you are working within its limits you shouldn't really have any major problems. Like anything there will be more wear and tear because we are quite hard on vans as window cleaners, but shouldn't be major.

 
What sort of van u have ? Main thing that gets hammered is suspension and wheel joints etc but mechanic sorts that's and we can ford to fix it

As long u waterproof back of van rust shud be a problem

 
What is the payload of your van?
Aslong as you are working within its limits you shouldn't really have any major problems. Like anything there will be more wear and tear because we are quite hard on vans as window cleaners, but shouldn't be major.

I wish that was always true @Jonathan Sanderson. I often wonder how the 'bean counters' in the motor trade roll the dice on that one.

I believe in early motor manufacturing decades, vans were over engineered. Over engineering costs money (which is profit).

They needed to incorporate a planned obsolescence. The trick is for the product not to last longer than the customers expectations. Will a van be used on its full payload for 100% of its life? So why over engineer for that if it wouldn't happen to 99% of vans made.

I can remember we had a Citroen Dispatch 815kg van that used to get serviced and repaired in our workshop. It was fully laden with plumbing gear and had been from day 1. The owner spent a fortune on that van with suspension, clutch, brake and bearing failures. His van was on the limit but wasn't overloaded.

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It's a vivaro and the payload is 1100kg ,with the tank full, ladders,2 people and other bits it must be near that.

I just wondered really as everyday I'm really making it work.

 
The van's at its heaviest first thing in the morning. Why do you need an 800 liter tank? 2 of us manage on a 650 liter tank and we very really drain it.

My Citroen Relay SWB has a payload of 1154kgs. I believe that we are close to the limit payload wise with a full tank and all our other gear with 2 of us.

A few years ago one of the rear springs broke. They are a single leaf mono spring. As Citroen wanted £500 each for them plus 4 u brackets at £120.00 + fitting labour + VAT, I opted for some heavy duty springs from a spring manufacturer. They are twin leaf and are for motor homes. Cost 1/3 of Citroens price. Filling my 650 liter tank drops the suspension by 15mm.

When full, the van looks empty, but if I get caught I can still be charged with overloading.

 
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