Van size

[GeordieSea]

Hi All.

I'm starting a window cleaning buisness, looking into all sorts of vans. I know the van depends on the work. but I'm looking into purchasing a medium size van longwheel base and want sliding doors on both sides.

My shortlist is:
Transit custom
vauxhall vivaro
nissan primestar
citroen dispatch

I'm looking to get a streamline fitted install design and build. 650l tank ro and di with all the bells and whistles water fed pole, and trolley set up for pedestrian streets. so storage room for 2 trolleys and 6 25l barrells is essential


My question is, would you advise a L2 -length 2- (long wheel) medium van, or will standard L1 suffice??

I'm thinking L2 citroen dispatch, roof rack for ladders,

 

[AW Services]

Hi All.

I'm starting a window cleaning buisness, looking into all sorts of vans. I know the van depends on the work. but I'm looking into purchasing a medium size van longwheel base and want sliding doors on both sides.

My shortlist is:
Transit custom
vauxhall vivaro
nissan primestar
citroen dispatch

I'm looking to get a streamline fitted install design and build. 650l tank ro and di with all the bells and whistles water fed pole, and trolley set up for pedestrian streets. so storage room for 2 trolleys and 6 25l barrells is essential


My question is, would you advise a L2 -length 2- (long wheel) medium van, or will standard L1 suffice??

I'm thinking L2 citroen dispatch, roof rack for ladders,

Good afternoon, firstly you've posted on the fore sale & wants thread

Out of the vans you've listed I wouldn't buy a Citroen because the doors are wafer thin and suffer metal fatigue

You've started you are getting a 650L streamline system with R/0 Di all the bells and whistles plus trolleys etc.

You need to be extremely mindful of payload weight. Ford transit custom LWB is around 1,400kg. All that equipment plus water, fuel, yourself and possibly a passenger soon adds up
Long wheelbase vans are longer and are able to store more but the static weight you already have won't help

 

[GeordieSea]

Thanks.

I've worked out roughly

700kg 400 litre van tank wet weight
200kg 6 barrells 2 trolleys
100kg ladders
100kg fuel
200kg 2 fat men
100kg spare for sandwiches

1400kg payload

 

[GeordieSea]

fully loaded, is it recommended to have a certain amount of payload spare, say 200kg to take the strain off the engine, clutch etc?

 

[Pjj]

fully loaded, is it recommended to have a certain amount of payload spare, say 200kg to take the strain off the engine, clutch etc?

Vans are designed to work at maximum payload , but obviously that will put more strain/ wear and tair on the vehicle the less weight the less strain it’s under

 

[Part Timer]

Thanks.

I've worked out roughly

700kg 400 litre van tank wet weight
200kg 6 barrells 2 trolleys
100kg ladders
100kg fuel
200kg 2 fat men
100kg spare for sandwiches

1400kg payload

400l tank of water is 400kg so it would have to be some thickness tank and frame to weigh more than 150kgs.
I don't know how many ladders and what size they are but a good quality set of triples weighs circa 35kgs.
100kgs of fuel is approx 120 litres so it would have to be a big tank.
200kgs doesn't equate to fat men compared to my son and I, more average size

 

[THL4KEL]

I wouldn't buy anything streamline....

 

[AW Services]

Thanks.

I've worked out roughly

700kg 400 litre van tank wet weight
200kg 6 barrells 2 trolleys
100kg ladders
100kg fuel
200kg 2 fat men
100kg spare for sandwiches

1400kg payload

I would seriously consider your options and equipment. Do you really need to carry so much with you on a daily basis?

I see this often and get phone calls from those wanting new vans and it's apparent they everyone wants to cram everything into a van and play weight top trumps. You really want to be thinking about hoe much weight can I shed as opposed to what I can carry

 

[GeordieSea]

400l tank of water is 400kg so it would have to be some thickness tank and frame to weigh more than 150kgs.
I don't know how many ladders and what size they are but a good quality set of triples weighs circa 35kgs.
100kgs of fuel is approx 120 litres so it would have to be a big tank.
200kgs doesn't equate to fat men compared to my son and I, more average size

 

[GeordieSea]

stream

400l tank of water is 400kg so it would have to be some thickness tank and frame to weigh more than 150kgs.
I don't know how many ladders and what size they are but a good quality set of triples weighs circa 35kgs.
100kgs of fuel is approx 120 litres so it would have to be a big tank.
200kgs doesn't equate to fat men compared to my son and I, more average size

 

[GeordieSea]

Streamline have a 400l tank with the spec of dry and wet weight so the tank weight was around 677kg I rounded it up to 700kg.

I haven't weighed the exact weight of ladder or anything else for that matter but over estimated the items described weight.

my main concern was are there any other window cleaners out there who use the same equipment with this type of van size, to help me decide which van do go for, and which equipment to choose.

I want a medium size van, potentially long wheel base, with storage for trolleys, and a ro/di van system with pole racks. allowing me to clean a variation of domestic properties which range from pedestrian Street and terraced houses. therefore a trolley system will do pedestrian Street and van system of 400l can do terraced houses

 

[GeordieSea]

I would seriously consider your options and equipment. Do you really need to carry so much with you on a daily basis?

I see this often and get phone calls from those wanting new vans and it's apparent they everyone wants to cram everything into a van and play weight top trumps. You really want to be thinking about hoe much weight can I shed as opposed to what I can carry

 

[Part Timer]

Streamline have a 400l tank with the spec of dry and wet weight so the tank weight was around 677kg I rounded it up to 700kg.

I haven't weighed the exact weight of ladder or anything else for that matter but over estimated the items described weight.

my main concern was are there any other window cleaners out there who use the same equipment with this type of van size, to help me decide which van do go for, and which equipment to choose.

I want a medium size van, potentially long wheel base, with storage for trolleys, and a ro/di van system with pole racks. allowing me to clean a variation of domestic properties which range from pedestrian Street and terraced houses. therefore a trolley system will do pedestrian Street and van system of 400l can do terraced houses

Only buy a van mount if you don't have a garage / shed to do it at home. Van mounts are way more expensive and less efficient

 

[GeordieSea]

So how do you advise?

RO DI 1000l tank at home and fill bottles for trolley system?

 

[Part Timer]

Yes for the tank at home but still install a tank in the van and transfer from home tank into van and then fill trolleys from tank. You can buy pumps to make both transfers far quicker, just search the site. If your van has a 1400kg payload you will comfortably get a 650l tank in it. We run a Renault Trafic that has a payload of 1280kgs and easily carry a 650l tank