Service body VS Enclosed trailer - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

EPD · 03-03-2009, 08:19 PM

Ive been trying to convince myself to sell the my 1/2 tonne and 1 tonne service body truck and buy a new truck to haul my enclosed trailer full time...

anyone else having this battle ?

pros and cons of a trailer besides the inconvenience of towing a trailer all the time???

and my trucks are a little tired .... if i pay 300 a month average for parts / service (not to mention downtime, rare but it happens)

i see a lot of your guys trailer setups and am impressed with most .....

1mancrew · 03-03-2009, 08:22 PM

I need to replace my 3/4 van this summer and have been going back and forth what would work out best for me as well. I think I am leaning toward a 14' box truck/cube van but still going through the process as well. I could haul my tools and most needed material at the same time. Good Luck!

Mike Finley · 03-03-2009, 08:23 PM

Depends how much crap you carry. No way I could fit on a utility bed what I carry in a 16 foot trailer.

Instead of another trailer I think I am going to look at a used 16 foot cube truck, like a used Uhaul or something.

EPD · 03-03-2009, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Finley

Depends how much crap you carry. No way I could fit on a utility bed what I carry in a 16 foot trailer.

my service body is 10 feet + 1 foot tailgate with 36 inch walls and a tonneau cover also i have a trailer hitch extension for the really long stuff ...

i put A LOT of stuff in there ,

once i had almost two skids of sod in it for a friend ... mto would have loved to see that one

i have 6 15 inch deep cabinets as well as two 96X4X12 top shelves for levels and such....its a crew cab too, so the back seat area is racked out for more tools

i dont think it would all fit in a trailer lol!

Mike Finley · 03-03-2009, 09:40 PM

Have you got a table saw mounted on a rolling stand in there? How about a 12" double compound sliding miter on a wheeled stand?

Tough stuff to carry in a utility bed.

gillisonconstru · 03-04-2009, 06:31 PM

Well what he is saying is he has a covered bed and he can haul it. I would like to see pics of it though. I love the utility bed we had them when I started in this bussiness. But I want my truck to look nice my plan is to get one as soon as possible again.

Five Star · 03-04-2009, 06:40 PM

ive had pickup trucks and vans in my 18+ yrs in business,but since 05 i bought a srinter van and my journey has ended, the up front cost is a little high but since i got it my buisness went to the next level in terms of pricing and mobility, i can still tow if needed but my trailor has been parked since 05

mdshunk · 03-04-2009, 06:50 PM

Every time I see a completely empty pickup towing a contractor's trailer, I can't help but to think he's making a huge mistake.

woodchuck2 · 03-04-2009, 09:41 PM

IMO it depends on what you do for work. I try to stick mainly with Electrical but in this area you almost have to be a handy man to keep busy. I drive a GM Diesel and tow an enclosed trailer. For me this set up works great and i can only think of 2 jobs where i could not easily get the trailer backed in. I own and tow my mini-ex too for some of my electrical jobs so the truck is ideal for that. I have thought of getting a van but they are very limited as far as materials and quantity of tools that can be carried. That and i hate crawling after everything. The trailer i can leave on a job, it can be walked through, alot cheaper to register/insure a year and can be purchased much cheaper. The only other downfall i have had was my primary truck blew a head gasket and has been at the dealer for a month now. I tried to work out of a rental van and gave up after 2 days, i ended up buying another GM diesel truck as a spare. I guess this could happen to any vehicle you own and drive for your business but for me a spare was crutial.