7 minute read
The wheel deal
Trade vehicles sure have changed over the years – from the once ubiquitous Toyota HiAce van of the 1980s to the recent trend towards muscle-utes. Four fridgies tell us about their cool work rides, and their even cooler storage solutions.
KEVIN NAVARRO, AFFIL.AIRAH
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Service Technician – Ellis Air, Melbourne
Vehicle: Mazda BT-50 Dual Cab Modifications: Custom service body canopy After a number of thefts from its fleet of service vehicles – and complaints about the time it often took to unpack and pack the standard canopy storage area – Ellis Air decided to move away from standard dual-cab plastic canopies for its fleet of BT-50s. It finally settled on its own Ellis Air service team custom design, featuring an aluminium powder-coated body canopy.
“The new fleet custom-made canopies are not only a lot more secure, but they provide great, all-round easier access to our specialist tools, ventilation for the safe storage of flammable gases and also look great with a very usable sign writing area,” says Ellis Air’s senior contracts manager, Gary Ward, M.AIRAH. Importantly, the vehicle also fits within a standard 2.05m carpark, even with ladders onboard.
“Although a lot more expensive to buy initially, we believe we can get up to 10 years out of one custom-made canopy,” says Ward. “So one can be rotated across three vehicle leases.”
What types of jobs does the vehicle and fitout work well for? “The fitout of our vehicles works particularly well for service jobs where a wide variety of tools need to be accessed,” says Ellis Air’s service technician, Kevin Navarro, Affil.AIRAH, “from gauges and refrigerant bottles one day, to extension ladder and power tools the next.
“Having the BT-50 also gives you great mobility to get to the locations of our jobs. You can easily drive off-road in the country, or park in an underground carpark in the city.” What are the best features? “The best feature would have to be compartments within the service body, designed particularly for the service technician,” says Navarro.
“The design still leaves you a lot of flexibility to further customise your set-up to suit your unique needs or taste, such as adding lighting, flooring, shelving compartments and so on.”
In the future, Navarro hopes to install an inverter to charge all his tool batteries while he is driving. He would also like to install more lighting and a bench vice.
ANDREW FIDLER
Business Owner – Tascool, Tasmania
Vehicle: RAM 1500 Modifications: Lift kit, all-terrain
tyres, ladder rack, electric roller top and slide-out bed tray
As owner-operator of Tascool, Andrew Fidler finds himself doing both service and installation work, so the fitout of his RAM 1500 needed to be versatile.
“I have the flexibility of opening up the roller cover to load up with large equipment if I don’t want to hook up a trailer,” Fidler says.
He says he likes that the electric bed roller hides his expensive gear out of sight, and helps keep thieves at bay. The bed tray can slide out its full length and hold up to 750kg – even when fully extended.
And he loves that the vehicle is unique, and stands out from the run-of-the-mill utes.
“I have had a few good chats on job sites about it (gotta keep those sparkies honest!),” he says. “It is also much more comfortable to drive than my old ute and I have a few remote clients that are a three- or fourhour drive away, so it makes life a little more enjoyable.”
How did the slide-out tray design come about? “It’s a commercial-strength model from the States,” he says. “I was tossing up putting a steel flat tray on the back with some standard toolboxes, but decided to try this instead.” Under the bed roller, Fidler can store four refrigerant bottles, two nitrogen bottles, tool bags and all the usual fridgie tool kit.
Importantly, the tray is also vented for safety.
If you could change something, what would it be? Fidler says he has a bull bar on the way that will feature a rack mounted for carrying full lengths of copper.
He’s also planning to swap the electric bed cover to a full cab canopy that will triple his usable space. To avoid the cost and shipping of US-made canopies, Fidler will source a locally made model. “There are a few Aussie guys producing them now,” he says, “so I plan to get one installed and change my fitout to a more upright configuration including some larger storage boxes, an inverter, a second battery, fridge and all the other good stuff to set up for touring – since none of us will be holidaying overseas anytime soon!”
ALAN LEE
Technician – Airmaster, Tasmania
Vehicle: Mitsubishi Triton GLS Premium Modifications: ARB Canopy and ladder racks
As one of a team of technicians servicing clients across Launceston and northern Tasmania, Airmaster technician Alan Lee completes a wide range of jobs each day. He drives a Triton with ARB canopy that provides good storage, safety and security.
What are the best features? Attending multiple sites every day, Lee loves that the central locking of his Triton will secure both the vehicle and canopy at once.
The fitout includes multipurpose storage draws that also double as a pull-out work bench.
“The multi-compartment and storage areas are easily accessible from all sides of the vehicle, which is also very handy,” Lee says.
Other key features include ventilation for safe storage of refrigerants and gases, LED interior lighting and a soft-open tailgate.
If you could change something, what would it be? “The current set-up works really well for me,” says Lee. “I wouldn’t change anything.”
www.regulatorautomation.com.au
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For all your HVAC product, design, installation and servicing needs: Call (02) 9804 6366 or visit: www.regulatorautomation.com.au
NATHAN WALLACE
Vehicle: Renault Trafic X82 (2016) Modifications: Full interior caddy racking
system and drawer, internal ladder racking, roof racks with single roller.
As owner-operator of MCR Solutions in Melbourne, Nathan Wallace completes a wide range of work.
“We do general breakdowns and service of all types of refrigeration systems (excluding ammonia and standard domestic refrigerators),” Wallace says. “And we focus on the medical, blood and scientific industries as well as commercial. “We also do the high-end domestic warranty work for Subzero Australia, so the fitout of the van is designed for refrigeration.”
Wallace describes his custom fitout as an “all-rounder”, and says it suits jobs from general maintenance to compressor and full air conditioning unit changes.
What are the best features? Gas bottle and nitrogen bottle storage is critical, and Wallace spent some time getting the set-up right, both for his work and safety.
He loves the “bits and pieces” removable drawers in the caddy fitout, and the internal ladder rack system. “One of the biggest issues with carrying smaller ladders internally is that they just get in the way of getting tools and parts in and out – no matter where they are placed,” says Wallace. Installed on the internal roof, the rack system keeps the ladder out of the way, safe and dry. He deliberately left the front of the van space clear for air conditioning units to be loaded into.
Do you have any hacks or tricks to share? “Have water with you,” says Wallace, adding that he loves the wash station he has as part of his van set-up.
“Being able to wash your hands and clean up between jobs is critical, especially during these trying COVID times.”
If you could change something, what would it be? Having miscalculated his needs at the time of the fitout, Wallace is keen to install a single bottle holder above the welding bottle cabinet.
