Aerocell question

[Twmaster]

My Astro is starting to give me more greif than I need and I recently saw an Aerocell van at a local Ford dealer. My biggest concern with this thing is the way the rear door opens. This *looks* weak. HAve any of you that run Aerocells had a problem with this?

Thanks,

--
Mike N

 

[teacel]

If I’m not mistaken they now are putting barn doors on them. I don’t know if they did away with the overhead door altogether yet or not!!!

Here it is!!!

http://www.unicell.com/images/srw_back2.jpg http://www.unicell.com/images/srw_equip2.jpg http://www.unicell.com/images/srw_equip1.jpg http://www.unicell.com/images/srw_back1.jpg

 

[Twmaster]

The truck I looked at was a 2003 left over with the lift up door. So my question remains.

--
Mike N

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I've had no personal experience with the aerocell but we do have one on the fleet and talking to him he's had no out of the ordinary problems.
The flip up back door has a stop pin that can be removed and reset so the door almost retracts completely to facilate fork trucks.
The barn doors worry me kinda as an errant forklift driver might miss the hole and being fibreglass well you know!

 

[teacel]

Last night I went to the dealer and checked out the overhead door, on the Aerocell for that was the only one they had on the lot. I was surprised to find that the door was so light. It opened and closed with ease. I was able to control it with using only one finger. I liked the way it raised completely out of the way of anything. I also like the opening and how square it is. If you look at the picture of the barn doors the opening looks more round, almost an invite for the fork driver to have something to hit. The barn door opening has much room and the cargo area itself is very roomy compared to my Chevy 3500 stock cargo van. I at this point decided when I replace the van this is the way to go.

 

[Twmaster]

Thanks Tony and OVM,

How did the hinges feel to you? I could not look inside the van because they could not find the keys at the Ford dealer I saw it at. I may take a ride ovver there Monday evening since it will be a short work day. I like the space the thing seems to have. The other van I was looking at is the GM 3500 single rear wheel with the kinda cargo box that I am seeing more and more at U-Haul shops. Small enough to keep you under log book rules but large enough to put loads of stuff inside. I still like the looks of the Aerocell better though.

--
Mike N

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Tony...I noticed the roundness but the square peg in round hole didn't occur to me till you pointed it out. But I do know the door will retract far enough to be out of the masts way on the FTruck.
Wouldn't it be prudent to have a heavier bumper or say a 8in wide like a step? This would keep that lift driver away from the fibreglass.
And watch the height! Our driver says he stands just over 9 feet with the satellite on. So he can't do some airport work and some hospitols cuz of the overhangs. Not that I'd mind that..*lol*
Btw TW Master how they treating you down there? at DX right?

 

[Twmaster]

>Btw TW Master how they treating you down there? at DX right?

Hiya OVM! I am doing ok for now. DX is treating me ok for now as well. I am doing a mail route every weekday. 4 stops, 109 miles from my door and back takes me 3-4 hours to do and I am done. Pays $669 per week. I also get some other work that pops up from the on demand group (stuff along my route) and I have been grossing ~1450 every two weeks.

Anyways, I hope you and yours are doing well. (At least I hope the border crossings aren't eating up your time too bad.)

--
Mike N

 

[OntarioVanMan]

TwMaster...20 hours a week and $$$ that much? Damn I want your job! I always wondered how much the guys over in the courier division where makin, I've done a couple of their runs when they breakdown or time off. I don't know whats worse downtown traffic or border crossings.
But I am starting to nose around into some dedicated runs. More so just how badly we've slashed the rates if you know what I mean.

 

[Twmaster]

OVM, Yes about 20 hours a week. However, (there is *always* a however) I am doing premium work. The regular on demand couriors make about what I make in 40+ hours. I have *earned* a spot at the top of the food chain here in our terminal because I am smart, reilable, courtious, customer service focused and have good equipment. It took me nearly a year to get into this route. To be honest if I had not been placed in this route I would have quit by now as the courior side of the house suffers from the same thing throughout the expedited/courior/rapid delivery world. And that is cheap rates in a tough economy.

So my words above are a cautionary note. If you want to supplement what you are doing now then I say go for it. If I was not buried in an $1800/mo mortgage I would have bought a new truck last year.

And a last word(s), I also run a full time business selling stuff on eBay. So I do indeed work full time plus.

As for traffic, I would rather be in downtown DC or Baltimore at rush hour than the hell I drive in on the DC beltway (I-495) between the hours of 4 PM and 6 PM. It's a miracle I am not too crazy.

--
Mike N

Undo others before they undo you.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

TW.. JuJu says she'd take the beltway anyday! She lived there 30 plus years before moving to The Great White North!!!
She says whats your pref? Key Bridge or the Baltimore Tunnel?

went to the dealer to-day killing time, they had a few 2004'sprinters there in different lengths. The one I really liked was a 2500 extended approx 14 feet from seat to rear door( rear door opening 50 1/2 inches)!! RGVW 9990 lb. Payload on factory setup 5000 lbs. Seems the Can. version is slightly dif. then its Amer. cousin. Still made by Benz and sent here. They even have a dually in a 3500 series payload 7000lb RGVW still 9990lb.BUT it's only 40in between the wells! Bad planning. Dealer said about EGR problem they had worked on it for 2004 and in any event should it get stuck as it is set for 2000rpm just unplug it!! it won't affect the running. After 9 years in Europe the average engine life was approx. 620,000 miles. 2004 get this even have a built in aux. heater which is programable heats your water and has a fan and doesn't require starting the engine so on cold mornings the engine is ready to go! It even blows into the drivers compartment! Can. asking price no less then 50G's no more then 55G's.

 

[Twmaster]

No not the Baltimore Beltway. the DC beltway (I-495) Pure hell it is. Sat at the Wilson bridge for amost 45 minutes this evening.

I dunno what is different about the CA Sprinter but they do offer a long wheelbase 2500 here. It has 13.5 feet of cargo deck length. Nice truck. I looked at one at Annapolis Frieghtshaker a few months ago. What I really liked about that super long van was that the rear doors can fold back along the sides of the body. Slick thing!

Also nice to see the aux heater offered now too.

--
Mike N

 

[OntarioVanMan]

TW, JuJu prefers the i-495! No accounting for preferences of course...haha

One other little draw back on the Sprinter the sliding side door only 40 inch opening I like to be able to slide a skid in thru the side especially if it's 2 different drops and I don't have to drag the 1st one along floor.

 

[Twmaster]

JuJu can *have* I495!

What I would like to know is when is a van manufacturer going to fill the need and make a unit with a side door big enough for a 4 foot pallet to load through.

As for the sprinter I am waiting like many here are to see just how well they hold up before I part with LARGE$$. Otherwisze I like the thing.

--
Mike N

 

[teacel]

That wait may not be all that long. I would say about 2 of very 3 sprinter owners I’ve talked to aren’t very happy about making the investment.

You know the manufactures are always going to spin things in their favor and always have a so called fix for every problem that’s accrued with them.

I honestly feel that van isn't built tough enough to withhold the day to day trashing of an expediter. Could you see putting 3K, 3.5K,4K, or even 5K on one of those vans everyday and running the hills and curves in WVA, PA, or any northeastern state.

I think the better way to go for the serious expediter would be to buy a Chevy or Ford cut-a-way and get a 24inch sleeper box added behind the cab, then the Aerocell box behind it. I think the cut-a-way comes in a 178inch wheel base. That would be just right. The driver would have about 36inches from the back of his seat to the back wall in the sleeper. Can even add an entry door into the rear box. Twmaster! you could even have a 48inch side door added to the Aerocell body for easy front loading. I think the GVW would stay about the same for the 2 boxes are built of resin or fiberglass. The cost of this would still be a few grand less than the cost of the sprinter. Ya!!! I know opinions are like as-sis everyone’s got one!!!!!

 

[Marty]

My only concern with the Aerocell would be if it could be registered as under 10,000 lbs. gvw. Otherwise your idea would be ideal.

 

[Weave]

I have seen a few of these Aerocell based small trucks done up for U-Haul and Ryder. They are lebeled on the sides "Under 10,000 GVWR" so I guess that answers the question.
-Weave-

 

[OntarioVanMan]

TW... My Dodge I can get a 48" pallet in as long as it's not too high.
I know cause I just did it again yesterday. I call it T-boning. The skids were about 1200lbs each and I don't like dragging them across the floor if I don't have too. The van has the barn doors on the sides. I don't care the the sliding door.

Tony.. I am leaning to agree with you about the Sprinter...am going to Aerocell dealer soon and going to check-out all available config's. Our one O/O that has one doesn't have the long wheel base and no bunk, BUT does carry one of them old style rollaway cots and straps it to the side. This gives him added space for a 3rd skid.

 

[Weave]

There are three major things I don't care for on the Sprinter. Again I'm not a van expediter, but if I were to consider one, these would be a factor.

1. The Sprinter engine is a small displacement car based diesel, out of the Mercedes E class cars.

2. The Sprinter has car style unitized body construction. That being the body is basically the frame. There is no separate truck based frame the body is mounted to. With this type of construction, any rust that accumulates underneath the vehicle body effects it's integrity.

3. The Sprinter seems to be priced more than that of the Ford or Chevy diesels, but the Ford/Chevy are based on heavy duty truck style construction, and do not use automotive type engines.

The Sprinter just seems to be in many aspects an oversized, overpriced, hopped-up Dodge Caravan with a Mercedes diesel.
It does not look to be something I would consider for an expedite van myself. I realize there are many expediters using Sprinters who like them, no offense to any of you

-Weave-

 

[Twmaster]

>TW... My Dodge I can get a 48" pallet in as long as it's not
>too high.
>I know cause I just did it again yesterday. I call it
>T-boning. The skids were about 1200lbs each and I don't like
>dragging them across the floor if I don't have too. The van
>has the barn doors on the sides. I don't care the the
>sliding door.

Thanks. That is good info. I was looking at a 2000 B3500 Maxi the other day. Big inside. I too dislike the sliding doors. What I also really like, speaking of doors, is the new left side doors on the full size GM vans.

--
Mike N