Automotive Stackable Container Height?

chefdennis · Jan 18, 2012

Congrats West...Keep us posted, id like to see pictures when as you go along if you don't mind. What floor are you putting in it?

Back to the containers...I put 6 48x48x34 auto plastic auto tubs in the Cargo Max...3 on the floor, 3 stacked...My load floor is 14 long, 50 between the wheelwells and 78 ceiling with a 72 back door opening....keep in mind that at times those bids will have lids that have 2" "nubs" on them, i have never had an issue with the shipper letting me take them off, but i am sure sooner or later it will come up...

As far as the rear tires, when the body builder went from the duals to the single, the went to a 17.5 load range F 3750 lb rear tire...i hate the road noise, but they are wearing like iron...

Keepin the body weight with the wind deflector to 1200 is nice...i am sure you have done your homework and all will be good...keep us posted...

westmicher · Jan 18, 2012

Thanks for getting back to my original question! I am very curious if there would be a benefit to going taller? My dispatch says that, although taller stackable containers would fit, they tend to go right to straight trucks beyond the "normal Sprinter" load, because they usually don't look for the exceptionally tall truck. Maybe I won't get too many 4 skid offers either for the same reason? Who knows but we are going to add it and see.

I'll take photos as we go and post them. The body builder is hoping we will be able to sell several of these units. We are going with the lightest construction possible that is still rugged enough to last. So the bottom of the frame will be covered with sheet aluminum, attached to the aluminum frame with user replacable plywood as the load floor. Insulation will fill the space between the floor members. There will be wheel boxes but they will be spaced well apart.

Even if we don't get many heavy or 4 skid loads (at a premium), the lightweight areodynamic construction will still yield good fuel mileage.

chefdennis · Jan 18, 2012

Going higher then whats needed for a 72 inch door opening probably wouldn't be of much benefit but you will be surprised what a good dispatch will find for you with that extra height and capacity...We have what dispatch list as a "small ST"...those are the 12,300 cubes, I get alot of their freight as weall as freight going into regular ST's, but then we all know how i run....

I think you will pickup more loads to help offset the added expense of building the bgger body..

Enjoy, and do keep us posted..

cableguymn · Jan 18, 2012

westmicher said:
No, that would be stupid.

While it might be stupid it seems to me your using the single wheel e350 cut away with a 10,050 gvw that according to Ford has a wheel base of 135" and a 92" cab. The next option is a 10,500 gvw with a 158" wheel base and 92" cab.

I am sure it can be done but it sounds like you are going to have to stretch the frame to get a usable bridge.

Don't get me wrong. I'd like to see this work. I am in the market for a new truck myself. Sometimes others can identify a problem that was not thought about before the problem hits you in the wallet.

Good luck

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scottm4211 · Jan 18, 2012

A short wheelbase box truck can be a miserable thing to drive. I own one.

cableguymn · Jan 18, 2012

scottm4211 said:
A short wheelbase box truck can be a miserable thing to drive. I own one.

Great in the city.. not so much on a bumpy road.

westmicher · Jan 18, 2012

The wheelbase is 176" converted from duals to single rear wheel with (as I said before) EXACTLY 10,000 GVW with a real FORD GVW sticker slapped on. No logs.

It will work.

cableguymn · Jan 18, 2012

westmicher said:
The wheelbase is 176" converted from duals to single rear wheel with (as I said before) EXACTLY 10,000 GVW with a real FORD GVW sticker slapped on. No logs.

It will work.

Got ya.

Musta missed that part.

Rocketman · Jan 18, 2012

westmicher said:
The wheelbase is 176" converted from duals to single rear wheel with (as I said before) EXACTLY 10,000 GVW with a real FORD GVW sticker slapped on. No logs.

It will work.

Glad you finally spelled it out...I don't think he thought you had it in ya..

btw... those are some real good specs. Personally I would probably stop at 16'4" or 16'6" and make the doors something like 74"-76" tall. That would give plenty of space for 4 skids and even if you wanted to put something like the roller floor in, you could still have 72" height ability. The main thing I would be concerned about as far as going taller would be if it hurts the mpg.

chefdennis · Jan 18, 2012

Rocketman wrote:

Personally I would probably stop at 16'4" or 16'6" and make the doors something like 74"-76" tall. That would give plenty of space for 4 skids and even if you wanted to put something like the roller floor in, you could still have 72" height ability. The main thing I would be concerned about as far as going taller would be if it hurts the mpg.

Done right, a roller system "IN" the floor can make life alot easier....

westmicher · Jan 19, 2012

Rocketman said:
Glad you finally spelled it out...I don't think he thought you had it in ya..

btw... those are some real good specs. Personally I would probably stop at 16'4" or 16'6" and make the doors something like 74"-76" tall. That would give plenty of space for 4 skids and even if you wanted to put something like the roller floor in, you could still have 72" height ability. The main thing I would be concerned about as far as going taller would be if it hurts the mpg.

I may stop @ 16'4" inside just to save a bit of weight, although the chassis is probably good out to 17'6" at least. I've looked for the right air dam and its tough to find one for the narrow box width I'm looking at, unless I want to tool one which is pricey. I'm building this one and, if there is other interest for a taller height, I will consider tooling for it. If all works out, I plan on selling this truck in the 10,000 (single) & 14,050 GVW (duals) to those interested.

Rocketman · Jan 19, 2012

westmicher said:
I may stop @ 16'4" inside just to save a bit of weight, although the chassis is probably good out to 17'6" at least. I've looked for the right air dam and its tough to find one for the narrow box width I'm looking at, unless I want to tool one which is pricey. I'm building this one and, if there is other interest for a taller height, I will consider tooling for it. If all works out, I plan on selling this truck in the 10,000 (single) & 14,050 GVW (duals) to those interested.

What will the inside width of the box itself be? I think the 54" width you referred to earlier would be between the wheel wells?

Spec'd well with the right dimensions and a light weight, this could be a great unit. I've always thought it to be possible.

westmicher · Jan 20, 2012

Yes, at least that much between the wheelwells. It could be more than that by switching to the regular E350 single wheels but I don't think it would garner any more loads to be 60" wide between the wheelwells. Our 3500 Sprinter is 59" wide (because we cut the wheelwells and put in a short raised floor) and, outside of handloads, it hasn't made a difference. Increased payload has been useful though.

I do plan on an aerodynamic tail tail that would also reduce the door opening to 54" wide. I don't think there's a benefit to having the door opening wider than the wheelwell clearance.

Rocketman · Jan 20, 2012

westmicher said:
Yes, at least that much between the wheelwells. It could be more than that by switching to the regular E350 single wheels but I don't think it would garner any more loads to be 60" wide between the wheelwells. Our 3500 Sprinter is 59" wide (because we cut the wheelwells and put in a short raised floor) and, outside of handloads, it hasn't made a difference. Increased payload has been useful though.

I do plan on an aerodynamic tail tail that would also reduce the door opening to 54" wide. I don't think there's a benefit to having the door opening wider than the wheelwell clearance.

Agreed. 52" skids should be the largest you encounter 95+% of the time. With any kind of tail you use...be sure to build a bumper that extends far enough to protect it from the lift drivers. The CargoMax has a bit of a "lip" on top of the box and a huge bumper extending back far enough to protect it.

This should be a nice setup. I'm anxious to see the finished product and the empty weight. Is the chasis going to be something special or just a stock run chasis? I guess the market is not big enough for it, but if they decided to lower the empty weight, you know that Ford and GM have engineers that could drop the empty weights of these chasis' dramatically, then with a box like this....