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Your Sprinter Sleeper

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tractorman70

Seasoned Expediter
Turtle said:
I do it all the time, regardless. I would normally not have any idea that they are having trouble moving the other skid. Normally, I show up and ID myself and tell them I'm there for a pickup going to wherever, and they hand me paperwork to sign and load the van. Normally I have no idea what they may be shipping out, other than what I'm there to pick up. But on those rare occasions that I notice something, I'll mention it and make the offer. Sometimes they place the second skid on my van, sometimes they don't for reasons of their own.

I once was picking up a single skid, a rather large box, and noticed another skid with a smaller box sitting right next to it with a label showing the same consignee. I made the offer, and they declined. Turns out, my skid contained 32 missile warhead body assemblies, everything except the "go-boom" explosives, and the second skid contained the actual "go-boom" parts. They said that not only do they not ship both of those containers on the same truck, they won't even ship them separately with the same carrier. :D
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Do you find that offering that might possibly generate repeat calls to haul for them?
 
Turtle

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
I don't know. More than anything, it lets them know that when they rent exclusive use of the truck, they rent the space and whatever they can squeeze into it, depending on weight, of course. Some shippers think it costs more to expedite 2 skids than it does for 1 skid. That's true for most trucking, and certainly rail and air, but it's generally not the case for expediting. If it gets more calls to haul for them, that's fine, but my carrier is likely to get the call, not me.
 
T

tractorman70

Seasoned Expediter
Turtle,

In your experience/opinion would you recommend starting out in this business in a sprinter or a cargo van?

I realize everyone has there preference, but if I remember correctly you had a ford first then went to the sprinter.

With that knowledge and if you could start over would you have gone sprinter from the start?

Thanks,

Tractorman70 :eek:
 
Turtle

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
No, if I were to start over again I wouldn't start out in a Sprinter. Think of the cargo van, like the Ford, as a "trial and error" vehicle. You live in there for a while and you'll be able to figure out what you want and don't want. Some of that is by being at the truck stops and seeing how other people did stuff, getting ideas about how you might alter or replicate it, but also by doing things in the van, then realizing you should have done it differently.

It's easier to make what amounts to a temporary mistake in a $5000 van, rather than to screw it up in a new Sprinter (or new Ford van, for that matter), and know you've got to live with it for a really long time.

One example, after living in the Ford for a while, I found myself using the sliding side door a lot to enter and exit the van, especially when my hands and arms were full of stuff, like a Subway footlong and a Big Gulp and a Chunky. It's easier to get into the van that way, rather than to have to deal with the steering wheel with your hands full. Sooo, I knew for sure that whatever I did with the Sprinter, the sliding door entry area would remain unencumbered by creature comforts.

I know two people who have the Sprinter sliding door blocked to entry and exit with living room or bedroom stuff. Both wish they'd done things differently. But at this point it's not practical to redo the entire deal. So, when they want to get into the Sprinter and get back to the living room/bedroom area, they're like Mercury astronauts squeezing into a capsule. If they'd started out with that kind of mistake in a, for lack of a better word, throwaway vehicle, they wouldn't have made the same mistake in a new Sprinter.

There are countless examples like that, and it's better to ferret them out in a van you know you won't be in for long time, rather than to pull the trigger on something you'll regret.

Also, as a side note that may be rather important, a Sprinter requires a commitment to operation and maintenance. There's a learning curve, and there will be surprises. It's better to deal with something like that after you've already got a handle on the business, rather than have to deal with expediting surprises and Sprinter surprises at the same time.


BTW, I've completely redone my battery bank, replacing the 12-volt POS Walmart batteries with higher end Trojan batteries (floor scrubber and aerial lift type batteries). I'll post some pics and info when I get dаmned good and ready.
 
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OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
tractorman70 said:
Turtle,

In your experience/opinion would you recommend starting out in this business in a sprinter or a cargo van?

I realize everyone has there preference, but if I remember correctly you had a ford first then went to the sprinter.

With that knowledge and if you could start over would you have gone sprinter from the start?

Thanks,

Tractorman70 :eek:
Click to expand...

I know you addressed Turtle....

I did my 1st 5 years in a Dodge 3/4T van...

This biz takes a certain personality...just to survive the first couple years, work ethic, tenacity and plain stubborness to succeed...the ability to learn, to absorb the information around you...watch, learn, listen...The ability to change direction when the biz takes a turn the other way...to be able to be flexible in your thinking and not be in a rut thinking mode....Just thinking you know everything could sink any plans...

The MAN in me, aka ego..would love to say yes, I could have made a go of it had I done a Sprinter first...but to be honest I just can't say either way....
 
T

tractorman70

Seasoned Expediter
Thanks Turtle and Ontario,

I know I am a ways out from this undertaking (have about 5 years till I hit my 20 year mark) But I like to learn as much as I can before getting into anything. The information you guys share is invaluable to someone like me and I thank you for it.

In the short amount of time I have been posting I have learned a lot, and still have much to learn. So thanks again gentlemen and thanks for bearing with all the "newbie" questions. I have been using the crap out of the search button too. :D

Tractorman70
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
No problem..just remember the learning curve always take a turn thru the wallet no matter how well you plan it...be prepared...How much of a turn is up to you...

Good Luck...Ken aka OVM
 
T

tractorman70

Seasoned Expediter
I read a story titled "My Million Mile Journey" this fella went a million miles in a 1999 chevy 3500 extended van, his motto was maintenance, maintenance, maintenance. The motor (350) lasted 900,000+. It was encouraging to read and informative as well. He was an expediter, and used Amsoil products in the engine, trans, rear end, and grease to lube everything else.

As my second career I'm not looking to become a millionaire but I'd like to be successful and find a company that would be willing to be flexible with home time. If I could make a van go like that it be really cool story for the grand kids.

Thanks again guys and give Turtle a break...:rolleyes:

Brian aka:Tractorman70
 
Turtle

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
I was going to say "when I get a chance," but that seemed a little boring, so I went the other way. It's kind of like...

Have a mediocre day! :)
 
Moot

Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Turtle said:
BTW, I've completely redone my battery bank, replacing the 12-volt POS Walmart batteries with higher end Trojan batteries (floor scrubber and aerial lift type batteries). I'll post some pics and info when I get dаmned good and ready.
Click to expand...

How many Trojans? 6 or 12 volt? Are you going to try that marine charger from Pro Charging Systems or stick with your current isolator?
 
Turtle

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
Moot said:
How many Trojans? 6 or 12 volt? Are you going to try that marine charger from Pro Charging Systems or stick with your current isolator?
Click to expand...
I kept the battery separator in place, for a couple of reasons. One, if the Dual Pro On-The-Run charger doesn't work out for some reason, it's a snap to go back to the previous setup.

Two, it was quicker and easier to leave it in place. When the engine is running the battery separator engages and sends charging current to the battery bank. In this case, it sends the charging current to the Dual Pro charger, same as if the separator wasn't even there, the charger doesn't know the difference.

The cable from the battery separator goes back to the house bank and connects to a Class-T fuse block, and then another cable from the fuse block to the main positive bus bar. I replaced that second cable with the Dual Pro charger, connecting it to the fuse block and then to the bus bar. So the alternator feeds the charger (via the fuse) and the charger charges the batteries.

The second cable that connected the fuse block to the bus bar, I'll carry that with me just in case the charger goes goofy, and I can then quickly go back to the way things were before. In the pictures above, it's the red battery cable on the far left side that goes from the fuse block and then up to the bus bar on the rear of the bunk. I simply replaced that segment with the charger.


The batteries are Trojan J305E-AC 6-volt batteries, 305 amp hours each.

As a comparison to the popular Trojan T-105 (Golf Cart) batteries, the J305's (Aerial Work Platform) are about 2 inches longer, about the same width, but about 4 inches taller. And 20 pounds heavier. The next step up from the J series would be the L16 series (Floor Scrubber) batteries.

T-105
Amp hours - 225
RC @ 25 Amp - 447 minutes
Weight - 62 lbs

J-305E
Amp hours - 305
RC @ 25 Amp - 645 minutes
Weight - 83 lbs


The four 6-volt batteries are connected in serial pairs, and then in parallel, for one large 12-volt battery bank with 610 amp hours capacity.

Golf cart and other Trojan distributors have these for around $250 a piece. Online you can find them at $220 (plus LTL shipping).

One place online is $185, where I got mine, Staab Battery, at the main location in Hazelwood, MO (St Louis), but they have locations in Springfield and Aurora, IL (will not have the J305's in stock at the other locations, but can get them in 2-3 days when the normal truck run from St Louis takes place). If you pick them up in person at the main Hazelwood location, they'll probably give you a decent price break. They certainly did for me. :D Even without a price break, they're the cheapest I know of. I got mine for $160 a pop, for four, with core exchange of course.

Staab Battery is a manufacturing shop buried back in an industrial area behind a steel pipe plant where they don't have many retail walk-ins (that's for sure). When you see the place, it looks like the results of, "I know a guy who knows a guy," kind of thing. They're a distributor and manufacturer of batteries, and they rebuild batteries there and do industrial deliveries. So it's a working place rather than a retail shop. But no overhead means a better deal, and the guys in the shop are pretty kewl.
 
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chefdennis

chefdennis

Veteran Expediter
I ran a 12 volt so called deep cycle battery from Wal-mart that lasted 6 months....I whiched to 2 Trojan T-145 6 volt golf cart batteries and haven't had an issue with the house bank in over 2 yrs and I am not looking to have any...they are a good battery and rater at 260 amp hrs....I charge them off the van alternator and a seperator.....
 
RedBird

RedBird

Veteran Expediter
Fleet Owner
I was surfering the net at work last night and googled cargo van sleepers and found a company in South Carolina who does interior modifications for sprinters. he has one for the expediter. Uses up alot of space and gives you plenty of room for a team operation and still enables the van to carry 2 skids. althought they say it could hold three skids???????
 
H

Hightech_Hobo

Expert Expediter
I also found Staab battery while I was in St. Louis. It is exactly as Turtle describes it. I also got a GREAT deal on Two 12v Deep Cycle batteries. One had a broken rope handle(brand new) and the other was brought back slightly used but check out good. Got both batteries for 128 bucks and have been very happy with their performance. Figured I could'nt go wrong at that price and that has turned out to be the case thus far.

I would Highly reccomend these guys...they know their stuff and are more than fair with their pricing.
 
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