# New Van fitout



## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

Fuzzy dice first. Nothing else matters.


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## Drsparky14 (Oct 22, 2016)

Make sure to get a sliding weatherguard pakrat. I can’t even imagine life without one. Lol

Depending the length of the new van. If it’s not 10’ of cargo space then make sure the bulkhead is one with a cutout in the bottom so you can slide conduit straight in on the floor. 

Weatherguard makes a wire spook holder for 500’ thwn spools. Those are a must have! 

Also an interior 4/6’ ladder rack that holds one to the ceiling for quick removal. 

On the ladder rack, get a 10’ piece of schedule 40 6” conduit and a kit to put a bulkhead and an end cap on it. They come with a mount for the conduit too. Perfect for storing EMT. 


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## Drsparky14 (Oct 22, 2016)

But all of this only after you get the fuzzy dice! Because as previously noted. Nothing else matters. 


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## CTshockhazard (Aug 28, 2009)

MikeFL said:


> Fuzzy dice first. Nothing else matters.



:vs_laugh: 





Drsparky14 said:


> Also an interior 4/6’ ladder rack that holds one to the ceiling for quick removal.



Jet Rack, yes, I highly recommend the Jet Rack











https://jet-rack.com/


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

I'm not sure about the two you mention, but height would be my main interest.
So you can stand up in it and not have to bend over.
That would be the very most important feature. I hope he allows input on the vehicle as well as the trimmings.


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## Jmcstevenson (Sep 11, 2010)

Ok so I have the van in the shop getting fitted out. I went with;

Ranger brand metal shelving with bins on both sides
Ranger 5020 locking tool drawer
Ranger 1525-FS quick clamp ladder rack
And of course the jet rack ladder mount which was surprisingly affordable at $85 bucks. 
Weather guard conduit carrier

How do you guys store your benders in your vans? I had a bell end of 4” pvc in my last van I’d sleeve it in but someone out there must have a better idea. 


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Jmcstevenson said:


> Ok so I have the van in the shop getting fitted out. I went with;
> 
> Ranger brand metal shelving with bins on both sides
> Ranger 5020 locking tool drawer
> ...


I've stored benders stored 2 ways, I a piece of 4" pvc strapped to the shelving on the driver's rear side or bungee corded to the driver's side rear door with short pieces of capped 2" screwed to the bottom of the door to catch the handles.


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## Drsparky14 (Oct 22, 2016)

I lay my benders and sledge hammer inside of my pakrat drawer


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## Drsparky14 (Oct 22, 2016)

https://www.toolup.com/weatherguard...HjIeJOdG9KiWWMPZhsSukfQIEUMQFwsMaAmGSEALw_wcB


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I’ve had two of the jet racks, two different brands, but even with the tall sprinter, I’d bang my head on them. They perform as advertised, but I took them out for more headroom.


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## Signal1 (Feb 10, 2016)

@Jmcstevenson

Pics when it's done!


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## stuiec (Sep 25, 2010)

I went with the whole 'electrician package' from Ranger. I'm happy with all of it, though I think I might pass on the little wire rack if I were to do it again.


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## Jmcstevenson (Sep 11, 2010)

nrp3 said:


> I’ve had two of the jet racks, two different brands, but even with the tall sprinter, I’d bang my head on them. They perform as advertised, but I took them out for more headroom.


That's what I was worried about. I'm 6'3" so it can be tight already.. my apprentice is a 5'4" chinese girl so she'll be grabbing the material. 

I'm also gonna add two strips of led tape light in aluminum channel on each side or the roof. I might look at an inverter. 

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## Jmcstevenson (Sep 11, 2010)

stuiec said:


> I went with the whole 'electrician package' from Ranger. I'm happy with all of it, though I think I might pass on the little wire rack if I were to do it again.


That's what I wanted but at 8 grand the boss said to tone it down. 

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## CTshockhazard (Aug 28, 2009)

nrp3 said:


> I’ve had two of the jet racks, two different brands, but even with the tall sprinter, I’d bang my head on them. They perform as advertised, but I took them out for more headroom.



I hear you, but in my case, absolutely nothing would piss me off more than that loose 6 footer in the back of the van. :vs_mad:


I still have full headroom shelfside :smile:


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## CTshockhazard (Aug 28, 2009)

Jmcstevenson said:


> That's what I wanted but at 8 grand the boss said to tone it down.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk



Just getting the van, let alone outfitting it to the tune of 8k, should give you a pretty good indication about how they feel about you as an employee.


:thumbsup:


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## Jmcstevenson (Sep 11, 2010)

CTshockhazard said:


> I hear you, but in my case, absolutely nothing would piss me off more than that loose 6 footer in the back of the van. :vs_mad:
> 
> 
> I still have full headroom shelfside [emoji2]


I like the ladder being offset like that.

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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

I hate the steel shelving. I have letting the guys spend a day or two building them out of wood. Way quieter, stronger and just layed out better. Just my opinion. 

just don't forget the led lighting.


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

CTshockhazard said:


> I hear you, but in my case, absolutely nothing would piss me off more than that loose 6 footer in the back of the van. :vs_mad:
> 
> 
> I still have full headroom shelfside :smile:


That's a really good idea. I have my jet rack centered, but have to re-mount it since I used bolts and nuts to hold the strut to the channels above and they are pulling through the sheet metal. We bought the jet rack universal mounting plates that just showed up so I have to move mine anyway, and I think I'm gonna offset it.


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## stuiec (Sep 25, 2010)

Just watch your fingers with that tool drawer. Mine's in a Sierra and they mounted it close enough to the partition that, if you're not paying attention, you can pulverize your fingers between the drawer and the side door when opening.


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

sbrn33 said:


> I hate the steel shelving. I have letting the guys spend a day or two building them out of wood. Way quieter, stronger and just layed out better. Just my opinion.
> 
> just don't forget the led lighting.


I use to drive a van with steel shelving and driving down bumpy gravel roads, it was painfully loud. Every nut bolt connector would be banging around and amplified buy the spartan van interior. I would wear earplugs. Plastic or wood or an isolated service body is the way to go in rough country.


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

drsparky said:


> I use to drive a van with steel shelving and driving down bumpy gravel roads, it was painfully loud. Every nut bolt connector would be banging around and amplified buy the spartan van interior. I would wear earplugs. Plastic or wood or an isolated service body is the way to go in rough country.


I have metal adrian steel shelves and I lined each one with thick carpet padding. It makes a world of difference, but its still noisy as f*ck on washboard roads. I usually deal with that by cranking the tunes and having my windows down. I also insulated the van body before I put the shelving in to drop road noise a bit. I think that helped with interior rattling too.


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

I store my benders like this.



Edit::: see how well they stay in place when I roll the van..


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## Jmcstevenson (Sep 11, 2010)

Wirenuting said:


> I store my benders like this.
> 
> 
> 
> Edit::: see how well they stay in place when I roll the van..




I like that a lot. You don’t find they fall down when you’re driving?


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

Jmcstevenson said:


> I like that a lot. You don’t find they fall down when you’re driving?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I use Mini’s to hold them in place. 
The 2 bigger ones have a section of shallow strut on the bulkhead. 
I hate rattles and things falling,,, OCD..


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## Flyingsod (Jul 11, 2013)

Sorry I can’t post a pic as I don’t currently have this setup for my benders. I took appropriately sized emt to slide the handles in. I put the emt under each shelf. Imagine it as an extra cross brace for the shelf. Punched out holes on the side walls of the shelving unit. So when I opened the back door I could see the holes. I’d just slide the bender right into the emt. Closing the door locked em in. I liked this because that area that’s the bottom of one shelf and the top of the area for the shelf underneath is never used. It’s always just empty space so I found a way to make use of it. Added benefit is that they actually do function as cross braces keeping the shelf from sagging like all the metal ones do if you put any thing heavy on em. 


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

I only carry my 1/2 and 3/4 bender on the daily, but I have the foot hooked over the top of the shelving unit at the back door. They are held in place by 2 bungee cords. They don't rattle much and as long as I remember to put the bungees back on after I grab a bender then the other one doesn't fall and smack the back window.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Going_Commando said:


> I have metal adrian steel shelves and I lined each one with thick carpet padding. It makes a world of difference, but its still noisy as f*ck on washboard roads. I usually deal with that by cranking the tunes and having my windows down. I also insulated the van body before I put the shelving in to drop road noise a bit. I think that helped with interior rattling too.


I did the same with carpeting on the shelves, a little noise is far better than splinters in the fingers from your shelving.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I get the wooden home made thing, but I don't have the skills or the patience to build them. Its already enough a hassle to swap the interiors and stock from one van to another, then trying to design and build shelving at the same time. The rattles aren't too bad with my set up. What I do now with the six foot ladder is to stand it up and bungee the top to keep it in place.


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## MrsElectric (Aug 12, 2011)

How do you like the Ranger shelves? 
Am looking at their aluminum electrical package for a new Transit but wondering if they’re worth the price tag


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> I did the same with carpeting on the shelves, a little noise is far better than splinters in the fingers from your shelving.


I hope its some nice 1970s shag and matches the dashboard.


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

I have a mix of the metal shelving that came with my van when I bought it used. The other half I have custom built with wood to suit my needs. 

The van has almost 300k miles on it, so I am done experimenting with the shelving. My next van I will be building all my own shelving. I have it all pretty much mapped out for the shelving and boxes/bins that I will use.

Sorry for the sideways pictures... Can't figure out how to rotate them


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

Heres a few more...


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## Drsparky14 (Oct 22, 2016)

Switched said:


> Heres a few more...




I like your idea for the wire shelf. What type of bins are hose above the shelf? 


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

Drsparky14 said:


> I like your idea for the wire shelf. What type of bins are hose above the shelf?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


The clear ones with the white lids? Those are cheap $1 bins from HD.

The black and yellow ones are Dewalt totes... Which I would highly not recommend. I used to have the cheap HF ones, but "Upgraded" to the Dewalt units. They break very easily.


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## Drsparky14 (Oct 22, 2016)

Dang it, I thought they looked pretty nice. Sad to hear they are junk 


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

wildleg said:


> I hope its some nice 1970s shag and matches the dashboard.


LOL, no nothing so fancy!

It was a basic rubber backed marine grade carpet I got scraps of from a boat builder that was a customer.


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## Jmcstevenson (Sep 11, 2010)

Switched said:


> Heres a few more...


I can appreciate how organized your van is. I agree with you I feel like to really get the setup I want it would have to be custom wooden shelves. Couldn't cost more than the 8 grand my boss is spending now. 

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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

Jmcstevenson said:


> I can appreciate how organized your van is. I agree with you I feel like to really get the setup I want it would have to be custom wooden shelves. Couldn't cost more than the 8 grand my boss is spending now.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk


I bought some nice plywood, $35 bucks a sheet, some glue, screws, and imagination. Took all of an afternoon to do it. For about $80 and 4/5 hours of labor, it's a no brainer for me.

If I did construction instead of service, I wouldn't mind just getting some off the shelf components, as most tools and materials are just kept on a job site. With service, that van needs to be configured to maximize space, weight, efficiency, etc...

Look through the posts to see 220/221's pictures of his old company trucks... They could rewire anything at anytime without going to a SH. I imagine a lot of time, energy and money going into that to perfect it, but once it's dialed in you'll kill the competition with efficient work.


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