ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area service van

Jps1006, i hear you about the bumps spilling stuff. my wiggins got bumped around one day and was reading continuity on something...after about 5 minutes i had to pull over.

At All costs buy a metal divider. from americian van
or who ever. with or without a door.
I was in a bad crash once and remember watching a tool box fly by my head and blowing out the windsheild
after that i never drove another without at least a partial one in back of the driver seat

Wieght is a big factor. If you have a van with not enough weight for the suspension it will ride hard and it wil feel like you crashing into every bump in the road. If it's too light load it down with more weight and it will ride much smother. When it rides smoother there are less bumps to make noise.

Also check your tire pressure. Some auto manufactures put way too much pressure in the tires. I can't say if it is to help the new tire seat, to compensate if it does have a slow leak, or a tempiture thing. The dealer should have checked that with a new vehicle inspection but you never know. It should say in the door jamb recomended tire pressure. If you go on the lower side of those numbers it will ride smother.

Tom

I just got a new van for work about four months ago, Ford E350 with metal divider and plastic shelves. They have the normal metal sides but plastic shelves with two aluminum bars under them for strength, they are speced at 200 lbs per shelf. There is almost no rattle from them and now I can finally keep the radio at a normal level. It also helps if you have to make a phone call from the road, don't have to deal with all the background noise asking people to repeat themselves. Not sure who makes them but they came from the dealer with the truck.

When I am ready for a new van I was thinking of having the inside sprayed with the bed liner spray they use on pick up beds.