I have a Chevy silverado ext cab with trac rac system but its not working out I'm not 100% sold on cap because I don't want to loose the flex of open bed. And I don't want another truck payment. What type of rigs/setups are you guys using

me, personally: ford f150 with rack & bed toolbox.

shop trucks are full sized chevy single cab pickups with toolbeds and racks

I use a Suburban. I can't load tall stuff in, but I load long stuff in on an angle just like a pickup bed.

What sort of the stuff do you need the open bed for?

I have a contractor cap on a 4x4 1500 06 chevy. I have a 6x12 trailer for those times I need to haul tall stuff.

I sent some pictures of my old rack to your e-mail address. They are of a rack that I built for my first truck. I've been thinking of going back to something similar. My son drives it to school now.
He's a freshman in high school and complains that he's the only kid in the parking lot with a ladder rack on his vehicle

[This message has been edited by Helectric (edited 12-16-2006).]

All my work trucks are vans. I couldn't imagine doing electrical work out of a pick-up, but I guess it depends on what type of work you do.

I worked out of a van for several years before switching to a truck/cap setup. I wouldn't want to go back to a van. I do custom residential, commercial and industrial new construction and some service work.

For those working out of pick-up's, do you keep much material in it? I don't know how you'd organize it. If the type of work you do means material is almost always on site, I get it.

I have a cutaway van with a hi top utility box. Other than the gas mileage, it makes my job pretty easy, with plenty of backup stock to avoid parts runs and a large array of tools to make the job easier. I probably actually use less gas than if I had to run for supplies all the time.

check out this thread... www.mikeholt.com/cgi-bin/codeforum/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=11;t=008251;p=

ps mine is on page 14

[This message has been edited by BigB (edited 12-17-2006).]

[This message has been edited by BigB (edited 12-17-2006).]

Pick-up w/contractor cap from ARE is what I have. Tools on the driver side, fittings, connectors, breakers, etc on the passenger side, 7 drawer Craftsman tool chest, 3 drawer hardware chest, wire spool rack, large power tools, K-O set, ext cords in the rool-out floor drawer, benders shovel, spade hang on the inside along with Gorilla ladder. Still plenty of room in the back for transporting materials to a resi job. Ladder rack on top with 6" pipe carrier that holds 100' of 1/2" EMT and 100' of 3/4" EMT. 32' ext ladder on the rack too. If I need to haul large quantities of materials or large size equipment I use the 6x12 trailer. I did the same when I worked out of a 1 ton extended van. With the truck set-up I don't have to crawl on my knees to get stuff out.

The only time I hated working out of a pick up was when it was raining. The van offers shelter while your in there getting stock of putting it away.
I think a canteen truck with the 3 doors that flip up and offer some coverage from the rain would make a great sparky truck.

The wall that separates the driver from the rear of my van has a door in it. Can access the back of the van without getting rained or snowed on http://www.adriansteel.com/vbaseplus.htm

Some pretty sweet shelving too!

How long do you keep your trucks ? Take it from a long time Chevey driver about 85,000 miles the in tank fuel pump is going to be replaced and in a pickup the best way to change a fuel pump is to slide the bed back.My 96 had 3 replacement fuel pumps.The factory pump lasted 87,000 and the other 3 were put on between 87,000 and 109,000.Knowing that and after spending hours unloading the pickup I would think looooooooong and haaaaaaaard about working out of a pickup/toper setup

Maybe you should cut an access panel for easy fuel pump changeouts!

We used to cut a hole in the firewall to get to those freezeplugs on the back of the head, then just patch it up.