A cooler running TM

[FastEddie]

Lately I've been obsessed with cooling down my TM. I have a large high performance 12v radiator fan mounted behind my TM towards the top. It helps cool down my engine and components by exhausting hot air out, while my engine's radiator fan draws fresh air in, creating excellent air circulation. It works great.


Has anyone installed an oil cooler? Any noticeble difference?

I plan on installing one and also a water injection system for my blower to keep it running cooler while allowing a higher lift setting, 17HG+

Our machines are workhorses, to keeping them running cooler is the way to go.

 

[Dolly Llama]

"Has anyone installed an oil cooler? "

Powermatics have an effective and simple oil cooler, Speedy Edro.

The PM has an external oil filter mounted on the TM frame.
The plumbing from motor to oil filter runs through a copper coil in the fresh water box.

Simple, effective and reliable.

Depending on how your Liquifouler is set up, it might be an easy mod for a guy like you


..L.T.A.

 

[hogjowl]

Keeping slide-ins cool is a big deal. Heat kills them. Down here in 100 degree south Alabama, things melt in the back of my van while the rig is running. That is just ONE reason why I am leaning towards a direct drive rig with my next purchase.

Maybe ...

 

[Dolly Llama]

Curious, Marty
How long do you generally keep a van before it get replaced?

I've never owned a direct drive, and some say the heat isn't an issue.
Just seems a van running for hours, going nowhere on a hot drive can't be good for engine compartment components.

Maybe I'm all wet, but vehicles aren't made to sit running for hours in heat


..L.T.A.

 

[hogjowl]

I kept my first one a little over a year. It was a Prochem POS. I kept my second one 12 or 13 years ... I've lost count. The one I have now is a little under 2 years. It's in good condition and will probably last as long as the other TCS unit I had ... around 13 years.

But, I'm going to sell it soon and get a Butler, I think.

 

[The Preacher]

i plan on putting a roof vent in my van above the TM this summer if i keep it!!!

i like the shower rod idea i saw Fon do for his van doors to keep em from shutting if a burst of wind hit em!

 

[Jimmy L]

Super hot days you leave the hood propped open and the heater and fan blowing for ptos.

 

[Jim Bethel]

Eddie & Marty,

I couldn't agree with you more. HEAT KILLS TRUCKMOUNTS. We walk away from some deals because some customers which to purchase large machines and fit them into vehicles that plain and simply DO NOT have enough cubic volume of air to keep the machine running with a constant supply of fresh air.

Over here in Australia, we have to be extremely vigilant with heat built up. We highly recommend to all of our customers that we install roof vents for them also whilst we are fitting their new machinery for them. We do a bit of customization to facilitate this. However when we are finished, we can keep even the largest of truckmounts running consistently without overheating issues.

For instance, this Genesis 59 we installed into an large Iveco van, is able to be operated as per normal, or if need be, can be operated like a PTO/CDS setup, and can operate completely locked up with all the doors closed and locked.

You will notice a custom vent on the side door, and also the automatic roof vent. The roof vent is thermo controlled to open up after a preset temp is reached inside the truckmount bay. Also, if it starts raining, the roof vent automatically closes.

In both the photo above and below, we have ducted the hoses thru the rear door, for the hoses he wishes to run as 'live' setups, or he can unhook them and attach them underneath the van as we have extended the vacuum and solution ports to the rear of the vehicle.

As you would have noticed by the company name on the side of the van, this customer doesn't do any carpet cleaning. He is hard surface cleaning only. So unlike carpet cleaning, where he would be running the Genesis at low RPM's, he is consistently running this machine fully locked up at very high rev's, with no issues. And our temps are similar to what you get down in Alabama. This customer is operating daily between the 100 -100 deg F temp range.

Jim

 

[The Asian Sensation]

SweeEet lookin ride. I bet that truck get plenty of attention.

 

[Jack May]

SAD real SAD!!! Jim can't even stay away from the boards when he's on annual leave

"This customer is operating daily between the 100 -100 deg F temp range. "....................Pretty narrow range isn't in Jim?

Nice set up though.

FOr those of you that don't know the Bethels, (Gary and Jim along with David Jones) they are the PowerClean (really?) agents for Australia. They do some of the best and neatest fitouts that you'll EVER see.

They are top shelf when it comes to customer service and support.

John

 

[Dolly Llama]

"They are top shelf when it comes to customer service and support. "

Looks like they put together a dandy fine outfit too!

..............................................................................................

You know, I hear lots of peeps have problems with heat issues.

I never have. I think it has much to do with where I prefer to mount my TM.

Mine is mounted in the rear.
Yes I loose some quality floor space, but both sides have plenty air space.

another killer on side-ins IMHO, is vibration


..L.T.A.

 

[Greenie]

If that side door had a fan mounted on the inside it would blow air towards the radiator when closed/turned on, that would surely help in addition to all the good ideas already present.

Nice rig!

 

[Jack May]

Hey Larry,

If you get MERCEDES then you can open BOTH sliding doors and still mount mid vehicle and have awesome ventilation

Also, I'd rather drive a vehicle with a mid mounted TM than a tail mounted TM anyday thanks.

I love the handling and stability of the Mercedes combined with min mounted TM's.

John

 

[Greenie]

in the old 99' extended chevy, the unit was rear mounted over the axle, and the hose reel was next to it, pretty sweet set up as the back of the van wasn't easy to "work" out of, and it left everything forward wide open for side door access, that van had a lot of space, an extended has it's advantages, turning radius wasn't one, but ride quality was! And it fit through a McDs drive thru.

 

[Guest]

Greenie,


Every day I close my eyes...or when I'm driving in the dark...it makes me think that I'm drive a new style Suburban. Then I open my eyes...or see it in the light...damn, I woke up and its a damn Carpet van!



Chad

 

[Jim Bethel]

Thanks for the kind words. Oh and the temp is 100-110 deg F. It is quite warm over here now.

Don't worry Johnno, I am back from Fiji now so the annual leave is over :?

Greenie, there is a fair bit of work that goes on behind that door the enables the Gen 59 to operate all locked up like that. 8) And for vans where we install the machine and hose reel out the back end, we make the hose removable, so that when you want to get in and service the TM, you can simply uninstall the hose reel in a minute, then you have alot of spare room to service things.

Talking about vans with twin sliding doors, do many of vans in the States have dual sliding doors?

Jim

 

[Mikey P]

New GMs offer two doors.



I have not seen one used by a cleaner here.


Most Soccer mom vans do.

 

[Shane T]

This is my 2003 3500 GMC with doors on both sides. They're not sliding but I love how easy it is to get this in and out. I have a rear mount and can reach anything I need without climbing in. On hot summer days you get plenty of ventilation.

 

[Jim Bethel]

Nice van Shane.

Having doors on both sides (sliding or barn style) are a great idea, nice and practical.

We only have two or three vans in Australia that have door on both sides, due to safety regulations (or so they say!) Most of them, like Mikey says are driven by soccer mums.

I will try and find some photo's of a van that I sold last week to a cleaner a few states away.

Jim

 

[Jim Bethel]

Here is the photo's I was talking about above with doors on both sides. When you mid mount your TM, it makes washing the waste tank out extremely easy as it mount directly behind the machine. You don't have to climb over anything to get to it. You can stand on the ground and reach right into the tank. And setting a machine up like this allows for great airflow, and everything is quite open and easy to service.

This is the largest van we have in Oz, before you upgrade to the larger Iveco, Ford, Mercedes vans (like picture a few replies above) and it has a bit of head room to utilize. So we made a suspended floor so the hose reel goes closer to the roof, and then it gives us the ability to put these drawers underneath the now raised floor to carry all the odds and ends.

With the drawers closed. You can also see some ramps affixed to the side of the stainless steel chemical shelf. Down the bottom right hand side you can see we have extended the vacuum and solution hook ups and ran it under the floor.

In the photo immediately above and below, we can carry 2 air movers on the right hand side in front of the chem shelf, and another 2 in front of the stainless steel vac hose reel.

And this is what the ramps are for. Either for wheeling up a dehum, Cimex, portable or whatever without busting your back.

Jim

 

[FastEddie]

Sweet set-up! That's what I'm talking about. I really dig the huge hatchback and that interior is tricked out.

 

[GRHeacock]

What a beautiful setup!!

Very nice, Jim!!

Gary

 

[royalblue]

The van is the latest model Toyota Hiace SLWB (super long wheel base).

One of the more popular tradesman's workhorses in Australia. This model comes standard with sliding doors on each side.


Ash.

 

[John Watson]

Is there a reason the photo's of Jim Bethel's van just show as X's on my screen??? Love to see what they are oooing and awing about..

 

[Jim Bethel]

Sorry mate.

Our forum board over here works a little bit different. After I uploaded the photo's to Photobucket and then onto the Mikey's Board, I went and deleted them from Photobucket.

Bad move! I will go in right now and reload them all. Let me know what you reckon John.

Jim

 

[John Watson]

Hey Mate, All I can say is Sweeeeeeet, What a great idea of the raised deck for extra storage and all. I am not sure if they import that model Toyota into the US. I have seen a few of the shorter passenger type vans like this though. You had me going till I saw the last photo, I was thinking and about to comment to you, Gee I have never seen rear doors swing so completely out of the way before on this type of van. I was thinking it was a down under thing like Utes and all.. Again thanks for fixing it so I could take a gander at it. Very nice indeed.

 

[FastEddie]

Hey Jim,

How 'bout some shots of the van from a distance?

 

[Greenie]

Those reels are screamin' out to be electric.

 

[Jim Bethel]

Hey Jim,

How 'bout some shots of the van from a distance?

No probs.

This first photo is of the Super Long Wheel Base Hi-Ace, like is decked out in the photo's above.

But the smaller van of to the left in the background of this photo is the most popular carpet cleaning van we have in Australia. I would say upwards of 85% of cleaners over here have a standard length Hi-Ace like this one.

No overly big compared to the vans or extended vans you guys have over your way. That is why we are so neat with our installs (in my humble opinion ) Because we have such limited room normally in our vans, to carry everything that is needed for tile and grout cleaning, we have to really think our installs out to be able to make room effectively.

We carry that same philosophy through to the bigger rigs when we are asked to deck them out also, even though we have a lot more room to play with. We would love to deck out a Vortex sized truck out one day.....

However, you really need to get vehicles that you guys can stand up inside. That is why we prefer the larger Iveco/Mercecdes sized vans. At least we can walk up inside them. That, or build a smaller pantec/body on the back of your UD trucks. We can do a lot over here with a smaller truck and smaller pantec configuration.

Jim

 

[Jim Bethel]

Those reels are screamin' out to be electric.

Once you have electric, you will never go back....!

I agree Greenie, electric reels are nice, but at the end of the day it still comes down to customers preference. We make it known that we have the ability to set up their reels electric for them, but some guys don't like them.

When we have a customer that does listen to what we say, well......

Electric all the way!

Electric fresh water feed, electric vacuum and electric solution - and all stainless steel as well no less. 8)

And for the larger runs of vacuum hose, we can adjust the rate of speed the motor winds the hose on, so it is not struggling slow when you have out 300ft of hose, and then screaming fast when you only have 20ft left to come back in. You can change the speed whilst on the fly, so it is more manageable.

Jim