BigBearTruck Remodel Pics Mikey Requested

[Billy]

Mikey here are a few random Pics we took at different times while remodeling. It is too cold to take current pics or video which I will work on when it warms up since we have tweaked & finished it after using the setup. This is our Forth complete Makeover & as I said for us it has been the best so far as well as the most expensive. We wanted everything to have its own spot & the most used items had to be easily accessible. We also wanted everything to stay in place even on rough roads.

While we had everything out we also added Ceiling Insulation which has dramaticily helped with our wither heating bill.

I haven't found the pics of new rerouted exhaust.


This is a full Rear view of new setup.

This view was more about getting a pic of our new Motion Activated LEDs.

After New Uni-strut Rack System Installed.

Drivers Side with New Frostless Fridge, Stainless Shelf for Printer etc.....

Mainly showing new 8 gallon Shelf added to Water Tank.

New UnderBed Box Loaded with Camo Blankets.

New UnderBed Box Loaded with 6 x Dri-Pods & 11 x 28" Collapsible Led Cones.

I may ad a few more later.


End

 

[Desk Jockey]

Nice Billy! Well organized and very spacious!

 

[Doug Cox]

How many hours do you have on the AT so far?

 

[Billy]

Thanks it all came together well IMO.

We actually took everything out accept for main equipment & anything that wasn't changing locations.

The LEDs are motion activated which I really like. They also are very bright for those times when they are needed. Our goal was to have lots of open space but still have everything we wanted on the truck. The Underbed Boxes were custom made for maximum use of space available.

One of the biggest not so noticeable changes was changing almost every hose out to stainless braid which has dramatically changed maintenance.

 

[Billy]

How many hours do you have on the AT so far?

I knew it was only a matter of time before someone asked that LOL.

 

[RDS]

Billy Awesome truck!!!!!
Where did you get that white ring that goes around your RX20? and how does it work?

 

[Billy]

Billy Awesome truck!!!!!
Where did you get that white ring that goes around your RX20? and how does it work?

That came from Greenie & I believe he called it the Gorilla Guard.

It is free floating & has a few benefits IMO.


It Helps IMO:
1. protect someone from getting their foot under it.
2. protect Furniture, Baseboards, Hard Surfaces etc from accidental damage from the spinning feet.
3. retain heat from the jets to carpet.
4. protect surroundings from over-spray etc from under RX-20.
5. protect cords (Cable, Ethernet etc.....) & hoses from being pulled in & damaged although you must be-careful because it is possible to still jump over cords.


Oh & it also just looks cool IMO

Here is a pic of it in action with one of our longtime client

 

[RDS]

Anyone sell them now?

 

[Billy]

Anyone sell them now?

Not sure but I would think if anyone has them it would be Lisa with Greenglides

 

[Billy]

A few pics of other changes:

Old WornOut Hoses that still looked fine on outside:

Same Hoses before Removal:

Brand New Stainless Braid with Heat Wrap Installed, No more Rusty steel corrosion:

Old Water Inlet which I really should have addressed long ago but didn't due to not causing issues since hooked up live to Softener permanently:

After:

Was so tired of original Manifold Valves so it was time for new improved ones. Seemed easy enough but plumbing wasn't quite the same so not so easy after all:

After, Also shows some more new Stainless Hose:

Our New Small First Aid Kit:

End

 

[mirf]

Very Nice

 

[AshleyMckendree]

Is your XT Heat exchanger square? it looks square in the pictures

 

[ruff]

Is a freaking ballroom dance hall!

What's your signature move Billy?

 

[Billy]

Is your XT Heat exchanger square? it looks square in the pictures

Actually it looks square but it is actually 4 round tubes.


Exchanger pulled out

Exchanger Exhaust End View

Exchanger Cleaned Ready for New Blanket

Exchanger with New Blanket

End

 

[Billy]

Is a freaking ballroom dance hall!

What's your signature move Billy?

I actually can't Dance at all LOL But luckily I am pretty good with a Wrench & the wife can dance for the both of us.

Although she says I dance on skates just fine.

 

[Cleantechsk]

how many hours were on the machine when you cleaned yours out? I am thinking I should be doing that soon....

thanks!

 

[ruff]

Nice looking rig Billy.
Looks like you got anything you may need at hand and nicely organized. All ready for high efficiency production + a very professional image.

You got a great system there.

 

[Billy]

how many hours were on the machine when you cleaned yours out? I am thinking I should be doing that soon....

thanks!

Around 1400 hrs & I plan on cleaning once a year now because my heat is now like when it was new, I couldn't believe the difference.

 

[Billy]

Nice looking rig Billy.
Looks like you got anything you may need at hand and nicely organized. All ready for high efficiency production + a very professional image.

You got a great system there.

Thanks, I finally am truly satisfied with the layout of the truck. It really works well in use also & it is very easy to tell if something has been left behind with everything having a spot.

We organized it based on our normally used items being easy to access. I really don't have any issue with getting in & out of the box like some talk about. You wouldn't believe how crowded it was before. we really had no floor space with all the blankets, Dri-Pods, wood Machine etc...

It also was a goal to have very little on the floor for better winter freeze protection. Also really was tired of stuff falling if we hit a speed bump, rough road etc....

Most important was easy to work out of beginning to end though which is why we have changed it so many times.

Of course AeroTech came thru with some really nice modular accessories although I purchased more than I actually needed including the really nice wand holders that just didn't work out for us. We ended up using allot of the Husky Hang-Alls in all three sizes.

We also have stated changing all bulbs to LEDs.

Oh & I don't have any pics but we added a few smaller shelves beside the water tank on the front wall that are perfect for smaller items. Audra found some nice containers that fit & will hold small parts.

It has been cold & I also have many home projects so I plan on finishing touches when I have time.

 

[Jim Martin]

the new water inlet.......do you have to spin the hose to connect and fill the tank....???

 

[D Rice]

Good eye Jim. you always notice the small details.

 

[Jim Martin]

that's what I use to get paid to do.....but...you don't make to many friends pointing things out that may either help someone or....save a piece of equipment...most take things to serious.......

Hicks has got a nice rig...well laid out and organized.......I can see a few things that I would be totally concerned about....

I ask about the hose fitting because I like it and was wondering if there was another piece to it....

 

[Billy]

the new water inlet.......do you have to spin the hose to connect and fill the tank....???

No, it is a Parker heavy duty 3/4" swivel threaded but it is rarely disconnected due to being directly hooked to the water softener & then the live water inlet reel.

I almost used a quick connect but decide it wasn't necessary for usage.

I do like a easy way to disconnect though just in case something happens to require it.



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[ruff]

Most important was easy to work out of beginning to end though which is why we have changed it so many times.

I can't tell you how comforting it is to know that other people take time to figure things out too.
I can put something in the van a certain way for practically ages, and one day all of a sudden figure out that it can be done another way much better.

What was I thinking?

 

[Billy]

that's what I use to get paid to do.....but...you don't make to many friends pointing things out that may either help someone or....save a piece of equipment...most take things to serious.......

Hicks has got a nice rig...well laid out and organized.......I can see a few things that I would be totally concerned about....

I ask about the hose fitting because I like it and was wondering if there was another piece to it....

It is directly connected to a stainless ninety degree attached to short hose going to outlet side of softener.

It isn't anything fancy or special, just works better than previous leaky valve.

I also have a new float for tank I hope works for auto fill since Aerotech never was able to fix the original one.

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[Doug Cox]

What year is your truck and did it make any difference, positive or negative, changing your name.

 

[Billy]

I can't tell you how comforting it is to know that other people take time to figure things out too.
I can put a something in the van a certain way for practically ages, and one day all of a sudden figure out that it can be done another way much better.

What was I thinking?

That is why mine is always changing, I am always thinking & adjusting for our changing business model.

I also changed my old van out quite a few times also. I even had to have a special shaped water tank made twice for it because I wanted a certain layout.

I have always first looked for existing accessories but if all else fails I design & make or have made what I invission.

I had to have the underbed boxes custom made because standard sizes I found didn't take up space. I also preferred smooth finish for easier cleaning.

My ideas wouldn't work for all because they are based on the way we use the truck. I really don't believe any truck is truly finished or at least not mine.


As for planning & rethinking I do that on everything I do which really slows progress. I started our kitchen remodel last year which took around 4 months to finish. Because I kept rethinking the layout mostly. Audra loves her new kitchen now if I could just get the trim & finishing touches completed.

Anytime I try to hire someone to do a project for me I usually end up fixing it the way I really wanted it done. I am not easily satisfied.

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[Jim Martin]

3/4 swivel thread. What is that. Never heard of one. Do you have a link .....?...so you don't fill your fresh tank from there

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[Billy]

3/4 swivel thread. What is that. Never heard of one. Do you have a link .....?...so you don't fill your fresh tank from there

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I believe that is the correct terminology I remember my hose guy uses but I may be incorrect.

To be more specific I believe it is a 3/4" FGH x 3/4" FPT swivel.


I can fill from there but no I don't because my tank is directly connected to water softener which is connected to a Live hose reel with around 150' of heavy duty garden hose.

Sorry my text communication skills have never been very good & fighting spell check is sometimes a real pain.

Edit is a must have lol

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[Billy]

What year is your truck and did it make any difference, positive or negative, changing your name.

It is a 2007.

As for name change we started over 20 yrs ago as final phase construction Cleaners while still working full time jobs. Very shortly after we added janitorial & then carpet etc..... Etc......

Being so young in business we chose to use our name which was a big mistake IMO looking back.

Fast forward we decided to update our image & name in stages so as not to lose touch with existing clients which many still call us Hicks Carpet Care .

We are in final phase now getting ready for new uniforms & truck vinyl which we decided to postpone because they were just too new to replace.

Positives are plenty clients loved new name & were very receptive. We have a few long time clients that still call us Hicks but we kept the Web site so no big deal.

Believe it or not due to logo being so similar for old & new some people don't even notice truck or uniforms are different.

The only real negative with our implementation of completely new name is cost of changing all marketing materials, truck, uniforms, account changes etc... Because we phased it in slowly it really was fairly easy.

Also less resistance to our higher pricing model with new name.

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