Installing my machine next week. Input needed.

[daniel@procarpet]

I am installing my Everest next week. I applied Herculiner to the floor and bought a rubber mat to go over the Herculiner to make cleaning the van out easy. I have a 99 Chevy Express 3500 regular wheel base and have been thinking of different ways to set ii up for a while now. I was thinking of mounting the freshwater tank which is a 60 gallon prochem designed to fit over the wheel right behind the seats parallel to them. Do you think I will have enough room and have you seen this done?

 

[Mr.V]

I have my doubts about you having the room to do that,,,,pretty big machine

you will have to have some kind of a bracket where the wheel well would be cuz normally it actually bolts onto the wheel well for strength..

puzzled as to why such a small tank for such a large machine

 

[Chris Sheldon]

I agree; put the tank over the wheel-well were it was designed to go. Believe it or not, even in a standard wheel base van you will have enough room to mount the tank over the wheel well. Most of my customers have me mount the water tank on the same side as the waste tank because they dump the tank at each job or use the APO, so the weight distribution isn't a huge factor. If you mount it on the passengers side you should have enough room to mount your demand pump assembly at the rear of the van. If you mount the tank on the drivers side behind the waste tank you will probably have to mount the demand pump assly. next to the machine somewhere, taking up floor space.

Options...options! Are you mounting it yourself or having it done?

The problem with mounting the tank as you propose is that at least half (?) of the front panel would end up where you wouldn't have easy access to it.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

I am having it done by my supplier. I will figure it out. I just want enough space to fit a couple blowers every now and then. It sucks having a regular size van, but it is paid for as well as the Everest and beats the hell out of a 1200 per month truckmount payment. I may use the water tank that fits between the seats, but then I will have an extra freshwater tank. I will post some pics when it is installed.

 

[wilpath]

what size battery would you use?? cold cramping amps etc

 

[Chris Sheldon]

Please post pics when it is finished!

 

[Greenie]

Wilpath, I sent ya a PM ages ago, check em'

 

[Sticky]

I too would mount the water tank over the drivers side wheel well. I'd mount my chemical shelf over the passenger side wheel. Then I'd have the everest come out the side door but up as close as you can get it to the front seats without being uncomfortable. (make sure you atleast set your seat where you like it)Then get a thin electric hose reel(or reg.) and come out the side door right next to everest. Then you will have a bunch of room in the back to fit whatever you may need.
It will give you the most room in a reg. wheel base van.
Taking out the front seats is only 4 bolts. Taking the hose reel off is only 4 bolts. Moving a waste tank is a PITA (electrical, hoses, etc.)

Hope that helps...

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Water tank problem solved. I decided to go with the one that fits between the seats. Now I can have a chemical shelf where the tank would have gone.

 

[Chris Sheldon]

Nice!

 

[R W]

My biggest piece of advice I would give??.........FIX ALL LEAKS when they occur. Don't put them off till......hmmmm...next week? That turns into next month, next year........

 

[daniel@procarpet]

When you say leaks are you talking about leaky quick connects because I would hope any smart person would fix a leax on their truckmount. I know of a company in my area that runs their truckmount with a big hole in their waste tank. They fill up the tank to the leak so the suction won't be off too much, but they let the excess water just go all over the floor of the truck. I saw the truck at my supplier and the guy was complaining about callbacks. Apparently his jets were so worn on a two jet wand the stream would not fan out and the carpet was streaking very bad. He did not want to replace the jets.

 

[R W]

When you say leaks are you talking about leaky quick connects because I would hope any smart person would fix a leax on their truckmount. I know of a company in my area that runs their truckmount with a big hole in their waste tank. They fill up the tank to the leak so the suction won't be off too much, but they let the excess water just go all over the floor of the truck. I saw the truck at my supplier and the guy was complaining about callbacks. Apparently his jets were so worn on a two jet wand the stream would not fan out and the carpet was streaking very bad. He did not want to replace the jets.

Yeah....QD's and other fittings. I let my APO go too long, and it leaked for a while. It was embarrasing to see the drips out the back of the van.....I would put a catch pan there to catch the drips.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

I was just checking to see when I made this post which was May 3rd. I actually dropped my van off at my suppliers on the first and told them I was going out of town the 6th through the 10th and would be in the following Monday or the 11th to pick up my newly installed truckmount. When I got back in town and went to get my truck, no progress had been made and the machine had not moved from where it sat when I dropped my truck off. I got a call from one of my customers about a tile cleaning for their business and booked the job at 1200 dollars. I asked them if they could wait untill the 23rd and 24th to have the job done so I would have my new machine with apo and to get the job done faster. The owner says they want the job done on the 31st or this Sunday. I am thinking great and schedule two more tile jobs for this weekend or close to 4 grand in 3 days.

You see I purchased this machine a while back and paid cash for it which included a complete installation. Since dropping off my truck I have pruchased a water box for 1100, customized hose reels, chemical shelves, and a few other things to make my set up even better including 2.5 inch hose.

Back to the original message. I went in several times and my suppliers had not made any attempt to get my machine installed. Every time I went in they were just sitting on their asses because they don't work the last two hours of the day. Finally I was sure they would get it installed last week. I went in Tuesday after the holiday and the damn machine had not moved. I told them I had to have the machine this weekend no questions asked. I go back Thursday and the machine is sitting in my truck and the only thing left to do is to install the hose reels and fuel tap. This was like 12 oclock and they close at four. I thought they would have it finished Thursday, but the guy tells me he is going to wait untill Friday morning to finish up. My grandfather passed last Sunday and I had to go to the funeral today at 2:30 and went to my suppliers around 12:00 and nothing had been done and the guy tells me it won't be ready untill next week. I told him he may have cost me a couple thousand dollars in work. His response should have been we will work tommorow to get everything finished up.

I know their customer base pretty solid and it's mostly janitors. I know I am also one of their best customers and I spend some serious dough in this place on chemicals and maitenance. I am PISSED right now, but I don't want to cuss the guy out because I want my machine put in right. I don't nickle and dime I just walk in buy what I need no questions asked and they have always been more than fair with me.

And one more thing. I can not believe the fuel tap for the Everest HP for a 99 chevy van costs almost 800 dollars. I do feel I am being overcharged for this. If anyone can show me where I can get one for even a hundred or 150 less I would greatly appreciate it. I will buy it and make them put it on and have them send whatever they ordered back.

The bottom line is they didn't want to fool with my machine because they already collected the money to install it months ago and they are working on other trucks and doing odd jobs instead of taking care of me. By the way I am going to have to do the tile job Sunday with my Legend, and the other jobs decided to wait lucky for me. I really wanted to use the Everest with the apo to clean part of the job where there is no grout only concrete with around 2,000 psi as I feel it would have cleaned better.

 

[floorguy]

I would have kicked some ass when i got back from my vacay, all pumped and ready to get to work and nothing...What a mood swing it would have been..

I would have even gone to the extreme of DEMANDING a refund... they havent done any work on it so F it..

They would have balked and you could have gotten a better deal..

did you spend that extra $$ at this store as well??


Someones ass would roll for sure...

 

[Shane T]

They absolutely do not deserve your buisness. Get your unit and never walk in their door again. Be sure and tell them so.

 

[The Magician]

Never pay for a machine in advance till its completed. Now your on hold cause they have your money.

 

[TLH]

watch out for the console water tank most of the maintance is on the right side of machine most important blower belts and if you have to pull aheat exchanger to clean it and you will!!!you will have to pull both front seats and water tank.

 

[joe harper]

I know you are tired of waiting......BUT...You will HATE yourself for installing that
Everest in that van....It is WAY TOO BIG....You will have room for nothing else....

In 2 months you will be Yanking it out.....Do some more research.....

Pm "TLH" in the previos post......He is one of the BEST installers in FL.