what should i look for in a tm? + lots of ?'s

[Scott S.]

1. What should i look for in a TM?
hope your ready for all the Q's i got lots.

2. What is the maintenance shedual on tm's?
(how often for oil changes, preventive maintenance, valve adjustments, descaling?)
3. How do you keep your tm from freezing in the winter?
4. on the van whats better vinyl lettering or a wrap?
5. Ford or Chevy Van?
6. Extended Length?
7. How many people carry a water well?
8. Where do you dump your water? where should you? should you dump at the sewage plant? if so how much is that?
9. how many customers do you get from van sightings?
10. do you have the inside of your van insulated for retaining heat in the winter?
11. How many people vent the exhaust threw the floor?
12. do you have your TM insured? and if so threw what company?
13. are tm run on 87 octane or higher?
14. how often do you empty you waste basket?
15. what is your fav brand, and why?
16. how much hose do you carry in your van?
17. cool cuffs or standard connectors?

Thanks guys, if you can answer all the q's some will be differant form everyone so post what you think and what you know.

 

[Guest]

I wonder what Shawn York would say? Sorry Scott I just had to say that,but really it is your preference,chevy,ford toyota and what ever you want or need inside to accomplish what you want, and only you know what is good for you. And we can help sway or disway you on some things.

Kevin

 

[John Watson]

1. What should i look for in a TM?One that works, taylored to your needs
hope your ready for all the Q's i got lots.

2. What is the maintenance shedual on tm's?alot of slide ins require frequent changes due to air cooled eng. Shaft drive units std oil change procedures just figure every hr as running down the hwy at 50mph, I change mine once a month regardless
(how often for oil changes, preventive maintenance, valve adjustments, descaling?)Haven't desacled a unit since I left Alaska 21 years ago.
3. How do you keep your tm from freezing in the winter?Have a garage, or an eletric heater on a thermostat, or both like I do. My garage is unheated where I park our van, Well it is heated, I just don't turn on the gas..
4. on the van whats better vinyl lettering or a wrap?Wrap, but whats your budget???
5. Ford or Chevy Van?I like Fords
6. Extended Length?Won't have nothing but the extended,
7. How many people carry a water well?We have the 120 gal, but, have modified with an extra float so I can just carry 3 inches and hook up every job if I want. Prefer not to hook up except when filling tank.
8. Where do you dump your water?I have a seperate septic system on our property just for it. I also dump at car washes where I have permission to dump where should you? should you dump at the sewage plant?We have a bunch of small cities in our area and I have permission to dump there also.but to far out of the way most of the time. if so how much is that?They have never charge me anything. A RV park in one area used to charge us $10 per mo for every month we used it and we would take it off their bill when we cleaned their carpets.
9. how many customers do you get from van sightings?A few, More than pays for lettering and wraps in the long run compared to a non lettered van
10. do you have the inside of your van insulated for retaining heat in the winter?Not here in W WA, In Alaska I did, plus had a shop big enough for all 7 trucks, what a monthly expence.
11. How many people vent the exhaust threw the floor? When I had slide ins YES
12. do you have your TM insured? and if so threw what company?Pr
13. are tm run on 87 octane or higher? 87 reg gas for me
14. how often do you empty you waste basket?Never, don't have one, use an inline modified pool filter 2.5 x2inch inlet SS strainer with knee high
15. what is your fav brand, and why? JEM, my unit is 20 years old in it's 4 and last van as far as I'm concerned, only thing thats been repaired or replaced is the HX and 1 cyl on the Hawk pump
16. how much hose do you carry in your van? 200ft but, very seldom use more than 100
17. cool cuffs or standard connectors?
[color=#000080Cool cuffs][/color]

 

[Dolly Llama]

"2. What is the maintenance shedual on tm's?


according to manufacture's recommendations.
In "general", "my" schedule is.
Blower...every 500 hours
Pump..every 250 to 500 hours
Blower bearings get a shot of grease every couple weeks
Engine, every 50 to 75 hours. "most" times I change the oil filter too
Descale "as needed"

"3. How do you keep your tm from freezing in the winter?"

My van is uninsulated and is parked in a drafty pole barn.
I use an electric space heater til the temp dips below 10, then I'll use a small kero convection heater

"4. on the van whats better vinyl lettering or a wrap?"

donno

"5. Ford or Chevy Van?"

pick your poison, they both are good.
I personally prefer Ford

"6. Extended Length?"

Extended, you'll appreciate and need the extra floor space


"7. How many people carry a water well?"

no on-board water for us.
If I had the room, I'd give it more thought. It WOULD be a time saver


"8. Where do you dump your water? where should you? should you dump at the sewage plant? if so how much is that?"

regs vary form state to state and even vary among local communities.
Some locals allow ground dumping, some don't.
In "general", any drain that goes to the sanitary sewer is acceptable. Storm sewers are a big no-no.

"9. how many customers do you get from van sightings?"

Most often it's when they see us cleaning at their neighbor's homes.
very little comes from "going down the road" sightings or whan parked at the local boobie bar :mrgreen:


"11. How many people vent the exhaust threw the floor?"

i do. Help's keep noise down

"12. do you have your TM insured? and if so threw what company?"

Erie Ins

"13. are tm run on 87 octane or higher?"

Reg unleaded is all that's needed

"14. how often do you empty you waste basket?"

You mean the waste tank "filter" box or pool filter (what we use)?
if so, as needed. varies depending whether we vac or not

"15. what is your fav brand, and why?"

really don't have one. I love our big loud Steamway Powermatic. been running one for 13+ years.
I'll have an awful time deciding which TM when it's time to replace our current PM
he11, I might even try and build my own again.


"16. how much hose do you carry in your van?"

Think there's 225 on the reel

"17. cool cuffs or standard connectors?"

I'm one of the very few that's not ga-ga over cool cuffs.
You might love them like most everyone else though


..L.T.A.

 

[Scott S.]

come on guys help me out here. i wanna hear the good the bad and the ugly about tm's no matter what kind it is.

what do you like, what dont you like. what would you never buy again? what would you get if you had to buy a used tm?

 

[Guest]

Personally I have gone electric Porty/T/M; Less of all the above. Need more power add booster of your choice. Also it can run less than 7k for the works. Runs 300 feet on this setup; add a Mytee flood pumper and water extraction capable.

 

[Scott S.]

as far as i am concerned i got all those beat.

i already have a Masterblend Truckforce 3500
0-500 psi
3-2stage vacs 14 inches mercury lift
auto fill
auto dump capable of 20 gal a min pump out
can also do flood work
runs all 2" line and is internally plumbed 2"
running 6 flow on it. running a true 2" wand with 4 SS jets , i also have a greenglide on it, feather touch valve

 

[alazo1]

What I don't like about truckmounts:
There disquistingly loud and stinky. One day we'll be looked down for having them due to that they polute the environment.

What I like about tm's.
In most cases nothing cleans better.

Albert