Thread: Options for van organization

Well, in a short while, I'm taking my new van in to get it outfitted with the Hydramaster CDS. I'm trying to get some sort of idea how I can organize things, since its a lot different from my old ford van. This van has an "E-Trac" thing on all the walls. I've attached a few pictures of the new van, and 1 picture of my old van how the hoses are hung off the side. Not sure how I could do that with this new one. Whats the E- Trac thing anyways, looks like a thing to secure a shelf? I just hang my extra hoses (2 50ft solution, and 1 50ft vacuum) and the rest are coiled in the van. I'm the 1% out there that doesn't have any reels or fresh water tanks

just trying to figure out how this is going to work.

Are there certain shelves you buy just for this E trac thing??

Thanks guys.

good pictures Jim! Yeah mine wont have any reels, or fresh tank, so I'll actually have quite a bit of room to work with. The insides of my two vans are different then what I'm working with now, I think I got a placed picked out for the chemical shelf. I've had my CDS for a long time, no real problems, thats why I'm getting another one.

It looks like you still have the factory liner in the Van. I would suggest at least taking it out. A spray in liner would be great but may be out of the budget.

You well find that water gets to the padding below the liner and then starts shell bad real fast. I would even go as far as to remove the plastic liners at the doors - you know the ones that hold down the liner. Notice how the picture look above - the liner was taken out for a reason. It is easy to do now rather that Later!!

Ps. I am posting my new Van here soon. I can not find the USB connector or it would be done by now.

We all would have different ways to organize the van due to different equipment and setup styles. For example, I like the hose reels and took the longest time to decide on actually installing them,but now I dont regret it.
With only 1 50 ft hose it seems like you would be using a portable? I dont know exactly what a hydramaster CDS is, but it sounded more like a truckmount, and if so, why only 50ft?

Anyways, as you move along you will mostly make lots of changes until you get it just the way you like it. Thats what saturday afternoons and a cold beer are for!

yeah, you'd have to see my current setup.

No I have 150ft total of vacuum hose. I have 2 50ft vacuum hose coiled up in the rear middle of the van, along with 2 50ft solution lines in the same place. On the side of the van I have hung, is the EXTRA 50 footer of solution hose and vacuum. All I need is a place to hang my extra hose, but there isn't a place to hang anything with my new van. Just trying to find how I would do that. The picture I posted earlier, is of my old van with the hoses hanging on a metal strip that was there (i bought it that way), so wondering if I would have to do the same thing on this one, but I dont see anywhere to drill anything into.

Remember you can fabricate roof shelves also.Simple cabinets which can be fastened to the inner roof ribs. A fifty foot section will be up and away.I am also big on magents to hold lite weght items.

Like my measuring roller.I put and eye hook in the handle,an it hangs of a magnet hook.
But just an idea.There is some good space up there you can utilize...

We get so trained in the wall an floor areas.We forget about the roof...

The reason your uncle Tom didn' have reels in your van was because Claude didn't. The difference was that your Uncle Claude had a 78 ford 1 ton 14 foot long 7 ft high cube Van which he had designed for traveling around doing flood dry outs in the late 70's. This cube van had a shaft drive Steam Vac with a #5 Switzer Blower (The predecessor of the CDS) places for stove icebox drop down table, which made into a King size bed, 140 gal fresh and waste tanks built like benches for the table/bed and being able to carry 200 ft of hose which hung on a special made rack in the rear corner took up less than 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 by 7 for both pressure and vac hoses. If I remember correctly Claude could haul 75 airmovers, and 25 Dehues of the time. I ran this truck from 87 to 93 when I sold it to a cleaner in Seattle.

You are loosing alot of useful space in your vans just buy laying the hoses down in the rear area.

Jim:

Looks good, except for the racks on the back doors.

Hinges in van doors aren't designed to carry weight, other than the door itself. Over a relatively short period of time, you'll need new hinges.

Best to either not have them, or keep the weight in them to an absolute minimum.

Duane

Originally Posted by Jim Martin

I have no racks on any of my doors...my barn (back) doors are pretty much clear and the side door is a roll up.....The back doors aren't even in the picture....

I was referring to the first set of pictures of your CDS unit in the Chevy van- The picture of the back doors.