vehicle recommendation for mobile welding. Box or stake body?

[Sam_colt88]

I need advice on which car would be best for mobile welding.

I will start with the equipment that I am going to take on board.

Want to carry a 14 KVA diesel generator with a weight of 320kg, some cans of diesel fuel, MMA welder, MIG welder, small propane bottle, 20l oxygen bottle, Evolution circular saw, magnetic drill and various tools classified in agricultural baskets of 42 liters. could also take some steel plates to make repairs.

I'm going to do agricultural & construction repairs, industrial repairs, light structures on site, kitchen structures, garden doors, maybe some tinny/mobil house structure or similar.

As for the car, the vehicle must go well "off road". I wouldn't know whether to decide on an open or closed platform (stake body or box). I had thought of the Iveco Daily, Mercedes Sprinter, Ford Transit models. On the one hand, a box provides more privacy and security as well as better maintenance of the tools. but stake body van may be more comfortable for work. Another option is a pick-up, although the ones they sell in Europe are very small, so I have practically ruled them out.




Any recommendation?


Thanks

 

[Agroshield]

How often does it rain in your place? One big roof over everything or waterproof each basket individually (and the two welders).

How strong is the sun in your place? The height of a van gives you a place to fix one end of a shade/awning.

 

[outofthefire]

As a start, I would say you need to add up the weight of everything you're wanting to carry, that could rule out some of your choices.

 

[stuvy]

Budget?

 

[James1979]

I’d look at the American Pipeliner trucks. I went down that road to start with using a navara with a flat bed and an arcgen crosswise behind the cab.

I had a double cab but stripped the seats out in the back and made storage.

If I was doing it again I’d buy a single cab and make an oversize bed with lockers built in like the pipeliner rigs.

If you’ve a lot of tools then a van may be the way forward. I need a capability to tow / drive off the hard road so a truck is what I use. I now have a utility body like this

Which suits me.

What about putting your welder on a trailer and towing it?

I’ve sold mine as I wasn’t using it much, which is partly why I stopped the pipeliner idea.

I wanted to build this but time etc etc

 

[Sam_colt88]

Budget?

Sorry. I would like less than 10.000 € in the acquisition

1998-2008 models Around. (european market. Not UK)

 

[Sam_colt88]

How often does it rain in your place? One big roof over everything or waterproof each basket individually (and the two welders).

How strong is the sun in your place? The height of a van gives you a place to fix one end of a shade/awning.

It's an area of little rain and a lot of sun.

 

[Bobupndown]

 

[8ob]

An older iveco 4x4 chassis cab would be an ideal base vehicle, spend the change on custom body/kit.

 

[Sam_colt88]

As a start, I would say you need to add up the weight of everything you're wanting to carry, that could rule out some of your choices.

I calculate without checking that there could be 750 or 900 kg of material on board including my own weight.

 

[Agroshield]

...an arcgen crosswise behind the cab.

As you've mentioned it, with crosswise stuff, what do you do about fuelling and servicing? I know you can buy cabin generators that everything can be done from one side. With a welder, the controls are on the front but in a RHD vehicle (LH side door) you'd want to service it from the right. In a LHD vehicle (RH side door) you'd want to service it from the left. Do the makers offer two models?

 

[James1979]

Generally with a welder generator the controls are on the end, and all on one end.

I just had that end towards the kerb ie the left on my vehicle. I had a taller exhaust so it would be above head height.

Edit. @Agroshield just re read the above, sorry. I just lifted it off to do a manor service on it. It’s a bit of a faff, granted, but if it’s only every 500 hours or so then it’s no big deal.

You can get most of the arcgen from one side. Oil drains out the bottom of the skid, but I extended that pipe out of the front.

Don’t think. There’s no much basics I couldn’t do with it on the truck to be fair. Even a new belt wasn’t an issue

 

[Justme]

An Iveco daily rear wheel drive will get stuck on any thing less than dry surfaces unless very heavily loaded.

Apart from that great vans. Get the 4x4 version so you dont get stuck.

 

[Sam_colt88]

An Iveco daily rear wheel drive will get stuck on any thing less than dry surfaces unless very heavily loaded.

Apart from that great vans. Get the 4x4 version so you dont get stuck.

very sure. I have a hyundai h1 mixed rear wheel drive and I literally can't go in reverse on any rocky road with a bit of an incline.

In this case, I was thinking of putting the generator on the rear axle to gain more traction, although I don't know if 350kg could be considered a heavy weight.

 

[Sam_colt88]

An older iveco 4x4 chassis cab would be an ideal base vehicle, spend the change on custom body/kit.

View attachment 365195

I have been searching and it is very difficult to find 4x4 units with the budget that I have

 

[Sam_colt88]

The cheapest options are.


On the one hand Citroen Jumper / Fiat Ducato / Peugeot Boxer. FWD

Ford Transit. FWD and RWD?

Renault Master. FWD

VW LT. RWD

 

[mr haynes]

Mobile welder friend used to swear by a twin wheel sherpa, okay said LDV on badge but they're sherpas

 

[tom2207]

depends on the local laws and your licence ,,, if it was me , id be starting with a 7 1/2 tonner , but here in the uk owning a 7.5 ton truck makes no sense at all , you can run a 12 thru 18 ton for practically the same money , and the same huge amount of hassles . But you get a lot more for your money with a lorry than you ever will with a van.

 

[Sam_colt88]

depends on the local laws and your licence ,,, if it was me , id be starting with a 7 1/2 tonner , but here in the uk owning a 7.5 ton truck makes no sense at all , you can run a 12 thru 18 ton for practically the same money , and the same huge amount of hassles . But you get a lot more for your money with a lorry than you ever will with a van.

With my current license I can only drive 3.5 ton vehicles.

Why do you think you get so much more for your money with a truck than with a van? Don´t you think that as the only vehicle is excessive size?

 

[tom2207]

With my current license I can only drive 3.5 ton vehicles.

Why do you think you get so much more for your money with a truck than with a van? Don´t you think that as the only vehicle is excessive size?

nope ,,, you get a tougher drive train , a better pay load , larger wheels so better ground clearance , a chassis that will take a custom body easily , if you add half a ton in body jacks / legs , or a hiab so what .
an engine and gearbox thats designed to work for a million miles or what ever ,, loads of spares at good money , and they are still only 8ft 2 max width ,, room in the cab , and they simply drive better with a load ,, onboard air supply , air suspension too , loads and loads of stuff ,,, ex military stuff too ,,, nice 4wd handy sized trucks ,, and every piza delivery driver isnt pricing them out of existence
will that do as a start lol

as a side note , Ive owned trucks for at least thirty years , and never had a puncture ,,, only ever one flat and that was because the tire fitter didnt put the valve insert in tight , so I tightened it up and blew the tire up from the air tanks ,,,