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I need to pick your brains about cabovers again.

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  • I need to pick your brains about cabovers again.

    For those of you that run cabovers, at what point did you find it beneficial or at what point did you decide to purchase one? Was it when you had a full route for two guys in a weeks time frame?
    Was it new or used?
    Would you recommend a new or used one?
    What size would you recommend? Other options?
    If you feel that you must burn our flag, please wrap yourself in it first.

  • #2
    What is the route you're running?
    GEEVEE®, Pat.Pend. TM, UL

    If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough

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    • #3
      I know I toss this out every so often and I'm biting at the chops to get one. I would just like to lean on the experience of some others to help me along this path if ya know what I mean.

      My reasoning is three fold.
      - Get me out of their way because at times I can slow us down by being too particular.
      - I'll never be able to grow my biz if I'm always at the current job site.
      - I'm getting so tired of chauffeuring the guys to a site, unhooking the trailer and then buzzing off to bid another one or run parts. A little freedom would be nice to do that w/o this current restraint.

      I'm currently running two guys plus myself four days a week and on Friday we work 1/2 days or we're playing catch up. All I am is a chauffeur, unable to do any physical work since my auto accident. During this last summer I would have a third guy off/on as landscape jobs came in.

      I'm on hold for a few more bids this year and if I land any two of them, I'm full up for "two guys mowing" on an estimated 80+ manhour work week.
      If you feel that you must burn our flag, please wrap yourself in it first.

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      • #4
        Do you trust them enough to send them out on their own? If "yes", get them a rig and send them on their way to make you money while you go get more work for them to do.

        Ron Howard: Is that... vodka... and wheat grass?
        Homer: It's called a "lawnmower". I invented it. Want one?

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Scott View Post
          I know I toss this out every so often and I'm biting at the chops to get one. I would just like to lean on the experience of some others to help me along this path if ya know what I mean.

          My reasoning is three fold.
          - Get me out of their way because at times I can slow us down by being too particular.
          - I'll never be able to grow my biz if I'm always at the current job site.
          - I'm getting so tired of chauffeuring the guys to a site, unhooking the trailer and then buzzing off to bid another one or run parts. A little freedom would be nice to do that w/o this current restraint.

          I'm currently running two guys plus myself four days a week and on Friday we work 1/2 days or we're playing catch up. All I am is a chauffeur, unable to do any physical work since my auto accident. During this last summer I would have a third guy off/on as landscape jobs came in.

          I'm on hold for a few more bids this year and if I land any two of them, I'm full up for "two guys mowing" on an estimated 80+ manhour work week.
          You only have one truck? You drop off and pick up guys at lawns and bring them to the next? If that is the case get another truck whether a cab over or not. Unless you are all 3 working together you need them on their own mowing and get another truck ASAP.

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          • #6
            I would say that you should get one as soon as you can keep 2 guys busy for a week. Well, one of those guys can be you as well.

            So pretty much everyone should have a cabover!


            I know some may argue this, but don't bother with the Isuzu units.


            Mitsubishi of course. I absolutely love their manual transmissions. But I can trust the guys driving them.

            If you can't, don't hesitate getting the automatic, but you will sacrifice some power and speed......which could be a good thing for employees.


            As for the bed? No doubt, get the aluminum. There's a company fairly close to you that made the aluminum beds on my cabovers. I have the 18' unit, but you could get away with a 14' if you don't need to haul a heck of a lot of mowers.

            If I really worried about the employees driving? I would make the bed 1' narrower, which would be around 6.5' or so. And keep it around the 14' mark.


            Cabovers were the best investment I ever made. 100% honest, even my oldest one at 10.5 years old has NEVER needed any work. Tires changed, oil changed, and 2 sets of batteries. Oh, and the air filter. Nothing else. Imagine that, multiple drivers, work truck, never missed a day. Still has the same brakes, and they are still awesome.

            You simply can't beat that.
            a.k.a.---> Erich

            www.avalawnlandscaping.com


            Build a man a fire, he'll be warm for a day.
            Set a man on fire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

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            • #7
              Cabover has been a great investment. Got a used one, and it has been incredibly reliable.

              You need to set those guys up with a used cabover purchased prior to Dec. 31st (tax advantages), train a lead man and give him a raise, then back away from the daily maintenance activities to run your business.

              Mort

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              • #8
                run a m/fuso fe with hyrdo gate two zero ect 16ft box its great

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