Mechanics service trucks should be made for mechanics. Unfortunately, many manufacturers rebrand standard utility trucks as “mechanics service trucks” without changing a single spec.
The mechanic ends up with a piece of equipment that does the job, but does not enhance or enrich the process of doing so.
Half-baked results and luke-warm functionality are for the average joe.
Mobile mechanics are not average Joes.
We are talking about the up all night, one call away, heroes of the highway.
They deserve the best tools for the tasks at hand (and there are a ton of “tasks at hand”).
We compiled a 5-part recipe for the most righteous mechanic service truck, and it can be done on a budget!
1. Re-vamp your tool storage and setup
Specialized cabinets, drawers and tool boxes for crucial to having a supremely seamless workflow. And I am not just talking about a tool box.
You should have tool boxes, drawers and other storage that is designed to accommodate your system of dominating the task at hand. Every aspect of your work should be streamlined to perfection.
Mechanics are shocked to find the amount of time wasted digging through a disorganized drawer of the tool box. Creating a system and a workflow will help ensure that you get the work done in the shortest amount of time possible.
Customized builds are the only way to accomplish this. Don’t be fooled, as a customized build does not come with a hefty price tag. Most custom mechanic service truck bodies can be bought at prices comparable to a standard, mass-produced utility body.
2. Material selection
There are three crucial elements that can be directly impacted by the material you select your mechanic service truck body to be crafted from.
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Fuel mileage
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Longevity
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Payload capacity
Aluminum should be the only option to consider when seeking to increase your miles per gallon, extend the lifetime of your truck body, and enhance your payload capacity.
Aluminum is substantially lighter than steel, which was once the work truck body material of choice. The decrease in overall truck weight that comes with aluminum reduces the weight of the vehicle significantly, resulting in less power needed from the engine to power the truck.
Less power needed from the engine = greater fuel mileage per gallon. Pretty easy equation there.
Additionally, aluminum provides a resistance to rust that steel bodies often fall victim to. Some manufacturers have gone as far as to insure any mechanics truck body made from aluminum for life (FYI, we guarantee them for life).
The overall weight decrease that aluminum provides allows a mechanics truck to have a larger payload capacity. You can haul every jack, wrench, and ratchet without having to think twice.
That’s a pretty darn good problem to have.
3. Send in the crane!
While not every mechanic will need a heavy lifting apparatus, considering a crane for a mechanic service truck is not such a bad idea.
In most cases, a telescoping crane will be the best choice, as it allows for maneuverability within the work area, as well as a more precise plane of lifting. By pairing the right telescoping crane with a work truck, you ensure that no job, no matter how daunting, is too hard to tackle.
Not only that, but with the payload increase you have from choosing aluminum as the material from which your mechanics body is crafted from, a crane ain’t going to weigh you down.
Strong, lean, and ready to fix any machine.
My jokes are getting really bad.
4. The true “mobile office”
Leaving exterior features aside, the interior of your mechanic service truck should be as organized and optimized as possible.
Mobile mechanics use the cab of their truck as a makeshift mobile office.
Thank about that.
Most of your invoicing, diagnostics, and even business calls will be taken from the cab of your mechanic truck. While you may not be able to install a reclining chair with lumbar spine support and a fancy computer desk, many non-mechanical job functions will be performed from the cab of your work truck.
With that said, it is important to maintain an organization system, and be certain that everything has its place. Keeping separate folders, compartments, and areas of your work truck reserved to contain certain documents will save a ton of headache and time when the hardcore clerical work needs done.
5. A bright idea
Last but not least, adding custom lighting to your mechanic truck body can be a huge advantage when heading out on a call at 1 AM.
All mechanics trucks should come with lighting, but not all lighting is equal.
Again, not all lighting is equal.
The lighting “rig” on your truck body should be specially designed to enhance the work you perform.
For example, flood lighting added to both the front and the rear of the truck makes certain that regardless of the roadside situation you approach, you will always have an illuminated work area.
As far as safety, having strobes installed strategically on the truck will enhance visibility in dark conditions and provide an extra layer of safety as you focus on the tasks at hand.
Tool box and cabinet lighting should be considered to ensure that you can locate the exact tool necessary in the quickest time period in the poorly lit work sites.
Have more ideas on how to enhance and improve mechanics truck bodies?
We’d love to hear them. Click this sentence and submit your best idea, and it will be featured in an upcoming post!
Interested in having JOMAC custom build your mechanics service truck? Click here for a free quote and consultation!
