Chap 2, Part 1: Box Truck Body Length

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On with the topic - body length: Cab Chassis / Box Trucks

In the previous chapter, we talked about the differences between cab chassis (box trucks) and step vans. That reminds me - once on EBay, I saw a truck someone described as a "boxed step van", conveniently rolling both configurations into one.

With a box truck, the body sits on the chassis. It is constructed with aluminum or FRP walls, and usually a hardwood floor. When a company like Supreme Body gets an order say, for an International 4300 body, they will start building the body in the plant before the truck gets there. When they finish it, if the truck chassis hasn't arrived yet, they just roll the body outside and start on the next order. If you go to one of their plants, you will see completed bodies stacked up outside on large steel racks (note to me - get a photo). When the truck arrives, they get the giant fork lift, pick up the body, and set it on the chassis. They hook everything up and use large U-bolts to secure the body to the frame. Maintenance PS - if you have a box truck, you should check these U-Bolts periodically. Supreme says once a month; many tool dealers I have spoken to say they check and tighten the U-bolts at every oil change. They will be the loosest when it's new, then gradually require less tightening as the truck ages. I know a Matco man named Alan whose new 24' body shifted about 6" before he was able to tighten it, and if I say he was "annoyed" when he had to get under the truck with a sledge hammer in hot humid July...well, let's just say it wasn't fun.

When you order a 22' body for a cab chassis, you get 22' of body, and unlike a step van, that's an outside measurement. You will lose 4 - 6" of that for the thickness of the walls all around, so a 22' box truck is probably 21' long inside. You also lose 36" - 40" of side wall space on one side for the door, so one wall now has 18' of usable area. If you have a walk-thru you won't be using all of the front wall, and of course you don't use the cab for tool display. So if you want 22' of usable space in a box truck, you might want to buy a 24' truck.

One of the best features with a box truck is that there are no wheelwells. The floor is flat, so you are not limited where you can put your box openings or your desk. This is the reason you see more L-shaped and Driver Side Desks in the box trucks than in step vans. And because the body is bolted to the chassis, it can be removed. You are able to do what is known in the business as a "body swap". A very popular donor truck for this is a used GMC - Isuzu W5500 18'. The used body can be removed and attached to a new C5500 chassis, giving you a new truck warranty and reliability for a substantial savings compared to new/new.

So there you have it, and of course there's more to know about this topic, so I hope you will take a moment and add to our blog entry. Thanks for reading it!

Next Time, Part 2: Step Van Bodies