high side storage on a pumper-tanker

[bartonff201]

We are in the process of purchasing a new truck. We are getting a two door commercial chassis with a 1250 gpm pump and 3,000 gallon tank. We want the truck to have high side storage on the drivers side and low side storage on the passenger side, just like most traditional pumpers. We have specified that this is what we want to all bidders. The problem that we have ran into is that two of the three bids that we have received is pretty much what seems like to me a body that has two low sides and they will install four compartments with roll up doors on the drivers side railing. I asked about this and was told that a truck that carries this much weight needs to have space in between lower and high side compartments so that the compartments are able to flex and shift whenever the body moves to prevent damage to the doors as well as the body.
This makes no sense to me. I might be wrong but what it seems like to me is that these companies build alot of double low side tankers and have plenty of these bodies laying around already built. So in turn what they are gonna do is take that body go to their local tractor supply, buy a four door storage bin and diamond plate it then throw it on the side of my truck and sell it to me for double what they sell regular 3,000 gallon tankers for.
Has anyone ran into this issue when trying to spec out a pumper-tanker?

[Squad46]

Who are your bidders on this project?

[Tim1118]

I've never heard of this. Space between the body/pumphouse/cab I can understand, but I'm a little leary about their reasoning. I would get some other opinions from other builders if you can.

[ADC120]

Off the top of my head, I would say the tank is a T-Style, which would be attached separate from the lower compartments. I could see leaving some space to prevent the tank from flexing on the lower compartments. Really at 3000 gallons your building a tanker and upfitting it to become a pumper. I also assume this is a tandem axle chassis as well. If you look at the UPF website, you can see what the tank looks like, and get a better idea what I'm talking about.

[BoxAlarm187]

I am a little suspicious also. While a majority of the high-capacity tankers are built with lower compartments only, it's not that unusual to see them with highsides also.

Are these local/regional builders, or national builders that are telling you this?

For what it's worth, here's one I found with highsides, but it is carrying "only" 2500 gallons. I'm not sure if Brand P is one of your bidders or not...

[...]

Could it be brand "F"?

[...]

You mean like some of the trucks Midwest builds?

http://www.midwestfire.com/recent-deliveries/delivered-trucks.php?model=PT2

[DFDMAXX]

I have not seen this from the numerous builders we had talked to about our pumper / tanker specs. High sides on both sides and the body was one piece from top to bottom, no low sides with bolt ons.

Looked exactly like the body on the above pictured Christiansburg pumper / tanker.

[ejfeicht]

This one is from 4 Guys but is on a custom chassis with a 2000 gallon tank but the body style may work for what you want.

http://www.4guysfire.com/bigbeaver.htm

[npfd801]

I'm posting this one because I'm familar with it, not to push the brand. Any number of reputable builders can do integrated, "single" piece high sides on an apparatus with that much water.

The custom cab and enclosed panel is irrelevant, but the high sides with the 3000 gallons doesn't appear to be impossible.

http://www.toyne.com/delivery.asp?na...veries&did=287

[...]

Here is a Toyne commercial pumper/tanker. It has a 2,500 gallon tank, but they build some with 3,000 gallon tanks on commercial chassis.

http://www.toyne.com/delivery.asp?na...iveries&did=93

[ffp20]

My guess is that the unit proposed to the dept was poly wet side tank, or someones stock unit that had low sides both of which they would "add" a section of compartments on top of. I've seem pics of that kind of unit from some of the low cost tanker builders (didnt wanna say cheap).

The explanation of "weight" issue seems odd to me.

[Catch22]

This thread has a few pumper-tankers with high sides in it, including ours on the page that's linked.

[ff36ofd]

Spartan/ Saulsbury 8 man cab 3000 gal tank 2000 gpm , class A & B foam tanks 50 gal each

[SFD_E73_RET]

Here is a Toyne close to me.