IVECO 4x4 - From drop side to Arb-Truck

[chrisgilltreesurgery]

As you all probably know Stephen Blair was selling his IVECO 4x4, we I bought it! Cheers Stevie lad!

 

I will post some pics of when I bought it and through the journey of getting it ready for some serious tree abuse!

 

 

Up until the time of purchase I had ran 3500kg vans for ten years, and as all of you running 3500kg vans I was probably overloaded most days

 

I had thought of going to a larger capable vehicle for a number of years but I thought going legal would be a huge headache, and I was rite. What a nightmare it has been and still is. First off I bought the IVECO 5500kg and the sale and finance went swimmingly, I knew I needed an operators license but didnt really understand the tacho thing, nor did I know that I needed a drivers card, business driving card, need to have it collaborated every two years.

 

It turns out that in Forestry/Horticulture and Fisheries can get a restricted O license which will allow them to operate within 100km of their operating base, or if you only carry your own goods you can operate within a 50km radius of base without tacho rules, phew! I thin I fall into both of those categories so what I have done is printed off the info from the VOSA website and laminated them and put them in the van so if Mr VOSA does give me the pull I have everything to hand.

 

With everything in place I sent the van for its MOT as it was sorn since Jan and had run out, too it along to VOSA and it failed on rear brake shoes and drums as they were heavily corroded due to it standing since Jan in bonny Scotland (Hallelujah for Scotish weather)!! Oh and it needed a track rod end.

 

So took it back down to Iveco in Newcastle and they got some prices together hmmmmmm £1500 = VAt for parts alone! So obviously they have to done so went ahead and ordered them only to find out the track rod end had to come from Australia, the drums from Germany and the shoes from Italy!! Now I am thinking is buying this van the worst decision of my business life...??? Well I cant back down now I have to ride this baby out, during this time I was going through the spec of my tipping body with the body builders. Luckily Iveco and the body builders and literally 2 mins from each other because it has been passed from one to the other more times than I like to think of.

 

Anyway, this brings me to today. Brake drums and shoes and track rod end are being fitted on night shift tonight and going for the re test on Monday mid morning, ally tipping body is on and all is good.

 

I have been working for the last two weeks with my Hi-Lux and ifor tipping trailer, taking chipper to the job then coming back and taking the trailer and the other way round at the end of the day, god this has been a hard two weeks. All the lads have been working their nuts off in the blistering heat and still having late finishes most nights not to mention I am going through about 2 tanks of fuel a week in the hi-lux!!

 

So by monday I will have my operators license, tacho collaborated, drivers card (not that I need one), MOT, Tax, new rear brakes, new ally tipping body and a headache, from the Mot station it is going to the paint shop and from there finally to the sign writers and eventually it will make it to my only 3 weeks overdue!

 

Would I do this all again...? Course I would!

 

[Dean Lofthouse]

Not a very good advert for iveco, New drums, shoes and a track rod end on a 60 plate??

[Peter]

Looking good Chris, think your slightly confused about the restricted o licence though, you can operate nationwide as long as you only carry your own goods rather than carrying out haulage work.

[Guss109]

Looks tidy look forward to more pics

[Stephen Blair]

Hi Chris, really sorry the truck needed work done! Just aswell you got such a bargain !!!!!

The joys of vehicles, onwards and upwards and it looks great with the body on it!!

I am sure she will come into her own with future contracts!

[silky fox]

Nice and Shiney Chris mate!

[Gray git]

Thats a good looking beast, keep the picks coming.

[Pete Hart]

What's the net weight now that you've had the body put on chris?

 

Do like your truck, I was looking at them a few months back, but bizarrely the salesman from iveco was trying to put me off!!! The nightmare of licensing was enough to end my enquiry, let alone the cost of the truck (once you put all the toys an extras on it) and running it.

 

Best of luck with it though mate.

 

 

http://www.aatreesurgeon.co.uk

[Mark Bolam]

I know it's been a bit of a f-on Chris, but I think you could well have ended up with the ultimate arb truck.

I'd love a look at it next time I'm up in Pont.

[lyons e]

That looks nice , where did you get the body done

 

 

Sent using Arbtalk Mobile App