/ Some thoughts on what to look for
in a Step Van!

REAR DOORS

You will find vans come with many rear door configurations, but there are three basic ones. A roll-up (usually full width), full width barn doors, and partial width barn doors. The intended use of the step van determines what doors you will find best for your purposes. A roll-up door needs to roll into the van just below the roof. This type of door allows great access to the rear of the van. The down side of a roll-up door is that you cannot hang anything from the inside roof of the van where the door needs to occupy and it takes headroom away from the van box. If you were going to have a mobile catering business, or
a mobile coffee shop, for example, this may make the headroom too short for your employees and make it impossible to hang items from the roof where you may have wanted them. Barn doors that are full width also give great wide access to the back entrance. They do,
however, need a great deal of space to swing open. The partial width barn doors are nice in that they do not need as much swing room, but they offer a significantly confined  access to the rear of the van. If you plan on having shelving on both sides of the van anyway, the partial width barn doors are nice. Some double barn doors open completely
and fold flush against the back wall without overhanging the width of the vehicle. You will also find some partial width single swing open back doors. These, too, offer a narrower opening into the back, but are great for a van with shelving along each side.

BODY MATERIAL

You will find either steel or aluminum bodied step vans. Some step vans have fiberglass nose pieces or trim pieces, but few have an entire fiberglass box. The down side is they are all  subject to rust which can be something to think about if you are working in humid areas. Aluminum is rust free. aluminum bodied vans are by far the way to go.

BOX SIZE

This is the factor most buyers look at with good reason. Your use determines the box size you need. One factor that is sometimes missed in this area are the wheel wells in the back end. Be sure the distance between them and the height and length of them are taken into account depending on your need. Another consideration is a gate between
the driver area and the back of the van. You usually want a well constructed and lockable gate or wall there for not only security of your products in the rear, but also to protect the driver from flying items in the event of an accident.

WEIGHT CAPACITY

This is a little considered factor until you find you goofed. If you are using your step van for "general purpose" use, this will not be a factor. If you are a plumber and intend on carrying cast iron pipes, pay close attention to the GVW capacity and the axle capacities of the step vans you are considering. Other concerns in this area include tire and wheel size and rear axle ratio. I purchased a step van with a stump puller rear axle ratio which limited the highway speeds, but was great around
town for acceleration. The gentleman who bought it from me worked in the foothills above Denver where the high axle ratio proved excellent for the territory he worked in.

Engine and Transmission

The basic choices are similar to what was available in pick-up trucks. V8's, 6 cylinders (even some 4 cylinders), some diesels, automatic or manual transmissions were all available in different makes and models over the years. I had an old Post Office van with a Dodge "slant six" and an automatic. While acceleration was not this vehicle's strong point, but once it hit highway speeds it actually covered the miles sufficiently.
For many step van buyers, the engine and transmission is one of the least critical factors and accept whatever is available in the size and layout the need. For others, the availability of a certain engine and transmission will be the point they start their search for a step van with.

MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS

Additional passenger seat (are you sending two men out on a job in your step van?). Interior shelving. Front or rear A/C. Insulated walls and/or ceiling in box. Rear box heater. Roof vents. Skylight panels. Rear box lighting. Trailer hitch bumper. Roof ladder rack. Ladder or fold-out steps on rear of van (with a narrow door) for access to a roof or ladder rack. Most of these items can be fairly easily added to
nearly any van you purchase. A great source of step van parts and supplies is Mill Supply of Cleveland, Ohio. Check them out and be sure to ask for their handy and informative catalog. 1-216-518-5072. Some where ells you my check is Fitzpatricks they also have very informative catalog.  1-800-545-1102 

Shopping for a used step van is no different than shopping for any other used vehicle. You are going to have some items that are "must haves" and others that would be "nice to have" but not mandatory. While the absolutely perfect step van may not be available, you can sure come close by shopping wisely.

Happy shopping!!!
A step van is an incredibly versatile vehicle to
have for either business 
or personal use.

info@stepvans.com