Are vans more difficult to service than trucks?

[pacem]

Seems like E350/E450 has so much less engine bay access and relatively simple tasks on most trucks like spark plug change, etc. become more complicated in vans.

Or does one go through the doghouse inside the cabin?

How hard is it to service E350 versus F350?

I am thinking about an RV and not too pleased with the fact 95% of C-class are E-class ie. have van front, not truck front.

 

[01rangerxl]

Well even with a doghouse, access isn't easy. In my experience a lot of doghouses are finicky too... definitely not like just popping a hood.

That said, access is pretty bad on the Super Duty and cab removal is the "easy way" to do many jobs... obviously with an RV body the cab ain't coming off too easy.

I think it might be a draw, but I have little RV experience.

 

[Slick Rick]

Yes yes yes ford diesel in a ambulance had to drop the engine lower remove motor mounts and every thing that goes with that just to get the injectors in and out and it was still tight remove the frt. seats and dog house still sucks being on your knees all day Diesel in a van run away if you can with those bad knees.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Yes. Our 1994 Ford Econoline is an absolute horror to work on unless is something simple like an oil change or battery. So compact. I just hope the original water pump, starter and alternator don’t go out anytime soon for one I want to keep the record and two I don’t feel like taking all of that apart to fix lol. I’ve had to take the throttle body off four times and each time the whole top part of the engine has to come off pretty much. Doghouse access is good for some things but definitely not as good as having working space under the hood.

 

[Chris142]

The 70's dodge vans were not too bad. Everything else is just miserable to work on. Most shops charge more per hour to work on a van

 

[bdcardinal]

With a truck you can always do a cab-off. We are replacing a 2.7L in a F-150 and the tech is doing a cab-off. Also the full size Transits do not have a doghouse, which makes servicing them a nightmare.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Does anyone here have experience with the full-size Nissan NV vans? They have a hood that's actually big enough to fit the whole engine under it, so it should be easier to service

 

[Jimmy_Russells]

I work closely with some diesel specialist repair shops and most of them won't even touch vans. I know one that that charges an extra 30% per hour (lol) and tells people they'll do it when the shop is slow only. They can typically have a cab off a Ford truck if required in about 75-90 minutes. Even trying to do injectors in a 6.0 or 7.3 van you need to drop the engine like 6-8" just to get them out.

 

[clinebarger]

You're worried about the Ford parts?? You need to be more concerned with the R/V part of the equation!

 

[2EHA]

Does anyone here have experience with the full-size Nissan NV vans? They have a hood that's actually big enough to fit the whole engine under it, so it should be easier to service

we had a 3500 as a parts runner, it is basically a truck sized bay.

gm could copy the high roof relatively easily and get back in the game. the express in cargo form is a laughing stock.

 

[demarpaint]

Vans can be a real PITA to work on. There are parts that need to be accessed via the doghouse on the E-150 that make me wish I was 30 years younger. I've worked on both the E+F series trucks and the F series IMO is much easier to work on.

 

[doublebase]

I can’t stand working on vans...just everything. Too long, tough to get on a lift, tough to access stuff, can’t see out of them when you’re backing them out if the shop (I seriously don’t know how HVAC and plumber folks drive these things, with them loaded to the gills and no backup camera). I once got into an HVAC van and the guy had a steel door behind the front seats, blocking the back, but the back was filled with tanks and all sorts of stuff just swinging from the ceiling (and no backup camera). I was like...do you just guess on what you’re backing up into?

 

[skyactiv]

I can’t stand working on vans...just everything. Too long, tough to get on a lift, tough to access stuff, can’t see out of them when you’re backing them out if the shop (I seriously don’t know how HVAC and plumber folks drive these things, with them loaded to the gills and no backup camera). I once got into an HVAC van and the guy had a steel door behind the front seats, blocking the back, but the back was filled with tanks and all sorts of stuff just swinging from the ceiling (and no backup camera). I was like...do you just guess on what you’re backing up into?

Old Fed Ex Econolines had a wide angle mirror perched on the rear drivers side corner of the van.

 

[sloinker]

Easy as pie. I can do a complete engine swap in 3 hours and wall to wall hot babes circle the block to take a ride. ;-)

 

[john_pifer]

The wife and I have considered getting a Nissan NV if the family eventually gets big enough.

I like the fact that it’s basically a Titan drivetrain, and it actually has access to do maintenance.

 

[atikovi]

Spark plugs and coils on my V10 E450 and V8 E150 were nearly an all day job. A lot of the time doing it by feel. Need a 10 minute break after removing or installing each part to recover and to congratulate yourself for the achievement.

 

[repairman54]

I can’t stand working on vans...just everything. Too long, tough to get on a lift, tough to access stuff, can’t see out of them when you’re backing them out if the shop (I seriously don’t know how HVAC and plumber folks drive these things, with them loaded to the gills and no backup camera). I once got into an HVAC van and the guy had a steel door behind the front seats, blocking the back, but the back was filled with tanks and all sorts of stuff just swinging from the ceiling (and no backup camera). I was like...do you just guess on what you’re backing up into?

46 yrs of driving every brand and style of vans. From a '66 Econoline and every E series Ford, all the Dodges and Chevy's until retirement last year and all had the ''wall'' in the cab. And every style of side/rear windows or even no back windows.
Look behind and around before you have to back up and get out to where your not backing up. Clean mirrors and it's a not a problem.
No different than driving a box truck or semi, you have to become ''one'' with using mirrors.
Working on them before FWD became the norm was good training for working on FWD and late model stuff LOL.

 

[zzyzzx]

Some SUV's are as bad as vans.

 

[pacem]

Wow.
this is certainly more convincing than I needed.

 

[alex_at]

open the hood of one of these vans and take a look! For me its a servicing nightmare, the engine is half hidden, you're mostly working in the dark guessing where to wrench....