[Clever Forum Name]

Getting fed up of humping the reel in and out and wanted to ask a few questions.

With an unfixed reel i can obviously position the reel better for jobs.

What i wanted to know is....

If you have a fixed reel do you try and line up the van so you can just pull it out and walk up to the house? Or do you find sometimes you are standing behind your van and reeling out the hose, then hose managing. Ie walking the hose round your van up to the house. If that makes sense lol.

I have seen and bookmarked the van with bumper rollers and it looks great but haven't got the time to do that really.

Or maybe just some general tips on how you park your van and hose manage with a FIXED reel.

Thanks

[Nick_Thompson]

Pure, you may have noticed that sone of the guys have gone about restraining their reels using a clip-type arrangement that allows for quick removal and thereby benefiting from the the best of both worlds. I think that is what I may do.

[Clever Forum Name]

Yeah I see that but will be using a cox reel
So can't do that

[robert mitchell]

i have been contemplating the same thing , think I'm going to wait until i can fit the rollers to go with it .

[Dave Willis]

I change direction of my hose with cheap 'D' rings on a sling hung from the tailgate.

[dd]

I have a hannay reel - similar to cox. IMO it helps to have the reel mounted as close to rear door as possible then you can pull it more sideways. I find it works well and is just one of those things you get used to.

It helps to have the van parked the right way round but find it doesn't matter that much and I don't want to spend much time faffing about parking the van a particular way unless it is convenient.

[robert mitchell]

I change direction of my hose with cheap 'D' rings on a sling hung from the tailgate.

any chance of a pic ? 

[Dave Willis]

No it's dark  

I have a Toyota Hiace with a tailgate with bars over the window. I just hang a couple of the cheap 'D' rings they sell for old people to carry their shopping home from the bars and run the hose through. Bit like using a climbers karabiner and sling.

I haven't lifted the reel out for the last six years.

[dazmond]

ive only just started leaving my reel in the van.i bought a redashe reel and its heavy!so i leave it in the van with back door open for the heater.its so much easier rather than lugging it in and out of the van!it reels in sooo quick because the circumference of the reel is bigger than my claber reel.

if im not parked the right way round to where im working i simple pull enough hose out for the job out the back of the van first then go on my way.its still easier than lifting it in and out the van!

[Simon Mess]

I have always used a fixed hose reel and while there has been times I have thought it would be easier with one I could lift out, most of the time I manage fine.
Another window cleaner I know used 2 reels, one facing out the back of the van, the other facing out of the side door in front of his tank. That certainly has its advantages, but I guess you would need a bigger van to be able to do that.
Over the years I have occasionally mulled over the possibility of using a pickup (with hard top) for work and had thought that mounting the hose reel on the inside of the drop down tailgate, mounted on some kind of swivel would be a good idea. Maybe someone out there uses a similar system?.

[Lee GLS]

No it's dark  

I have a Toyota Hiace with a tailgate with bars over the window. I just hang a couple of the cheap 'D' rings they sell for old people to carry their shopping home from the bars and run the hose through. Bit like using a climbers karabiner and sling.

I haven't lifted the reel out for the last six years.

Dave could you post some pics up when its light 

I have a tailgate on my van which allows for increased hose angles, but what you have just suggested sounds interesting, i would like to see how you have done this

[Panorama]

Mines fixed, with hose roller in floor,

[Clever Forum Name]

I have always used a fixed hose reel and while there has been times I have thought it would be easier with one I could lift out, most of the time I manage fine.
Another window cleaner I know used 2 reels, one facing out the back of the van, the other facing out of the side door in front of his tank. That certainly has its advantages, but I guess you would need a bigger van to be able to do that.
Over the years I have occasionally mulled over the possibility of using a pickup (with hard top) for work and had thought that mounting the hose reel on the inside of the drop down tailgate, mounted on some kind of swivel would be a good idea. Maybe someone out there uses a similar system?.

Don't know about the swivel. But seen an l200 with twin reels mounted on the tailgate. Looked smart.

[ascjim]

Pure, you may have noticed that sone of the guys have gone about restraining their reels using a clip-type arrangement that allows for quick removal and thereby benefiting from the the best of both worlds. I think that is what I may do.

+1

[Dave Willis]

like this

[Lee GLS]

Thanks Dave. Do they work well, what's it like reeling the hose back in?

[Dave Willis]

Usually pull most of the hose back with me then unclip it and wind in. Works pretty well pulling the hose out.

[Cliff perkins]

id be constantly worried about my poles going missing while i was around the back of the house.

[Dave Willis]

just put Brodex stickers on your Extreme poles. Works a treat.

[Spruce]

just put Brodex stickers on your Extreme poles. Works a treat.