A COMPARISON OF RACKING SYSTEMS IN TWO PLUMBERS’ CUSTOMS

There’s no such thing as a universal racking solution because needs can vary dramatically even between professionals doing the same work. Even if two customers bring in exactly the same make and model of van, Syncro’s racking experts could well come up with totally different solutions.

Comparing different racking configurations installed in the same model of van for companies that work in the same sector helps you understand how the same van can be optimised very differently depending on the priorities of the tradesman or professional concerned. Comparing alternative solutions can also bring to light problems you may not have thought have – ones that can easily be solved thanks to the flexibility of Syncro racking!

On this page we walk you through a comparison of two Ford Transit Custom L1 H1 vans, both owned by plumbers but with very different racking systems that reflect different ways of working. Only the choice of floor covering is common to both vans: a plywood floor liner with a marble-look surface.

Let’s start with this first question: how much space in the back of your van do you intend to dedicate to racking?

In the case of Custom 1 (the van on the left of these photos), the owner asked us to install racking on both sides, believing that the bulkhead area alone was large enough to carry any bulky cargo.

In Custom 2 (the van on the right of these photos), only the left side is occupied by racking, while the right side and bulkhead have been left free for transporting large items of cargo. One solution is no better than the other. Different needs simply require different solutions! This same Custom variant could equally have had racking confined to the right side or even the bulkhead, or an underfloor drawer unit could have been installed to leave all interior surfaces free.

See another comparison of alternative racking solutions for the Custom

Custom 1

In this van the entire left wall is occupied by two columns of racking.

Starting from floor level, the rearmost column consists of a compartment with a patented lift-and-rotate door housing a 5-litre single-phase compressor, a metal drawer with a non-slip bottom mat and internal space dividers, a configurable shelf equipped with a battery charger and an Ecoflow River 2 Pro power station strapped to a dedicated tray and, finally, Multibox cabinets with 4 large transparent containers and 8 smaller ones. The rearward facing side panel is equipped with a cable holder at the top and a vertical power strip in the middle. The forward column houses a floor-level compartment with hooks and straps at the front and a set of three configurable shelves.

Custom 2

The racking of the left of this Custom is simpler but very similar to the other in configuration. The rearward column starts with a floor-level storage compartment with a lift-and-rotate door. Above this are four metal drawers and two configurable shelves at the top. The forward column consists of a floor-level case compartment with end plate and lashing strap and four more configurable shelves.

The right wall is organised in clearly different ways in these two vans.

Custom 1

In this van, the right wall provides a floor-level compartment with a lift-and-rotate door over the wheel arch and four configurable shelves.

Custom 2

The right wall of this van has been left completely free.

Both customers thought it best to keep the bulkhead free for carrying large items of cargo loads loaded through the sliding side door.

There is one difference, however. The owner of Custom 1 was, in one sense, a bit more forward-thinking and asked us to install a Syncroblock bar with a lashing strap for securing items during transport.

There is nothing to stop the owner of Custom 2 adding a cargo retaining system at a later date, of course. Syncro accessories can be added at any time thanks to easy installation and complete compatibility with Syncro racking.

Browse all Syncro cargo carrying accessories.

Would you rather have more storage for your tools, equipment, spare parts and sundries, or would you prefer to move around inside your van more freely and have more room for carrying unusual loads?

Do you know already what your ideal van looks like? Or would you prefer to install a simple racking system now and perhaps add more elements and accessories as the need arises?

The best way to find the perfect solution is to talk directly with the people who have specialised exclusively in van racking since 1996. Syncro offers only specialist advice based on decades of accumulated competence and 100,000 van fit-outs.

Contact us today for a free consultation. We’ll listen first to fully understand your needs, and only then propose the perfect solution for you! We are the leaders in van racking and we can’t wait to prove it to you!