Product Review: 
LOAD ‘N’ GO POWERBODY
Fleetwest’s transferable Powerbody service-truck body brings versatility to fleet pickup cargo management
By Bruce W. Smith
I’ve always been partial to slide-in pickup campers. They provide the conveniences and amenities you want on a trip, yet when camp is setup you can drop the jacks and pull out from under the camper so the truck is available for other uses.
That’s why I believe fleet managers who employ pickups for multi-tasking would find Fleetwest’s Load ‘N’ Go “transferable” service bodies make a lot of sense.
The universal design of the Load ‘N’ Go makes it easy to move from truck to truck, leave it on a jobsite, or drop it at the shop, freeing up the truck for other duties.
Fleetwest (fleetwest.net; 866-497-7200) offers Load ‘N’ Go in several models dedicated to different uses such as the “Sportsman” or “Tradesman” styles. We went for the long-bed “Powerbody” ($6,400 base price) with the optional Vanair Air-N-Arc 150 welder/compressor/generator installed. It’s mounted lengthwise on the service body floor to maximize space for any long items one might need to carry.
What makes the Powerbody nice for our application is the Vanair AirNArc control panel is located in the front compartment so you don’t have to crawl up into the service body bed to fire up the compressor, generator or welder.
Placing the Vanair controls inside the forward cabinet also keeps them safe from the bad elements – both weather-related and the human kind.
Fleetwest’s Powerbody is soildly built. It weighs 1,500 pounds empty, and is fitted with quality “T”-locking handles, strong piano hinges and smooth welds.
Fleetwest Load 'N' Go Powerbody is easy to install/remove.
Our version has built-in forklift tunnels for easy removal and came with the optional lifting jacks. (It can also be ordered with lifting tubes for overhead crane loading/unloading.)
The unit provides some 60 cu./ft. of storage space within four 20-inch tall, four-foot-long locking side- boxes. That’s considerably more storage than you’ll find most pickup cab/chassis service bodies.
Underneath the spray-lined floor at the rear is a heavy-duty, 4×8-foot slide-out drawer that can handle 1,000 pounds of tools, supplies and equipment.
Fleetwest prides itself in meeting customer/fleet owner needs. So you can get the Load ‘N’ Go setup to fit in with just about any trade or application. Options abound as does customer service.
We’ll be filling the drawer and boxes with all manner of gear and tools over the next few months as we build our Big Red GMC Dually sweepstakes-giveaway pickup into one fine service vehicle. – Pro
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