Remount / Refit Suggestions

[n0esc]

We're in the process of spec'ing out changes to the box of a 95 Braun rig that is to be remounted on a 2008 chassis this spring.

Any suggestions for things you like in your rig, or things you would change if you had another chance to do things differently.

[JakeEMTP]

When we received our last ambulance, it had the stretcher mounted closer to the left. I personally prefer a centre mounted stretcher as it allows me easier access to the right side of the patient. With the new unit, there isn't a CPR seat. People bitched about that, even though the monitor sits on the seat in the older ambulances. Go figure :roll:.

Instead of spending $800.00 per light on LED's, take that money and get a Zico O2 cylinder lift. Yeah, it doesn't have the "cool" factor of the LED's, but your back and that of your fellow employees will thank you.

http://www.emtcity.com/phpBB2/link.php?url...om/3000-ots.HTM

Other than those two things, I can't think of much. We have a '97 Braun that is our spare unit. I really like working in it, and can't think of anything I would really change.

Good luck with your remount!

[Just Plain Ruff]

hmmmmmmm you could have gotten a lot of good ideas if people would have participated in the most recent EMT City contests I tried to host but no one entered and it must have been "too much like work". sorry bout that.

[strippel]

I would recommend an all LED lighting package. For the last few years, we have gotten all LED (except for scene, headlights, and front turn signals), and it has made our maintenance guys life much easier. It has also drastically reduced the electrical/alternator problems.

We have center mount litters with dual bench seats. They work wonderfully. Our service constantly has students, multiple patients, and specialty transports, so the extra room comes in handy.

[Richard B the EMT]

Just mentioning that NYC HHC EMS, and now the FDNY EMS, have been using type ones for years, but I never saw them do any remounts. They seem to just sell the intact modular, usually 5 to 7 years old, to out of town companies, squads. corps, and departments, at savings to the purchaser.

Due to the roadway abuse of both Police and EMS vehicles, and I assure you the abuse is not (usually) intentional, I would not recommend a used one from the NYC area. However, due to the attention paid to Engine and Ladder companies, I would recommend those for purchase.

While I was not told where it was being used, I heard there's an Engine company in use somewhere in the Midwest, formerly used by the FDNY, still in use after 30 model years of service.

[Just Plain Ruff]

I was in Belton MO the other day and saw a American Lafrance hook and ladder from the dark ages. It still looked really really good.

[Dale]

Be careful when considering a firm to remount your ambulance module. Most firms offering remounts are not Ford QVM certified nor are they registered as a NHTSA-approved final-stage manufacturer (taking bare chassis and installing a body on them.). That means they cannot document adherance to good engineering practices, compliance to chassis manufacturer recommendations, don't typically have sufficient liability insurance, and normally don't have proper engineering documentation about the work they perform. If someone claims the perform to QVM standards, ask for their current certification document. If they produce one from an ambulance manufacturer they may represent but the work won't be done by that ambulance manufacturer (and many of those don't do any remounting), then you have a big problem.

As for changes you want to have done to your existing body, remember that at some point you will reach diminishing returns for your investment. As someone who has been involved in spec'ing, buying, and selling ambulances for over 30 years, be careful you don't invest more money in trying to correct shortcomings in an existing modular body where it may be more cost effective to buy a new vehicle and trade-in or sell off the old one. It really depends on the the brand of vehicle, the care it has received, and what items you want to have replaced.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Dale brings up a good point.

The thought process of cost-benefit analysis should be done here.

What is the cost of a refit remount?

What is the cost of a new unit.

Just how many more miles does the old unit have on it? Is there rust around the body of the ambulance?

What is the general condition of the ambulance pre-remount? If the condition is poor and you are remounting because of that then I move for you to think about purchasing a new ambulance.

Chances are you will be speccing(sic) out a new ambulance within 1-2 years and by then that ambulance you remounted will be coughing and sputtering it's last legs.

I worked for a service who remounted a 1988 ambulance because it cost more to get a new ambulance than remounting. The rig was so top heavy and boxy that it took many a minute to get to 65 miles per hour and was in the shop more than it was on the road. AS a matter of fact it broke down one time on the way to a call and another time on the way to the hospital with a patient on board. NOT A GOOD THING

The money spend in the shop on this piece of crap could have been better spent on a new unit. But the management wouldn't see it that way. They were proud that they saved a couple thousand dollars.

[Dale]

remember that you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. I have seen folks spend almost as much to remount a module than it cost them to buy a new comparable one (of course, there are wide ranges of prices depending upon manufacturers- there are those that build "cheap" and those that build "better." Investing a large amount of money in an attempt to overcome design and material flaws that were built into the original module is not a smart move. You might have a new chassis but the old module may still have recurring problems with structural integrity, wiring, door latches, etc. that were not addressed during the remount process simply to save money. I find this to be true among clients that have little experience with remounting.

An independent remount shop is only going to do the work that the customer is smart enough to specify and willing to pay for. I have seen situations where a "cheap" remount ended up being very expensive when a module is finally disassembled at the remounter and a lot of "hidden" items are now requiring repair or replacement. While some of that cannot be predicted, I am aware of situations where someone knew from experience that certain items would probably need attention but did not price that to the customer in their initial quotation in fear that the total price might scare off the customer. Of course, once someone has your body torn apart in their shops, it is kind of hard to disregard their "recommendation" for additional cost work to correct those "missed" items.

There are very good remounters out there that do it as their primary business and others that perform remounts as a sideline (basically another profit center among various product lines among their firm.) Some manufacturers remount "in-house" while others won't address it, preferring to either let independent shops or their own dealers deal with it (with varying results in quality and satisfaction.) Some manufacturers will only remount the modules they built while a few will address other brands on a case by case basis.

[Richard B the EMT]

For those following this string, but don't know what a "remount" is, just think about an ambulance in a crash. Medical compartment damaged too severely to use, but the Cockpit cab/chassis still good? Replace it. Cockpit cab/chassis damaged, but the "box" survived intact? Replace it.

Original concept potentially could save a purchaser a third off a totally new ambulance.

I once used a new "box" on a 2 year old but unused chassis, so the entire vehicle was considered totally "New". The vendor actually knocked down the price due to the older chassis, but with full new vehicle warranties and guarantees.

HOWEVER...

Dale and Ruffems both bring up good and valid points (scroll back and read them) for having remountings done.