A box body is used in special vehicle construction for the technical equipment of various vehicle types. It is a vehicle body that is either permanently or interchangeably connected to the chassis of the underlying vehicle. If it is the latter type of box body, it is also referred to as a swap body or container.
Box body: Applications and bodywork
A box body is often used for vehicles of authorities and organizations with security tasks (BOS). These include, for example, ambulances or various types of truck bodies. Aerial rescue vehicles, which carry turntable ladders or telescopic masts as their largest item of equipment, do not have box bodies.
A box body usually consists of a ladder frame surrounded by sturdy side walls. Steel is generally used for the ladder frame, while aluminum or plastic is used for the side walls, depending on the manufacturer or application. There are also other types of construction, such as box bodies with a lightweight sandwich construction or specially insulated, specially lined thermal boxes. For a lightweight sandwich construction, lightweight core material is installed between two cover layers.
A truck or the chassis of a classic panel van (also known as the Sprinter class) is usually used as the basis for the box body. The box body is either permanently attached to the chassis or fitted in such a way that the box body or chassis can be replaced at a later date. As a rule, the chassis is replaced after a set period of time or when a certain mileage limit is reached. Particularly in the case of technically sophisticated box bodies, such as those found in ambulances, the service life of the swap body is effectively increased by replacing the chassis.
