Van-Pack Jetter or Trailer Jetter? Choosing the Best Setup for Your Needs

If you’re trying to decide between a Van-Mountable Jetter or a Tow-Behind Trailer Jetter, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common questions we hear from pros looking to get into serious jetting or expanding their jetting capabilities.

Right off the bat we’re going to assume that you’re looking for a “rooter class” jetter, with the GPM and PSI to productively get jetting jobs done. It’s been proven that jetters with a flow-rate capability of 8-GPM or more, on up to 20-GPM, and pressure of 3000, 3500, or 4000 PSI, will have the impact to clear blockages and flush them away, restoring flow quickly for your customer. Whether a Van-Skid or Trailer, when paired with the right nozzles these “rooter class” jetters can clear tree roots, heavy grease, wipes, heavies, and more.

So, Van-Pack jetters and Trailer jetters can both get these typical jobs done; the question at hand is which type will work best for you. But choosing the wrong configuration for you can hinder your productivity, cost you fuel, limit your jetting-mobility, or even keep you from finishing the job altogether.

We at Jetters Northwest enjoy taking the time to unpack these questions with our customers and prospects. So let’s break down the positives and differences between these Van-Pack jetters and Trailer jetters…

Van-Pack Jetters: Compact, Job-Ready, and Reliable

When your routes are in tight city spaces or quick service calls, a van-pack setup often makes the most sense.

Benefits of Van Pack Jetters:

• Convenient: Van Pack jetters are always in the van and ready to get jetting jobs done, with minimal jobsite-setup and wireless remote control efficiency
• Compact: Designed compact enough to leave ample room in the van for your other equipment (cameras, flex-shaft, snakes, tools, etc.).
• Size: Great for in-and-out service calls in tight metro areas with limited parking availability (no towing required)
• Protection: Stored in the vehicle, protected from weather and theft
• Maintenance: Optional “Slide-out extension” system gives you handy access for refueling and daily maintenance

JNW’s Brute Powerslide package isn’t just a Van Pack, it’s a ready-to-roll jetting setup built for techs on tight schedules who value time-efficiency, reliability, and floor space in their vehicle’s cargo-bay.

With a 30-inch electric-powered extension, the Brute Powerslide system lets you access both sides of your jetter right from the van bay, no need to unload. That means faster oil checks, handier fueling, quicker filter swaps, and no more awkward maintenance.

Considerations to Keep in Mind:

• Compact Van-Pack jetters are very popular among sewer/drain techs, but fully stocked water/sewer plumbing-vans may not want to give up floor-space for a “mounted” jetter
• The jetter will not be road-visible until its doors are open, thus it’s wise to add a bold “DRAIN JETTING” services message to your van’s wrap artwork

Best Fit For:

• Commercial service routes and dense residential locations
• Drivers who lack trailer-towing & backing skills
• Operators who value compact, efficient, & secure setups

An underrated perk of a Van Pack? The jetter is kept out of the weather which supports jetter-life and can enable year-round uptime – even when working in cold-weather climates.

Keeping your jetter inside the van helps protect its water from freezing between jobs, and keeps road-grime and salt away from the jetter.

Trailer Jetters: Bigger Water-Capacity & GPM for Bigger Jobs & Payoffs

When jobs demand longer runs, bigger lines, or more water on board, that’s when trailer jetters really stand out.

Benefits of Trailer Jetters:

• Visibility: A sharp Trailer-Jetter behind your vehicle speaks loudly that you have the equipment to solve your customer’s sewer/drain problem – even heavy blockages and long runs of infested pipe
• Power: Higher water-flow choices for higher-impact cleaning – up to 20-GPM for service-jetting
• Capacity: Larger Water Tanks for longer runtime without pause, and for locations lacking water-supply
• Flexibility: Keeps your van-space or truck-bed free for other tools and gear

When the job calls for more water, trailer jetters can step up in a big way. These rigs are purpose-built for more water-capacity, with higher-GPM performance-choices to impact stoppages and to flush debris from longer runs.

Our Eagle-300/4020 trailer jetter is built to handle the big jobs: heavier blockages, longer runs, and larger lines. When you need serious GPM/PSI power and more water on board, a trailer setup gives you the capacity and performance to get it done.

Considerations to Keep in Mind:

• Trailers require a tow-vehicle with adequate strength for the rigors of towing – especially in hilly areas and/or if you plan to tow a full tank of water to the job
• Outdoor storage may require added security (and it’s wise to cover the jetter-trailer)
• Can be tricky to find parking in tight commercial or residential locations

Best Fit For:

• Commercial/Industrial and Municipal-scale jobs – especially poorly maintained lines
• An impressive appearance when showing your jetting-capabilities to larger clients, and for arriving at that first job for a new customer
• Rural or municipal work where you must bring a tankful of water to the jobsite

It bears repeating that a sharp-looking Trailer-mounted jetter towed behind your sharp-looking service-vehicle sends a message to all who see it; that your company has invested in serious equipment to solve even the toughest sewer/drain problems. Further, some companies will use the impressive trailer-jetter to get an important account and then use a van-jetter or “hybrid” (see below) to do the PM jetting to maintain the account.

Hybrid Jetters: Rooter-Class Systems with Roll-Out Capability

Here’s an application where the unique versatility of the Brute series from Jetters Northwest really shines. Brute Van-Pack jetters feature a modular Skid-Frame which can also be built as a 4-wheel Cart that can be rolled off the van or trailer and right up to the cleanout, with the capability of being fed water from the water-tank OR from a single or multiple hose-bibs.

Treat it like a “Hydrid” Van-Pack jetter that typically stays on the van/truck/trailer when jetting, OR, when necessary you can remove the jetter from the vehicle, drop its handles, and roll it right up to the pipe to be cleaned – even into the building to reach less accessible cleanouts, floor-drains, traps, etc. Also any Brute jetter can be converted later from Skid to Cart or vice-versa if your needs change!

Ideal For:

• Apartment or multi-unit complex jetting
• Jetting in High-rises and hotels
• Food courts and supermarkets (propane-fueled Brute offers indoor-capability)
• Contractors who want versatility and flexible long-term value
• Connecting to a larger water-tank when needed
• Great starter jetter with “rooter-class” power

We’ve seen plenty of pros start with a Brute on a 4-wheel Cart for flexibility, then later bolt it down in a van once their service-routes and equipment needs evolve – the same unit grows with you. Add a water-tank or increase tank-size, run the jetter with Wireless Remote control, seamlessly switch the jetter from one vehicle to another, all from the same versatile Brute platform.

Picking the Jetter Type That’ll Work Best for You

Van-Pack/Skid. Tow-Behind Trailer. Hybrid Skid/Cart. No matter which direction you’re leaning, the decision really boils down to which jetter makes the most sense for the jobs you do and want to do:

• (a) Will I primarily do quick stoppage-clearing jetting jobs, or more involved clearing of heavy-laden lines?
• (b) How will I prefer to store & transport the jetter? And,
• (c) How close will I typically be able to get to the jetting access?

Picture yourself setting up the job: think about water availability at your typical jobsite, where the jetting-access points are that you’ll encounter most, how much hose you’ll need to run out to the access, and so on.

Van Pack vs. Trailer Unit: Side-by-Side Comparison

Keep It Simple:

• Metro routes? Quick stoppage-clearing jobs? Go van pack.
• Heavy laden lines that require scouring & flushing? Municipal & Rural runs? Go trailer.
• Mixed work or solo operation? A Skid-to-Cart hybrid system that you can strap in as a mounted jetter or roll out as a portable gives you flexibility without locking you in.

Your Jetter Setup, Your Jobsite Success

The best jetting setup is the one that matches your workload, your routes, and your crew – not a generic package off the shelf. That’s why we don’t push cookie-cutter systems. Every Jetters Northwest jetter-package is tailored with the features, nozzles, and accessories that make your jetter a workhorse for your needs.

Need help figuring it out? Give us a call. That’s what we’re here for:

We’re happy to unpack and discuss the jetting jobs you want to do, your water & vehicle space needs, nozzle/tool needs, and more. Whether you choose a Brute Powerslide Skid for a van, an Eagle 200, 300, or 600 gallon trailer jetter, or a “hybrid” Brute Skid/Cart solution, we’ll help you spec the right jetter, nozzles and tools to enable your team to “Get” jetting with effectiveness and efficiency!