Buying a garbage truck does not start with the brand or model year, but with day-to-day operations. Which containers do you empty? What does the route look like? Do you mainly work in narrow residential streets, on industrial estates or at fixed industrial locations? Especially with a used garbage truck, the combination of body, loader and technical condition determines whether you can work efficiently and safely. Anyone looking for a used garbage truck should therefore look beyond mileage and general appearance. In this blog, you will read what to look for so you can choose a garbage truck that suits your work.
The right garbage truck depends on the type of collection. That sounds logical, but in practice it is not always considered early enough. Yet it is precisely the combination of container type, emptying frequency and route profile that determines which body suits you best.
The most common choice is the rear loader. For many municipal and commercial waste routes, it is the preferred solution. Rear loaders are suitable for different container sizes and offer plenty of flexibility on routes with many stops, varying volumes and different types of collection. Especially if you work in residential neighbourhoods or mixed urban areas, a rear loader is often the safest and most practical choice.
A side loader is particularly suitable for routes with a high stop density and a standardised collection method. Think of routes where containers are always placed in the same position and where speed matters. A front loader is more often used in commercial or industrial waste collection, for example with larger containers at fixed locations. A top loader mainly appears in specific situations where loading or emptying from above is the best solution.
On a used garbage truck, the main points of attention are often not limited to the chassis, but are found in the body itself. The compactor and loader are subjected to heavy daily use. That is why these parts deserve extra attention during an inspection.
Start with the compactor. Check whether the pressing mechanism works smoothly and whether the cycle runs calmly and evenly. Jerky movements, unusual noises or a slow compaction system may indicate wear in the hydraulics, guides or pivot points. Also inspect the press plate, the floor and the side walls of the body carefully. These parts often reveal whether the truck has been used intensively and whether there is deformation, cracking or excessive corrosion.
Also watch for oil leaks around hydraulic cylinders, hoses and couplings. A damp cylinder or dirt around the connections can be an early sign of wear. Check whether the rear door closes properly and whether the seals are still in good condition. Poor sealing can later lead to extra maintenance and unwanted leakage during use. On the loader or lifter, pay particular attention to play, cracks and the general condition of the moving parts. Inspect the arms, grabs, chains, pins, bushes and welds. Fatigue usually appears first around mounting points and heavily loaded parts.
A practical check is to ask for several loading cycles during the inspection. Do not only look at whether the system works, but especially at how it works. Does the loader move smoothly? Does it pick up and unload properly? Does the installation move through the cycle straight and without hesitation? If you hear ticking, scraping or knocking sounds, that is a sign to ask further questions.
Finally, also ask for the maintenance history and any rebuilds or overhauls of the compactor or loader. With a used garbage truck, a demonstrably well-maintained body often says more than the age of the vehicle alone.
With a garbage truck, safety should not be something you tick off on paper. You need to see it in operation. During an inspection, you should therefore want to see as many functions tested live as possible. This applies to the controls of the body, but also to the safety systems involved in loading, unloading and manoeuvring.
Start with the basics. Do all control buttons on both sides work as they should? Does the body respond directly and logically to the selected function? Are emergency stops present and functioning properly? Signalling is also important. Think of work lights, beacons, warning signals and reverse warning systems.
Also make sure the safety interlocks work. The rear door must lock correctly, the controls must stop where they should, and the installation must not make unexpected movements. If the garbage truck has steps or footboards for loaders, check whether the related safety systems work properly as well. On many vehicles, this includes for example a speed limiter or an extra warning function.
You should also take a close look at the camera or mirror system, especially if the truck is used intensively in urban areas. Good all-round visibility makes a major difference in practice when it comes to safety and ease of use. Also check whether fault messages are present on the dashboard or control panel, and ask further questions if error codes appear.
Want the key points at a glance? Make sure you check these five things.
Laat containertype, ledigingsfrequentie en routeprofiel bepalen of een achterlader, zijlader, voorlader of bovenlader het beste past.
Let op schokken, afwijkende geluiden, olielekkage en slijtage aan persplaat, bodem, zijwanden en hydraulische delen.
Laat meerdere laadcycli zien en kijk niet alleen of het systeem werkt, maar vooral hoe soepel en recht het beweegt.
Test noodstops, bediening, vergrendelingen, signalering, camera- of spiegelsysteem en kijk of er storingsmeldingen zichtbaar zijn.
Onderhoudshistorie en uitgevoerde revisies aan compactor of lader geven extra inzicht in de technische staat van het voertuig.
In the end, buying a garbage truck is about choosing a vehicle that suits your work, your routes and your way of collecting waste. That is why it is wise to look not only at price or model year, but also at the body, loader, safety systems and the overall technical condition of the vehicle.
Not sure which body, loader or configuration best suits your containers and routes? Our team is happy to help you compare options and find a garbage truck that matches your daily operations. View the current stock of used and new garbage trucks, or contact our specialists for personal advice.
