The cold chain starts with a well-maintained body
A refrigerated truck body is one of the hardest-worked pieces of equipment in cold chain logistics. A failed seal or damaged insulation does more than affect the quality of the product, because it can lead to a whole load being rejected, a breach of compliance and a significant financial loss. The six checks below take less than an hour each month, and they can save you a lot of money and trouble.
1. Inspect the door seals and gaskets
The door seals on a refrigerated body are your first line of defence against losing temperature. Run your hand around the full edge of the closed doors, and if you find a gap or feel cold air escaping, the seal has failed. Also look for cracking, splitting and flattened sections that no longer spring back. Replacement seals are inexpensive, but the temperature problems a failed seal causes are not.
2. Check the floor for delamination or water getting in
Refrigerated body floors are usually aluminium T-bar or fibreglass composite, and they can delaminate when moisture gets in through the edge joints or a damaged section. Press down on the floor right through the load area and listen for hollow sounds. Any soft or spongy sections mean the insulation has been compromised, and that damage will get worse with every refrigeration cycle.
3. Test the door hinges and locking hardware
The rear barn doors on a refrigerated body are opened and closed thousands of times a year. Check the hinge pins for wear and play, and make sure the lock rods work smoothly. A door that does not close flush leaves a gap in the seal, and it is also a safety risk at the loading dock.
4. Inspect the body-to-chassis mounting
Vibration from the road can work loose the bolts and anti-vibration mounts that hold the refrigerated body to the chassis. Over time a loose body can crack at its stress points, which leads to panel delamination and damaged insulation. As part of your monthly inspection, look for movement, cracking or missing fasteners at the mounts, and have the mounting points checked to the manufacturer’s specification by a qualified person.
5. Clean and inspect the interior panel joins
The joins between the interior panels should be sealed and intact, because any gap lets moisture into the insulation core. Wash the interior thoroughly after every use and check the joins for any opening or shrinking sealant. Re-sealing a join takes minutes, whereas replacing a delaminated wall panel takes days.
6. Check the drain plugs and drainage
The floor drains need to stay clear and the drain plugs need to seal properly. A blocked drain lets water pool on the floor, and that speeds up floor damage. Open the drain plugs after each wash and make sure the water drains freely before you put them back in for the next run.
Refrigerated body servicing and repairs
VN Truck Bodies builds and repairs refrigerated truck bodies across Melbourne. We work on the insulated body, panels, floors, doors and seals, and we coordinate with a refrigeration technician when the unit needs work. If your monthly inspection turns up something more than a simple seal replacement, bring the truck in to our Keysborough workshop. You can call 0447 452 222 to book an assessment.