A refrigerated body works hard all year, and a little planning before winter means you can find and fix the faults that make it lose temperature before your busy months rather than in the middle of them. This guide sets out what we check on a refrigerated body before winter, and how to plan any repairs or a new build around your season.
Why it pays to check the body before winter
Cold-chain work runs all year, and your customers expect product to arrive at the right temperature whatever the weather. A body with tired seals, damaged panels or a wet floor makes the refrigeration unit work harder and can struggle to hold a steady temperature, which puts loads at risk of being rejected. Booking an inspection in a quieter period lets you plan the repairs around your schedule, instead of losing a truck when you need it most.
What to check on a refrigerated body
These are the points we suggest every operator checks before winter:
- Door seals and gaskets. Worn seals are one of the most common causes of temperature loss we see in the workshop, and replacing them is usually a quick job that makes a real difference.
- Panel insulation. Cracks, delamination or moisture getting into FRP (fibreglass reinforced plastic) panels all reduce how well the body insulates, and we see these problems more often as bodies get older.
- The refrigeration unit. Have your refrigeration technician service the unit. We do not service refrigeration units ourselves, but we can coordinate with your technician when the body and the unit both need work.
- Internal drainage. Blocked floor drains let water pool, which raises the humidity inside the body and makes it harder to keep clean, and that is a particular concern for food work.
- Structural frame condition. Look for corrosion at the floor crossmembers, the bases of the side posts and the rear frame corners, because these points carry a lot of stress on a refrigerated body that works every day.
Repairs that keep a body working
If your refrigerated body has been in an accident, shows structural damage or is struggling to hold its temperature, we can look at it and tell you whether a repair or a replacement makes more sense. In many cases, targeted repairs to the seals, panels and floor keep a body working for several more years for a fraction of what a new body would cost. We repair the insulated body, panels, floors, doors and seals, and after an inspection we can give you a written list of what we found and what we recommend.
Planning a new refrigerated body
If the body is past repairing, plan the new build well ahead of the season you need it for. We build single-temperature and multi-temperature refrigerated truck bodies on a range of chassis, with the doors, linings, racking and floor chosen to suit your product. We build the insulated body and coordinate with a refrigeration technician for the unit, so the two are properly matched. Every build is quoted individually after we talk through the job with you, and the timing depends on the specification and the chassis, so talk to us early.
Booking an inspection or repair
VN Truck Bodies is at 17 Cambria Road, Keysborough VIC 3173, just off EastLink, and the workshop has room for trucks of every size. We reply to enquiries within one business day, and if you send us a few photos we can usually give you an initial estimate for refrigerated body repairs on the same day, although structural damage may need an inspection. You can call us on 0447 452 222 or email inquiry@vntruckbodies.com.