Unless you take proper care of your food truck, it cannot take care of your business needs. Basically, you should make sure your truck is ready for work whenever you need it. To achieve this, you have to take proper care of it through regular maintenance. That’s because every time your food truck is sitting idle due to a mechanical failure or any other issue, you will missing some great opportunities to make some cash.
As you know, whenever you are not out with your truck on the street selling to your customers, some income is being lost. Still, how you take care of your truck will depend on how you intend to use it. Generally, maintenance is an all-year thing, but if you intend to use the truck even over the winter, then you will have to put a little more effort into its maintenance than normal.
How to Take Care of Your Truck
First of all, you should find a dependable mechanic. The last thing you want is your food truck to fail when you most need it for business. Once you get into the food truck business, your customers will expect you to show up at certain locations, and when they can’t find you there, they will find alternative places to get their food.
It would actually be great if you can handle some mechanical issues yourself, as it can save you some time and money as well. But if that is not a possibility, a great mechanic you can trust to come through for you whenever you have any mechanical issues will do. This kind of attention should extend to the equipment in your truck as well. Essentially, you should have professionals who will be on hand to take a look at any repair issues you might be facing to ensure you have a minimum amount of downtimes.
Before any busy session, you should always have the mechanic have a look at your truck since any interruptions to your business over truck maintenance issues can cost you more during these peak business periods. You should take similar measures if the truck has been sitting idle for several weeks, for instance, over the winter.
What You Can Do on Your Own
Regular Oil Changes
You have probably owned a motor vehicle or a motorcycle before owning a food truck. So, you should understand the importance of changing the oil in your truck regularly. Be sure to check how frequently the truck you own needs oil changes, and also take into account the age of the truck. You can even talk to your mechanic about this. After you get this information, be sure to avoid any oil change delays as this may age the engine more quickly and make it more prone to mechanical issues.
Check the Battery
The last thing you want is to deal with a dead battery just when you are ready to start your trip to your venue. This can be frustrating and inconvenient. One way to avoid such issues is to have the battery checked regularly by a mechanic to help determine if it is up to the task of starting your truck reliably over the foreseeable future.
Otherwise, if your battery dies on you a couple of times, then it’s time to get a new one. Luckily, you can easily change the battery yourself; even if it might take a little guidance from your mechanic. However, take into consideration the fact that your battery has to put in a little more work into starting your truck during the cold season.
Tire Maintenance
Few things are as frustrating as a flat tire to a vehicle owner. In the case of a food truck, a flat tire could mean not getting to your desired location on time and missing out on a lot of business as a result. To avoid such issues before they happen, you should check tire pressure regularly so that you can identify any tires that might be leaking so that you can have them fixed or replaced at more appropriate times.
Besides, using the truck when it has low tire pressure can greatly increase the rate of tear and wear on the tires, and it can also affect the truck’s handling and performance a great deal. Essentially, you should check your tire pressure every day as part of your food truck’s daily maintenance routine.
Have a Look at the Fluids
If you want a reliable food truck, you cannot let the fluids run too low. This means having a look at them on a regular basis and making refills whenever necessary should be a high priority for you. This will ensure that the truck performs at optimal levels and that it does not suffer any sudden and unexpected mechanical issues.
Generally, you should check your truck’s fluid situation after it has been sitting idle for several weeks or months such as during the winter season. You should also have a look at its fluid levels on a regular basis. Speaking of which, some of the fluids you should look into include transmission fluid, brake fluid, antifreeze, power steering fluid and any other fluids you need to ensure the truck delivers its best performance. Refilling these fluids is simple, and you can have your mechanic show you how it’s done.
Check the Belts and Hoses
Even while doing other kinds of truck maintenance, you should also have a look at the belts and hoses. The belts and hoses are very important to a truck’s smooth operation, and they can wear out due to continued truck use and varied engine temperatures. For this reason, they can break or even get stretched and lose their effectiveness.
So, you should have a look at these belts and hoses and if you notice any signs of wear or tear and have them replaced before they cut your journey short and cost you an important payday. Fortunately, belts and hoses are relatively inexpensive, and replacements are only necessary after considerable periods of time.
To Sum Up
If you want your food truck business to thrive, or even stay operational, you have to take care of the truck as this is arguably your most important business assets. The last thing you want is getting stranded on your way to work, which can cost you your income and make you spend unexpected money on expensive repairs.
You can avoid such incidences through a proper maintenance regimen. By getting close to a mechanic, you can learn how to handle some of these issues yourself so that your income generating asset does not fail you when you need it the most. If you can take care of your food truck, then you can also expect it to take care of you and help you grow a thriving food business.