Mobile restaurant or food truck owners aren’t just chefs who cook menu items that keep customers coming back for more. They also double as drivers in charge of bringing food closer to customers (who do come back for more). As a driver, they play another role: the mechanic.
If you are a food truck owner who doubles as a driver but not as a mechanic, keep in mind that you still have duties in maintaining your mobile food trucks, auto shops can help with repairs, but if your food truck breaks down far from one, you’ll need the car repair know-how.
Regular Maintenance Routine for Mobile Trucks
Replace or Rotate the Tires
Mobile trucks are on the road for long hours every day. To keep your vehicle going, rotate the tires every few thousand miles to prevent them from skidding or breaking apart on the road. If you drive your truck daily, check the tires for tread wear and replace them immediately.
Replace the Fluid Levels
As you drive your truck, the fluids decrease in volume and become dark and gritty. If you don’t change oil fluids, your vehicle will break down easily. Changing the oil every six months lubricates your engine, which prevents excessive wear and tear of the truck’s internal parts.
Check the Engine
The engine is the heart of your truck. Check the engine if you drive the mobile vehicle at least ten hours a week. If your owner’s manual has a predetermined date, check when you should change or maintain the engine.
Check the Computer Systems
GPS navigation systems and computers are standard installations in dashboards. Maintain your computer systems by checking if all the controls and lights are working. If any part of the truck malfunctions, check your computer to make sure it’s programmed correctly.
Keep Your Truck Running; Avoid These Mistakes
It can be tempting to put off truck maintenance when you’re short on time or funds, but this decision will haunt you in the long run. Instead of facing more complicated problems in the future, avoid the following maintenance mishaps:
- Brushing off your mobile truck’s maintenance instructions. Your car’s instruction manual has all the details regarding proper care. The manual might say that you should change the oil during this period. If you fail to do so (because you were unable to read), you might cause additional damage to the truck and put your staff in danger.
- Not changing your tires immediately. Regularly check your tire pressure so a flat tire won’t cut your business short.
- Ignoring dashboard warning lights. Refrain from brushing off the warning lights. Check your owner’s manual to see what the warning means and address it immediately.
- Keep running low on gas. If you are always low on gas, you can cause damage to your fuel pump.
Keep customers coming back for more of your food by coming back for them with a well-conditioned food truck. Take the time to maintain your vehicle regularly so that you can ensure smooth operations and plenty of happy customers.
