By Danica Reynes

Like all other automobiles, the elemental parts of a garbage truck are the engine, frame and wheels; while their unique features include a hopper, packer blade and a loader mechanism which can vary from truck to truck.

Garbage trucks come in handy for waste management. Over the years these trucks have evolved from vehicles with basic trash-collecting capabilities to sophisticated machines with big truck parts that enable complex mechanisms. Here are some valuable information for you to know about garbage trucks in the event that you are planning on purchasing one, or if you are simply curious:

Basic parts include the engine, frame and wheels

Although there are many garbage trucks with different features, all of them have the common basics that include the engine, the frame and the wheels. These three parts are heavy-duty and designed especially to withstand heavy pressure and carry heavy loads. A garbage truck’s engine is usually powered by diesel fuel, such that it can enable low-end torque, limited speed, greater hauling capability and durability. And, of course, every garbage truck has a cab where the driver sits and operates the machine. Most of the time, you will find that a truck’s controls are located inside the cab, but there are some trucks that also have special controls on the outside.

The hopper and the packer blade are the distinctive features of the garbage truck

When the garbage truck collects trash, it deposits them into the hopper, a large, open space that makes up most of the truck’s mass. But, some hoppers have different compartments to separate different trash. Compactors are hoppers that come equipped with packer blades. Used to maximize space in the hopper, packer blades are useful for compressing garbage. The packer blade is controlled by a hydraulic system, so that it can exert the greatest possible pressure on trash. The design of more modern garbage trucks allows you to simultaneously operate the packer blades while driving the truck. The features that set the garbage truck apart from other vehicles are its hopper and packer blade.

Different loading mechanisms

There are different configurations in the loading mechanism of garbage trucks. The rear loader is the most common configuration and can be seen in garbage trucks used in many neighborhoods. These particular garbage trucks have an opening in the back that connects directly to a hopper. Sometimes they even possess a hydraulic lift that can haul and dump trash into the hopper. The most frequent loading configuration found in trucks that collect wastes from dumpsters is the front loader. Large scale business operations, as well as commercial buildings, are known to use this type of garbage truck. Front loading trucks feature forks at the front of the truck which can be connected to corresponding dumpsters which are then tilted over the truck so its contents can be dumped into the hopper. Additionally, there is also the side loader, a garbage truck which has doors on one side that are connected to a hopper for loading. Recycling trucks with multiple hoppers for different wastes have side loaders. Additionally, some side loaders are also designed with automatic lift features.

Like many equipment, garbage trucks are constantly innovated to suit different demands and situations. The more you know about this equipment the better you can take care and fix it.

About the Author: For more information on garbage truck components and big truck parts, you may visit http://www.tomshouseofhydraulics.com/page.asp?page=PartsAccessories.

Source: isnare.com

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