Sweeper Trucks for Sale (143)

Buying a used Road Sweeper Truck

In days gone past, sweeper operators would run their sweepers for longer than a typical truck – over ten years is not uncommon.  This is because the investment in the specialist sweeper body is significant and because the mileages driven are not significant – due to the speed of operation and the local nature of the business.

However, as most of these machines are used in urban environments and the number of towns and cities demanding Euro 6 trucks, the older, pre-Euro 6 sweepers will find themselves destined for use on private land and therefore worth less than they once were in the used truck market.

So make sure the truck you are looking at buying is a Euro 6 (2014 onwards is a general principle, but you must always double check) if you intend to run it for some years, as your operating area may well introduce a low emission zone if there is not already one in place.

Truck Mounted Sweeper Attachments

Depending on the type of operation the sweeper will be used for, additional attachments, such as power wash lance for cleaning street furniture or road signs could be fitted to a used sweeper.

For additional safety, consider the number of cameras installed and the overall visibility of the cab.

Does the truck have a dual sweep feature which means it can clean narrow streets using both sides of the truck at the same time?  Do the side brushes move in and out of the way for street furniture? Is there a dust suppressant system installed?

Do you need a wander hose to clean more remote areas and used to clean gullies?

A valuable attachment in the secondhand market is the water recycling system which gives a much more effective operation.

All of these are useful features, but only if you require them – otherwise they add to the sale price of the truck and also the unladen weight!

Dual vs Single Engine Sweepers

This decision will depend on the gross vehicle weight of the sweeper.  At 7.5 tonnes, the available payload is relatively small.  Mounting a secondary engine as part of the sweeper system adds weight that could be used for larger capacity water storage tank, for example.  Using a hydrostatic system that is driven from the truck engine enables larger capacities but is arguably less easy to control and will take its toll on the main truck engine over time.

There are benefits to the dual motor system. The secondary engine can run on red diesel which is duty free diesel.  Using this system, the system will perform consistently regardless of the load the truck is under (speed, incline etc.)  There is also no need to stop the vehicle to engage/disengage the sweeper system.

Electric Truck Sweepers – The Future?

Johnston have launched an electric truck mounted sweeper called the VE652.  This is totally electric truck using a DAF LF chassis and has a range of 200kms.  Plenty for a sweeper.

Popular Truck Mounted Sweeper Manufacturers

As far as the UK market is concerned, there are two main players, Surrey-based Johnston Controls which is part of the Swiss Bucher Group and Kent-based Scarab, which is part of the French, family-owned Fayat Group.

Both have plenty of experience in manufacturing road sweepers – with Scarab founded in 1979 and Johnston founded in 1904 – already making road sweepers in the 1930’s.