Step 1: Clarify Your Operational Needs

1. Primary Operating Environment: Urban arterial roads, highways, municipal squares, industrial parks, mining areas, airports, or narrow streets? Different environments require matching vehicle size, power, cleaning efficiency, and maneuverability.
2. Pollutant Types: Ordinary dust, sand, leaves, or sticky stains (grease, gum), construction waste, metal scraps? This determines the required sweeping and flushing systems (e.g., whether high-pressure hot water cleaning is needed).
3. Efficiency & Endurance Requirements:
   1. Working Area & Duration: Area to cover in a single operation and daily continuous working hours (determines water tank and garbage compartment capacities).
   2. Operating Speed: Required speed for effective cleaning (highways need high-speed cleaning capability; urban areas prioritize quality at low speeds).
4. Chassis & Regulatory Requirements:
   1. Emission Standards: Compliance with specific standards (e.g., China VI (GB6)).
   2. Budget Range: Determines whether to choose domestic/imported upfitting systems and chassis brands.

Step 2: Key Questions to Ask Suppliers

A. Performance & Configuration (Core Upfitting Systems)

1. Sweeping System:
   1. Brush type: "Four Side Brooms + Suction Nozzle" (common) or "Side Brooms + Main Roller Brush" (better for sand, mud, snow).
   2. Obstacle avoidance: Can brooms and suction nozzles avoid obstacles automatically? Brush material (steel wire, polypropylene, etc., for different wear resistance).
   3. Sweeping width: Maximum width and adjustability of broom pressure (for different road surfaces).
2. Washing/Flushing System:
   1. Tank capacities: Water and garbage tank capacities (ratio determines continuous operation time; e.g., 8m³ water + 6m³ hopper is common).
   2. High-pressure pump: Pressure and flow rate (pressure = cleaning power; flow rate = coverage speed).
   3. Spray bars: Functions (front flushing, rear spraying, side spraying, misting for dust suppression).
   4. Hot water cleaning: Need for high-pressure hot water (essential for grease, higher cost/energy consumption).
3. Suction & Dust Control System:
   1. Fan: Type, air volume and pressure (core of suction power).
   2. Dust control technology: Gravity settling, inertial separation, Venturi wet dust extraction or filter cartridge dust removal (affects exhaust quality and prevents secondary pollution).
4. Garbage Disposal & Operation:
   1. Hopper dumping method (forward tipping, rear lift).
   2. Control method (manual, electro-hydraulic, smart one-touch).
   3. Fault diagnosis: Intelligent CAN bus system (for quick troubleshooting).

B. Truck Chassis (Vehicle Foundation)

1. Chassis Brand & Model: Brand and model (e.g., SHACMAN, Dongfeng), as reliable brands are critical.
2. Engine & Power Take-Off (PTO):
   1. Engine horsepower: Sufficient to power both the vehicle and upfitting systems simultaneously.
   2. PTO: Mounting type (side/rear) and brand (core power source for upfitting, reliability is key).

C. Price & Service

1. Price Breakdown: Whether the quote includes chassis, upfitting systems, taxes, delivery, and commissioning fees.
2. After-Sales Service & Warranty:
   1. Separate warranty periods for chassis and specialized upfitting systems.
   2. Warranty coverage scope.
   3. Warranty policy for core components (fan, water pump, hydraulic system).
   4. Service locations, and availability of timely technical support and spare parts.