What We Found During the Pre-Shipment Inspection of a Refurbished Used HOWO 6x4 Dump Truck

A pre-shipment inspection should confirm whether a refurbished used truck is genuinely ready for work—not simply whether it looks clean after repainting. This case documents the final inspection of one specific refurbished used HOWO 6x4 dump truck prepared for export from China to DR Congo, covering cold starting, engine idle, leakage, tires, braking, hydraulic performance, rectification, and final shipment release.

Every observation below relates to one actual vehicle recorded under VIN No. LZZ1ELSDXJA363893.

1. The Truck We Inspected

The vehicle was a 2018 refurbished HOWO 6x4 dump truck prepared for delivery to DR Congo.

Its recorded configuration was:

The 30,000 km figure was the mileage displayed on the vehicle at the time of inspection. As with any used commercial vehicle, displayed mileage should not be treated as independently verified lifetime mileage unless supported by complete historical records.

Before final inspection, the truck had already undergone the scheduled refurbishment process applied to our refurbished HOWO trucks. The work included installation of a remanufactured engine, chassis rustproof treatment, cab refurbishment, new tires and wheel rims, a new cargo body, a new battery, a new fuel tank, refurbishment of the air and electrical systems, and replacement of the fuel and air filters.

Alston Motors treats refurbishment and final inspection as two separate stages. A truck is not approved for export simply because its exterior, cab, chassis, and cargo body have been restored. Its main mechanical and functional systems must still pass final verification.

Before and After Refurbishment

The same 2018 HOWO 6x4 dump truck before and after refurbishment prior to final pre-shipment inspection.

2. Cold Start After 35 Hours of Standing

The engine inspection began with a genuine cold start. This matters because warming an engine before inspection can conceal slow starting, fuel-delivery problems, excessive initial smoke, weak battery performance, or other conditions that appear most clearly at first startup.

The truck had remained stationary for approximately 35 hours, with a recorded temperature of about 15°C before starting.

The WD615.47 engine started within approximately 5 seconds.

The initial observations were:

• Cold-start cranking time: approximately 5 seconds

• Cold-start observation period: approximately 10 minutes

• Initial engine speed: approximately 1,000 rpm

• Initial oil-pressure indication: approximately 2 bar

• Exhaust condition: colorless, with no abnormal visible smoke

• Abnormal engine noise: none observed

• Starter operation: normal

• Battery performance: normal

No abnormal starting condition was identified.

The engine was then allowed to continue running before the truck was moved. This gave the inspection team time to observe oil pressure, exhaust behavior, vibration, warning indicators, temperature, and air-pressure build-up under stationary operating conditions.

3. Engine Idle and Cab Inspection

Once the engine was running, we checked engine stability together with the main controls and indications inside the cab.

The inspection covered combustion stability, mechanical noise, vibration, air leakage, dashboard warnings, oil-pressure indication, coolant temperature, and air-system pressure.

The recorded results were:

• Initial engine speed: approximately 1,000 rpm

• Stabilized idle speed: approximately 700 rpm

• Idle stability: normal

• Engine vibration: normal

• Oil-pressure behavior: stable

• Coolant temperature: normal

• Exhaust condition after stabilization: normal

• Air-pressure build-up: normal

• Dashboard warning lights: no abnormal warning lights remained illuminated

The engine continued to run consistently throughout the observation period. No abnormal knocking, unstable combustion, excessive vibration, or visible smoke requiring further repair was recorded.

For an overseas buyer, this type of operating check provides more useful evidence than exterior photographs alone because it confirms that the truck has progressed beyond cosmetic refurbishment and has undergone functional verification.

Video Evidence — Engine Running and Cab Inspection

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bywkCibTGcM

4. Engine, Transmission, Axle, and Hydraulic Leakage Check

A clean engine bay does not prove that a refurbished truck is free from active leakage. For this reason, leakage was checked after the engine and hydraulic systems had been operating.

No active engine-oil, transmission-oil, differential-oil, hydraulic-oil, or coolant leakage was observed during the final operating inspection.

On a used truck, old oil residue and an active leak are not the same thing. Areas showing previous contamination should be cleaned and checked again after operation before a conclusion is made.

For this vehicle, the final leakage inspection result was PASS.

5. Brand-New 12.00R20 Tires Were Checked Individually

The truck had been fitted with brand-new 12.00R20 tires and new wheel rims during refurbishment.

Even though the tires were new, each wheel position was still checked individually for tread condition, inflation, sidewall damage, wheel condition, and visible installation problems.

Recorded results included:

• Front-left tread depth: approximately 16 mm

• Front-right tread depth: approximately 16 mm

• Rear tire tread depth: approximately 16 mm

• Tire pressure: approximately 7.8–8.0 bar

• Sidewall cracking: none

• Sidewall cuts: none

• Uneven wear: none observed

• Wheel-rim condition: normal

No tire defect requiring replacement was identified during the final inspection.

For buyers receiving trucks thousands of kilometers from the supplier, tire condition has a direct effect on braking, directional stability, operating safety, and immediate post-delivery costs. New tires therefore still need to be checked rather than simply listed as a refurbishment item.

Tire Condition Before and After Replacement

Original wheel condition compared with the new 12.00R20 tires and rims installed during refurbishment.

6. Forward, Reverse, Braking, and Road Test

After the static checks were completed, the truck entered a controlled road test.

The vehicle was driven for approximately 5 km under unloaded conditions and reached a maximum test speed of approximately 60 km/h where road and test conditions permitted.

The test covered forward driving, reversing, gear engagement, steering response, service braking, parking-brake operation, air-system pressure, and low-speed maneuvering.

Recorded observations included:

• Air-system operating pressure before road test: approximately 8 bar

• Service-brake response: normal

• Parking brake: normal

• Brake pulling or directional deviation: none observed

• Brake-pedal response: normal

• Abnormal brake noise: none observed

• Maximum test speed: approximately 60 km/h

• Brake warning lights: off during normal operation

• General stopping response: stable during controlled braking

The HW19710 transmission engaged and shifted normally during the test. No abnormal steering behavior or braking issue requiring further corrective repair was recorded.

The truck was also driven in reverse to confirm low-speed control and drivetrain response.

A truck moving normally around a storage yard should not automatically be considered road-test approved. Forward and reverse operation, gear engagement, steering, air-pressure behavior, and braking should be checked as separate functional items.

Video Evidence — Forward and Reverse Road Test

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBkGDcEFTeQ

7. Dump-Body Hydraulic Lifting Test

The hydraulic tipping system was tested separately because acceptable engine and drivetrain performance does not automatically mean a dump truck is ready for hauling work.

For buyers evaluating a used HOWO dump truck for construction, mining, quarry, or infrastructure work, the hydraulic system deserves separate verification because failure of the tipping system can take an otherwise operational truck out of service.

The PTO was engaged and the cargo body was operated through three complete lifting and lowering cycles.

The recorded results were:

• PTO engagement: normal

• Hydraulic pump operation: normal

• Maximum hydraulic operating pressure: approximately 20 MPa

• Lifting time: approximately 25 seconds

• Lowering time: approximately 18 seconds

• Complete cycles performed: 3

• Hydraulic-cylinder leakage: none observed

• Hose and fitting leakage: none observed

• Dump-body lifting stability: normal

• Body alignment during lifting: normal

• Hydraulic oil level: normal

No abnormal movement, visible pressure loss, active hydraulic leakage, or unstable cargo-body alignment was identified.

Repeating the lifting and lowering operation three times helped confirm consistent hydraulic performance rather than relying on a single successful cycle.

Video Evidence — Dump-Body Hydraulic Lifting Test

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxdlrSrCW20

Before and After Cargo Body Replacement

Original cargo body before refurbishment and the new 21 CBM cargo body installed on the same HOWO 6x4 dump truck.

8. What Was Rectified Before Final Approval

For this vehicle, the refurbishment and rectification record included:

1. Installation of a remanufactured WD615.47 engine

2. Chassis rustproof treatment

3. Cab refurbishment

4. Installation of a new cargo body

5. Installation of new 12.00R20 tires and wheel rims

6. Installation of a new battery

7. Installation of a new fuel tank

8. Refurbishment of the air circuit

9. Refurbishment of the electrical system

10. Replacement of the fuel and air filters

11. Replacement of the clutch

12. Replacement of brake pads

During the final pre-shipment inspection itself, no new major mechanical defect requiring further repair was recorded.

Minor final adjustments included repair of the door-lock system, tightening of the front and rear light mountings, tightening of the steering tie rod, tire-pressure adjustment, hose tightening, lubrication, and electrical adjustment.

These smaller items were completed before shipment release rather than being left for the buyer to address after arrival.

This distinction matters: refurbishment corrected the known vehicle condition before final verification, while the final inspection determined whether any remaining issue could still prevent shipment approval.

9. Final Inspection Result and Shipment Release

After the inspection and re-check process was completed, the truck's final status was recorded as:

• Cold start: PASS

• Engine idle: PASS

• Engine oil and coolant leakage: PASS

• Transmission and drivetrain: PASS

• Tires and wheel rims: PASS

• Service and parking brakes: PASS

• Steering: PASS

• Hydraulic lifting system: PASS

• Electrical system and lights: PASS

• Forward and reverse road test: PASS

The vehicle was approved for shipment in May 2026 after completion of the final inspection.

For this particular HOWO 6x4 dump truck, the value of pre-shipment verification was not a simple statement that the vehicle was in “good condition.” The buyer could connect the truck's VIN with its refurbishment record, cold-start behavior, engine operation, leakage inspection, tire condition, road test, braking test, hydraulic lifting test, photographs, and video evidence.

That creates a substantially stronger verification record than finished vehicle photographs alone.

Buyers who want to understand the company's broader inspection, refurbishment, vehicle preparation, and export background can also review Alston Motors' refurbishment and export experience.

For buyers sourcing a refurbished used HOWO 6x4 dump truck from China, vehicle-specific evidence provides a clearer basis for evaluating the truck before shipment. A credible inspection case should identify exactly which vehicle was checked, what was tested, what was corrected, and what evidence supported the final release decision.

Watch the Pre-Shipment Inspection Videos

The following three videos correspond directly to the inspection activities documented in this case:

Forward & Reverse Road Test
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBkGDcEFTeQ

Dump-Body Hydraulic Lifting Test
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxdlrSrCW20

Engine Running & Cab Inspection
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bywkCibTGcM

Together with the vehicle photographs and VIN record, these videos provide supporting evidence for the inspection results documented above.

Written by: Bruce Li, Export Consultant
Reviewed by: Alston Motors Export & Technical Team
Company: Qingdao Alston Motors Co., Ltd