Any lorry experts?

ann-jen

ann-jen

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Sorry but am feelnig slightly frustrated at the moment.
My lorry went to the mechanic on the 1st of this month for inspection prior to its annual plating exam. My mechanic said it was basically sound and just needed a new tyre and a bulb in one of the headlights and he thought it would sail through its exam. He booked it in for its test last Thursday - at which point he had had the vehicle for about 10 days which was ok as I had no use for the vehicle during this time.
Anyway the upshot is the vehicle failed - to the point where it had to be recovered and he wasn't allowed to drive it off the testing station because there was a problem with the brakes. I'm afraid I'm not terribly mechanically minded but as I understand it - it was something like the wheel brake cylinders were leaking pressure? If that sounds right?
Anyway I've heard varying opinions on whether my mechanic should have picked this up in his original inspection or not. Some people saying you can't tell until the lorry is on the rolling ramp and other people saying it should definitely be picked up.
I'm doubly frustrated now because Jenny is slightly lame and I need to get her to the vets for work up and despite pressing him to get the work done and the lorry through its test, he's still saying it'll be the back end of the week and so I'm going to have to borrow/hire a box to take Jen to the vets and by today he's had the vehicle for 16 days.
So in the end it will cost me, his fees for inspecting the vehicle, the failed test, the recovery of the vehicle from the test centre, the work on the brakes, the 2nd test and the hire of a vehicle to get Jen to the vets.
Now if there's no way he'd of picked up on the brake problem before the test I've obviously got to accept this as unfortunate cost. ....but if as some other people have told me he should have picked up on it before the first test I think I have some room to negotiate re the cost. And the trouble is I don't know enough about lorries to know who is right so would appreciate some input from someone more knowledgable.
Thanks in advance. x
 
AFAIK it is unusual to put as much pressure on the brakes in an on the road situation as they do during the test. That's the reason so many lorries fail on brakes.

It is difficult for anyone to give a fact-based opinion on whether your mechanic should have picked up the problem because you are unable to give people the facts. Sorry.
 
If the leak was slight then without a rolling road it would be pretty dam impossible to pick up. Only picked up on a rolling road as you can see the brake efficiency drop while the brake pedal is kept depressed.
I sympathise with you though. Friends lorry starting leaking brake fluid on way to test after having been at a garage for full pre test inspection.

I now use New Euroline in daventry. This is a satalite branch of VOSA testing station which also does repairs and maintenance. Extremely good rates. I drop lorry off, collect 3 days later serviced and tested and dont have a heart attack at the cost. Anything it fails on is immediately corrected there and then.
 
Sorry but vehicle do need maintaining and Test station are thinking of the public, you really wouldn't want 7.5ton vehicle without any brakes!!!

Hindsight is a good thing............. but you need ask you mechanic about the all costs etc... as lorrys are moneypits and they do need to be fit for purpose. If me, phone chap up and get quote and get sorted.......


good luck
 
Depends how severe, and could have been a fault that was developing, or it could have been a corroded or worn component - when you really test the brakes out as in at a test centre it is with the extra pressure above how you'd normally drive (aim with loaded box is to not use brakes harshly otherwise your horses get a rough ride!) , then it can easily cause something to give that has been fine in your normal use.

I would say thank goodness it was picked up at test, if your test had been due a month later that could have been you on way to vets when someone pulled out of a side turn in front of you.....
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Ok so the upshot it that it probably wouldn't have been apparent before the test which is all I needed to know.
Oh and - I'm not in any sort of dispute with my mechanic over this. I am incredibly frustrated as I said that I'm with transport when I really need it but I'm not shouting the odds at him or anything LOL. Just some people have implied he should of noticed and others said not. I just wanted my facts straight as this guys given a good service in the past and I wouldn't want my view of him clouded by unwarranted suspicion!
 
Mine was tested yesterday and passed thank god. My OH does all the work on mine but he always takes it for a brake test a week before the plating so we know whether there is a problem that needs sorting or not.
We take it to our local coach station as they have all the facilities.
 
Stilton - that sounds like a good idea....but if you took it for a brake test the week before and it failed would you have to recover the vehicle and not drive it the same as if it was picked up in the test? Technically the vehicle would be equally unsafe to drive?
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nar, cos you would get it recovered to garage to be fixed....... cos you've brokendown?

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and it wouldn't technically be prohibited, even if it was unsafe

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But if you had an accident and it came out that you had known that the brakes were unsafe your insurance would be invalid.

FWIW there are some recovery insurance companies who will recover you from a VOSA testing station - and then you have the choice to get them to take it to a garage or back home. I've had to have this done twice now but at no cost to myself (other than the yearly premium of course). Once the work is done you prebook a re-test and that gives you a dispensation to drive the vehicle direct to the test centre.
 
So basically it would be best to check them in a quiet time when I've nothing planned competition-wise and then if it failed it could be recovered to the mechanic to get it fixed and then through its test? Sorry but I've always had a trailer up until 2 years ago and so I'm still a bit new to all this!
Oh and my vehicle goes in for an overhaul every 6months - once for plating and once inbetween - so maybe it would be worth suggesting checking the brakes at the 6 mth interval too - or does that sound over the top?
 
Mine gets checked every 6months and serviced at one of these checks and plated and MOT at other (spreads cost over year aswell).
I was advised this due to the amount of mileage i do, unlike truck companies using vehicles every day etc... ... Most horsey folk will use once or twice a week, or even not drive for a couple of week... This will effect, mostly the running gear (brakes and electrical connections), due to lack of use, in terms of what truck was original built and design to do.
 
Sorry but not every carry around a 7.5 t jack and air gun for nuts - PMSL
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But i'm sure if we had tools and facilities ,hubby would be there having ago - boys and their toys!!! I'm sure there's a whole new set of catolgues and website he could find
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So Jemima are you saying that when the lorry goes for its inspection it should automatically be going to a test station to have the brakes examined as Stilton describes? Because I'm sure he looks at the brakes during the inspection but don't think he takes it for anything like that. If that should be done routinely then maybe I do need to consider taking it elsewhere in the future because the most precious things I own - ie Jenny and the dogs travel in that lorry!
Kick on - mine is fairly typical mileage - maybe once a week to a show or very occasionally twice in a week - compared to a lot of boxes its out a lot..... but compared to its previous life as a delivery van its basically in retirement!
 
Most horseboxes arent looked at from one test to the next, there are no regular inspections, no fault reporting by drivers,no daily checks. Mechanics arent mind readers,and are you really prepared to pay for the hours to fully check everything as a one off,just before a test.If you want to go to a main dealer with a rolling road feel free to pay 85 pounds an hour. Also ,how often have you had your brakes tested on a rolling road,betwean MOTs.
 
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Sorry but not every carry around a 7.5 t jack and air gun for nuts - PMSL
grin.gif
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grin.gif


But i'm sure if we had tools and facilities ,hubby would be there having ago - boys and their toys!!! I'm sure there's a whole new set of catolgues and website he could find
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[/ QUOTE ]????? If you dont have a wheelbrace how do you check your wheelnuts, oh ,sorry this is a horsebox, you drive it till the wheels fall off.
 
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????? If you dont have a wheelbrace how do you check your wheelnuts, oh ,sorry this is a horsebox, you drive it till the wheels fall off.

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You have those pretty yellow pointy things on them that show you if the wheel nut thingamabob has moved. Simplz
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PS if people really did check the wheel nuts on lorries then a lot of near side front wheels would be falling off cargo's. How many people know that they have a reverse thread on that side?
 
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Then people put those pretty chrome wheelcovers on so they cant even see the wheelnuts.
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but the smart ones have pretty chrome wheel covers with slots in so they can see the wheel nuts and even more importantly, check the tyre pressures.
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Sorry but not every carry around a 7.5 t jack and air gun for nuts - PMSL
grin.gif
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But i'm sure if we had tools and facilities ,hubby would be there having ago - boys and their toys!!! I'm sure there's a whole new set of catolgues and website he could find
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[/ QUOTE ]????? If you dont have a wheelbrace how do you check your wheelnuts, oh ,sorry this is a horsebox, you drive it till the wheels fall off.

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I don't have a wheel brace and even if I did I struggle to undo the nuts on my car tyres so I don't stand a chance with the lorry. What I can do is what I was taught by the driving centre who taught me to drive it before I took my class C licence which is to regularly check the nuts for rust seeping from behind them (not a technical description but I know what I am looking for!!) which indicates that they are not tight and water has therefore got behind them. It isn't rocket science and it is possible to check them without needing a wheelbrace or the yellow pointy thingies.
 
Lorries you got to love them, VOSA hate them. The reason being that they sit for six days a week doing nothing, you turn the key drive to a show then go home. You get it fixed/ looked at two weeks before the test and expect it to sail through because it always starts first time.
Your mechanic checked the lorry and believed it to be fit for test, I have had the same problem, with brakes, and I'm glad they found it at the test station. VOSA will put a probation order on it and it must be recovered. VOSA testing is through a and fair, if you believe they have failed you on something you don't think they should have, you can appeal. Remember the Police can do spot checks on you at any time, take you to the testing station, if it fails then, you are charged with driving an unsafe vehicle, The lesson I learnt with lorries I have had, is to get it checked at an official HGV workshop, build a relationship up with them and have your lorry serviced regularly
 
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Sorry but not everyone carry around a 7.5 t jack and air gun for nuts - PMSL

But i'm sure if we had tools and facilities ,hubby would be there having ago - boys and their toys!!! I'm sure there's a whole new set of catolgues and website he could find


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????? If you dont have a wheelbrace how do you check your wheelnuts, oh ,sorry this is a horsebox, you drive it till the wheels fall off.

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that's why i have a OH
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who loves play with lots of horsepower. Got no interest in one or two but if it's got at 160bhp he's there and then out comes tha stainless catolugues and on he pops on to websites to learn.....

so no i don't have a jack, spanner or wheelbrace.........
 
Well I'm definitely not getting the lorry back in time for Jenny's vets appointment as the work on the brakes appears to be worse than he thought. I've just spoke to him and hes replaced the calipers on it but it needs a new part as well. The brakes are all stripped down but he's not going to get the part and it all reassembled in time.
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But at least now I know I can start looking for an alternative way to get her to the vets. And the peace of mind that the brakes have had a thorough overhaul.
 
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