Daf Lorry woes / advice - fuel tank

Doublethyme

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R reg old DAF 45 lorry been for its pre Mot inspection and monumentally failed 🙈 Garage say upwards of £5k work needed. This does include 3 new tyres and front brake discs, plus adjustments to rear brakes, some other bits and pieces but main one is replacement fuel tank. Garage say no longer made so needs to be specially done or plastic.

We've been using it lots with no issues, always starts first time, except when it recently needed new batteries. Now not sure whether to just cut our losses and sell as a project or seek alternative opinion from someone who could maybe source and fit 2nd hand parts.

Any advice or recommendations for someone Sussex area who could help? The garage it goes into are very good, but never the cheapest and not into sourcing or fitting 2nd hand parts.
Or advice on how to sell? It's now only got till end Sept before MOT expires.
 

cundlegreen

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Front brake discs aren't that expensive, and it's easy enough to adjust the rear brakes. I've done it myself. I bought a new fuel tank a few years ago off ebay. Did have a slight issue with the pipe fittings being a slightly different size, but its neverbeen a problem. I do a lot of work on my Daf myself, but the real cost is getting a good fitter to come and do the work. Have you tried breaker yards for a second hand tank although it's likely false economy. If you want to PM me with the advisories, I could advise. Lots of garages turn their noses up at older lorries, even if they go for ever.
 

conniegirl

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Source a second opinion.
When a mechanic really doesn't want to do work they put silly price tags on stuff.
One year I had a quote from my usual mechanic of nearly £5k to get it through its test. Took it to a different one who did the work for under £1k.
First mechanic hated welding and it needed some fiddly welding doing!
 

cundlegreen

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R reg old DAF 45 lorry been for its pre Mot inspection and monumentally failed 🙈 Garage say upwards of £5k work needed. This does include 3 new tyres and front brake discs, plus adjustments to rear brakes, some other bits and pieces but main one is replacement fuel tank. Garage say no longer made so needs to be specially done or plastic.

We've been using it lots with no issues, always starts first time, except when it recently needed new batteries. Now not sure whether to just cut our losses and sell as a project or seek alternative opinion from someone who could maybe source and fit 2nd hand parts.

Any advice or recommendations for someone Sussex area who could help? The garage it goes into are very good, but never the cheapest and not into sourcing or fitting 2nd hand parts.
Or advice on how to sell? It's now only got till end Sept before MOT expires.
Found this, but you need to make sure you get the one with correct pipe fittings depending on which side the tank is. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DAF-FA-4...472661?hash=item33ee6d4d15:g:U8gAAOSw~jpbO4K7
 

Doublethyme

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Thank you 😊 I am not in any position to do the work myself, complete and utter idiot on that kind of thing, but I would like to know if its worth shopping around for a more open minded mechanic and getting it back up to spec and passed Mot or sell now as a project.
Annoyingly was vaguely planning to sell soon as living not really needed now, but at £5k quoted just not worth having the work done.
Cundlegreen, I will pm you the list of things. Tyres I accept as a necessary expected replacement but not sure on all the other things as bit meaningless to me. Thank you for your help.
 

Toby_Zaphod

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I had a DAF FA130 a few years ago & the fuel tank needed replacing. The cost of buying another steel tank at that time was over £300 which was expensive. In the end I purchased a used plastic fuel tank from a breaker. I can't remember what model lorry it was from but it was steam cleaned & then my mechanic installed it with the old sender. It worked fine, cost a fraction of a new steel tank but you had to take the fuel reading with a pinch of salt?

As for tyres, probably the cheapest way is to buy used wheels & tyres & have them fitted. Only problem is trying to find someone who will fit them. Most tyre fitters won't do it, if you know a lorry mechanic they may do it for you. I needed to replace all 4 on my rear axle earlier this year & finding reasonably priced tyres is difficult as the Chinese imports have been hit with so much levy they are as expensive as known make tyres. Remoulds are also expensive now. My 4 x 17.5" tyres, supply & fit was around £700 so cost a fair wedge.
 
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Doublethyme

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Thank you for reply. I'd expect that amount for the tyres, just not informed enough to know if £5k+ is realistic for all the work or if I can maybe get it done cheaper with a mechanic more used to these old boxes. If it's less it is more worth doing and keeping the box for longer, but currently at £5k+ for my situation of mechanical numpty I'm probably better selling cheap to someone as a project (or trying to).
List of things excluding three tyres is :

N/s/f side light not working
O/s/f top marker not working
Put main beam on and headlights go out
N/s track rod end u/s
Exhaust down pipe u/s
Fuel tank rotten and leaking
N/s/f lower ARB link Bush u/s
Front discs in very poor condition
Slight engine oil leaks
LSV not working
Brake test failed on front axle
Rear brakes need adjusting
Slight play in King pins
Washed not hitting screen
O/s/r light board insecure

Most of which means very little to me. I do trust the garage that has done the inspection, but they aren't that enthused to work on older more difficult vehicles or source 2nd hand parts.

It is a shame as its been such a reliable box.
 

little_critter

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Just be careful if you buy used tyres. They are changing the mot criteria and tyres over 10 years old will fail. Make sure any used tyres you buy are not old. My lorry needs new tyres, the current ones look fine, with plenty of tread on them but they will be too old.
 

Doublethyme

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Thank you, yes saw article on that earlier. At the moment most likely it will be advertised as is (honestly) for project or scrap, but am just seeing if I can get a 2nd quote to compare first. Even if its slightly less it could be worth doing as the actual body of the vehicle is in good condition for age and engine runs well. We've been using it loads all season so completely accept the tyres/brakes bit. Just got to weigh up how much money is thrown at it really.
I think the electric bits aren't serious, one light just needs fixing back on after a horse decided it was a treat.
Not sure what's more stressful the transport or the horses, both I think after my mare came in yet again missing a shoe 1.5 weeks after being shod 🤦‍♀️😂
 

Landcruiser

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Sold my Daf 45 last year and GAVE AWAY the spare fuel tank I'd bought with a job lot of spares from someone who was breaking a similar truck. Fuel tank was an advisory on the MOT so I threw in the spare. Only got £2500 for the Truck, which had 12 months plating on it, although it was a 92 model. These old Dafs are great, but all those bits and pieces do add up, and mine was just costing me too much to keep going every year.
 

Slightlyconfused

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Definitely get a second or third opinion.
I will ask my dad if there is anyone in worthing he knows.

He is a mobile hgv fitter so we get the labour for free but we buy the parts for him.

He does a few horse boxes on my yard, the owners pay for the parts he just sources them for them and give them the number to ring to pay for it then just charges labour. Works out best for everyone.


The track rod you will probably have to cource directly from Daf as dad did a friend's one last year and the aftermarket ones (that we could source round here) don't line up to the older models.

If you phone up a few truck and trailer parts companies and give them the reg and what you need they should be able to give you a quote on the parts.
 

chaps89

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Happy to recommend a chap in Horley if you want his details for a second opinion, maintains a couple of horseboxes that I know and is realistic about what's worth doing and not too expensive.
 
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