Horse box plating- why oh why do they HAvE to fail them.

Spottyappy

Spottyappy

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Horsebox been for plate today.
It failed on a "twisted brake pipe". My mechanic- who took it- is adamant the pipe is not twisted. The plate centre said it is. He has stripped it back, and there are no twists.
He is taking it back tomorrow.
This seems to be the norm- is it all about getting a retest fee maybe.
It failed last year on the angle of a bulb in a headlamp. The mechanic moved the bulb,and it passed.
Friends have said theirs have failed on the most ridiculous things, too.
Is it common that the plate centres are finding the most tiny things wrong or are we just unlucky here?
 
Yep, I had the same too; Mine had been looked at by my brother in law who works for JCB. It failed on the brakes binding............I'd just driven it 10 miles and they were perfect, never happened before! I think because they have closed all the big vosa stations they are trying to rake some money back!

I had a failure a couple of years ago..........view from drivers side obstructed by a teddy bear.....OMG my OH went berserk! asked for photo evidence ( there was not and had never been one in there! ) of course they couldn't prove it so we got a free test.

The worlds gone mad :(
 
Haha, love the teddy bear fail aab!
That is beyond belief though!
Today's test was at a small station, now only open 2 days a week, so they're likely trying to preserve jobs. Can't blame them for that, but it's still very unfair- on those of us who try to comply with the law (and obviously have a very precious cargo p) and yet are still penalised.
 
I don't agree, the tests are still being carried out by VOSA (or whatever they are called now) they have no agenda in failing a lorry, not like a car MOT, they aren't going to make any money out of failing the lorry as they aren't the ones fixing it. I have always found them to be super helpful and they even allow you to fix something minor on site without the need for a retest. It is annoying that the fee has gone up by £38 or whatever it is as it is now at a private garage. The people testing the lorries now are not at all happy at having to drive all over to the different independent garages to do tests, but the main stations are still open 1 day a month if you would rather take it to one of them. The garages aren't that happy either as they have gone to the expense of putting in a proper testing lane and VOSA will only let them have a tester for a limited number of days a month and all they make is the extra lane fee (£38?).
 
Mine failed last year due to the tachogram - it was sealed off by the previous owner and even though it passed fine the year before, they failed us last year..so we had to get a replacement one. It seems nuts...we don't use the tachogram, I still don't really understand why we even need one but anyway! Cost me an arm and a leg!
 
dieseldog said:
I don't agree, the tests are still being carried out by VOSA (or whatever they are called now) they have no agenda in failing a lorry, not like a car MOT, they aren't going to make any money out of failing the lorry as they aren't the ones fixing it. I have always found them to be super helpful and they even allow you to fix something minor on site without the need for a retest. It is annoying that the fee has gone up by £38 or whatever it is as it is now at a private garage. The people testing the lorries now are not at all happy at having to drive all over to the different independent garages to do tests, but the main stations are still open 1 day a month if you would rather take it to one of them. The garages aren't that happy either as they have gone to the expense of putting in a proper testing lane and VOSA will only let them have a tester for a limited number of days a month and all they make is the extra lane fee (£38?).
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I don't agree! the price for a start went up from £95 to £140 at my local garage that already had all the facilities, they charge another £60 for a retest. Of course if it fails, they hope you will leave the lorry for repair...........their not daft! I was quoted near £500 for a new drag link and to change a split fuel pipe, both items bought off ebay for less than £90, mechanic fitted them for £50 and a takeaway ( lol ).
 
dieseldog said:
I don't agree, the tests are still being carried out by VOSA (or whatever they are called now) they have no agenda in failing a lorry, not like a car MOT, they aren't going to make any money out of failing the lorry as they aren't the ones fixing it. I have always found them to be super helpful and they even allow you to fix something minor on site without the need for a retest. It is annoying that the fee has gone up by £38 or whatever it is as it is now at a private garage. The people testing the lorries now are not at all happy at having to drive all over to the different independent garages to do tests, but the main stations are still open 1 day a month if you would rather take it to one of them. The garages aren't that happy either as they have gone to the expense of putting in a proper testing lane and VOSA will only let them have a tester for a limited number of days a month and all they make is the extra lane fee (£38?).
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I don't agree! the price for a start went up from £95 to £140 at my local garage that already had all the facilities, they charge another £60 for a retest. Of course if it fails, they hope you will leave the lorry for repair...........their not daft! I was quoted near £500 for a new drag link and to change a split fuel pipe, both items bought off ebay for less than £90, mechanic fitted them for £50 and a takeaway ( lol ).
 
Im really lucky cos my OH maintains my lorry. He takes it for the test and it has only failed once. It had a split brake pipe which had obviously happened in the few days between checking and plating. That time it was a prohibition and had to be brought home on a low loader!! (Expensive!) Any minor things they find, like bulb problems or levels of lights etc he is usually allowed to do it there and then so they can pass it.
 
Mariposa said:
Mine failed last year due to the tachogram - it was sealed off by the previous owner and even though it passed fine the year before, they failed us last year..so we had to get a replacement one. It seems nuts...we don't use the tachogram, I still don't really understand why we even need one but anyway! Cost me an arm and a leg!
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There is an exemption from Tachs for private owners who do not run a business with the box or have an O license. You have to fill in a form. Check out the Gov Uk website for details. Shouldn't have happened if you are a private owner.
 
dieseldog said:
I don't agree, the tests are still being carried out by VOSA (or whatever they are called now) they have no agenda in failing a lorry, not like a car MOT, they aren't going to make any money out of failing the lorry as they aren't the ones fixing it. I have always found them to be super helpful and they even allow you to fix something minor on site without the need for a retest. It is annoying that the fee has gone up by £38 or whatever it is as it is now at a private garage. The people testing the lorries now are not at all happy at having to drive all over to the different independent garages to do tests, but the main stations are still open 1 day a month if you would rather take it to one of them. The garages aren't that happy either as they have gone to the expense of putting in a proper testing lane and VOSA will only let them have a tester for a limited number of days a month and all they make is the extra lane fee (£38?).
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Absolutely agree with this.
Those of you complaining about cost should consider the safety of your precious cargo. You get exactly what you pay for - a proper and detailed examination to determine the safety of your vehicle. If its deemed to be unfit by a qualified tester, then it IS unfit. If you are reluctant to accept expert opinion you are cutting costs in the wrong area.
 
There are very few VOSA run testing stations left hence why getting a test for a lorry takes months unless well booked in advance.

The plating test has got harder and quite rightly so, at the end of the day 7.5t lorries and above are lethal weapons and can and would kill someone outright if brakes failed.

Our local testing station is 90 for the lane fee

Tachographs MUST be in working condition regardless of private or otherwise. Private owners must ensure that the TACHOGRAPH works at all times and you will need 6 yearly checks. SO your seal was out of date. This is a GV9 prohibition if caught out on the road and a fine of 500 odd I think (there is a pdf of all the fines out there)

As someone else has said your cargo is precious and you would blame yourself if something serious happened like brake failure causing injury to your baby in the back.

Do remember though that the floors of the horse lorry are nothing to do with plating so these need checking regularly by a horse box builder
 
It passed today. My mechanic had done nothing besides turn the wheel to check the pipe and strip the wheel down and nothing appeared twisted-as he suspected.
I don't dispute the fact the box needs to be 110% safe, hence why I get my mechanic to pre plate check, service and do any necessary work. Otherwise, I would just take it myself not having done that, but the test centres do seem to HAVE to find an issue regardless of his thorough mechanics are.
So, in addition to the extra plate fee, my mechanic also has to be paid extra for his time checking the issue and taking the box for a second time.
And, no before anyone suggests it, he is not in the habit of "missing" something deliberately either.
 
Spottyappy said:
It passed today. My mechanic had done nothing besides turn the wheel to check the pipe and strip the wheel down and nothing appeared twisted-as he suspected.
I don't dispute the fact the box needs to be 110% safe, hence why I get my mechanic to pre plate check, service and do any necessary work. Otherwise, I would just take it myself not having done that, but the test centres do seem to HAVE to find an issue regardless of his thorough mechanics are.
So, in addition to the extra plate fee, my mechanic also has to be paid extra for his time checking the issue and taking the box for a second time.
And, no before anyone suggests it, he is not in the habit of "missing" something deliberately either.
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Exactly! Mine is given a good check before by my BIL who has worked for JCB for donkey's years. No one is saying our horses aren't our first priority!, but to fail because there was a teddy bear in the window is downright discusting! ( There wasn't a bear in the window, and even if there was a bear is removeable?! ) I understand garages have to make money, but to completely rip people off is not on. Last time when they said my breaks were binding, they simply were not, I had driven it the day before and to the garage. If they were stuck you would have been able to smell them burning.
 
LGVs exempt tacho must have the seal in place by law

The tachos are not subject to any other of the usual commercial operator laws on them
 
To hire one around here is £100 a day! I use mine most weeks and go camping in it, I can also carry three horses, so for me its worth a bit of hassle once a year! Tbh I haven't spent much on it over 10 years, probably just a couple of thousand pounds, that's including 4 new tyres.
 
AngieandBen said:
Sadly this shows exactly why the testers get such undeserved criticism. The Brake test is computerised .If the brakes bind it shows up and the tester cannot influence the result.As for being able to smell them burning! Perhaps your BIL doesnt know quite as much as he thinks.
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AngieandBen said:
To hire one around here is £100 a day! I use mine most weeks and go camping in it, I can also carry three horses, so for me its worth a bit of hassle once a year! Tbh I haven't spent much on it over 10 years, probably just a couple of thousand pounds, that's including 4 new tyres.
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It's £150 a day here for a 7.5t. I don't use my box much through winter but In summer on average it's 2/3 x a week.
I don't like driving a trailer, never mastered the reversing! And, a 3.5t isn't legal weight wise with 2 horses, occasionally 3.
I love my little box, and it's maintained with no regard to the cost.
The last time I had a box pass without problem was about 5 years ago. Nothing else has changed in the way it's maintained or driven.
 
Mike007 said:
Sadly this shows exactly why the testers get such undeserved criticism. The Brake test is computerised .If the brakes bind it shows up and the tester cannot influence the result.As for being able to smell them burning! Perhaps your BIL doesnt know quite as much as he thinks.
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That's as maybe, but I also know tricks of the trade, like slamming the brakes on in the test, which in 10 years of me taking it I've NEVER had to do, always half way then full on. ( All my stuff inside the living, like my cups and kettle plus some pictures were all on the floor. :( Like I said, the brakes were fine when I took it, the wheels had all been taken off two weeks before and callipers/pistons greased and put back together. It was taken back with just a small replaced diesel pipe, and it passed; BIL knows his stuff thanks;
 
When I used to have a lorry, one of the testers I dealt with had a major chip on his shoulder about horse boxes. He accused me of removing the manufacturer's type plate and forging the paperwork "as the V5 says its a Volvo, but its a Ford." I dryly pointed out that the V5 said it was a Volvo because it is a Volvo and the plate was 4" from his head! For daring to point out his mistakes, he spent much longer than usual tapping things with his special calibrated VOSA hammer.
 
Mine failed one year because a light on the side was 3cm too close to the rear end. Mechanic duely moved it forwards by 3cm and represented the lorry.
Failed again as the light was too far forwards this time so too close to the other light. Same tester, same centre even same blinking day!
Believe me I played hell with that one! full formal complaint, represented at a different test centre and it passed.
My lorry has always been maintained regardless of cost, my mechanic is excellent and it has never failed before or since.
 
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