Lorry MOT brake test result query.

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3bh

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An unusual question but I know from experience there will be someone on HHO who can answer.

Lorry just back from annual mot etc - all passed, just looking through the documentation.

On the brake test report, there is "measured vehicle weight".
This appears to be the sum of the weights stated for Axel 1 & 2.

Has this been tested under load (lorry was left with commercial garage with their own lane so I wasn't present), or is this effectively the unladen weight of the vehicle?

A bit of a niche question, but many thanks if you can help!
 
My tame mechanic says it is the unladen weight of the vehicle BUT it is not as accurate as a weigh bridge as each axle is weighed seperately. Unlike a weigh bridge where the whole lorry is weighed.

That's my understanding, happy to be corrected.
 
Oh dear, that might explain why the mechanics were asking me if I had skinny horses!! Thanks for your very prompt reply.

I don't suppose you can "upgrade" 7.5t to HGV like you could uprate a 3.5t?
 
Sorry, I have no idea about upgrading.

What was your unladen weight?

Mine has just come back at 6124, so gives me just under 1.5 to play with. I never carry more than 2 though.
 
Last year it said 6.25, & that is also sum of axel weights as plated in cab. that doesnt worry me, i was aware of that! This years figures suggest we couldnt even fit a pony on board!
 
Flippin 'eck, that's a bit of a shock. Have you added to the living?

Is there anything you can remove?

Mine went up from last year, but I had a couple of upgrades to the living so I know why.
 
No additions, it had no fuel and 1/3 tank water on, and i had left the genny in the locker but cant think thats quite a whole tonne extra..... Yikes.
Its from a notoriously heavy coachbuilder, but has been weighed at 6.25 numerous timea over its life.
Is this number on the mot brake test "official" or do we still go by the inner door plate?
 
I don't know the official answer to that.

I would expect that neither figure matters if you get pulled and weighed and are found to be over :-(

My advice at this stage would be to take it to a weigh bridge. Then at least you know exactly what the whole lorry weighs.

My mechanic did imply that the figures on the documents from the testing station would not be 100% accurate because of the way it is weighed.
 
Take it to a weighbridge and get it weighed with what you normally carry minus horses. If you get caught overweight it is hefty price and they wont let you proceed.
 
I always thought they were pretty accurate until I had to take a lorry back to be retested so it had less fuel in it, it was an hour each way to test station and it weighed half a ton more than the first time. Even I can not eat that many donuts!

I took my latest lorry to the tip and weighed it there, cost me £5.
 
Dont panic :eek::eek: I did :D
Mine came it at 7t on the brake test sheet, I was :eek::eek::eek::eek:
So as we were selling, I took it to the locacal callibrated weighbridge and it was 6.25t, I was so relieved. Ok not brill but much better than 7t!!!!
I had read that the MOT wasnt accurate but mine was 3/4t out!
Take it to be weighed to put your mind at rest, it cost me £5
 
In answer to your question about re plating, yes you can. Mercs are down plated to 7.5tonne for the english market, it is only a paper trail to put the back to 8.9tonne.
 
That's interesting just looked at mine and it was nearly 6t on one brake test and 5.7 on another.

Its weighbridge certificate is 5.5

Incidentally mine is a 10t lorry downplated to 7.5t
 
You have all been really helpful thank you, I've had a bit of a panic this afternoon!
I know its heavy, I bought it with a weighbridge cert of 6.25 done about 18 mths ago and no changes made.
Its a Lehel stalled for 3 but I only ever take 1, however do often stay away so I bought it for the living and the spacious horse area.
It said 7.20 on the cert today and you can understand my panic, (!!!) I wasn't going to "reveal" but its reassuring to see others have had similarly odd readings. it was totally empty of fuel (on the front) and had about 1/3 tank of water on the back, plus genny and various bits that control water/heating/gas so its never really empty. The living is stupidly heavy and I recognise that I don't have much weight to play with, in fact I am aware that I paid a lot less for it than I should have done as the vendor was too honest about payload and it attracted very little interest! Otherwise its a grand lorry and drives superbly, I also drive HGVs and have never felt this underpowered or struggling (is on a daf 45)

but I'm definitely going to take it to a weighbridge asap, even if it just puts my mind to rest, thank you very much, will update out of interest!!
 
Last edited:
3bh said:
You have all been really helpful thank you, I've had a bit of a panic this afternoon!
I know its heavy, I bought it with a weighbridge cert of 6.25 done about 18 mths ago and no changes made.
Its a Lehel stalled for 3 but I only ever take 1, however do often stay away so I bought it for the living and the spacious horse area.
It said 7.20 on the cert today and you can understand my panic, (!!!) I wasn't going to "reveal" but its reassuring to see others have had similarly odd readings. it was totally empty of fuel (on the front) and had about 1/3 tank of water on the back, plus genny and various bits that control water/heating/gas so its never really empty. The living is stupidly heavy and I recognise that I don't have much weight to play with, in fact I am aware that I paid a lot less for it than I should have done as the vendor was too honest about payload and it attracted very little interest! Otherwise its a grand lorry and drives superbly, I also drive HGVs and have never felt this underpowered or struggling (is on a daf 45)

but I'm definitely going to take it to a weighbridge asap, even if it just puts my mind to rest, thank you very much, will update out of interest!!
Click to expand...
Best bet is to weigh each axle then do the whole thing, the plate in the cab gives the maximum legal weights for each axle and the total weight then there will be some imfomation on the maximum design weights which will give you an idea of what it would plate up to.. howerver the down side is you would have to use the tacho and comply with drivers hours regs!! if its a 7.5 ton it might go up to 8.5 ish but its pushing it, better to swap the chassis for a 12 tonner realy, then you get the 8 stud wheels, bigger brakes and wider tyres it would handle better
and most importanty be safe, sadly this is a comon problem with the older quality lorrys a few years ago no one bothered about weight unless something was swaying down the road but not now , and the better builders are useing strong but light matrials and most 7.5 tonners are about 5000kg unladen because they use motorhome furniture and fiberglass tilt lutons , maybe the other way is look at things like replacing mats and stock board sides with eva ones and lighter patitions and even re doing the living not cheap but if it adds value then maybe worth doing...
 
Thanks for your lengthly reply! I'm not looking to sell so value doesnt worry me? Similarly, i bought it for the high spec and safety considerations in the horse area so i wouldnt change that. I'n aware it is heavy and like i said only take 1 horse, 6.25 Is fine so i hope a weighbridge next week will confirm that, as it has done in the past and i can put my mind to rest!
 
It might say it weights more as some garages put weight in them for the test so the brakes are tested better? My mechanic puts barrels of water in the back so it says on the test cert its heavier than it is, last time they put 1t on it :)
 
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