Lorry rant

[BBs]

Arghhhhhhh
My lorry had its annual check over before going off for plating next thursday. Bloody thing has hardly been used this year and now has to undergo £1k worth of work WFT

Last year it had hardly anything to be done now this year i have a rotten exhaust i need a completely new steering wheel box - this has been rumbling on for ages and hasnt stopped dripping steering wheel fluid since the 2nd hand part was fitted at the beginning of the year.

I feel awful as i dont pay for things like this to be done, only the fuel and for the plating.

I just dont understand in a year, something that hasnt been used very much can be in such a bad way

 

[dieseldog]

That's why I take my lorry to be plated myself first and then get anything fixed - at least I then know the stuff that needs doing is genuine. I had to put a new exhaust on mine this year and it was £175 fitted, your steering wheel thing must be expensive.

Lorries!!! who would have them

 

[PaddyMonty]

Exhausts rot more if not used often or for short journeys.
Water collects in the box, either from condensation or from the engine. This water only evaporates once the systen has heated up sufficiently. Otherwise it just sits there rotting the exhaust.

I know some peeps that start their lorry up once a week and leave it ticking over for 10 minutes. Very bad practice.

 

[BBs]

We are in an difficult position as the guy is a good friend of ours

the steering wheel box was replaced under the instruction of our friend - he went to Bedford to get the part and fitted it - it cos around £500 and that was 2nd hand - now we have to have a new one - we would have been better off buying the new one in the first place!

He takes our lorry for plating, hes very good as if I ring him with a problem at say 6am he comes out and sorts it - however, i just feel a bit annoyed as we have told him that the box isnt right adn still leaking but only now AT CHRISTMAS it needs shed loads done!

Arghhh!

 

[BBs]

So i would have been better if i had been bombing around the countryside in it then

typical!

BUGGER!

Well next season i should be out and about more often lol

 

[Tempi]

why is leaving the lorry running for 10 or so mins bad practice? our garage told us to do that in the cold weather. However our lorry also goes out everyweekend and not on short journeys either.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Don't know the price for the steering box buit over time they certainly wear out. Exhausts rust from the inside out & the worst thing you can do it to leave the lorry standing. Water gaters in the system, it condences & then rots it. The engine needs to be run every so often to try & slow down the rusting process.

 

[lisan]

They are so damned expensive to maintain, unless you have a mechanic OH!!

I was so lucky this year getting mine all sorted, had a new axel on, then needed a few bits and peices doing for its plating and it all cost a grand total of £350 (one of best mates is a lorry mechanic!!) It it had all gone through a garage I would have been looking at a 1.5/2k bill which I just could'nt afford.

So, lots more playing out required BB's!!!!

 

[foraday]

You need to be running the lorry weekly minimum. Lorries do not do well by just sitting and rotting!

The lorry needs to go for a run-the tyres develop tyre memory where they sit not moving hence rot quicker and can have a puncture more easily, brakes seize up if not moved, the batteries are better for running and not being charged up by a battery charger, even the rubber will rot quickly if you don't run the lorry!!!! infact all the parts need a run otherwise the lubricants. oils, fluids pool and rot!

All parts have gone up& labour charges too around £40-65 per hour -all the insurances needed have gone through the roof due to people claiming!

Sorry! We all are feeling it!

 

[burtie]

[ QUOTE ]
You need to be running the lorry weekly minimum. Lorries do not do well by just sitting and rotting!

[/ QUOTE ]

Totally agree, and why I now use a trailer. I ended up 'exercising ' the lorry almost as much as the horse and it seemed rather silly!!

 

[ExRacers]

Agree with PG - our mechanic also advises starting our lorry every weekend in winter when it's not being used, letting it run for 10 mins or so & then rolling back & forward to stop the brakes from seizing. We also leave it in gear with the handbrake off for the same reason. Have been caught out before & it cost megabucks to get the brakes released!!

 

[Dovorian]

Yes - second that, I ended up take the lorry to Tesco's!

 

[burtie]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes - second that, I ended up take the lorry to Tesco's!

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh yes I did that once, it was at least on the way back from delivering hay though, we bought a fair bit of shopping but only a trollies worth, my lorry at the time had no living and not much room in the cab so we had to bring down the ramp to load our shopping, how silly did we feel

 

[lorenababbit]

sorry to hear all this B you can tell me properly next week but though my wonder truck passed first time today it has taken me 7 hours to do the driving as the roads so hideous! So even when it goes right its not all good x

 

[Stella]

[ QUOTE ]
You need to be running the lorry weekly minimum. Lorries do not do well by just sitting and rotting!

The lorry needs to go for a run-the tyres develop tyre memory where they sit not moving hence rot quicker and can have a puncture more easily, brakes seize up if not moved, the batteries are better for running and not being charged up by a battery charger, even the rubber will rot quickly if you don't run the lorry!!!! infact all the parts need a run otherwise the lubricants. oils, fluids pool and rot!

All parts have gone up& labour charges too around £40-65 per hour -all the insurances needed have gone through the roof due to people claiming!

Sorry! We all are feeling it!

[/ QUOTE ] Do you think its necassary to do this weekly if its garaged?

 

[Ferdinase514]

Oh BB's you know I'm feeling your pain

Have no luck with Lorries either, but means I've learnt a thing or two!

My power steering box went too this year, was £250 for recon one and with fitting came to £550.

I agree with person above (think was DieselDog) Take lorry and see what it fails on. It can be a little random depending on who's looking at it and so you can't really tell what they;re going to find fault with.


Also the girlie driving a lorry bit, goes down well. Smile lots.

oh and do exactly as they day when they're directing you over the pit