"Marc Draper" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:
[email protected]...
> In message <tjHqe.18709$%[email protected]>, Paul Tasker
> <[email protected]> writes
>>Hi All
>>
>>My mot man of 28years (so he is experienced) wont put my disco on the
>>rolling road for exactly that reason. He has a meter he puts on the
>>floorpan
>>and he test drives it on the road and measures inertia when braking.
>
>
> 28 years of MOT experience ! And no knowledge of how a Landrover gearbox
> works.
>
> That may sound a bit harsh but the internals of the disco/defender
> transfer box are not magic or mystical. It is all just gears, bearings and
> oil. And in the configuration used in the above vehicles it will not be
> damaged by use of a brake tester.
>
> I personally put well over 100 landrovers a year through their MOT and all
> non viscous transfer boxes are pull on the brake tester. It is a much more
> accurate way of assessing the safety of our brakes.
> --
Here in NT Australia I've used the Govt test shed for all but one year of
the 26 years that I've had my 1975 RR. For about the first 10 years they had
these vehicles go through the truck bay that had 4 moveable plates that you
idled up to and slammed on the brakes. The gauge was 4 column's of fluid
that had to rise to a particular minimum level. Handbrake test was stall
engine by trying to drive off while it was engaged. They changed and
insisted that we use brake dyno, but I've never really been happy with it
but had no evidence to refute their statement that they had consulted
dealer/manufacturer. The only year I had it tested elsewhere, the idiot
"mechanic" couldn't tell the difference between a rear brake fluid leak that
he thought he saw and what turned out to be actually another leather axle
oil seal failing. Fixed it myself and then went to Govt shed, not back to
him. I have no problem telling the "diff" between the smell and feel of
each.
As to accuracy of testing safety of brakes, I disagree. Two years ago I got
mine passed while booster was faulty (actually did fail while driving
there). Brakes had pressure for just a few seconds so I braked heavily, and
as he looked at the right readings I lifted off quickly. Passed rego and
drove straight to repair shop. If they were really serious they would make
us brake a few times in quick succession to see if it remains good, but it's
not up to me to re-educate them on that.
They are a real pain on some other things though, like don't all LR products
leak oil and it's not necessarily a safety hazard. Comment not long ago was
"You did a good job cleaning up the oil" (he had tested me a few times).
The best/worst problem's I've had with the test shed were:
1. Your rear diff pinion shaft is loose (not the RR) and it might come loose
and disappear inside. Went away, thought for a short time and came back, saw
another tester who agreed that it was impossible and passed it.
2. After twelve years of passing my aircraft quality, stainless braided &
teflon lined front brake hoses they insisted that I put back standard ones,
only because they didn't have certification stamping on them. No
deterioration, visually or in performance, was evident, just following
rules.
3. Taking brother-in-law's car through. It failed but he then recognised
name as son of his past workshop foreman elsewhere. Changed to passed and
said fix it before next year.
4. Taking company 4x4 through that should have failed with list of items
they found, but said that he knew that we (the company) gets things fixed
anyway.
PhilD
(sorry for long rant)
