# 7.5 tonne mot test



## nicola172 (30 April 2011)

Hi is it true you have to take a 7.5 tonne lorry to a VOSA testing station???


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## charmeroo (30 April 2011)

Yes!!  And book well in advance as sometimes you have a long wait!  Last year I had to wait 5 weeks for an appointment in Guildford!!!


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## Bosworth (30 April 2011)

I used to book my lorry in for a pre plating check up, and then the garage took it for it's plating.


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## Stacey6897 (30 April 2011)

That's a good idea, as VOSA charge for retests


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## MilosDad (1 May 2011)

Yes you do and you should be prepared before you go as, if your lorry fails, they can issue you a notice saying it cannot be driven until the fault is rectified.  That means you have to remove the lorry from the testing station on a transporter.
So:

Book your test in advance
Have a pre plating check done by an experienced mechanic about 1 month before.
Steam clean the underside of the lorry before you go.
Ensure you have a stable one tonne weight in the back for the brake test.
Take your paperwork with you.
If you have a tachograph ensure it is calibrated and certificated beforehand or have your exemption form with you.
Be nice to the tester.


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## lea840 (1 May 2011)

MilosDad said:



			Yes you do and you should be prepared before you go as, if your lorry fails, they can issue you a notice saying it cannot be driven until the fault is rectified.  That means you have to remove the lorry from the testing station on a transporter.
So:

Book your test in advance
Have a pre plating check done by an experienced mechanic about 1 month before.
Steam clean the underside of the lorry before you go.
Ensure you have a stable one tonne weight in the back for the brake test.
Take your paperwork with you.
If you have a tachograph ensure it is calibrated and certificated beforehand or have your exemption form with you.
Be nice to the tester.
		
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Thats right it is called A Prohibition Notice (PG9) This basically means that it's a ban from using that vehicle on a public road, you cannot drive the vehicle away not even to a garage for any repairs. the vehicle has to be recovered on a low loader, which can be very costly. VOSA have the power to issue a PG9 at any point, either during a MOT or if you get stopped at the road side. If you happen to be stopped on a motorway you are looking at around £1000 to be recovered off the motorway, this is roughly the standard cost in removing large private/comercial vehicles... 

Do ensure that you have you vehicle thoroughly checked over prior to taking it to VOSA, even very new vehicles can have defects which VOSA can PG9 you for. Your Tacho will only need to be calibrated every 2 years and the Tacho head will have a sticker on it to say when it was last done, ensure that it is in date... 

Good luck with your test


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## perfect11s (1 May 2011)

lea840 said:



			Thats right it is called A Prohibition Notice (PG9) This basically means that it's a ban from using that vehicle on a public road, you cannot drive the vehicle away not even to a garage for any repairs. the vehicle has to be recovered on a low loader, which can be very costly. VOSA have the power to issue a PG9 at any point, either during a MOT or if you get stopped at the road side. If you happen to be stopped on a motorway you are looking at around £1000 to be recovered off the motorway, this is roughly the standard cost in removing large private/comercial vehicles... 

Do ensure that you have you vehicle thoroughly checked over prior to taking it to VOSA, even very new vehicles can have defects which VOSA can PG9 you for. Your Tacho will only need to be calibrated every 2 years and the Tacho head will have a sticker on it to say when it was last done, ensure that it is in date... 

Good luck with your test 

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 Oh your're a happy lot !!! you have to have a fairly
serious fault to get a prohibition at a  test station like the brakes have failed or a brake  pipe burst or the chassis/ steering is about to collapse or a wheel is falling off,  And this will also happen if you take a car or van with a dangerous fault for a MOT too !!!!! not just a lorry... Oh on the tacho it needs calibrated 2 years etc Only  applys to lorrys over 7.5 ton or comercial use 7.5 ton under that it just needs to have been sealed and calibrated for that vehicle  at some point..  Do not just take your lorry!!  have it serviced and checked  first  you will be fine, Plateing (MOT) is very simalar to what they test on a car and if its reasonably road worthy it will pass  but it dosent mean its ok to drive and neglect  for another 12 monthes !!!!
Good luck....


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## lea840 (1 May 2011)

perfect11s said:



			Oh your're a happy lot !!! you have to have a fairly
serious fault to get a prohibition at a  test station like the brakes have failed or a brake  pipe burst or the chassis/ steering is about to collapse or a wheel is falling off,  And this will also happen if you take a car or van with a dangerous fault for a MOT too !!!!! not just a lorry... Oh on the tacho it needs calibrated 2 years etc Only  applys to lorrys over 7.5 ton or comercial use 7.5 ton under that it just needs to have been sealed and calibrated for that vehicle  at some point..  Do not just take your lorry!!  have it serviced and checked  first  you will be fine, Plateing (MOT) is very simalar to what they test on a car and if its reasonably road worthy it will pass  but it dosent mean its ok to drive and neglect  for another 12 monthes !!!!
Good luck....
		
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You dont have to have a serious fault at all. If VOSA take the view that the fault is just "potentially" serious, you will get PG9'ed. Whilst it is right to say that an actual fault has to be significant, there are faults you can get that are actually nothing much at all but the potential effect is massive, so they wont let you drive home if they deem it of a serious risk... one example would be play in a track rod end... the bit that connects your steering to your wheels. On test, there must be zero play in the joint but if he finds play in it, he may find that play to be a fail on the day... or a fail likely to result in immediate failiure so PG9 on the lane is a realistic consequence. Same for a bottom ball joint.
With regard to tacho's, the rule is actually a 2 year inspection and a 5 year calibration and applies to all vehicles over 3.5t now... not 7.5t.
Finally, your last point about it being "reasonably roadworthy" significantly dilutes the actual yardstick...the yardstick is simply that the vehicle is "safe" and VOSA tend to overexaggerate the significance of defects and put them into their worst possible light to justify a failiure.
I would endorse your view that you should put the vehicle in with a mechanice beforehand. A proper pre-MOT inspection and associated alterations is likely to cost around £400 if its done properly. He'll check all the lights, steam clean the chassis and engine bay, fluid levels, set the tyre pressures, wear and tear in the componants that usually fail on test and adjust the brakes up.... brakes usually always need adjusting up on horse boxes and if its fitted with a load sensing valve, thats usually seized up if its been stood for a while. 
A GREAT tip for the horsebox owner would be for a lady to take the vehicle... VOSA are human... "a bit of totty" on the lane is a great change to the normal from the average greasy mechanic... as wrong as it is, women do most definately get treated better than men and are much more likely to be given leighway where there is an issue of interpretation and the benefit of the doubt! 

Its a game getting a vehicle through test... you can have defects that your man doesnt spot... or he can spot ones your mechanic has missed... they do try and catch a mechanic out if they know its been prep'ed professionally.... they do try and find a fault to justify a failiure.  The most common failings on all vehicles are headlamp aim. VOSA claim that 80% of failiures are down to incorrect lamp aim... 

One other thing... if your mechanic gives you a shopping list of defects that need to be fixed... cherry pick the ones that the VOSA man is likely to see and disregard ones that he is less likely to see. VOSA like to see maintenance... if he can see that its fitted with new pads and discs, a new exhaust and a new ball joint on one side and two track rod ends... this is a good indicator that the vehicle is looked after... if the faults are one he isnt likely to spot easily... I wouldnt bother... it depends on the nature of the fault and what your mechanic advises but as a rule, if the tester can see maintenance... he'll be happy!


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## perfect11s (1 May 2011)

lea840 said:



			You dont have to have a serious fault at all. If VOSA take the view that the fault is just "potentially" serious, you will get PG9'ed. Whilst it is right to say that an actual fault has to be significant, there are faults you can get that are actually nothing much at all but the potential effect is massive, so they wont let you drive home if they deem it of a serious risk... one example would be play in a track rod end... the bit that connects your steering to your wheels. On test, there must be zero play in the joint but if he finds play in it, he may find that play to be a fail on the day... or a fail likely to result in immediate failiure so PG9 on the lane is a realistic consequence. Same for a bottom ball joint.
With regard to tacho's, the rule is actually a 2 year inspection and a 5 year calibration and applies to all vehicles over 3.5t now... not 7.5t.
Finally, your last point about it being "reasonably roadworthy" significantly dilutes the actual yardstick...the yardstick is simply that the vehicle is "safe" and VOSA tend to overexaggerate the significance of defects and put them into their worst possible light to justify a failiure.
I would endorse your view that you should put the vehicle in with a mechanice beforehand. A proper pre-MOT inspection and associated alterations is likely to cost around £400 if its done properly. He'll check all the lights, steam clean the chassis and engine bay, fluid levels, set the tyre pressures, wear and tear in the componants that usually fail on test and adjust the brakes up.... brakes usually always need adjusting up on horse boxes and if its fitted with a load sensing valve, thats usually seized up if its been stood for a while. 
A GREAT tip for the horsebox owner would be for a lady to take the vehicle... VOSA are human... "a bit of totty" on the lane is a great change to the normal from the average greasy mechanic... as wrong as it is, women do most definately get treated better than men and are much more likely to be given leighway where there is an issue of interpretation and the benefit of the doubt! 

Its a game getting a vehicle through test... you can have defects that your man doesnt spot... or he can spot ones your mechanic has missed... they do try and catch a mechanic out if they know its been prep'ed professionally.... they do try and find a fault to justify a failiure.  The most common failings on all vehicles are headlamp aim. VOSA claim that 80% of failiures are down to incorrect lamp aim... 

One other thing... if your mechanic gives you a shopping list of defects that need to be fixed... cherry pick the ones that the VOSA man is likely to see and disregard ones that he is less likely to see. VOSA like to see maintenance... if he can see that its fitted with new pads and discs, a new exhaust and a new ball joint on one side and two track rod ends... this is a good indicator that the vehicle is looked after... if the faults are one he isnt likely to spot easily... I wouldnt bother... it depends on the nature of the fault and what your mechanic advises but as a rule, if the tester can see maintenance... he'll be happy! 

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 to be honest I dont find it anymore dificult getting lorrys tested than cars and the Vosa people that are at our local ATF are very helpfull and  reasonable, l still dissagee with you on tachos if you are exempt it dosent need recalibration  just a seal and sticker to say it was fitted and set up on that vehicle .....


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## lea840 (1 May 2011)

perfect11s said:



			to be honest I dont find it anymore dificult getting lorrys tested than cars and the Vosa people that are at our local ATF are very helpfull and  reasonable, l still dissagee with you on tachos if you are exempt it dosent need recalibration  just a seal and sticker to say it was fitted and set up on that vehicle .....
		
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Then if you are exempt then why have you got one fitted?? 

I don't find it difficult either, firstly because all of my vehicles are on a mantinence contract and are inspected every 6 weeks... and secondly because I take them myself *Bats eye lashes* and I have built up a good rapport with VOSA over the years since I have been trading... but I am there almost every month putting one of my vehilces through test and time after time I see people getting a PG9 and it is as described in my last post... I dunno maybe I am there far more than you and get to see a lot more, maybe my VOSA guys pick up on every single thing... either way, it happens a lot and *Touch Wood* I've not had any yet Phew


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## perfect11s (1 May 2011)

lea840 said:



			Then if you are exempt then why have you got one fitted?? 

I don't find it difficult either, firstly because all of my vehicles are on a mantinence contract and are inspected every 6 weeks... and secondly because I take them myself *Bats eye lashes* and I have built up a good rapport with VOSA over the years since I have been trading... but I am there almost every month putting one of my vehilces through test and time after time I see people getting a PG9 and it is as described in my last post... I dunno maybe I am there far more than you and get to see a lot more, maybe my VOSA guys pick up on every single thing... either way, it happens a lot and *Touch Wood* I've not had any yet Phew 

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 why do you think??? its a commercial and was fitted with one and is now just used as a speedo !!!!! otherwise how would you know how fast you were going??? Oh and you go on a sunday do you


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## Holly Hocks (1 May 2011)

I'm finding this interesting to read - I only have a 3.5t but am considering changing in the future to a 7.5t.
At work at the moment I am working on a case and one of the expert witnesses is very high up in the freight industry, hence him being an expert witness.  He has been telling me that although VOSA can and do issue PG9 prohibition orders, they are only issued in circumstances where the vehicle is considered unroadworthy, and could cause a road traffic collision - in more minor cases they are issued with an advisory notice and a fine.
Personally, I think it's sad that VOSA don't deal more with unroadworthy cars......there are plenty out there on the roads....


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## lea840 (1 May 2011)

perfect11s said:



			Oh and you go on a sunday do you

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On a Sunday...? I'm not with you??


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## lea840 (1 May 2011)

Holly Hocks said:



			I think it's sad that VOSA don't deal more with unroadworthy cars......there are plenty out there on the roads....
		
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You're not wrong there... there are loads of unroadworthy vehicles out there!! Its really annoying when the good people like us spend our hard earned money in the right place to ensure our vehicles are roadworthy AND legal... yet I frequently see a wagon on the local circuit with a tax disc in the window from 2005... yes 2005!! That just takes the Pi55 big time! Yes it has been reported but there always seems to be people who slip through the net, makes me wonder why the hell I bother with my 'O' Licence and ensuring my vehicles are tip top!! Grrr I feel my blood changing to boiling point at people like that!


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## Holly Hocks (1 May 2011)

lea840 said:



			You're not wrong there... there are loads of unroadworthy vehicles out there!! Its really annoying when the good people like us spend our hard earned money in the right place to ensure our vehicles are roadworthy AND legal... yet I frequently see a wagon on the local circuit with a tax disc in the window from 2005... yes 2005!! That just takes the Pi55 big time! Yes it has been reported but there always seems to be people who slip through the net, makes me wonder why the hell I bother with my 'O' Licence and ensuring my vehicles are tip top!! Grrr I feel my blood changing to boiling point at people like that!
		
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2005??? That's ridiculous!!! 
I think I'll stick with my 3.5 box - £68 for six months tax and £54 for MOT - although i have spent between £1500 and £2000 in the last 12 months with the engine and on getting everything up to scratch!!!


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## lea840 (1 May 2011)

Holly Hocks said:



			2005??? That's ridiculous!!! 
I think I'll stick with my 3.5 box - £68 for six months tax and £54 for MOT - although i have spent between £1500 and £2000 in the last 12 months with the engine and on getting everything up to scratch!!!
		
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I know it completely takes the pi55 doesn't it... I feel like going to their yard and putting a bloody wheel clamp on the dam thing lol


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## lea840 (1 May 2011)

perfect11s said:



			why do you think??? its a commercial and was fitted with one and is now just used as a speedo !!!!! otherwise how would you know how fast you were going??? Oh and you go on a sunday do you

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Sorry I didnt realise your wagon had one of the very old style ones... I was asuming it was one of the casette ones or one of the didgi one's like mine...


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## Whoopit (1 May 2011)

Squabbling perfect11s and lea840 - how old are your wagons? Just out of interest as it seems one must have a much newer one than the other? And how do you find maintenance on them? Tyres i'm guessing must be a bit on the costly side?

I think i'm about to take the plunge and buy a 7.5t soon and take my test next year - only have a very modest budget though so it'll have to be an older one!


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## lea840 (1 May 2011)

Whoopit said:



			Squabbling perfect11s and lea840 - how old are your wagons? Just out of interest as it seems one must have a much newer one than the other? And how do you find maintenance on them? Tyres i'm guessing must be a bit on the costly side?

I think i'm about to take the plunge and buy a 7.5t soon and take my test next year - only have a very modest budget though so it'll have to be an older one!
		
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My oldest is a 52 plate and the newest is a 57 plate... Tyres can be quite costly but I have mine done through my maintenance contract so I get a very good deal on them... Maintenance wise I don't really have any problems with them, mine are inspected every 6 weeks and the smaller problems are dealt with before they turn into bigger problems. Obviously not all problems need fixing right away as some things can be dealt with on their next inspection but I have a good teams of machanics and I trust their word, after all they are the mechanical experts


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## scribble (1 May 2011)

My friend works for VOSA and they are reasonable people and they looked at my lorry before it went for its test.  I also work with Norfolk police and we pull vehicles in for checks in laybys etc and you should see some of the rubbish on the road and not just nec old lorries.  they do give out prohibition notices but also helpfull too.


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## perfect11s (1 May 2011)

lea840 said:



			Sorry I didnt realise your wagon had one of the very old style ones... I was asuming it was one of the casette ones or one of the didgi one's like mine... 

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 mine is a 2004 with the drawer type  still has to have it because the speedo
and limiter works through it ...


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## perfect11s (1 May 2011)

Whoopit said:



			Squabbling perfect11s and lea840 - how old are your wagons? Just out of interest as it seems one must have a much newer one than the other? And how do you find maintenance on them? Tyres i'm guessing must be a bit on the costly side?

I think i'm about to take the plunge and buy a 7.5t soon and take my test next year - only have a very modest budget though so it'll have to be an older one!
		
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 Hi  I hope im not squabbling !!!  mine is a 04 mecedes  tyres are about £130+vat for new ones howerver I just got a second hand set for a friend  for £50 each  hers were cracking and perished which is the main thing to watch this is what usealy hapens long before you wear them out on a horse box! maintanace it depends on how good it is to start with !! if its been well looked after as a comercial as they have to be safety  checked and go to the garrage every six to 12 weeks  by  law!! so hopefully  not much, if its been a horse box from new or is a older conversion it could need a bit to get it sorted out but I think once they have been gone thru by a good mecanic and the brakes are overhauled etc then just a simple service and check before  test and then a regular check  should be  fine  service cost about the same as say a discovery  i would work on about £500 for service and test
+ extra parts over normal sevice items....


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## lea840 (1 May 2011)

perfect11s said:



			mine is a 2004 with the drawer type  still has to have it because the speedo
and limiter works through it ...
		
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Yeah 2 of mine had limiters on but neither have the old style Tacho behind the clocks, it was an electronic limiter... which often people have removed with a fancy wire plugged into a lap top lol

Still not sure what you are meaning by me going to VOSA on a Sunday tho?? Care to explain as I am at a loss??


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## perfect11s (1 May 2011)

lea840 said:



			Yeah 2 of mine had limiters on but neither have the old style Tacho behind the clocks, it was an electronic limiter... which often people have removed with a fancy wire plugged into a lap top lol

Still not sure what you are meaning by me going to VOSA on a Sunday tho?? Care to explain as I am at a loss??
		
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 Sorry I was being sarky  im in somewhere that does testing most days with work and if im not busy I sometimes take trucks and horseboxes for  friends to be tested, so you would have to go on a sunday  when there closed to be there more than me!!!! be carfull about limiters!!! if your drivers are caught  with the limiter disabled it gets nasty  realy quick the TC and vosa take a very dim view of tacho/ limiter fiddling!!!!


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## lea840 (1 May 2011)

perfect11s said:



			Sorry I was being sarky  im in somewhere that does testing most days with work and if im not busy I sometimes take trucks and horseboxes for  friends to be tested, so you would have to go on a sunday  when there closed to be there more than me!!!! be carfull about limiters!!! if your drivers are caught  with the limiter disabled it gets nasty  realy quick the TC and vosa take a very dim view of tacho/ limiter fiddling!!!!
		
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Don't worry as the TM & one of the Directors of the company I am all too familiar with how the TC rules with an iron fist, thatnkfully i've been in this game long enough to know what will wash and very much so what will not  ... hence why I am one of the legal ones on the road as I have seen a number of companies from small outfits to larger guys being brought to their knees... and as the TM unless "I" would drive it, then I certainly wouldn't expect any of my staff to drive it... so for me things have to be tip top


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## lea840 (1 May 2011)

perfect11s said:



			Sorry I was being sarky

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I was going to say it must be a North/South divide on the humour... but you're only a stone throw away from me, guess my brain was still lay on my pillow after a late night when reading your post lol


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## Stinkbomb (1 May 2011)

perfect11s said:



			to be honest I dont find it anymore dificult getting lorrys tested than cars and the Vosa people that are at our local ATF are very helpfull and  reasonable, l still dissagee with you on tachos if you are exempt it dosent need recalibration  just a seal and sticker to say it was fitted and set up on that vehicle .....
		
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Agree with this.... I onlt took mine two days ago and had to sign a form to say tacho exempt. They just check it has been sealed correctly and thats it.


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