Tecalemit’s take on in-house testing
Workshop equipment provider Tecalemit has explained how fleet operators could benefit from bringing the testing of HGVs in-house.
Whilst the benefits of frequent testing all contribute to road safety, the administrative burden and consequential fleet downtime can be a significant cost to a fleet operator, the firm points out.
“Organising the appropriate visit to a suitable test centre will undoubtedly have to be woven into operational schedules to ensure the vehicle downtime is minimised,” said Tecalemit.
“Sometimes the location of the nearest suitable testing facility adds significant staff, fuel and time cost to the business and that is just based on a successful vehicle test pass. If the vehicle requires a service and rectification intervention, the whole exercise has to be repeated together with all the consequential vehicle downtime and staff costs.”
The company says its range of HGV testing equipment enables operators to equip their own workshops for brake testing, suspension testing, emissions testing and headlamp testing.
“Tecalemit can equip HGV fleet workshops with DVSA approved equipment that enables a fleet operator to test their own vehicles to DVSA test standards in accordance with their own operational schedule,” it continued.
“Investing in a commercial vehicle brake tester may not be as onerous as it might first seem. With a modest fleet size, a realistic payback could be achieved in approximately 24 months, if the use of the equipment is leveraged through the provision of volume third party fleet tests.”
The advantages to the fleet operator can be huge, says the firm.
“Tecalemit’s DE9700 commercial vehicle roller brake tester allows the operator to build their own fleet database, automatically recording vehicle test results and removing all of the administrative activity of creating a manual records system up in the office.
“Add in the ability to test a vehicle within minutes together with minimal downtime for the trailer, tractor, driver and no third-party fees to pay, then the benefits start to multiply dramatically.”
The company also emphasises the benefits in terms of preventing system failures and eliminating on-road problems.
“Brake binding and ovality issues can be diagnosed early and preventative maintenance scheduled appropriately. The binding brake that causes overheating and wheel bearing damage can be addressed in good time, reducing the risk of the potential subsequent on road failure with expensive call out repairs and delays to the load shipment.”
Whist periodic checks of HGV braking systems feature highly on any fleet operator’s safety regime, there is also the need to consider steering and suspension components, says Tecalemit.
“Detecting wear and play in steering and suspension joints can be made easier and quicker by installing Tecalemit DVSA approved MOT play detectors, known affectionately as shaker plates. This allows all the vehicle maintenance technicians to subject the vehicle to the same standard of test procedure that is used in DVSA MOT authorised testing facilities.
“By testing to the same standard, technicians can identify and rectify and potential MOT failure items prior to the MOT test.”
The Tecalemit DE/7353 Commercial Vehicle Hydraulic Play Detector consists of two electro-hydraulic recessed floor plates. A single axle is presented to the play detector plates and the technician controls the movement in four directions using a simple hand control with integral illumination.
“This allows the steering and suspension joints to be examined for wear in a safe manner whilst avoiding the need to handle the road wheel or use pry bars to identify steering and suspension joint movement. The hands-free operation allows a single user to inspect the vehicle and identify any pre-MOT test component repairs and replacements.”
Highlighting the significant role headlamp aim plays in HGV test failures, Tecalemit points out that, with the appropriate equipment, it is probably one of the quickest adjustments to make.
“Tecalemit’s DE/7588 HGV Headlamp Beam Tester can provide commercial vehicle fleet workshops with the same measurement accuracy that is utilised in DVSA authorised testing facilities. For a minimal outlay, fleet workshop can move beyond ‘the chalk line on the wall’ and ensure that all of their fleet vehicle headlamps are correctly adjusted.”
The company also highlights its emissions testing offering.
“The TD/MDS/350 smoke meter is a standalone modular emission tester housed in a large workstation cabinet, which is mounted on large castor wheels for increased manoeuvrability.
“The cabinet houses the power supply, communication modules and provides storage for probes and hoses. To optimise workshop flexibility the Class I category diesel smoke chamber communicates with the control system via cable-free Bluetooth.
“The smoke chamber itself can be located anywhere within a 100m range of the cabinet in order to allow vehicles to be tested in their service bay.”
