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Paddy_N_Murphy
Original Poster
15,130 posts
53 months
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Sending in our ancient (1996) 7.5Te Horsebox for an pre-plate inspection ......  braced for a bill, but some people say that the VOSA inspectors are anal about things like a Steam Cleaned chassis, no Floor mats in the cab (for fear of trapping under the pedals, and the ol' Moon Disc wheel cover removals. How true is all of this? any other tips, pointers? it is only the second year of ownership and a fella I know took care of it all last year - I am doing myself this year. Other than lights what are the obvious fails ? Cheers
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jhfozzy
862 posts
59 months
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Speaking from my area of expertise, if there's a Tachograph in it, the system needs to be sealed and have a calibration sticker fitted (with the right details, reg no etc). Private plate differing from the original reg on the sticker is a common failure.
You don't require the calibration sticker be in date as you're exempt from tachograph use if it's private use and the GVW is 7500kgs or under, just that it's sealed and has a sticker there.
Often forgotten on horsboxes as the Tachograph is never used.
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Paddy_N_Murphy
Original Poster
15,130 posts
53 months
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jhfozzy said: Often forgotten on horsboxes as the Tachograph is never used. Interesting - there is a Tacho (as in the Speedo pulls forward, and mechanism behind it) but as you say it isn't used. The unit is not / was not sealed - nor was it last year. I shall check this with the pre-inspection guys. Or are you saying the mechanism behind the speedo needs a sealed sticker (in or out of date) No private plate to worry about. Are the rumours and pieces in my OP true?
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4key
3,882 posts
17 months
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Ive never heard of things failing for what you mentioned, but i use purfleet and theyre well known for being lax. Take a screwdriver with you to align the headlights, and other than the brake bias being within tolerance everything else is obvious. No air leaks and everything should work, oh and fill your washer bottle up, i always forget that one.
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Paddy_N_Murphy
Original Poster
15,130 posts
53 months
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Cheers, will report back tomor !
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Paddy_N_Murphy
Original Poster
15,130 posts
53 months
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Cheers, will report back tomor !
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cossy400
759 posts
53 months
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Place i used to work used to swear by steaming off the underside etc etc.
Place i work for now just roll it in as is, and a bloke i know who runs his own tipper took it in one day inbetweeen runs, needless to say it failed but not on muck.
My preference would be to at least make an effort.
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4key
3,882 posts
17 months
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Depends what you are trying to hide.. If theres obvious grease, oil and diesel sprayed everywhere I doubt that it will go down well and if they hit the underside with a hammer and half a tonne of mud and s  te fall on them I think that they will find any reason to fail you  You dont have to have 7.5t loaded do you, they have that press that goes in the back?
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Paddy_N_Murphy
Original Poster
15,130 posts
53 months
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I would doubt very much they would test the loading, and not sure how they would on a horsebox TBH. The underside is ok, maybe some road spray, but fine last I looked - certainly not claggs of mud and s te. So, moon disc wheel trims on or off ?
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spike50
62 posts
23 months
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wheel trims off , they will hit every nut with their toffee hammer to make sure they are all tight and no loose studs .
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powerstroke
1,719 posts
29 months
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Paddy_N_Murphy said: I would doubt very much they would test the loading, and not sure how they would on a horsebox TBH. The underside is ok, maybe some road spray, but fine last I looked - certainly not claggs of mud and s te. So, moon disc wheel trims on or off ? As others definatly take the trims off , it needs to be fairly clean and any spray suppression (mud flaps with the spines on) mud free, the loading issue is basicly you will get a better brake test result if there is some load on it makes the componsator valve work and the tyres grip the rollers some places have a weight that they will put in for you !!!
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jhfozzy
862 posts
59 months
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Paddy_N_Murphy said: Interesting - there is a Tacho (as in the Speedo pulls forward, and mechanism behind it) but as you say it isn't used.
The unit is not / was not sealed - nor was it last year. I shall check this with the pre-inspection guys.
Or are you saying the mechanism behind the speedo needs a sealed sticker (in or out of date) There should be two red dot seals inside the Tachograph, one left and one right on the rear plate. There should also be one on the outside on the rear of the Tacho but you'd have to remove the unit to check this so it's not checked on test. There should also be a wire seal with a lead stamp on the gearbox that looks like a gas meter seal. The calibration plaque will either be inside the Tacho, this will be a 3" by 1/2" sticker (ignore any smaller '2 year' or 'minor work' stickers) or on the "B" pillar, this will be a larger sticker. As long as it's got the reg/chassis number, date of test and a few figures, it's ok.
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Graham
14,171 posts
153 months
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ive been through the vosa test 3 times now, and they've always been really helpfull.
first time i didnt know there were 2 copies of the plate so only had the onein the truck, also the plate still had the old private number on it.. the vosa guy sorted us out with that first cost me 20 quid for new plates.
wheel trims have to be off.
i was advised that then tacho needed to have been calibrated at some point but not in date, and he even showed me the relavant section in the regs.. that gave exemption from needing to run with a tacho in.
we've always gone unloaded but if your horse box is anything like my race transporter is bloody heavy even unloaded.
saying that we've always been right on the limit for the brake test.. they dont add anything to load it.
weve never specially cleaned underneath but it doesnt do many miles and we repaint a bit each year so its fairly clean.
had mine through a pre mot check at a garage before the first time and they came up with loads. i changed the cracked tyre ( spends most of the year sitting) and a drag link as it had a split gater and its flown through without anything else 3 times !!!!!
g
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StevenB
354 posts
66 months
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You don't have to have a full steam clean, the vehicle has to be clean enough to inspect.They have a device for simulating a load if they need to. The testers i have met have been fine. You say you are having a pre check ? Multicheck ? headlight aim, smoke, shaker plates & brake test? shows you have a responsible attitude towards a pass.
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Paddy_N_Murphy
Original Poster
15,130 posts
53 months
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Yep, should say again just pre test, if it is good I will do the full thing asap, and get it ou of the way. Cheers all.
Best dig out the paperworks too for the duplicate plates.
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AF1
160 posts
71 months
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Take some tools to adjust your headlight aim as some stations can be anal about it.
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Paddy_N_Murphy
Original Poster
15,130 posts
53 months
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Cheers, this is the pre-test and they said they would fanny around / light checks as part of it. Ditto a torque of the wheel nuts. ( I have managed to loose a bloody security screw to hold the Wheel discs though  ) The Tacho fyi  
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AF1
160 posts
71 months
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That looks sealed as far as I can see, there's a removable panel to the left hand side to access the DIL switches. Should have a small red seal and a sticker over the joint.
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jhfozzy
862 posts
59 months
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That looks ok, I can see the calibration sticker (long one on the side), K sticker at the bottom of the DIL cover and the two red seals.
Is your speedo working? Can't quite see, but the top needle (speed) looks like it's at the top of the slot. This normally happens if it's had the power disconnected to the truck / Tacho.
If it is, put two tacho charts in, one under the small clear cover (2nd driver slot) and one on top of the cover (1st driver slot) and shut the tacho. A few seconds later the speedo needle will click once as the needles re-align and your speedo should work again.
If you haven't got any charts, lift the clear cover up and simultaneously (gently) press in the two lower needles, the top needle will then start to make its way down the slot to its correct position.
John.
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Paddy_N_Murphy
Original Poster
15,130 posts
53 months
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Cheers John, I actually took that whilst at standstill on the way on today. Opening and closing the Tacho killed the Speedo  . Restarting had it back on song. I do not have any charts (never have) so you tip is well received. I do know that it is not permanently powered, i.e. throw the Battery Isolators and the Red LED goes out, but saying all of this and above, it is going back to the same VOSA place that passed it last year, and nothing has changed. Oh - found the screws for the trims on the internets, none local on the shelf. £2 each, and £3 P&P !!! or a Pack of £10 for 6. £4 P&P in 5 working days. WTF ?!? I shall whip them all out for Screw fix Allen key studs this afternoon with some O-Rings.
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