acceptme:
Hello fellows lorry drivers. Just a quick question and a couple of views… Now we all know that modern lorrys make life easy. So do you think its a good idea to head down t the local lorry dealer and ask them would it be possible to have a day on the spanners with on of their lads… I know sweet fa bout mending one nd only know the very basics. Ya reckon health and safety would put a stop to my learning more…all views welcomed.
We dont need to know how to fix them. Thats what the mechanics or diagnostic laptop operators get paid for.
Would you not like a little knowledge,just to get you out of the predicament or get you home?
nope ,most drivers today work for firms where by it’s frowned on or banned from even changing a bulb.
in my early days (yawn) we did it all cept the full service, but as with sat nav/mobile phones.sar tracking etc etc it’s not what the company employ you to do. and who betide if you do anything like that cos H&S bods get involved.
just do your job ,nothing more nothing less,you will not be thought any beeter,or even worse if you deviate.
no in the ral world ,
I would much prefer to work for a family firm than any BIG firm,
why■■?
cos generally the pay may be less but your treated better
Aye,
A multi national company I worked for was ■■■■■ regarding basic maintenance
“Got a sidelight out”
“Ring Hill Hire/Daf/Any other service provider we used”
Then the 60-90 minute waiting time to change a chuffin bulb because the H+S says we cannot do it.
Later on in the day as there has been no shift breifing on office changeovers
“Why are you late/How long are you going to be”
acceptme:
Hello fellows lorry drivers. Just a quick question and a couple of views… Now we all know that modern lorrys make life easy. So do you think its a good idea to head down t the local lorry dealer and ask them would it be possible to have a day on the spanners with on of their lads… I know sweet fa bout mending one nd only know the very basics. Ya reckon health and safety would put a stop to my learning more…all views welcomed.
We dont need to know how to fix them. Thats what the mechanics or diagnostic laptop operators get paid for.
Would you not like a little knowledge,just to get you out of the predicament or get you home?
I would like a bit more knowledge, but most faults and breakdowns are electrical related now. So without a laptop plugged into the OBD, you probably wouldn’t know where to begin looking. Best left to the experts.
Indeed,tis true and the older I get the less I know …but if it’s simple and can be moved with a spanner and I’m stuck then I’ll hit it with a hammer.
damoq:
But most faults and breakdowns are electrical related now. So without a laptop plugged into the OBD, you probably wouldn’t know where to begin looking.
Not in my experience. We contract to Delta FMG, RAC Commercial, AA Truck, Fleet Support, NTBS, IPA and a load of hauliers directly.
Vast majority of roadside problems can be fixed without the Texa/Eclipse.
Just my view.
When I was a coach driver, we’d get quiet in the winter and end up doing maintinance in the workshop, we did everything from dropping engines and gearboxes, electrical to spraypainting. It was invaluable stuff!
ShropsBri:
Indeed,tis true and the older I get the less I know …but if it’s simple and can be moved with a spanner and I’m stuck then I’ll hit it with a hammer.
Ha ha, you get to a point in life where in order to learn something new, you must forget something you already know .
Think you’re referring to the Army principles of engineering: If it moves, oil it, if it doesn’t, paint it.
ShropsBri:
Indeed,tis true and the older I get the less I know …but if it’s simple and can be moved with a spanner and I’m stuck then I’ll hit it with a hammer.
Ha ha, you get to a point in life where in order to learn something new, you must forget something you already know .
Think you’re referring to the Army principles of engineering: If it moves, oil it, if it doesn’t, paint it.
It seems to me the things you want to forget you can’t and the things you need…well it’ll come to me soon.
Edited to add…I’ll bet you that the senior drivers on here,most of them could and would have been expected to get going again.
thanks for all the replys gents and ladies. Its very interesting to see the views of everyone. The reason im thinking of this is because we go to russia alot and it saves on the brake down call… im just thinking simple things like as been said before a brake that has been locked on a trailer and how to release it… nothing to serious just basic knowledge… of course h&s is putting a a stop to nearly all of this and alot of firms dont like you gettin involved… we arnt even allowed to change a tyre but im still keen to learn it and mayb in another life it will come in useful… i look forward to reading more post and to keep this debate going… .
damoq:
I would like a bit more knowledge, but most faults and breakdowns are electrical related now. So without a laptop plugged into the OBD, you probably wouldn’t know where to begin looking. Best left to the experts.
Laptop might not be necessary to diagnose or even rectify the fault itself, but is of course essential to cancel the warning light. We have this problem regularly, as our local Mansel Davies workshop doesn’t have a computer, necessitating a trip to the main depot 30-odd miles away to get warnings cancelled.
Interesting to speculate what would be the outcome if, say, an ABS warning was still showing at a VOSA spot-check despite the repair having been carried out.
damoq:
I would like a bit more knowledge, but most faults and breakdowns are electrical related now. So without a laptop plugged into the OBD, you probably wouldn’t know where to begin looking. Best left to the experts.
Laptop might not be necessary to diagnose or even rectify the fault itself, but is of course essential to cancel the warning light. We have this problem regularly, as our local Mansel Davies workshop doesn’t have a computer, necessitating a trip to the main depot 30-odd miles away to get warnings cancelled.
Interesting to speculate what would be the outcome if, say, an ABS warning was still showing at a VOSA spot-check despite the repair having been carried out.
True. I bet there are loads of hauliers that have their own workshops and the best mechanics to be found anywhere, who can diagnose and fix any problem. Yet as you say, it often requires a trip to the local dealer to clear the fault. The time wasted, fuel used and paying the dealer to have a light turned off probably adds at least another £100 to the repair bill. Wrong and unnecessary IMO.
damoq:
I would like a bit more knowledge, but most faults and breakdowns are electrical related now. So without a laptop plugged into the OBD, you probably wouldn’t know where to begin looking. Best left to the experts.
Laptop might not be necessary to diagnose or even rectify the fault itself, but is of course essential to cancel the warning light. We have this problem regularly, as our local Mansel Davies workshop doesn’t have a computer, necessitating a trip to the main depot 30-odd miles away to get warnings cancelled.
Interesting to speculate what would be the outcome if, say, an ABS warning was still showing at a VOSA spot-check despite the repair having been carried out.
With things like that, when the fault is rectified, the light WILL go out, if the light’s still on, the fault still exists.
I think this is the same for MOST faults. I remember a bloody Iveco I drove years ago, the brake light went on the A556, and everytime I pressed the brake light, it’d bloody tell me it’d gone
Same with LED trailers, they trigger a lot of warnings that don’t exist on certain units.
I’m no fitter but over the years have watched and worked out how things work and have very rarely needed a fitter to rescue me but have been lucky to work for firms who appreciate it
(yawn) we did it all cept the full service, but as with sat nav/mobile phones.sar tracking etc etc it’s not what the company employ you to do. and who betide if you do anything like that cos H&S bods get involved.
…but if it’s simple and can be moved with a spanner and I’m stuck then I’ll hit it with a hammer. 
.
