Took my test last Wednesday and failed which is fair enough but I will tell you how it went and give me your honest opinion regarding my training provider. .
Wednesday morning test station first up couple uncouple.
I disconnected as I should and bronze brakes come on 10 mins later I pull out after revving hell out of it to get air up.
Then re couple go under connect as I should bronze brakes come on and legs of trailer stuck solid I tried manual raise of air to no joy I actually pulled my back winding the legs up because of the risk of embarrassment in front of the examiner we got on the road the reason I failed was I went too fast round a bend now I stamped on the exhauster and brakes the thing wouldn’t slow and again down a steep gradient the examiner was looking over at me in quick succession I knew he knew I was creeping over 40 and I chopped down a gear to let the engine hold it a bit…
Now we get back he tells me its a fail and the trainer gets into drive back low and behold bronze brakes come on 15 minutes we sat at the test station on the reverse area while he sorted it.
Now he rang me today and said after I did my test ie days after they had to bin the trailer they now have a new one Only trouble is I have a re test on Thursday and the new trailer is 5 feet longer than the one ive paid a lot of money to train in im worried now how different it will be and would I be right in asking the trainer to fund a re test if this goes sour…
Ask the trainer for at least 2 hours extra lesson before the test for familiarisation to the new trailer.
Paul 
Hi Nathan. There’s a couple of different issues here as I see it. Firstly, your trainer isn’t in any way responsible for you going round a bend too fast. You’ve got the pedals - not him.
On the matter of the air loss (it’s Broms brake BTW!); many vehicles will drop air just below safe working minimum when coupling and uncoupling. But they should build up again without any great problem. Your trainer has changed trailers. If I were your trainer, I’d be offering you 4 hours free training prior to this test. I don’t understand how you expect to pass a test with a trailer you’ve never seen before.
Best of luck with the test, Pete 
Ask the trainer for at least 2 hours extra lesson before the test for familiarisation to the new trailer
A professional trainer wouldn’t have to be asked.
Pete
I should say I would offer free tuition until the candidate is comfortable with the new trailer. IMO probably 1 hour reversing & uncouple - re couple and 1 hour on the road ideally the day before test.
Paul
Peter Smythe:
Hi Nathan. There’s a couple of different issues here as I see it. Firstly, your trainer isn’t in any way responsible for you going round a bend too fast. You’ve got the pedals - not him.Something was a miss with the brakes I know it was a daf and daf dont know how to make good brakes but it was a case of press pedal nothing nothing nothing WINDSCREEN!!!.
Maybe im reading too much into it and accept I dropped a clanger…
I will request some extra training with the trailer. .
Something was a miss with the brakes I know it was a daf and daf dont know how to make good brakes but it was a case of press pedal nothing nothing nothing WINDSCREEN!!!.
I don’t know who told you DAF don’t make good brakes - strange. If the vehicle isn’t properly maintained you shouldn’t be driving it. If you don’t know how to use the brakes properly the instructor isn’t doing his job.
Has to be said that someone moaned today that the brakes on our new truck (delivered last week) were “spongy”. There’s nothing wrong with them, just feel quite different to a car.
I’m developing a poor picture of your choice of trainer.
Pete
The fact the trailer has now apparently been disposed of does suggest something was up.
Can you clarify what you mean by “bronze brake” (it’s Broms by the way)
I have only ever come across a Broms brake on a volvo but not a DAF.
Can you clarify what you mean by “bronze brake” (it’s Broms by the way)
I have only ever come across a Broms brake on a volvo but not a DAF.
When I read the OP I thought immediately of Volvo and I didn’t connect it with the DAF reference. Thanks for pointing that out as, to the best of my knowledge, Daf don’t have Broms brakes.
I wonder if Nathan 121 has had any joy from his training provider.
Pete
Peter Smythe:
Can you clarify what you mean by “bronze brake” (it’s Broms by the way)
I have only ever come across a Broms brake on a volvo but not a DAF.When I read the OP I thought immediately of Volvo and I didn’t connect it with the DAF reference. Thanks for pointing that out as, to the best of my knowledge, Daf don’t have Broms brakes.
Seems older DAF have had them, which in turn might suggest something about the age of what he is learning in.
My trainer has offered me 2 hours reverse training tomorrow but I will have a polite word in his ear tomorrow when I get there as ive paid a lot of hard earned for my training…
The brakes on the unit he has told me does have a broms brake but doesn’t have a switch lever on dash like volvo its built in■■? And the trailer he binned required the shunt button to be pressed in and out to get it to move…■■?
I dont know much relatively new to the game so im just believing what im shown and told as I go along… such as you guys giving me the advice from your years of practice its priceless thanks again for all your help and advice…glad I found you… 
th2013:
Peter Smythe:
Can you clarify what you mean by “bronze brake” (it’s Broms by the way)
I have only ever come across a Broms brake on a volvo but not a DAF.When I read the OP I thought immediately of Volvo and I didn’t connect it with the DAF reference. Thanks for pointing that out as, to the best of my knowledge, Daf don’t have Broms brakes.
Volvo broms brake - NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE) - Trucknet UK[/url
Seems older DAF have had them, which in turn might suggest something about the age of what he is learning in.
[/quote]
Its a 51 plate if that helps…
The quoted post refers to a Daf 2200. Not sure what that is. In my time, I’ve driven 2100, 2500, 2800, 3300 and 3600 and none of those had Broms brakes.
A 51 plate is likely to be a CF 75 or 85 and they don’t have them either.
BTW, the thought of a 13 year old truck is scary.
Pete
It is a bit like something you’d expect to see green grass in in an episode of heartbeat. …
As with most trucks, the air brakes work by needing sufficient pressure to release them (that way if the tanks are drained it cannot roll away)
Him saying it’s a Broms brake is just him trying to sound clever. All that’s happened is that it hasn’t built up sufficient pressure to release the brakes. The dafs will release the brakes when there is sufficient pressure to do so. The Broms brake in the volvo is a secondary handbrake that activates when you have lost air to below a safe pressure. It’s almost like you have to confirm you have run out air pressure by pressing it back in once the air tanks are charged.
Good luck by the way.
Ok thanks for the info its all knowledge im willing to learn…
The beauty of the Broms brake is that it wont let the truck move once the air has been built up. This is important as it’s horribly common for drivers to try driving against the light and the buzzer and then leave the park brake off. They could then be distracted, leave the vehicle, and then it’s potentially on it’s way.
So the Broms is a good idea IMO>
Pete
th2013:
The fact the trailer has now apparently been disposed of does suggest something was up.
This. The brakes locking themselves on sounds like there was a particularly bad leak on the trailer side of things…
That said, all the best with your re-test!
Peter Smythe:
The beauty of the Broms brake is that it wont let the truck move once the air has been built up. This is important as it’s horribly common for drivers to try driving against the light and the buzzer and then leave the park brake off. They could then be distracted, leave the vehicle, and then it’s potentially on it’s way.So the Broms is a good idea IMO>
Pete
I only found out about the (Volvo) broms brake when I aired up a Volvo bus I was given once and it wouldn’t move. Shift engineer came over, took the broms brake off and got out and showed it to me. Totally agree with you though Peter - it’s a good idea.