I’m mulling over an offer to come off the road and become a fleet manager, with a possibility that we will move yards and be getting a work shop. With this in mind, I’m thinking about getting a tractor unit and doing it up and doing a few shows. I was wondering if a unit still needed an trailer for test, even if it’s not used commercially. Not that it will make a difference whether I get one, just purely interested as I don’t really want a trailer on the fifth wheel to be honest
I go to an ATM for my test, and they always use their test trailer to get the required brake efficiency. When I did a voluntary brake test on their machine solo, it failed, but with the trailer on it was OK
Does that mean it’s just for the brake testing?
Most ATFs now have a trailer available for brake testing, which is the bit of the MOT which would need it. However if it is a two axle unit and the test station has a load simulator then a trailer will not be needed. Depending on how old the unit is may possibly cause coupling problems if the trailer available has a long pin.
Where I take MOTs when coupled to a 4x2 unit, I notice that the rear axle weighs nearly 14 tonnes on the rollers since the trailer has been loaded for mainly testing three axle units.
I have been looking for a 2 axle 4 series. I wanted to do it in my firms colours. Would have liked a 113 ideally, but they are fortunes. We ran a couple of T plate 360’s in 4x2 R cabs. Seen a few about similar age around 7-8k. Not exactly a classic but it’s the last sort we ran, that’s still about, but not seen everyday if you know what I mean
I took one in to independent fleet care by Coltons and they chained the axles down to simulate a load was a 6x4 though don’t know if that would make a difference
They’re good as gold in there Kev, I’ll have to borrow some trade plates though, or pay the lez charge