Started at City Link Exeter yesterday at 07:30. I met the chap who I was supposed to go out with and help him load the 4 year old Atego. Talk about chaotic!
There were vans everywhere, pallet trucks pulling metal cages from every angle…You get the scene. So 10:00 comes around and we’re still there. The boss says to me.
“I’m not sending you out as a 2 man, I’ll get you into a truck and do the overspill”.
Fair enough. So I get taken to another unit on the estate, and get given the keys to an 8 year old Atego. “Pride of the fleet?” I asked.
“It’s grand he said, although there is an ABS light come on the dash, but we had it checked it’s just a sensor”.
I was a little unsure but went with it. Eventually got loaded and set off with 13 drops at 11:30.
Did 5 and noticed that the truck was holding back and could smell, what brakes burning smells like. Got to the next tip, and there was smoke coming from the nearside front.
I called the boss and he said that it had it’s inspection at the weekend and it’ll be fine. I drove towards the next stop, and every time I braked, the steering wheel pulled sharply right.
I phoned him and told him this, and at this point…The front nearside wheel fell off!
“What was that noise ?” He asked. So I told him one of Michelins finest tyres was on it’s way somewhere without me.
1 Hour later. ERF recovery truck turns up, tows me back to Exeter. Result? Wheel bearing shattered and destroyed everything connected anywhere near the hub.
NOT ONWARD!!!
the utter chaos with pallet trucks shifting cages everywhere I’m familiar with . as to the vehicle WTF, I reckon you did bloody well and warned theTM but doubt you’ll be apreciated for it though. If it had really been checked at the weekend the spanner monkey needs their P45
Note your title is BIG Vern obviously your weight caused excessive stress to be put on that particular wheel/bearing and it fell off.Couldn’t be the mechanics fault/TM/company owners/manufacturers or the man on the London omnibus.Time it does the rounds it will end up as that new lad smashed that almost brand new truck to smithereens.That’s haulage.
I have said for years that mechanics should have the same sort of comeback as drivers do. If a mechanic, as in this case, causes what could have been a catastrophe, they should be penalised just as the driver may, not just get the sack and move to the next company to cause chaos.
And if the transport manager has lied and it hadn’t been checked, he should be doing bird!
I would seriously be thinking of ringing VOSA either way as it seems this firm is far too interested in getting stuff out the gates and sees roadworthiness as an un-necessary extra!
When I was doing the bulk for Target Express, I’d seldom get out the depot before 10. More often than not I’d have 9 and 10am deliveries on - several times the office would ring me asking why they were late when I was still in the warehouse loading! Just as I was driving out, they’d often run after me with a way-laid jiffy bag that needed delivering so thought a 17 tonner would be the most appropriate vehicle.
Probably plugged the computer in saw a ABS sensor fault, and took it no further, with out realising the main reason for sensors failing is that the wheel bearing is on its way out and the wheel has moved and broken the sensor
AHT:
Probably plugged the computer in saw a ABS sensor fault, and took it no further, with out realising the main reason for sensors failing is that the wheel bearing is on its way out and the wheel has moved and broken the sensor
■■■■ right. No way I would have moved any further after the burning smell…If he’d told me itwould be ‘alright’ I’d have said ‘great, you come out and drive it then and I’ll unload when we get there…’ and he’d have sent a fitter out instead of ■■■■■■■■■■■■ you…
bigvern1:
Started at City Link Exeter yesterday at 07:30. I met the chap who I was supposed to go out with and help him load the 4 year old Atego. Talk about chaotic!
There were vans everywhere, pallet trucks pulling metal cages from every angle…You get the scene. So 10:00 comes around and we’re still there. The boss says to me.
“I’m not sending you out as a 2 man, I’ll get you into a truck and do the overspill”.
Fair enough. So I get taken to another unit on the estate, and get given the keys to an 8 year old Atego. “Pride of the fleet?” I asked.
“It’s grand he said, although there is an ABS light come on the dash, but we had it checked it’s just a sensor”.
I was a little unsure but went with it. Eventually got loaded and set off with 13 drops at 11:30.
Did 5 and noticed that the truck was holding back and could smell, what brakes burning smells like. Got to the next tip, and there was smoke coming from the nearside front.
I called the boss and he said that it had it’s inspection at the weekend and it’ll be fine. I drove towards the next stop, and every time I braked, the steering wheel pulled sharply right.
I phoned him and told him this, and at this point…The front nearside wheel fell off!
“What was that noise ?” He asked. So I told him one of Michelins finest tyres was on it’s way somewhere without me.
1 Hour later. ERF recovery truck turns up, tows me back to Exeter. Result? Wheel bearing shattered and destroyed everything connected anywhere near the hub.
NOT ONWARD!!!
Sniff Sniff!
I have been banned from site before, as a direct result of challenging TM remarks about a vehicle’s roadworthiness like that.
There was no sticker indicating a recent inspection, no tax disk, wheel arch missing, broken bulbs, etc. I asked for their procedure for putting vehicles off the road, and was shown the door instead.
IMHO, this TM knew damned well that the motor issued was likely to fall over whilst you were out in it. What contract were you in on? One which would involve a claim on your own liability insurance, should you have had an accident?
DoYouMeanMe?:
I have said for years that mechanics should have the same sort of comeback as drivers do. If a mechanic, as in this case, causes what could have been a catastrophe, they should be penalised just as the driver may, not just get the sack and move to the next company to cause chaos.
And if the transport manager has lied and it hadn’t been checked, he should be doing bird!
I would seriously be thinking of ringing VOSA either way as it seems this firm is far too interested in getting stuff out the gates and sees roadworthiness as an un-necessary extra!
Hiya i don’t agree with ringing VOSA…i would have words in tm’s ear…if it gets out you ring VOSA everytime you have a problem
you’ll get knocked back from every job you apply for. yes the sensor was on… i have a reasonable mechanical experince.
a wheel bearing can catch any driver /mechanic out…hindsight is a wounderfull thing.
I must say the day was very intresting to say the least… the man tried rather then give up…
bigvern1:
Started at City Link Exeter yesterday at 07:30…
I… get given the keys to an 8 year old Atego. “Pride of the fleet?”, I asked…
Did 5 and noticed that the truck was holding back and could smell, what brakes burning smells like. Got to the next tip, and there was smoke coming from the nearside front.
I called the boss and he said that it had it’s inspection at the weekend and it’ll be fine. I drove towards the next stop, and every time I braked, the steering wheel pulled sharply right.
I phoned him and told him this, and at this point…The front nearside wheel fell off!
“What was that noise ?” He asked. So I told him one of Michelins finest tyres was on it’s way somewhere without me.
I’m sorry. I laughed. A lot .
Funniest thing I’ve read in ages. Please forgive me.
It must have been a rather disconcerting experience, at best.
I am glad you’re all right and that you didn’t get a tug from VOSA - and it’s miserable if one gets given a vehicle with a question mark over its roadworthiness.
It’s very difficult to turn the drive down in these tough times, as you won’t get thanked for it and will usually be shown the door.
DoYouMeanMe?:
I have said for years that mechanics should have the same sort of comeback as drivers do. If a mechanic, as in this case, causes what could have been a catastrophe, they should be penalised just as the driver may, not just get the sack and move to the next company to cause chaos.
And if the transport manager has lied and it hadn’t been checked, he should be doing bird!
I would seriously be thinking of ringing VOSA either way as it seems this firm is far too interested in getting stuff out the gates and sees roadworthiness as an un-necessary extra!
Hiya i don’t agree with ringing VOSA…i would have words in tm’s ear…if it gets out you ring VOSA everytime you have a problem
you’ll get knocked back from every job you apply for. yes the sensor was on… i have a reasonable mechanical experince.
a wheel bearing can catch any driver /mechanic out…hindsight is a wounderfull thing.
I must say the day was very intresting to say the least… the man tried rather then give up…
John, with respect to your reasonable mechanical experience, the bloody wheel fell off!!! We’re not talking about a blown repeater light or a cracked lens. Someone has either screwed up big style as a mechanic, or the TM is a lying toe-rag. I very much doubt you would take this attitude if the wheel had come off and hit someone you know coming the opposite way. I had a car written off (Corsair and they were a strong motor) yrs ago on the A38 and all that hit it was the keeper ring off an old style trailer wheel, so a wheel and tyre is going to cause massive damage at speed. As said earlier, the clue might have been in the ABS light as when the bearings are going, very often the toothed ring will then rub the sensor and kill it. And I doubt a wheel bearing would catch me out to the extent where it collapses either as a driver or fitter provided you are allowed to do your job correctly. I’ve taken trucks and trailers out with faults and I understand the position of Vern as the new boy, but this could VERY EASILY have been the cause of a fatality and somewhere along the line, vehicle maintenance is crap!
44 Tonne Ton:
Time to consider one of your other options Vern!
I won’t be doing day 4. Three day trial is what I asked for. Today they were VERY apologetic, and I got a DAF to use from the lease co we use. I finished at 13:00 too!
So I’ll do tomorrow, get paid and say thanks but no thanks.
It’s a good thing I was only going slowly. 10 minutes earlier I was on A37 between Ilchester and Yeovil doing 5O MPH. So blessings counted and chalked up as a bad experience.
bigvern1:
Started at City Link Exeter yesterday at 07:30…
I… get given the keys to an 8 year old Atego. “Pride of the fleet?”, I asked…
Did 5 and noticed that the truck was holding back and could smell, what brakes burning smells like. Got to the next tip, and there was smoke coming from the nearside front.
I called the boss and he said that it had it’s inspection at the weekend and it’ll be fine. I drove towards the next stop, and every time I braked, the steering wheel pulled sharply right.
I phoned him and told him this, and at this point…The front nearside wheel fell off!
“What was that noise ?” He asked. So I told him one of Michelins finest tyres was on it’s way somewhere without me.
I’m sorry. I laughed. A lot .
Funniest thing I’ve read in ages. Please forgive me.
It must have been a rather disconcerting experience, at best.
I am glad you’re all right and that you didn’t get a tug from VOSA - and it’s miserable if one gets given a vehicle with a question mark over its roadworthiness.
It’s very difficult to turn the drive down in these tough times, as you won’t get thanked for it and will usually be shown the door.
No it isn’t…If the vehicle is not roadworthy don’t drive it. I wouldn’t, no matter what pressure was put on me…it’s my licence and I’m keeping it thanks.
If you are ever asked to take a vehicle out you know is not legal. the following advice will usually work.
First, ask if the vehicle/trailer would currently pass an MOT…then, agree to do it if the TM puts it in writing, that you have reported the faults and he/she knows the vehicle is unsafe for the road, but he is still insisting you drive the vehicle or you will be dismissed. Insist on it being signed by the TM and current line/shift manager/business owner before you will drive it …
Not a chance they ever will…if you take it out without the above letter…and it goes ■■■■, they will deny all knowledge of it and you will be the one with no licence, and they will move on to the next mug driver…
3300John:
[ d
Hiya i don’t agree with ringing VOSA…i would have words in tm’s ear…if it gets out you ring VOSA everytime you have a problem
you’ll get knocked back from every job you apply for. yes the sensor was on… i have a reasonable mechanical experince.
John, with respect to your reasonable mechanical experience, the bloody wheel fell off!!! We’re not talking about a blown repeater light or a cracked lens. Someone has either screwed up big style as a mechanic, or the TM is a lying toe-rag. I very much doubt you would take this attitude if the wheel had come off and hit someone you know coming the opposite way. I had a car written off (Corsair and they were a strong motor) yrs ago on the A38 and all that hit it was the keeper ring off an old style trailer wheel, so a wheel and tyre is going to cause massive damage at speed. As said earlier, the clue might have been in the ABS light as when the bearings are going, very often the toothed ring will then rub the sensor and kill it. And I doubt a wheel bearing would catch me out to the extent where it collapses either as a driver or fitter provided you are allowed to do your job correctly. I’ve taken trucks and trailers out with faults and I understand the position of Vern as the new boy, but this could VERY EASILY have been the cause of a fatality and somewhere along the line, vehicle maintenance is crap!
HIYA yes i agree how bad thing was when the wheel fell of… vern should have know things was very serious at some time
or other… vern said there was a smell… you and i know things would be wobbling and pulling long before the wheel fell off.
YES he should have stopped then… i did’nt word things properly in this case… its this ring vosa for everything that gets me.
a couple of years back they ripped into me when i was joyriding in my 3300 daf, they just would’nt give up why i was’nt pulling a trailer… or going to a show… if Vosa had of got involved Vern would have come off worse than anyone. because he should have know not to take out the lorry… but not been a mechanic how would he know how bad the maintaince really was.
i have never jacked up a truck to check wheelbearings before i drive off.i have seen tyre ware.
there must have been tyre ware if the bearing was that bad…it may have had a new tyre so you could’nt see any ware.
this should have been mentioned by the tyre fitter. i was wrong in this matter and oppologise.
but ringing VOSA dosent always make good,plus this will always fall back to the driver. who should have know better…
not vern any driver…to which is out of order as drivers don’t or not allowed to carry out maintaince like we did years ago.
John
44 Tonne Ton:
Time to consider one of your other options Vern!
I won’t be doing day 4. Three day trial is what I asked for. Today they were VERY apologetic, and I got a DAF to use from the lease co we use. I finished at 13:00 too!
So I’ll do tomorrow, get paid and say thanks but no thanks.
It’s a good thing I was only going slowly. 10 minutes earlier I was on A37 between Ilchester and Yeovil doing 5O MPH. So blessings counted and chalked up as a bad experience.
What hat were you wearing at the time? You know how it is with you, hats and incidents.
. as to the vehicle WTF, I reckon you did bloody well and warned theTM but doubt you’ll be apreciated for it though. If it had really been checked at the weekend the spanner monkey needs their P45 
.
