One of our service truck’s broke down on the same site I was delivering to this morning…
I was asked to fetch it back, but on loading it (driver refused to go up ramps), and braked, NOWT happened! And it wasn’t a brake breakdown! Ended up piling it into the headboard!
Driver said ‘nowt wrong with it, been driving it like that for ages’!!
This driver was doing holiday cover in this vehicle for this week only, but has driven it like this in the past.
The actual breakdown was EVERY wheel nut on one axle was loose - Me and another driver spotted (heard) them when he drove away, so we stopped him.
On closer inspection every nut hole was oval and over an inch in length worn!
Who would / should be nailed over this? Both or just one driver? The amount of wear we saw wouldn’t have happened in one morning.
Goldfinger:
(driver refused to go up ramps), and braked, NOWT happened! And it wasn’t a brake breakdown! Ended up piling it into the headboard!
I bet you knew why he wouldn’t drive it up the ramp the moment you hit the brakes pedal.
I reckon they’re both to blame I assume these are vehicles used off the road on a site and used by mechanics, so they really should know better. Just to lazy to report a problem or have a quick look round it each day.
I ve said it before and ill say it again basic mechanical knowledge should be compulsary half of all drivers wouldnt know what to look or listen for. I once had a driver who i gave a chance to gain experience fetch a 4 wheel rigid in ( it was due inspection/ service ) any probs ; no not realy reverse can be a bit hard to get at times. Put it over pit fitter said come here, centre bearing on prop had collapsed as a result it had sheared the bolts on the bell housing you could put your fist between the engine and gearbox. Rang driver at home , when did you start havin prob wid reverse? Tuesday , this was sat morning feel any vibration, no , ( 600 mile further on) in the end i had to let him go when 6 weeks later a customer rang to say he thought somthing wasnt right on the waggon sent a mate of mine round to check it out ( 100 mile from base ) the front nearside wheel was hanging off wheel bearing had collapsed and welded it self to stub axle. He was in his thirties and ex forces when he came out he had been working in a factory got made redundant had tried to get work in transport but no experience so ended up as many do unable to get work i gave him the chance but he had no basic mechanical knowledge at all. Before any body asks yes he was shown how to do basic checks ect on both veh but he just couldnt graspit at all. In the case of yours both are resposible but then it could very well be that management pushing could also be at fault it might be worth see ing if it was mentioned to any body in the office or if they just dont give a ■■■.
norfolk:
I ve said it before and ill say it again basic mechanical knowledge should be compulsary half of all drivers wouldnt know what to look or listen for.
It is part of the daily start of duty check to walk around the vehicle and check the wheelnuts. These would have been so loose at the start of shift you’d be able to turn them by hand.
Could happen to anybody what happened to you. Yes both drivers responsible.
BUT so many people think they couldn’t possibly learn anything from doing an advanced driving course, in which they teach you to do a brake pedal pressure test before moving the vehicle and a moving brake test as soon as you get rolling.
The scary thing is when you think what state their road cars must be in. If they give that little of a ■■■■ about the state of their truck, what do you think they are feeling about a “little” machine like a car?
When i lived in Germany, i had reason to call in at an lgv driving school , and whilst there , i had a look round the class instruction area , and laid out on a very large sheet of mdf , with a framework to hold in position the operating parts, was a truck air brake system for all pupils to see. i was well impressed.
One of our service truck’s broke down on the same site I was delivering to this morning…
I was asked to fetch it back, but on loading it (driver refused to go up ramps), and braked, NOWT happened! And it wasn’t a brake breakdown! Ended up piling it into the headboard!
Driver said ‘nowt wrong with it, been driving it like that for ages’!!
This driver was doing holiday cover in this vehicle for this week only, but has driven it like this in the past.
The actual breakdown was EVERY wheel nut on one axle was loose - Me and another driver spotted (heard) them when he drove away, so we stopped him.
On closer inspection every nut hole was oval and over an inch in length worn!
I’m more interested in why the brakes didn’t work, is this vehicle used on the road or solely used on site work? The wheel has more than likely been changed at some time in the recent past and was either not tightened to the correct torque setting initially or failed to have the nuts secured correctly at all. The wheel could have been changed on the last service/inspection and with another six weeks (or more depending on service schedule) at least until the next its more than enough time for the wheel to be as loose as this one and cause the damage done, especially if daily checks had also been ignored. The matter needs looking into by the fleet manager/engineer or equivalent and reported to the manager so he can decide who and what is to blame!
Goldfinger:
One of our service truck’s broke down on the same site I was delivering to this morning…
I was asked to fetch it back, but on loading it (driver refused to go up ramps), and braked, NOWT happened! And it wasn’t a brake breakdown! Ended up piling it into the headboard!
Driver said ‘nowt wrong with it, been driving it like that for ages’!!
This driver was doing holiday cover in this vehicle for this week only, but has driven it like this in the past.
The actual breakdown was EVERY wheel nut on one axle was loose - Me and another driver spotted (heard) them when he drove away, so we stopped him.
On closer inspection every nut hole was oval and over an inch in length worn!
Who would / should be nailed over this? Both or just one driver? The amount of wear we saw wouldn’t have happened in one morning.
I think the three of you need to go on a course and be shown the importance of pre driving checks. Then you’ll all be ok.
By the way it takes very little time for wheels/studs to be damaged and then come off altogether depending on the work load of the vehicle, more so if on site work, once the wheel nut is loose it more often than not can be spun off by hand, dirty or rusty studs may help to keep the nuts from rapid loosening but the damage will be done to the wheel and studs which can then snap like carrots. Set to the correct torque in sequance and you should have no problems.
Years back, I picked up a 7.5 toner from a main merc dealer, it had been in for 6 week inspection, I checked it over, all seemed ok. Driving back to the yard and on the m25 the steering wheel started shaking violently all of a sudden. I pulled over onto the hard shoulder, and was shocked to see 3 nuts holding on the near side wheel, and even they were loose. All that was when 7.5 toners weren’t restricted to 56mph, it ■■■■ the life out of me.
The recovery guy that come out was from the merc dealers who I’d just collected the 7.5 toner from and he was shocked as a supervisor is supposed to retorque the nuts before its signed off as completed.
Now when I collect a unit from service, I explain I ain’t trying to be awkward, but can they just retorque the wheel nuts in front of me. Some places don’t like it, but others have been fine.
And it wasn’t a brake breakdown! Ended up piling it into the headboard! 
