pslewis

As title, been to get a service quote and MOT on the Impreza at a brand new Subaru Dealer round our way.

I asked how the MOT testers will carry out the braking system checks, will it be a Taplow Meter or have they a 4-wheel roller set-up ..... he didn't know what they had - but said that they MOT Land Rovers so its the same process ......... I'm not convinced, anyone know?

ALSO, the Taplow meter tests the brakes while being run - how is the handbrake tested? on the 2 wheel rollers or Taplow?

Pete

pslewis

No-one??

Pete

GC8

They have to use the inertia meter Pete; there was a long thread about this a while ago: I dont know how youve forgotten about it because you started it!

pslewis

I know that!

The question was ....how do they test the handbrake?

and, did a Land Rover need the same treatment? if so I believe that the Land Rover/Jaguar/Subaru Dealer will have a 4 wheel roller system

I do NOT fancy a MOT mechanic from Nationwide Autocentre, or some such place, taking my beloved Impreza out for a 'jolly good blast' to test the brakes (especially as he'll have his 16 year old trainee in there to read the meter!)

Pete

GC8

If you recall; one chuff said he always tested Subarus and other 4WD cars on the single axle roller and then, when the fuss died down, a current MOT tester confirmed that the inertia meter must be used and he also confirmed the handbrake procedure.

Id suggest riding along; the place I use do it in front of me but Im welcome to sit in; I suggest you tell them that youll be accompanying the tester.

You can search back through your posts; but youll have to seperate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak

Vegescoob

I told you pslewis, in your previous thread ref MOT, that I do the driving during the brake test. Just say you want to.
Be assertive, like wot uis onear.

pslewis

OK, so the tester tells you to brake hard and you do .... he goes through the windscreen and you are rear-ended - who's insurance pays?

Also, I assume the car only needs to be taken 1/2 mile or so?

What about the meters in the testing station that tell if theres an out-of-balance?? The meter doesn't tell that!?

Please remind me about the handbrake procedure?

Pete

GC8

If I could remember Id tell you; sorry. At TopTread in Rotherham they do it over a couple of hundred yards on an industrial estate road by the side of the garage;no long excusrsion is required.

Simon

Ken Ross

My MOT station does it in the length of their car park.

if you don't hit the fench, the car passes.

Might be worth reading this :-

http://www.motuk.com/mot_manual/3-7.htm#14

Shark Man

Anything that is permanent 4wd cannot and should not be tested on brake rollers full stop. Thats what is printed in the MOT testers manual. So that is what should be done - no questions, no excuses.


The only exception is for vehicles that do NOT have permanent 4wd (i.e manually selectable between 4wd and 2wd). This would include Suzuki SJs, very old Land rover 88"/109" series I,II or III. Fronteras, Isuzu Troopers, etc etc. In which case, they can be tested on brake rollers as long as 2wd is selected.

Shark Man

That's the big iffy with taplow meters. It's down to the testers discretion and experience to "feel" for any braking problems, if one side was working less than the other then the car will pull under heavy braking.

The only problem that is hard to identify is if the front brakes aren't working as well as the rears, or vica versa...cases such as people fitting fast road or race pads that have glazed or are too cold to work correctly will never become apparent. But even rollers won't show that up as there is no manufacturers specifications on brake bias and effort beween the front and rear axles, which varies from make, model and spec cars. Some cars maybe 50:50 others maybe 80:20 between axles.

IN the end of the day the rollers and taplow are there just to say the brakes "work". They don't really tell how well they work. Just that they are up to MOT specs, which IMO is not that strict - if anything the exhaust emissions limits are miles more stricter than the minimum braking effort limits - go and figure that one out

Ken Ross

A local mechanic told me that if they were to follow the law, then uprated brakes are illegal.

There is some law that states the replacement pads etc. have to be within a certain percentage of orginal ones.

But it never says if it applies to above or below. So if brakes 10% better than standard then illegal.

FlatFourFun

How about the cars with DCCD, in the open position, would these not be ok on the rollers?