The Automotive Blog

aide automotive have posted the user guide for the BrakeCheck TT (Truck & Trailer).

Commercial Vehicle Brake Testing

The following criteria are required for all HGV & Trailer brake testing.

All brake testing should be carried out away from the sites working area; this should be done in an area that has roughly level ground.

The MOT performance figures are for the Peak Reading:

Tractor Unit Service Brake Bare Minimum    50 %
Tractor Unit Secondary Brake Bare Minimum  25 %
Tractor Unit Parking Brake Bare Minimum   16 %

Although the test requirement looks for a peak reading, you could use the relationship between the peak and average to determine brake performance, if you achieved a peak reading of say 51  – 58 this is not indicating good brakes, peak figures of 70 + can be achieved to indicate good brakes, even though high peaks are recorded if a low average is recorded (20 – 30 example only) this would indicate bad brakes or you will more than likely fail a roller brake test!

Brake Tester Position

The brake tester should be positioned in the foot well of the vehicle, preferably up against a bulkhead with the direction of travel arrow pointing in the intended direction and with the tester straight.

Vehicle Test Procedure

With the vehicle stationary, position and arm the brake tester, accelerate the vehicle at a constant rate in a straight line up to a safe site speed then apply the brakes in an emergency stop manner, hold the vehicle on the brake until the vehicle has come to a complete rest.

Arming The Brake Tester For A Tractor Unit Test

BrakeCheck TT (4 Truck & Trailer) has a 99 test memory on the Service, Hand & Trailer feature.

Turn the BrakeCheck on by pressing and holding MENU until Sbr is displayed on the screen.

Press ENTER, the display will now show C1 (Wet Ground), this can be used to indicate test ground condition, Press MENU to alter to C2 (Dry Ground) or C3 (Snow/Ice Ground) & C4 (Tarmac Ground). Press ENTER and the level indicator L-| |- will now show, if this is not the case re-position the BrakeCheck until achieved.
Press ENTER the display should now read 0.00 ± 5. As described above accelerate and brake.

At the end of the test the display will show L#, this is the test number, press ENTER to store the test, (remember to write down your vehicle ID and test number) if the display still shows L-| |- you did not press ENTER!! The peak reading will report after you pressed ENTER,

With the Peak reading displayed press ENTER, this will show the average reading. Pressing ENTER again shows further information.

For a Hand Brake Test press MENU twice, this is while the service brake results are displayed, the display should now show Hbr, now go to the second paragraph under Arming The Brake Tester to carry out a Hand Brake Test.

Commercial Trailer Brake Testing

VOSA offered guidance on testing commercial trailers and advised, “The way to use a decelerometer is to first test the drawing vehicle on its own. Then connect the trailer and the deceleration rate should be similar i.e. the trailer is doing its fair share of work. This is not an exact science but would be enough to give you confidence the trailer brakes were working.”

Further individual brake performance testing can be done by using an Infra Red Thermometer to measure brake disc or drum temperatures, this can be done after brake testing or when vehicles are returning from a journey. An optional accessory to the BrakeCheck TT kit is an Infra Red thermometer; please consider this as a very useful way to review individual brake performance!

We suggest you test a tractor unit on the day you are required to test trailers, to test trailers first test a tractor unit, this only needs to be carried out once, you can then add multiple trailers to the tractor unit through the day, no need to test a tractor unit every time you test a trailer. Trailer tests will be associated with the last tractor unit Service Test!

We recommend clearing the memory of the BrakeCheck TT prior to testing trailers, Turn on the BrakeCheck by Pressing and holding MENU for 3-4 seconds, the display will show Sbr, press MENU until Clr is shown in the display, this will happen after Temperature. Press ENTER, wait for 3 straight digits to move across the display and reset to Sbr. This has now cleared all memory.

Test a tractor unit or shunter, you may warm the brakes up prior to testing if the vehicle has been sat for a period. Test a tractor unit or shunter as per previous guidance Arming The Brake Tester For A Tractor Unit Test. Once an acceptable test has been recorded leave the test in the memory, remember the trailer brake test will be associated wit the latest Sbr brake test in the memory! If one test was completed this will be test 1.

Trailer Brake Testing

Press MENU to turn the BrakeCheck on, with Sbr on the display press MENU twice, trb will be displayed. With the BrakeCheck positioned in the pulling vehicle, press ENTER, the display will now show C1 (Wet Ground), this can be used to indicate test ground condition, press MENU to alter to C2 (Dry Ground) or C3 (Snow/Ice Ground) & C4 (Tarmac Ground). Press ENTER and the level indicator L-| |- will now show, if this is not the case re-position the BrakeCheck until achieved.

Press ENTER the display should now read 0.00 ± 5. Accelerate and brake the combination, when testing trailers we recommend a gradual acceleration and then a controlled emergency stop. Once the test has been completed the display will show L#, this is the test number, press ENTER to store the test, (remember to write down your vehicle ID and test number) if the display still shows L-| |- you did not press ENTER!! The peak reading will report after you pressed ENTER, as per the VOSA guidance stated above this should be similar of the service brake test of the pulling vehicle to confirm a trailer pass.

To Print:-

Point the front of the BrakeCheck at the Printer about 10-30 cm’s apart.

To Print a Service Brake:

If the BrakeCheck has powered-down due to inactivity:

Press     until the display shows Sbr.
Press    three times until the BrakeCheck display shows Sbr and the bottom half of the BrakeCheck shows two lights, one on Service Brake Test and the other on Last Test Result

Press   once, the display will show L n, press MENU the display will show L A (pressing ENTER now will print off all tests in the memory), Press MENU and the display will show L 1, pressing MENU will increase the test number by ONE, holding down MENU will increase the test number at a rapid rate.
With the desired test number on the display press ENTER, the Peak Reading will be displayed, with the printer switched on and the BrakeCheck pointed at the printer press PRINT. Each print out will take roughly 10 seconds to print.

This is not necessary if the unit has not powered-down, the Peak Deceleration (Front/Rear) LED will be lit and the display will show a value, eg:

Make sure the printer is turned on by pressing the button on the front of the printer; a green light should now be on.
If a green light is flashing the printer needs recharging!!
If you have an orange flash your paper is getting low!!

Press      once, the display will show:

and the printer will print the results for the last test performed.

Now do the same for the Hand Brake and Trailer Brake but have the Hand or Trailer brake test light and LAST TEST RESULT illuminated on the BrakeCheck.

DOE Accpet Use of BrakeCheck For Irish Truck Operators & Repairers
After many years of use in England, Scotland and Wales we are pleased to advise the BrakeCheck decelerometer for use on commercial vehicles in Northern Ireland.

BrakeCheck has been proven to be an excellent inspection sheet brake tester for all commercial vehicles with over 11000 testers sold since 2002. With many commercial operators and repairers using the BrakeCheck to conduct a VOSA accepted brake test on every inspection, BrakeCheck is the number 1 decelerometer on the market today!

Richard Lee Compliant and Enforcement Manager of the DOE in Northern Ireland has recently accepted the use of a decelerometer for heavy goods inspection sheet brake testing. Richard states “I can confirm that a decelerometer may be adequate for checking brake efficiency on some vehicles especially if it is linked to a printer and a record of the brake test can be recorded. This would be consistent with our Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness which has a section (5) detailing safety inspection and repair facilities.”

The DOE are now advising commercial vehicle operators, commercial repairers and in house workshops to complete regular inspection sheet brake test, The BrakeCheck is the tester! BrakeCheck will conduct a Service, Secondary & parking brake test with ease and store in its memory for later printing via PC or portable printer.

To purchase a decelerometer or brake tester for inspection sheet brake testing click on  aide automotive ltd

Commercial Vehicle Brake Testing

The following criteria are required for all HGV brake testing.

All brake testing should be carried out away from the sites working area; this should be done in an area that has roughly level ground.

The MOT performance figures are for the Peak Reading:

Service Brake Bare Minimum                        50%

Secondary Brake Bare Minimum                   25%

Parking Brake Bare Minimum                        16%

Although the test requirement looks for a peak reading, you could use the relationship between the peak and average to determine brake performance, if you achieved a peak reading of say 51  – 58 this is not indicating good brakes, peak figures of 70 + can be achieved to indicate good brakes, even though high peaks are recorded if a low average is recorded (20 – 30 example only) this would indicate bad brakes or you will more than likely fail a roller brake test!

Brake Tester Position

The brake tester should be positioned in the foot well of the vehicle, preferably up against a bulkhead with the direction of travel arrow pointing in the intended direction and with the tester straight.

Vehicle Test Procedure

With the vehicle stationary, position and arm the brake tester, accelerate the vehicle at a constant rate in a straight line up to a safe site speed then apply the brakes in an emergency stop manner, hold the vehicle on the brake until the vehicle has come to a complete rest.

Arming The Brake Tester

Turn the BrakeCheck on by pressing and holding MENU until Sbr is displayed on the screen. Press ENTER, the display will now show the level indicator L-| |-, if this is not the case re-position the BrakeCheck until achieved. Press ENTER the display should now read 0.00 ± 5. As described above accelerate and brake. The peak reading will report at the end of the test, if the display still shows L-| |- you did not press ENTER!!

With the Peak reading displayed press ENTER, this will show the average reading. Pressing ENTER again shows further information.

For a Hand Brake Test press MENU twice, this is while the service brake results are displayed; the display should now show Hbr. Now go to the second paragraph under “Arming The Brake Tester” to carry out a test.

For a Secondary Brake Test press MENU three times, this is while the hand brake results are displayed, and the display should now show SEc. Now go to the second paragraph under “Arming The Decelerometer” to carry out a test.

Printing Stored Tests

BrakeCheck has a 1 – TEST MEMORY on the Service Brake, Secondary Brake and the Hand Brake Test

The BrakeCheck can output test results to a printer if required. A cable is provided with the serial printer.

To Print using the Cable Connect the supplied cable of the printer with the BrakeCheck cable

To Print the Service Brake:

If the BrakeCheck has powered-down due to inactivity:

Press   until the display shows Sbr. Press  twice until the BrakeCheck display shows Sbr and the bottom half of the shows to
lights, one on Service Brake Test and the other on Last Test Result Press  once, (this is not necessary if the unit has
not powered-down) the Peak Deceleration (Front/Rear) LED will be lit and the display will show a value, eg:

Make sure all cables are connected and turn the printer on by pressing the button on the front of the printer, a green light should now flash.

If a red light is flashing the printer needs recharging!! If you have an orange flash your paper is getting low!!

Press   once, the display will show: and the printer will print the results for the last test performed.

Now do the same for the Hand Brake or the Secondary Brake, but have the Hand brake test light and Last Test Result illuminated on the
BrakeCheck or the Service, Hand Brake & Last Test Result illuminated for the Secondary Brake .

To Purchase a Brake Tester, Decelerometer BrakeCheck click on aide automotive ltd

Poor service brake performance continues to be a perennial problem for semi-trailers at annual roadworthiness tests. Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) statistics confirm that this remains the most common reason for test failure, despite a mushrooming in the number of disc-braked trailers in service. Small wonder then that trailer braking was the main talking point last month in Birmingham at a half-day vehicle-braking seminar organised by IRTE.

A Vehicle Inspectorate plan to require all vehicles and trailers to be laden when presented for test (Transport Engineer August 2001) has not been carried through. This is no bad thing, according to some delegates at the Birmingham seminar. Their view was that trailers stood a better chance of passing when presented unladen. VOSA project engineer Frank Ashurst says the opposite is true. VOSA’s own data shows that by comparison with a loaded trailer, an unladen one is twice as likely to fail on brake performance. Perhaps the explanation for the disagreement lies in the definition of “laden”. In VOSA’s book it means that the load on each trailer axle is at least half the axle’s design weight, though test station staff prefer to see trailers (and trucks) presented for test with every axle carrying at least 65 per cent of design weight. All speakers at the seminar agreed that part-laden with significantly lighter loads is the worst possible condition for a brake test, at least in the UK, where at test pass requires at least 45 per cent of the trailer’s total axle design weight. BPW’s UK technical manager Paul Billson went through the maths, showing that some lightly-laden trailers would need braking efficiency readings of over 100 per cent at each axle to achieve the required 45 per cent of total axle design weight. “This is a physical impossibility,” declared Mr Billson. “The test is really totally unrealistic.”

If the 45 per cent brake-performance threshold were measured against actual axle weight at the time of the test, load-sensing valve effect would be taken into account, he pointed out. Describing this as a “true efficiency” reading, Mr Billson showed how a trailer with a 27-tonne bogie design weight achieved only 35 per cent in the VOSA test but would have achieved 51 per cent had its actual bogie weight of 18.6 tonnes been used instead.

Though dismissing the notion that actual axle weights should be used in brake performance calculations, Mr Ashurst nevertheless sympathised surprisingly strongly with criticism of the design weight fixation. “Why the hell are we testing at design weights?” he wondered, and nobody could offer an answer. Using the UK legal limit (maximum authorised mass or MAM, in the legal jargon) would drop the reference weight from 27 to 24 tonnes for most tri-axles, so some marginal test failures would become passes.

Around 70 per cent of tri-axle semi-trailers at present are presented for test entirely unladen, according to Mr Ashurst. They thus qualify to be assessed on the basis of whether their wheels can be made to lock-up for a given brake force. (Transport Engineer November 1998). “This is a trial we have been running for the last 15 years,” said Mr Ashurst with a grin. It has never formally been written into the legislation. He sees it as a pragmatic solution to the problem but admitted it was one he would rather do without. “Testing on the basis of wheel lock-up is a second best,” he said. BPW’s Paul Billson agrees. “We try to stop trailer wheels locking 364 day a year,” he said. “On the 365th day we want them to lock.” He too urges operators to submit trailers for test laden to as near total axle design weight as possible, “and avoid the part-laden condition like the plague.”

Turning to brake temperatures, Mr Billson urged VOSA to test trailer brakes at normal operating temperature, perhaps by conducting the brake test as soon as a trailer arrived at a test station. Mr Ashurst freely admitted that VOSA’s roller brake testers turn at only three kilometres an hour and thus generate very little heat in friction material. “But it gets my hackles up when operators say their brakes need conditioning before they are tested,” said Mr Ashurst. “Can you guarantee that nobody is going to step out in front of a truck the moment it leaves the depot?”

Mr Ashurst summarised how VOSA has been trying to sharpen up brake testing. This had included a long hard look at techniques used in Germany and elsewhere, including extrapolation of brake performance at low pressures to calculate what it would be at high pressures. There is considerable interest in this among UK fleet operators, not least because it makes high axle loads for brake tests unnecessary. Two
pressure readings are taken while the vehicle or trailer is on the roller brake tester – one from the trailer coupling head (or the truck’s front brake chamber) to show system air pressure, the other from downstream of the load-sensing valve to show how pressure is being modified to suit the load. Accepting that multiple readings at various braking pressures improve the accuracy of extrapolation, Mr Ashurst said that VOSA nevertheless was unpersuaded. He cited problems of inaccessible air tapping points and the time it takes to conduct the test. VOSA had run some extrapolation trials and found poor correlation with conventional testing. “The results were not reliable,” said Mr Ashurst. “The number of false fails would increase, and so would false passes, but not to the same extent, so we didn’t want to go there.”

Shaun Starkey, for one, finds these objections unconvincing. Mr Starkey, fleet manager at BS Eaton, the Staffordshire-based paving products supplier, researched the German extrapolation testing technique years ago (Transport Engineer December 2000) and still believes it beats the UK method. “It seems logical that when Germany builds so many trucks and brake components, it might know how to test them too,” he observes wryly.

“We have admitted defeat when it comes to trying to find a new wonder brake test,” conceded Mr Ashurst. VOSA’s short-term solution is to continue testing brakes in the time-honoured way, but with new-and-improved roller brake testers. An order has just been placed with BM Autoteknik of Denmark. A three-year installation programme at HGV test stations is due to begin this autumn. There is also talk of the load simulators used at VOSA test stations, limited to five tonnes at present, being replaced with simulators capable of imposing 10 tonnes. The option of pulling-down axles has been rejected for several reasons, including practical difficulties in finding suitable lashing points.

It emerged at the Birmingham seminar that VOSA is already beginning to wonder whether in the more distant future annual brake testing of any kind will be necessary. Mr Ashurst floated the idea that a combination of electronic brake actuation (EBS) – fitted to 80 per cent of new trailers supplied to UK operators last year – and on-board diagnostics could tell VOSA all it needs to know about brake performance. The issues, according to Mr Ashurst, revolve around whether EBS can collect the necessary data such as measuring deceleration and relating it to brake pressure; whether VOSA can get at it – “most of it is the other side of the manufacturer’s firewall” and whether the information is secure.

Gathering such data would be no problem for a modern EBS system, according to Brian Robertson, OEM (original equipment manufacturer) trailer and technical manager at Haldex, the brake controls manufacturer. He showed examples of trailers’ EBS braking data, confirming what has long been common knowledge: that about 90 per cent of trailer braking is at pressures below two bar. For one trailer in Mr Robertson’s set, the average pressure of all braking was 1.7 bar. For another (lightly-loaded) trailer the average was a mere 1.3 bar. Operators suffering from trailer brake-test failures need look no further than this EBS data for likely explanations, according to Mr Robertson. Glazed or “sleeping” (under-used) brake pads could soon be spotted. And EBS could be programmed to shape trailer braking at various points along “the braking corridor”, within brake performance boundaries in a graph plotting braking retardation against coupling head pressure, as used for type approval.

But how would a fleet engineer know whether or not a trailer’s EBS program was optimised for any particular operation and gross weight? Roger Thorpe, BPW’s customer services manager, told the seminar that some trailer brake problems arise because trailer manufacturers fail to program EBS correctly, prompting nods of agreement from Haldex’s Brian Robertson and Knorr-Bremse’s Andrew Lumley. Trailer salesmen who failed to identify a trailer’s likely operational pattern and thus missed the chance to customise programming also came in for criticism.

The consensus among speakers was that operators should insist on print-outs of EBS programming when taking delivery of new trailers. Changing an EBS program after delivery requires a VTG 10 (notifiable alteration) form to be completed, delegates were reminded. Rental trailers that can be working on vastly different duties from one day to the next represented the worst case here. One rental fleet engineer said he needed a three-position EBS switch, for light, medium and heavy loads.

Long-standing braking compatibility problems between tractive units and semi-trailers would be solved by the advent of disc brakes and electronic braking systems, it had been promised. Not so, judging by the observations of speakers and delegates at this seminar. Noting that abnormal brake temperatures are a convenient way of spotting compatibility problems, Jeff Lowe, an independent brake engineer, wondered why EBS brakes do not incorporate heat sensors which could transmit temperature data to the truck’s CAN (controller area network) electrical system through the two pins (numbers six and seven) on the seven-pin ISO 7638 ABS connector that are dedicated to the EBS system. Haldex’s Mr Robertson saw no insurmountable technical difficulty but questioned whether operators would accept the on-cost. Replying to another question from Mr Lowe, he agreed that some brake problems arise when new brake chambers are installed because their threshold pressure differs from that of the old ones. Mr Robertson recommends like-for-like swaps when brake chambers are replaced.

Braking compatibility problems have swung through 180 degrees in the past few years, according to BPW’s Mr Billson. Looking back at BPW’s compatibility calculations from 2002, he found that most revealed “aggressive trailer braking”. Not any more. In 2005 it was tractive units that became the aggressors. BPW now sees a growing number of trailers with those “sleeping pads” that fail to wake up when we need them. Mr Billson advises operators to avoid over-use of endurance brakes such as engine brakes or retarders, maybe having periods when they are not used at all, so trailer brakes are given something to do. Another of Mr Billson’s tips to counter under-used trailer brakes when running with new EBS tractors and EBS trailers is to consider using a five-pin ISO 7638 ABS connector rather than the usual seven-pin model. This deactivates the EBS function, but leaves ABS and electronic load-sensing still working. Though the EBS signal is lost, the traditional pneumatic signal is still there for trailer brakes. BPW’s tests have shown that using a five-pin ABS lead shifts more of the braking effort from tractor to trailer. Undeniable benefits of EBS, such as swifter response and roll stability are lost, but it may help ameliorate the sleeping-pad problem.

Knorr-Bremse’s trailer sector account manager Andrew Lumley explained why the latest EBS-equipped tractive units are taking on so much more of an articulated combination’s braking. It seems that it all stems from a poor interpretation of the original (1975) European Union truck-trailer braking legislation, directive 75/524/EEC and its subsequent translation into ECE Regulation 13. At low retardation values (where braking force is less than 0.1 of the vehicle or trailer’s mass) the need for proportionality between the tractor’s braking and coupling head pressure was never spelt out. It is only above this level that the relationship between coupling head pressure and braking effort is closely defined. Describing this as “ineffective legislation” because it left the issue of truck-trailer compatibility undefined in the key area where most check-braking is carried out, Mr Lumley showed how tractor manufacturers set up braking systems to provide virtually no braking effort at low pressure. According to Knorr-Bremse data, even when the coupling head pressure is up to 1.25 bar, a tractor could be providing only 30 per cent of a combination’s total braking effort, leaving the trailer with 70 per cent. By 2.0 bar, the split was more even, at 45/55.

Recent amendments to ECE 13 meant that tractive unit brakes must develop enough braking force at a coupling head pressure between 0.2 and 1.0 bar to prevent a wheel from being turned by hand. This forces tractor manufacturers to start truck braking at much lower pressures. The amendments to ECE regulation 13 became effective on 4 April 2005, but will not apply to all new registrations until April 2009. Introduction into UK Construction and Use regulations is likely to be around 2012. Mr Lumley says that knowing that the amendments were on the way, truck manufacturers have already started implementing them – hence the change towards more aggressive tractor braking detected by BPW.

Andrew Lumley explained how operators can redress the balance and transfer more braking effort back to the trailer when coupling new tractors to non-EBS trailers. The first step was to increase the trailer’s load-sensing valve’s “inshot pressure” – the threshold at which it begins to function – and thus prevent it from reducing trailer braking at low brake pressures. If that was not enough, then adjust the predominance setting on the trailer’s relay emergency valve to apportion more braking to the trailer, advised Mr Lumley. But he warned that adjusting trailers with conventional braking systems to achieve the right compatibility may be tricky. New EBS-braked trailers are far easier to set up. Phew, some good news at last on trailer braking.

aide automotive offer a truck & trailer brake tester, BrakeCheck Truck & Trailer is a portable brake tester in the decelerometer design.

The SMMT is calling on the DFT to clear confusion over trailer brake testing.  Some trailer makers believe it should be possible to test and type approve a brake system on one trailer and then for other trailer makers, using the same kit to use the same approval from the Vehicle Certification Agency.  The purpose being to save the cost of a test for each trailer type.  “This collaborative approach to brakes system testing is not permitted under UNECE Regulation 13 that sets out the requirements for the type approval of trailer braking,” says Allan McKenzie, senior technical manager for the Society.  “If a trailer from one maker uses the same running gear and braking system as another, there is no guarantee that it will get the required braking performance without locking its wheels and as a result, failing the test.  The outcome of the test depends on the installation of the components and the build quality of the chassis.”  McKenzie believes the DfT should clear the confusion before trailer makers waste time, effort and money.

Another option to test trailer brakes is the BrakeCheck TT (Truck & Trailer).

This brake tester is not for manufacturers type approval but for a brake test on a 6 weekly maintenance inspection.

Contact aide automotive to enquire further.

Trailer Brake Testing is becoming an essential element of vehicle maintenance as VOSA puts more pressure on operators to not only brake test the truck but also test the trailer as well!

Brake Testers such as BrakeCheck are excellent tools to test brakes and demonstrate their efficiency for both the truck and the trailer, but it won’t allow you to test each individual wheel. To identify which wheel is defective you’ll also need to use a tool such as a Infra Red Thermometer. Using this device in addition to a brake tester is a very useful way of checking individual wheel disks or drums to determine brake activation. VOSA recommend the use of Infra Red Thermometers and see them as good practice in any workshop, in fact they’re also using themsleves for road side tests. With the ease of just pointing the gun at the wheel hub from the outer edge of a trailer or truck and without removing wheels this device is ideal to complete a brake check.

aide automotive have also introduced another new product in response to this growing demand, The BrakeCheck TT. This new brake tester tests both the Truck and the Trailer! It allows operators to use the report produced to demonstrate brake effiency on the vehicle. Using a decelerometer to test trailer brakes is a positive method for any operator to achieve further regular testing that can be recorded and used as evidence if required. In today’s world of “Duty Of Care” all management staff need to increase their awareness of reporting and detailing what best they can do to achieve a safe working environment for employees and the general public. BrakeCheck TT will conduct a tractor unit and then tractor and trailer test, reporting both tests on one simple report. With the option to download the test to a PC or print out through a portable printer, hard copy evidence of trailer braking can be recorded with ease and at a cost effective solution.

Brake Testing for trucks and trailers

Brake Testing and Tyre Pressure Monitoring have never been so important for fleet managers!  The first ever criminal case of corporate manslaughter recently reached it’s final verdict and Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings were found guilty of the death of a 27-year-old geologist, who died when a trench in which he was working collapsed. Prosecutors successfully argued that the company had failed to take reasonably precautions to prevent the trench from collapsing and protect Alex Wright, the geologist from his working conditions.

Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings, his employer has been fined £385,000, this is a smaller amount than originally anticipated and there was no prison sentence either. However this is a significant fine however small or large your business. This case acts as an example to all organisations to ensure that helath and safety is top of the corporate agenda.

Companies running fleets of vehicles should take heed of the sentencing and ensure that they are not only regularly testing and checking brakes and tyres of their vehicles but can also demonstrate that they have been following these procedures.

aide automotive have two products that can ensure these health and safety checks are carried out and to avoid any such cases being bought against your company!

For Tyre Pressure Monitoring use PressurePro or Air Alert to ensure your vehicle has the correct PSI for your tyres

For Brake Testing use BrakeCheck,

Many companies are still not taking these procedures seriously but this first case should now demonstrate how serious an issue corporate manslaughter is to a business

Brake Testing for commercial vehicles

Tyre Pressure Monitor, PressurePro

Brake Testing is an important precedure for vehicles and now there is a new device that tests the brakes on both thetruck and the trailer. RJ Edwards in Warrington have trialled this new product and have been instrumental in it’s development, giving valuable feedback from testing it on it’s own vehicles and allowing the manufacturers to develop the product accordingly

After a recent test inspection for RJ Edwards with VOSA planned from a view to expand their fleet, they demonstrated the new product to VOSA, who agreed it would be an acceptable tool for a Brake Tester on Trailers and Trucks.

Trevor Edwards owner of RJ Edwards says. We needed to purchase a Brake Tester for our vehicles and when looking what was on the market it seemed that we were going to have to buy two separate brake testers, one for the truck and one for the trailer. However aide automotive had the perfect solution for us, BrakeCheck TT is a dual unit enabling me to test both the truck and the trailer with the same unit! This device has saved me the hassle and the cost of buying two separate units, I now have one tester not two. We can’t recommend this product to other companies enough

This new version of the product is called BrakeCheck TT – Brakecheck for Truck and Trailer. BrakeCheck has been proven to be an excellent inspection sheet brake tester for all commercial vehicles with over 11000 testers sold since 2002. With many commercial operators and repairers using the BrakeCheck to conduct a VOSA accepted brake test on every inspection, BrakeCheck is the number 1 decelerometer on the market today!

Visit aide automotive for more details

Brake Testers are an important health and safety procedure, and now aide automotive are pleased to announce the latest decelerometer from the BrakeCheck product range called “BrakeCheck TT “ BrakeCheck 4 Truck & Trailer.

 BrakeCheck has been proven to be an excellent inspection sheet brake tester for all commercial vehicles with over 11000 testers sold since 2002. With many commercial operators and repairers using the BrakeCheck to conduct a VOSA accepted brake test on every inspection, BrakeCheck is the number 1 decelerometer on the market today!

With this aide automotive have introduced a new version to help operators move forward with commercial trailers and to conduct a brake test upon inspection.

BrakeCheck TT will test tractor units, rigid trucks and also incorporates a 99 test memory on the service, hand and trailer brake test, a total of 297 tests. The trailer brake test feature enables repairers and internal maintenance workshops to conduct an inspection sheet brake test of a commercial trailer.

 Using a decelerometer to test trailer brakes is a positive method for any operator to achieve further regular testing that can be recorded and used as evidence if required. With “Duty Of Care” being top of the agenda for most managers, staff need to demonstrate what best they can do to achieve a safe working environment for employees and the general public.

 BrakeCheck TT will conduct a tractor unit and then tractor and trailer test, reporting both tests on one simple report. With the option to download the test to a PC or print out through a portable printer, hard copy evidence of trailer braking can be recorded with ease and at a cost effective solution.

 VOSA offered guidance on testing commercial trailers and advised, “The way to use a decelerometer is to first test the drawing vehicle on its own. Then connect the trailer and the deceleration rate should be similar i.e. the trailer is doing its fair share of work. This is not an exact science but would be enough to give you confidence the trailer brakes were working.”

Further more in the BrakeCheck TT kit aide automotive include an Infra Red Thermometer. The simple practice of checking disc or drum temperatures takes testing a step further to help indicate individual wheel performance on a trailer or truck, from a repairers perspective being able to indicate if an individual wheel is performing efficiently or not is ideal as a pre roller test check. VOSA often use infra red thermometers at road side checks as a way of testing individual brake performance.

 BrakeCheck TT can be purchased singularly or as a kit, with the option to download to a PC or print via a portable printer, BrakeCheck TT is supplied in a case with all required accessories such as chargers and spare paper rolls for the printer, with a designated space for the thermometer this kit is ideal for a workshop or mobile operation.

BrakeCheck TT With Printer, Case and accessories – £669.00

Add an Infra Red Thermometer to the kit for extra £69.00

Or

BrakeCheck TT with PC Download Kit – 584.00 

All the above prices exclude carriage & VAT.

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Brake Testing becomes an essential part of vehicle maintenance as VOSA  gets tough new powers to seize vehicles in a bid to crack down on illegal bus and limousine operators.   This brings  the rules on public service vehicles into line with those for trucks, which take brake tests seriously.  “Illegal bus, coach and limousine operators put the safety of their passengers and other road users at risk as well as creating unfair competition for law abiding businesses,” said Paul Clark, road safety minister.  “These new powers show that we are determined to force cowboy operators off the road.”  By regularly checking the brakes on these vehicles  will enable operators to demonstrate these checks to VOSA. BrakeCheck enables a vehicle operator to check the vehicles brakes and demonstrate to VOSA that these Brake Checks have been done!

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Brake Tester