hi everyone, as some of you may know tomorrow is the Wizard's Mot, first in almost 7 years, the bus runs sweet enough but I have this question, I know because I have insurance I am allowed to drive it to the MOT station and back, but am I allowed to drive it around my block a couple of times to test the brakes? surely I cant be expected to drive from A to B without testing the brakes can I?, also my fuel gauge rises to half full, should I trust this?, also if it does fail, am I allowed to try it to a garage of my choice for the repairs or does it have to be "picked up" / "towed" thank you
pretty sure if old bill were being picky it has to go 2 the nearest mot stn to where you live/bus is kept ,as Pie says ,deal wiv brakes on way to garage.
as long as its booked in its within the law providing you have insurance, just wondering about the bit around the block, and the garage if it fails
Test the brakes where it is sat motionless on the drive. If they don't work there, don't drive it! If it's been sat for 7 years I assume you've done some work to the brakes. If you're not confident in the work you've done, don't drive it! If it's been sat for 7 years and you haven't done anything to the brakes, don't drive it! Legally you can only drive to or from an MOT station where you actually have it booked in for its MOT. You can drive it there early... If the 'garage of your choice' is on your route home its shouldn't be an issue. So long as you have it booked in there. However, if it fails in dodgy brakes a) would you want to drive it, b) they shouldn't let you take it away if its in a seriously unroadworthy/unsafe condition But it sounds like you're not sure whether they will work or not anyway. So you shouldn't even be considering driving it. If you do though, you might want to go out and warn your neighbours, cyclists, local kids, other road users etc that you're going out, not sure the brakes work so beware. Make sure your horn works! Let us all know where you live too so we can choose to avoid the areas. Be warned though, if you have a mishap whilst doing it your insurance will be void
Yep, you don't drive on the road to test your brakes if you have no idea if they're working .... Test them wherever the van is. Jack the wheels up and try and turn them whilst someone presses the brakes for you. You should do this as a minimum imho. You're not insured to drive it anywhere other than a pre-booked MOT.
Wizard...don't drive it just yet.....pull your handbrake on...step on the brake pedal....should feel hard....take handbrake off.....stand on pedal....should move a little further but firm up....if you have to pump the pedal a few times it needs bleeding/adjusting....which although straightforward, is a PIA on a bus that's been standing due to corroded bleed nipples, rotten seals etc. Frankly, you shouldn't be entertaining the idea of taking it for a test if you're not sure whether the brakes are working UNLESS you're simply taking it in for a failure sheet (jobs list) If you need to replace brake hose, lines, parts etc. and you plan on keeping the bus, don't skimp
You need to use a bit of nous mate - as above do a on your drive drive test - or if you really have to-do it up the road when it's quiet,don't go far - no need, don't worry about the fuel go and get some in a can - and fill up on the way to the mot. If it fails you can get it home to do work or if its deemed dangerous they will not let you drive it home and you will have to get the work done there or nearby,
If the brakes have had no work on them for 7 years, they should at the very least had a thorough check over, freed off, adjusted new fluid and bled properly. TBH I wouldn't have booked it in for the MOT, unless all that had been done. ...other wise it will be an MOT fail, either no operation or pipes corroded or flexi pipes perished. Fluid needs changing every 2 years . It isn't worth messing with brakes, these are are heavy old things to stop even if you have the luxury of a servo, much more effort if you don't.
thx everyone, ok, I am sorry I didn make myself quite clear, the bus has been driven several times since I owned it and iu myself have stopped on a hill with my foot on the brake and everything seems fine, what I should have said is an emergency stop, I want to test an emergency stop, as far as I can see the brakes work, three people other than my self have driven it, the welder, two breakdown drivers and as I say, myself, none of the above have mentioned any error with the brakes, so I think they are ok, I was talking about emergency braking, so sorry for the confusion
One of my van brake pipe union fell off during the mot test ,the tester I know .The brakefluid had all drained out... I was in the office waiting for the fail and he was preaching to another customer how dangerous it would be driving her car home with two illegal tyres ,she finally said ok fit two new ones... he saw me and just chucked me the keys, I had to handbrake it all the way home... wizard, its not the end of the world having no brakes..
