Operators Licence / Hoops To Jump through

[qwakers]

this old thing had 3.8t payload. with a steel body. with a ally body id expect itd have 4t avaliable even with a crane.

 

[qwakers]

 

[voipio]

Agreed, when I last had an O licence I was running a couple of 7.5t Mitsubishi Canter 2 car transporters, even with the twin decks we could carry 3 tons, though that was only a couple of Ford Focus’s.

Edit: And that was a legal 3t - full tank of fuel, winch, traffic cones and a crew of two fat Brummies!

I feel there's a limerick in there somewhere.

 

[m_c]

The issue with a crane on a 7.5t, is you might be limited by what the crane companies will recommend to be fitted to a 7.5t due to the the required chassis/ballast weight.

When I done an Atlas course, the instructor had had to investigate an accident that involved a lorry on it's side with one of their cranes fitted.
It turned out Atlas had refused to fit the size/configuration of crane to the chassis, as they had deemed that the chassis wasn't heavy enough to provide the required ballast weight, so the customer had just bought the crane and fitted it himself. IIRC the insurance company weren't too impressed.

It's why one of my previous employers had cranes fitted to seemingly oddball 13t chassis.
It was the smallest chassis Atlas and Hiab recommended for the size of crane they needed, as they wanted the smallest chassis possible for best manoeuvrability.
Any other customer would likely have opted for a far more common 18t chassis, but that would mean bigger wheels and a longer wheelbase.

 

[m_c]

Sorry to slightly off topic the thread.

Is the 6wk inspection a requirement for a large(over 3.5 ton) domestic vehicle like a massive camper van/mobile home?

Stu

No. They just need a suitable annual test.
Registered motorhomes can even be tested by any class 4 (IIRC, although might be class 7) test station, provided they have suitable equipment to handle the vehicle aka as long as it fits on the ramp, and the ramp/jacks can lift it for inspection, it can be tested. However anything larger than 5t will likely have to be done at a DVSA test lane due to the size.

 

[GRW]

No. They just need a suitable annual test.
Registered motorhomes can even be tested by any class 4 (IIRC, although might be class 7) test station, provided they have suitable equipment to handle the vehicle aka as long as it fits on the ramp, and the ramp/jacks can lift it for inspection, it can be tested. However anything larger than 5t will likely have to be done at a DVSA test lane due to the size.

Yep, my 3.5t Master Camper Conv is tested to C4 (passed about a fortnight ago). Where I took it couldn't have tested the same vehicle if unconverted as they don't do C7 (but old-school place with a pit not a ramp, so bigger stuff not an issue).

More on topic a Hiab Haulier I used to use with previous job, had a artic tractor unit with an 8-tonne crane & outriggers on it, which often went out with a very short artic trailer. The unusual combo was ideal and had plenty of work getting heavy things into tight access spots.
He could if necessary drop the trailer, offload the item, then shift the item into position using just the tractor unit.

 

[Trevorleach]

Wait until you see the parts prices for hgvs these days!

Also seems the ministry are dead keen on anything slightly unusual.

 

[Farside]

would a hiab trailer be better?

There's a bloke in Southampton knocks them out on Facebuke Marketplace, isn't there?
High quality, too.




<caution, may contain irony>

 

[Munkul]

The issue with a crane on a 7.5t, is you might be limited by what the crane companies will recommend to be fitted to a 7.5t due to the the required chassis/ballast weight.

When I done an Atlas course, the instructor had had to investigate an accident that involved a lorry on it's side with one of their cranes fitted.
It turned out Atlas had refused to fit the size/configuration of crane to the chassis, as they had deemed that the chassis wasn't heavy enough to provide the required ballast weight, so the customer had just bought the crane and fitted it himself. IIRC the insurance company weren't too impressed.

It's why one of my previous employers had cranes fitted to seemingly oddball 13t chassis.
It was the smallest chassis Atlas and Hiab recommended for the size of crane they needed, as they wanted the smallest chassis possible for best manoeuvrability.
Any other customer would likely have opted for a far more common 18t chassis, but that would mean bigger wheels and a longer wheelbase.

Yeah this is what I was kinda getting at. The cranes and Jack legs themselves are very heavy (for any sort of decent tonnage) AND they need a decent weight of chassis to work safely.
Our 55t/m fassi crane weighs 8 tons just the crane and jack legs... The tracked chassis weighs another 11 tons... What will it actually lift? Only good for 6 ton fairly close in...

 

[Stupoty]

No. They just need a suitable annual test.
Registered motorhomes can even be tested by any class 4 (IIRC, although might be class 7) test station, provided they have suitable equipment to handle the vehicle aka as long as it fits on the ramp, and the ramp/jacks can lift it for inspection, it can be tested. However anything larger than 5t will likely have to be done at a DVSA test lane due to the size.

Thanks for the info ,

Stu

 

[premmington]

Wait until you see the parts prices for hgvs these days!

Also seems the ministry are dead keen on anything slightly unusual.

Yeah it not a cheap exercise getting a 7.5 tonner booked in for a test/retest and buying a few parts to get it thru.

Makes you wonder if you are gonna do it - get a lorry - jump thru the hoops - you might as well - get a two axle 18 ton rigid.

 

[Trevorleach]

Yeah it not a cheap exercise getting a 7.5 tonner booked in for a test/retest and buying a few parts to get it thru.

Makes you wonder if you are gonna do it - get a lorry - jump thru the hoops - you might as well - get a two axle 18 ton rigid.

I think voluntary headlamp test is 20 quid and voluntary brake test is 80 quid, then add in the actual test cost itself.
Do them two things the day before the actual test and the rest if half tidy will pass with no issues, brakes can be the biggest unknown hence the voluntary tests.

Plus new trucks are a pita tech wise, gen 2 tachos catching everybody out, dvsa can read them remotely from their car as you are driving along.

New regs regarding radar/cameras for cyclist/pedestrians came into force a week or two back, another 2 k per truck to have fitted, funny thing is the side radar protrudes more than 10mm form the sideguard, so needs removing before annual test!

Not sure on 7.5 ton tyres, but full size trucks/trailers are getting on for 500 each.

 

[8ob]

I think voluntary headlamp test is 20 quid and voluntary brake test is 80 quid, then add in the actual test cost itself.
Do them two things the day before the actual test and the rest if half tidy will pass with no issues, brakes can be the biggest unknown hence the voluntary tests.

Next year they are insisting on a laden brake tests at every pmi, in theory other than a wash down any truck on the road should be able to pass an MOT at any given time.

Bob

 

[Bornfree]

Next year they are insisting on a laden brake tests at every pmi, in theory other than a wash down any truck on the road should be able to pass an MOT at any given time.

Bob

So if you haven't got brake rollers you cannot do inspections?

 

[8ob]

So if you haven't got brake rollers you cannot do inspections?

I suppose you could if you have an arrangement with an outfit that has them. PMI's are about to get expensive so I am thinking of installing brake rollers, a pit, pit jacks, beam set and doing our own PMI's.

Bob

 

[Bornfree]

I suppose you could if you have an arrangement with an outfit that has them. PMI's are about to get expensive so I am thinking of installing brake rollers, a pit, pit jacks, beam set and doing our own PMI's.

Bob

I used to look after 7 trucks on the farm my brake test was run them across the yard and check all wheels locked. But that was nearly 30 years ago. I certainly don't miss it, all on drum brakes and leaf springs incredibly hard work.

 

[Trevorleach]

I suppose you could if you have an arrangement with an outfit that has them. PMI's are about to get expensive so I am thinking of installing brake rollers, a pit, pit jacks, beam set and doing our own PMI's.

Bob

Pit jack massive time saver, wish I had a pit jack, and not a steel beam and bottle jack!

 

[Mick Annick]

Pit jack massive time saver, wish I had a pit jack, and not a steel beam and bottle jack!

I was using a beam and bottle jack 50 years ago - I thought things had moved on a bit since then!

 

[pressbrake1]

View attachment 473086View attachment 473087

this old thing had 3.8t payload. with a steel body. with a ally body id expect itd have 4t avaliable even with a crane.

I had a man 7.5 t with ally body and crane . It weighed 4750kg unladen.
I used it for electric motors and pumps as it was nice and small

I do the six weekly inspections for a local company. First part are the drivers inspection as the drivers don’t so it end immediately with a torn up tyre or lights hanging off!

 

[premmington]

I suppose you could if you have an arrangement with an outfit that has them. PMI's are about to get expensive so I am thinking of installing brake rollers, a pit, pit jacks, beam set and doing our own PMI's.

Bob

I would also agree PMI's are gonna get expensive.

Was about £130 > £150 with a brake test - last time I spoke to someone about it - but I expecting that will double - based on very few heavy brake rollers about. Demand increasing....