Engineering News
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Dip modifies for triaxle tests
THE MODIFICATION of brake roller testers at Department of Transport hgv test stations to make them suitable for testing unladen triaxle semi-trailers, has been delayed by Government cuts in staff levels.
But the DTp says that it hopes to complete the programme "within the next three months".
Initially 60 test stations, those which the DTp has found test tri axle trailers most regularly, will have their roller testers modified, leaving 30 unmodified. However, the DTp says it will issue modification kits to more stations in the future if the demand for tri-axle tests increases.
The problem first became evident last year when it was found that the distance between the brake testers' rollers and their lead up ramps tended to hold the centre axle of a tri-axle bogie off the rollers and the load simulator could not impose enough load to force the axle down.
While putting out to tender the supply of modification kits to pack the ramps and rollers, the DTp asked operators to provide loaded, or at least partly loaded, trailers for test.
This has proved difficult for some trailer rental companies, particularly those with skeleta Is.