MOT - does van have to be lifted?

[maz]

This might be a silly question but does a motorhome actually have to be lifted up to have an MOT or can it be tested over a pit?

 

[ambulancekidd]

It'd normally go onto a modern lift. Why do you ask?

 

[kelpie]

Need to check for play in wheel bearings , etc so lift on proper ramp I think.
John

 

[Figaro]

Mines always done over a pit and I go down there for a butchers while he does his stuff

Edit ; he has a block arrangement for lifting wheels off the ground

 

[Flamenca]

This might be a silly question but does a motorhome actually have to be lifted up to have an MOT or can it be tested over a pit?

My garage does the MOT over a pit but still has to jack up the back, then the front.

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[maz]

It'd normally go onto a modern lift. Why do you ask?

Because if it can be MOT-ed over a pit without having to be lifted I would prefer that. I have to find a different MOT station to the one I usually use and I’m twitchy about a garage I don’t know lifting the van. I had a bad experience with my first van being lifted improperly.

 

[Stealaway]

My garage does the MOT over a pit but still has to jack up the back, then the front.

And mine. He's just changed all my wheels over the pit.

 

[maz]

My garage does the MOT over a pit but still has to jack up the back, then the front.

Why does it have to be jacked up? Do the wheels have to be free to rotate to check play or something like that?

 

[hilldweller]

I had a bad experience with my first van being lifted improperly.

Forget facebook, forget twitter, FUN is where you get the real nitty-gritty.

 

[Wildbill]

Why does it have to be jacked up? Do the wheels have to be free to rotate to check play or something like that?

Yes only way to see if there's any play
Bill

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[Figaro]

I had a bad experience with my first van being lifted improperly

I seem to remember reading someone's van rolled off a lift, wasn't yours was it ?

 

[maz]

Yes only way to see if there's any play
Bill

Thanks Bill. Now here’s another silly question emerging ....... When I took the van to get the front tyres changed, the mechanic threw a wobbler about using a trolley jack because the van has air suspension fitted. Luckily it also has levelling jacks fitted so we used them to lift the van to change the wheels instead. Is this air suspension going to be a problem with jacking up the van to check play?

 

[Ivory55]

Does a garage not have to display what mot,s that it can do , ie the weight categories etc. As some only do up to 3.5 ton.

 

[maz]

I seem to remember reading someone's van rolled off a lift, wasn't yours was it ?

No, that must have been someone else. I kept quiet about it at the time as I couldn’t actually prove that the dealer had lifted it badly. A few Funsters were aware of the problem that I subsequently had with that van - and were brilliant at trying to help me solve it - but it was never broadcast on the forums.

 

[maz]

Does a garage not have to display what mot,s that it can do , ie the weight categories etc. As some only do up to 3.5 ton.

This van is 4.85 tonne.

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[two]

Full Air suspension has a 'Service' mode. I don't remember what it does but think it stops the bags from becoming fully extended.
Used in conjunction with hydraulic jacks, there is probably an interlock that does the same thing.

 

[maz]

Full Air suspension has a 'Service' mode. I don't remember what it does but think it stops the bags from becoming fully extended.
Used in conjunction with hydraulic jacks, there is probably an interlock that does the same thing.

Ah, I didn’t know that. More wading through the manuals to be done.

This van came with so many complicated things fitted to it that it could easily become a ‘specialist subject’ on Mastermind!

 

[Flamenca]

it also has levelling jacks fitted so we used them to lift the van to change the wheels

Do the levelling jacks lift the chassis to raise the wheels? If they do the MOT examiner might be happy to use those for the test.

 

[tacr2man]

It depends on the suspension geometry where a vehicle is lifted , also it depends on how heavy a vehicle is and the available equipment whether they use shaker plates . My RV although a class4 test has to go over a pit and use shaker plates for suspension , as components are too big and heavy for manual test .
If you are worrying about twisting chassis they should only be jacking on chassis equally at front ,(usually on centre suspension crossmember if not type where tca is jacked) ) and if jacking rear it would be done on axle or if alko equally on chassis Air suspension is irrelevant to these decisions . If the vehicle bends when lifting one end at a time you have bigger problems !

 

[Wildbill]

Thanks Bill. Now here’s another silly question emerging ....... When I took the van to get the front tyres changed, the mechanic threw a wobbler about using a trolley jack because the van has air suspension fitted. Luckily it also has levelling jacks fitted so we used them to lift the van to change the wheels instead. Is this air suspension going to be a problem with jacking up the van to check play?

Just let the aire out of the suspension I would be going sumwher else's if mechanic got a strop on over that
Bill

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[Ivory55]

This van is 4.85 tonne.

If someone in the garage trade might know if they can only do up to 3.5 ton does that mean the mot tester needs to be qualified to do heavier weights?

 

[Spriddler]

Why does it have to be jacked up? Do the wheels have to be free to rotate to check play or something like that?

Yes, to check wheel bearings, steering (joints, bushes), suspension and for binding brakes.
Method varies but all the MOT stations I've used had a drive-on four 'poster' lift that raises the vehicle by and whilst it's still on its wheels, not from the ground with arms that reach under the chassis.
The corners of the chassis/body are jacked up individually to check bearings etc. and as said each front wheel is placed/lowered onto a portable turntable to check the steering action lock-to-lock.
H&S compliant vehicle lifts should have pivoted steel stops at each end of the lift gutters which automatically come into effect (tip up) as soon as the lift leaves the ground, making it 'impossible' for a vehicle to 'roll off'.

 

[tacr2man]

Re tester qual , it is not done by weight . A car tester can test anyweight of car (Class4) so a smart car to my RV 11.9 tonne.
If it is a goods vehicle (plated) then over 3.5 tonne it has to be done by a
DVSA tester.

 

[maz]

Do the levelling jacks lift the chassis to raise the wheels? If they do the MOT examiner might be happy to use those for the test.

Yes, they do.

 

[jaygee]

Motor home for purpose of mot is class 4 regardless of weight, if over 5000kg dgw does not have to have the rear wheel free. Many class 4 only testing stations will have difficulty in testing motor homes due to there size/weight.

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[maz]

It depends on the suspension geometry where a vehicle is lifted , also it depends on how heavy a vehicle is and the available equipment whether they use shaker plates . My RV although a class4 test has to go over a pit and use shaker plates for suspension , as components are too big and heavy for manual test .
If you are worrying about twisting chassis they should only be jacking on chassis equally at front ,(usually on centre suspension crossmember if not type where tca is jacked) ) and if jacking rear it would be done on axle or if alko equally on chassis Air suspension is irrelevant to these decisions . If the vehicle bends when lifting one end at a time you have bigger problems !

Had to google ‘shaker plates’. I learn something new every day on Fun!

 

[maz]

Yes, to check wheel bearings, steering (joints, bushes), suspension and for binding brakes.
Method varies but all the MOT stations I've used had a drive-on four 'poster' lift that raises the vehicle by and whilst it's still on its wheels, not from the ground with arms that reach under the chassis.
The corners of the chassis/body are jacked up individually to check bearings etc. and as said each front wheel is placed/lowered onto a portable turntable to check the steering action lock-to-lock.
H&S compliant vehicle lifts should have pivoted steel stops at each end of the lift gutters which automatically come into effect (tip up) as soon as the lift leaves the ground, making it 'impossible' for a vehicle to 'roll off'.

Thanks for that. The ‘four poster’ lift sounds ok. It’s the ones with ‘arms’ that I now keep well away from. I can see I will be paying a visit to any MOT station before the van is booked in.

 

[Theonlysue]

What part of the country do you need to mot?

 

[maz]

It will be central southern England, probably around the Southampton to Winchester area.

 

[jaygee]

Thanks for that. The ‘four poster’ lift sounds ok. It’s the ones with ‘arms’ that I now keep well away from. I can see I will be paying a visit to any MOT station before the van is booked in.

For the purpose of an MOT test a pit or 4 poster lift is used not a 2 or 3 post lift with adjustable arms so you would not have a problem

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