Brake Testing Prior to an MoT

[Ross365]

I have a good mate who runs a garage, but he does not do MoT’s.
Before my MoT’s, I have been getting him to check my cars over (after I’ve checked as best a can without a lift). This has generally worked out OK, except for some moans by the actual testers about brake efficiency, which he cannot measure.

Is there anyway I can get a “real” break test done prior to an MoT?
Will MoT garages only test brakes as part of an actual MoT?

One of the cars is a 26 year old Rover 600, and the handbrake on those was never too impressive.

 

[MetalMonkey]

Other than finding somebody with a set of rollers, the only other thing I can think of is a decelerometer like the old Tapley meters.
A good MOT place will often do a "pre-MOT" for a reduced rate, which should give you all of the information without the risk of a fail.

I prefer MOT places which don't do vehicle repairs - they have no skin in the game.

 

[bricol]

My pre-mot test used to be - drive down my mums drive . . pull handbrake . . . did both skid marks start at the same time? Yes - job done. Stopped doing that with my first integrale 30 odd years ago - the 4WD mechanism didn't allow it.

 

[ms08]

I am sure your MOT place would do this for a fee though you may have to wait for a 'quiet' time when they have not MOT's booked in. Juts needs to go on the rollers. Is it main brakes or handbrake you are worried about - standing joke with my local garage as my 9000 usually fails on handbrake though this year surprised them.

 

[Nomad]

Getting it on rollers somewhere is the only reliable way I've found.

Jacking up each corner of the car and getting a mate to use the hand & foot brakes while you spin the wheel shows if any brakes are very weak but it's a lot of work and won't show a slight imbalance.

 

[Red'n'Black]

Getting it on rollers somewhere is the only reliable way I've found.

This.

My daughter's car failed on brake imbalance, but you'd never have known from a test drive.

After a lot of detective work (which, to be fair, they didn't charge for) it turned out to be the master cylinder.

 

[jsf55]

I had this with the load sensing valve on the back of a micra, took ages too find and a disconnect good lube up and it was fine, my tester was fine with me coming back and fore till it was right tho !

 

[carbon]

It is possible to do this for commercial vehicles an option for the test station to do a voluntary brake test. The test station does charge for this service but I haven’t seen that option for cars/vans

 

[graffian]

A mates wife's Traveler always failed on brakes. She found a tester who said "moggies don't brake enough for meters" and took it up the road with a brick in the footwell. The brick falls over when you brake!

 

[ostosix]

As long as you set new pads up close and let them bed in for a bit they should be fine.
Handbrake easy to sense if its working ie shouldn't roll at 1 click, rock solid at 3

Auto handbrake, only use one a week/month to avoid it messing itself up….yes LR Disco owner

 

[Nomad]

I'm putting something back on the road that's been standing for 10+ years, a quick test drive with lots of gentle braking went well.
The handbrake (and hopefully the rear foorbrake) works, the surface rust has been polished off the front disks so I know the calipers are working.
I'm happy enough to put it in for test then I'll have a to-do list of things needed rather than guessing

 

[premmington]

I'm putting something back on the road that's been standing for 10+ years, a quick test drive with lots of gentle braking went well.
The handbrake (and hopefully the rear foorbrake) works, the surface rust has been polished off the front disks so I know the calipers are working.
I'm happy enough to put it in for test then I'll have a to-do list of things needed rather than guessing

I run a garage - nobody asks for a "pre mot" now - it a waste of time and money - pay for a test and get the list (fails or advisories).

We would brake test anybodies car who asked us - doubt I would charge to be honest - I very keen on the idea of "free safety tests".

If someone rocks up to your car repair workshop and asks if something is safe? I do think you gotta responsibility to have a quick looks and just say yes or no!

 

[m_c]

It is possible to do this for commercial vehicles an option for the test station to do a voluntary brake test. The test station does charge for this service but I haven’t seen that option for cars/vans

The reason commercial pre-tests are still commonly done, is to avoid an annual test failure.
An annual test failure goes against the operator license, so it's far better to fail a pre-test and lose your booking fee on your test slot, than it is to fail the main test and have your operator license affected.

However normal mot's don't have that issue, so very few people bother with a pre-mot brake test.

 

[MetalMonkey]

Handbrake easy to sense if its working ie shouldn't roll at 1 click, rock solid at 3

Normally yes, but the Rover 600 handbrakes barely stop the car rolling in a stiff breeze, even when working as perfectly as the day they came out of Longbridge.
I've always used to think it would be a good idea to make it hydraulic and just leaving the cables on "for show". At least it might be slightly useful then

 

[Ross365]

Thanks guys; yep, when one side of the handbrake is a bit out of whack it's hard to spot; I'll ask around.

 

[Nomad]

Thanks guys; yep, when one side of the handbrake is a bit out of whack it's hard to spot; I'll ask around.

Pull the handbrake on firmly but slowly when you're driving at 10mph.
If the back of the car squats down evenly all is good, if one side drops down more than the other the "high" side is weak and needs looking at.

Be gentle when trying above, my Nissan 200SX (others will be the same) had huge disks at the back with tiny parking drum brakes inside them, advice was never pull the handbrake when moving as the rear shoes were not designed for it

On Saab & other oddities with front wheel handbrakes the results may vary

 

[Red'n'Black]

Pull the handbrake on firmly but slowly when you're driving at 10mph.
If the back of the car squats down evenly all is good, if one side drops down more than the other the "high" side is weak and needs looking at.

Now try doing that with an electric handbrake

 

[dobbslc]

I did in the van as
1 I wanted to see what it did.
2 it's a company vehicle

 

[Nomad]

Now try doing that with an electric handbrake

I've heard of them but like most car-related "best new things" since about 2005 they fall firmly into the category of "Someone elses problem"

Some bedtime reading : the history of Euro-xx emissions standards https://news.motors.co.uk/a-guide-to-euro-emissions-standards/#euro5

Personally the problems I've found most difficult to fix are on post-2005 cars - I suspect it's because manufacturers were forced to try new things and put them into production before they were ready for long term use

My latest project is an early 90s Nissan, the carb is fitted with lots of clever (and over complicated) systems as an early form of emissions control & fuel economy. There are 2 vacuum diaphragms, 3 different electric solenoids and some kind of variable idle circuit controlled by the water temperature. I've spent 3+ days on it the carb far and it still won't tick over. The factory workshop manual has been a big help but even that hasn't fixed the issue

 

[GRW]

Now try doing that with an electric handbrake

Hateful things.