DoE testing - The Last Word

The Bishop Basher

kelbal wrote: »

My MH (on Transit chassis) just failed the DOE because the lights pointing wrong way - hadn't thought to put the deflectors/benders on it (it is LHD). Have them now, and the fella said he'd give it a go at putting them on at the re-test - but he did warn me that a colleague of his failed another MH that had the deflectors on them, found the light was blurry/tunneled (his words). Want to try to definitely get deflectors working, as Ford garage have given me a price of roughly €600 for 2 new Irish headlamps. Any tips on the positioning of them to help me get it passed?

thanks

I'm in the same boat. Transit chassis with LHD head lamps.

He showed me where to put the tape. It's difficult to explain but basically if you look at the lines on the lamp you'll see a slightly wonky rectangle on the left hand side. Tape this up and bob's your auntie.

I'm sure others will disagree and some may be able to explain it better but this is what I was told to do by the tester.

I've put benders on and chanced my arm but haven't brought it back yet. I'll have black tape with me just in case.

dealgan

Passed.
Needed new number plates as size of digits on the original dealer-supplied plates were too small. ( '06 reg )

Pjwal

Swanner wrote: »

I'm in the same boat. Transit chassis with LHD head lamps.

He showed me where to put the tape. It's difficult to explain but basically if you look at the lines on the lamp you'll see a slightly wonky rectangle on the left hand side. Tape this up and bob's your auntie.

I'm sure others will disagree and some may be able to explain it better but this is what I was told to do by the tester.

I've put benders on and chanced my arm but haven't brought it back yet. I'll have black tape with me just in case.

good enough explanation with the black tape, it makes the beam point just straight ahead an it excludes the the light shinging into and upon the the inside ditch, most testers will accept it, but some may not, the beam benders can be tricky to put on some lights,but if they are wrong or unsuitable, then the light from them will be pretty bad,

kelbal

Swanner wrote: »

I'm in the same boat. Transit chassis with LHD head lamps.

He showed me where to put the tape. It's difficult to explain but basically if you look at the lines on the lamp you'll see a slightly wonky rectangle on the left hand side. Tape this up and bob's your auntie.

I'm sure others will disagree and some may be able to explain it better but this is what I was told to do by the tester.

I've put benders on and chanced my arm but haven't brought it back yet. I'll have black tape with me just in case.

Thanks Swanner. When you say tape - do you literally mean a strip or two of black insulating tape to stop the beam shining to the right? Would have thought the strength of the beam would need to be deflected, so that the left side of the road would be adequately lit - were you told this would be ok to get it passed? Attached a picture of what the fella in the motor factors gave me, caller Super Beam Benders. Hopefully they'll do the job

The Bishop Basher

Yeah that's pretty much it.

What does seem apparent from this thread though is that different testers apply different rules but the bloke I have to go back to will be happy with the tape.

I've secured my leisure battery and getting a ball joint replaced next week and that'll be me sorted for another year anyway

650Ginge

They are exactly what I had them put on mine to pass. Not tried driving it in the dark yet. I am guessing it will be much duller all round, they might need removing....I will report back.

Macspower

Irishgoatman wrote: »

Thanks Macspower, just the sort of person I was looking for.

If you have the full cert document, the one that included the screen disc at the bottom, look just above the disc itself and you will see the expiry date.
Does it read 2012 or 2013 ?.

sorry just seeing this now.....

shock horror...:eek: I don't seem to have the test cert anywhere but the disc says it's out in 2012!! ie due again...

sorry for false info.... does that mean I only got a 1 year test... I better check on it again make sure time hasn't slipped by and I got it tested in 2010.. I'm pretty sure I got it tested last year..

Macspower

As a matter of interest I now note from this thread that I need to take my pass cert to the tax office and pay more to have it changed to digital or something?

Irishgoatman

Macspower wrote: »

As a matter of interest I now note from this thread that I need to take my pass cert to the tax office and pay more to have it changed to digital or something?

Yes you have to take it, but just for it to be exchanged for another piece of paper, hand written, and for which you have to pay more money of course.
They hope by next year to have a windscreen disc system, supplied by the testing garage, in operation.

But I would advise you not to hold your breath.

Irishgoatman

Macspower wrote: »

sorry just seeing this now.....

shock horror...:eek: I don't seem to have the test cert anywhere but the disc says it's out in 2012!! ie due again...

sorry for false info.... does that mean I only got a 1 year test... I better check on it again make sure time hasn't slipped by and I got it tested in 2010.. I'm pretty sure I got it tested last year..

Let me know what you discover.
If you did get it tested last year, it is now in 2012, 10 years old, so another test this year is correct and this means that their system recognises this. Which is exactly what I wanted to know because campers will be tested under the same regime.

Slidey

Irishgoatman wrote: »

Yes you have to take it, but just for it to be exchanged for another piece of paper, hand written, and for which you have to pay more money of course.
They hope by next year to have a windscreen disc system, supplied by the testing garage, in operation.

But I would advise you not to hold your breath.

It is not hand written, it is typed.




I would also like to point out to those who have LHD vehicles and are putting the beam benders in place with the intention of removing them once the test is completed that lights that dip to the right are very annoying and dazzling and if you were to be involved in an accident and it was claimed your lights dazzled the other driver it is quite possible you would end up in the famous river sans paddle.


If you are in any doubt, hop in your car and get your OH to drive towards you with the dipped beams on and take note of how blinding they are.


You should not actually pass the test with the beam benders. The testers manual stated that the lights must dip to the left in one of two patterns.

kelbal

Just passed the retest. The fella attached the Beam Benders and said they did the job. He actually said they deflected the beam so that its now straight, but he was happy with that. Here's the ones I got, bought them in Consort......

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Metro-HG128-00-Super-Benders-Original/dp/B000ZBF6BC

If anyone's interested I can send a picture of how they're positioned on my lights so you can give it a shot before your test - possibly save the cost of a re-test if there's nothing else wrong with MH.

Macspower

just as a matter of interest... I have a cert saying my vehicle is roadworthy, I have tax, I have Insurance... Why would I want to sit in the tax office and get another piece of paper which also says it's roadworthy?

Is there a downside to not having it?

WildWater

Macspower wrote: »

just as a matter of interest... I have a cert saying my vehicle is roadworthy, I have tax, I have Insurance... Why would I want to sit in the tax office and get another piece of paper which also says it's roadworthy?

Is there a downside to not having it?

Not if you don't mind having a day in court and making a contribution to the court poor box.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0315/oconnorj.html

Not quite the same situation but the probable likely outcome if you are stopped by a Guard and they get 'put out' by your lack of proper documentation.

That said I still have to get around to sending my pass cert into the tax office for that other version of a pass cert :rolleyes:

niloc1951

Macspower wrote: »

just as a matter of interest... I have a cert saying my vehicle is roadworthy, I have tax, I have Insurance... Why would I want to sit in the tax office and get another piece of paper which also says it's roadworthy?

Is there a downside to not having it?

What you have is a test result, the same as the white sheet with all the results issues by the NCT.
However, the testing station does not have the capability to issue the Certificate as like the NCT so you must take the test result to the MTO and they will issue the Certificate, but unlike the NCT where the whole deal is included in the test fee you will have to pay the County Council additionally for their trouble. :mad::mad:
A proper dogs dinner compared to the NCT process which the boffins at the RSA are working on to sort out. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Irishgoatman

Slidey wrote: »

It is not hand written, it is typed.




I would also like to point out to those who have LHD vehicles and are putting the beam benders in place with the intention of removing them once the test is completed that lights that dip to the right are very annoying and dazzling and if you were to be involved in an accident and it was claimed your lights dazzled the other driver it is quite possible you would end up in the famous river sans paddle.


If you are in any doubt, hop in your car and get your OH to drive towards you with the dipped beams on and take note of how blinding they are.


You should not actually pass the test with the beam benders. The testers manual stated that the lights must dip to the left in one of two patterns.

You are totally wrong in your last statement.

Beam benders ARE acceptable for the test.

If in doubt go to their website. It is very clear. And just to be sure to be sure, I rang my contact at the RSA in Ballina.

Irishgoatman

niloc1951 wrote: »

What you have is a test result, the same as the white sheet with all the results issues by the NCT.
However, the testing station does not have the capability to issue the Certificate as like the NCT so you must take the test result to the MTO and they will issue the Certificate, but unlike the NCT where the whole deal is included in the test fee you will have to pay the County Council additionally for their trouble. :mad::mad:
A proper dogs dinner compared to the NCT process which the boffins at the RSA are working on to sort out. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Not completly true.

I've attached a 'photo for the benefit of anyone who hasn't had a test yet.
This pass cert, from the garage is all I received. Unlike the NCT where you do get a complete printout of the test results. If it wasn't for my next paragraph, this would suffice. As I said in an earlier post, they hope to have this sorted out by next year.
The 'photo that I've added is a cert from last year when it wasn't a legal requirement so I saw no reason to pay more money.

The testing garages, unlike the NCT centres, are not linked to the road tax computers, so without taking this pass cert in to them they would have no record.

Slidey

Irishgoatman wrote: »

You are totally wrong in your last statement.

Beam benders ARE acceptable for the test.

If in doubt go to their website. It is very clear. And just to be sure to be sure, I rang my contact at the RSA in Ballina.

I love the way you glossed over my two other points and just pulled me on the one point which I concede is now wrong.

I see the manual has now been altered from when I was testing.

I also get a great kick out of this 'contact' in the RSA. Do you think you are some kind of big mover/shaker that you can just call them on a whim?

Irishgoatman wrote: »

Not completly true.

I've attached a 'photo for the benefit of anyone who hasn't had a test yet.

Next time you are on to your contact you can tell them that the pass cert you were issued in JJ Griffiths was not filled out correctly :cool:

Irishgoatman

Slidey,

What on earth is your problem? the word troll springs to mind.

The reason I did not comment on the other 2 points of yours was that I do not, and never have had, a LHD vehicle, therefore I know nothing about altering the headlights. I just don't like to see someone posting wrong information.

I only use the word " contact " because I have been speaking to the same person ever since the whole business of testing first started and I understood a long time ago that it's not policy to give a third person's name out. Does this really bother you?.

I dont see what's wrong with the cert? I blanked out my name and address, other than that the cert that I exchanged in the RTO this year was identical. And that was accepted.

As you admit that you are out of touch with the testing procedure, why comment on it?

Because I corrected you on one thing you felt the need to be very childish.
I don't know, and don't want/need to know, how old you are but I do think that you need to grow up a little.

Slidey

Hey, I have no problem being corrected. I am not that far out of the loop, only stopped testing in the middle of Feburary.

You test cert has no testers number entered, it should not have been accepted.

Irishgoatman

Slidey wrote: »

Hey, I have no problem being corrected. I am not that far out of the loop, only stopped testing in the middle of Feburary.

You test cert has no testers number entered, it should not have been accepted.

So why be so childish about my post?
If you get a great kick, as you put it, at least I'm making someone happy!
And yes I can just call him on a whim, he's more than happy to answer questions.

The cert that I posted here was not required by law at that time so it didn't matter.
The RTO accepted the current one, which was as far as I was aware, was the same, so not my problem. I've got a current, fully legal, cert from the RTO so I'm happy.

Let's just leave it at that.

Slidey

Irishgoatman wrote: »

Let's just leave it at that.

Sound

Martin_D

Let's just leave it at that.[/QUOTE]

I agree - the smart alec comments from very occasional contributors or new "experts" is unwelcome - keep it up as you have been informative on all topics.
A newbee on this topic has been vilified as well. No one is the final word on any topic - but experience is worth sharing

Irishgoatman

Martin_D wrote: »

Let's just leave it at that.

I agree - the smart alec comments from very occasional contributors or new "experts" is unwelcome - keep it up as you have been informative on all topics.
A newbee on this topic has been vilified as well. No one is the final word on any topic - but experience is worth sharing[/QUOTE]

Thanks,
contradict or correct by all means, but be polite.:)

Micky Dolenz

I'm sticking mine in next week. Not overly hopeful but but would be shame to have to take the old lady off the road.

If I lose her, I'm calling dibs on any spare bed for Electric Picnic. :P

Irishgoatman

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

I'm sticking mine in next week. Not overly hopeful but but would be shame to have to take the old lady off the road.

If I lose her, I'm calling dibs on any spare bed for Electric Picnic. :P

What do you think the problems are?
Serious?.

Micky Dolenz

Irishgoatman wrote: »

What do you think the problems?
Serious?.

When I went to get the enginners report from a main dealer last season, they id a few problems. corroded steel break lines and other small things. I replaced the break lines and re did the complete front brakes.

Things that concern me are, rust on exhaust system, emissions,Windows, although they do have markings, I don't know what they mean. I'm jusy nervous overall really.

Irishgoatman

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

When I went to get the enginners report from a main dealer last season, they id a few problems. corroded steel break lines and other small things. I replaced the break lines and re did the complete front brakes.

Things that concern me are, rust on exhaust system, emissions,Windows, although they do have markings, I don't know what they mean. I'm jusy nervous overall really.

As far as the windows are concerned, the letter that was sent out has a list of acceptable glass markings, and no, I don't know what they mean either, but as long as they match yours that's good enough.
If you didn't get a letter just go to the RSA website.

Best of luck with the rest.

gofaster_s13

Just posting here from a testers point of view, since the letters have been sent out we have tested 2/3 campers a day and in general they have been in very good condition, the headlights that everybody seems worried about arent a big problem, just bring the beam benders unfitted to the test centre and ask the tester to fit them for you as if they're fitted incorrectly the adhesive doesnt generally allow them to be removed and restuck.

So far the biggest failure point we have seen is brake imbalance, these vehicles are not been driven regularly and as such brake componants are seizing and not operating to standard(generally an easy fix) the other failure we are seeing especially on older vehicles is corrosion of both the vehicle bodywork/chassis and on brake lines. Good practice on vehicles that have passed with a clean bill of health and no corrosion would be to bring the vehicle to a body shop and give them a good coat of underseal(something which seems to be lacking even on new vehicles) to prevent the onset of rust.

For the owners of self builds, just remember that even though the vehicle conversion is not to be tested if the tester sees something that they deem unsafe(unsecure gas/fuel lines or poor wiring etc.) then the tester can and will ask the owner to get an engineers report for the vehicle.

Best of luck with your tests

doubledecker

tested my boxer camper conversion the other day.... failed on account of front and rear shocks and rear brakes..
As I had recently bought the vehicle, these were good things to know.... bit of money involved and a good few dirty days ahead.
Next week I have my double decker bus booked in.... hope she'll be grand!