DOE incompetence mini rant..

TrailerBob

Had the landcruiser in for the test last Friday. Failed on 2 items - front shock on passenger side and bushes on the rear trailing arms.

I have zero issue with the fail... But.... I asked the tester (not the office clerk) was it the shock itself or the mounting bush for it - response "I don't know, it failed on the machine".
Then I went home and had a poke around underneath and found the lower bush in the other shock was well past it's best... Yet it passed...

I thought VTN testers were trained mechanics, or am I totally wrong in this assumption. I don't see how the system can be trusted with that level of apathy/incompetence...

vinnie13

If it was the bush it would be visual play
If its the shock the comp would find a imbalance between the two on a axle.

delahuntv

TrailerBob wrote: »

I thought VTN testers were trained mechanics, or am I totally wrong in this assumption. I don't see how the system can be trusted with that level of apathy/incompetence...

They are trained testers, they have to be able to operate the testing systems. It for you to then give the report to a mechanic who will know what to do.

Think of it in medical terms - a GP will have an idea about many ailments, but I sure as hell wouldn't let my GP do surgery on me unless I knew he was a qualified surgeon as well.

Or again in the medical field - a radiographer can operate the x-ray machine, but they would not have to know was the result means - that's up to the specialist

JC01

95% of them are trained mechanics, and the tester was in the right here. Your jeep failed on an imbalance in the shocks it is not the testers job to find out why, just to check the imbalance. Once he's done that he moves onto the next aspect of the test.

And as for him letting you off on a bush that was "past it's best" did you check the tolerance the manufacturer gives for play In that bushing? Is yours inside or outside that tolerance?

TrailerBob

I understand the fail is on imbalance, but it specifically refers to the performance of the passenger side which is the problem. I would have thought the other would be flagged as "improperly mounted" or the likes.

As for the tolerance JC, I'm not sure what Toyota's spec sheet says, but this one is goosed completely.... I'll pop up a pic tomorrow when I take it off and you'll see what I mean. I should have checked it before it got as bad as it is, but there it is.

I suppose my worry is that if a mounting bush like this was missed, what else could be missed that poses a safety risk... Not anti - DOE, perhaps the quality varies by centre as it's not an NCT LIKE set-up... Still individual garages

mgbgt1978

JC01 wrote: »

95% of them are trained mechanics, and the tester was in the right here. Your jeep failed on an imbalance in the shocks it is not the testers job to find out why, just to check the imbalance. Once he's done that he moves onto the next aspect of the test.

And as for him letting you off on a bush that was "past it's best" did you check the tolerance the manufacturer gives for play In that bushing? Is yours inside or outside that tolerance?

How can just the passenger side shock be imbalanced ????

TrailerBob

It's an imbalance between the performance of the two shshocks so the passenger one is shagged...

demanufactured

What test centre was it out of interest

corcaigh1

TrailerBob wrote: »

Had the landcruiser in for the test last Friday. Failed on 2 items - front shock on passenger side and bushes on the rear trailing arms.

I have zero issue with the fail... But.... I asked the tester (not the office clerk) was it the shock itself or the mounting bush for it - response "I don't know, it failed on the machine".
Then I went home and had a poke around underneath and found the lower bush in the other shock was well past it's best... Yet it passed...

I thought VTN testers were trained mechanics, or am I totally wrong in this assumption. I don't see how the system can be trusted with that level of apathy/incompetence...

I have no faith in doe testers as being competent in the mechanics of a vehicle,

I had a van in to Kevin O' Learys in Douglas Cork recently that failed on one shock, when i queried the tester which shock failed he couldn't tell me, he then looked at the report and still couldn't tell me which one had failed because he didn't know the difference between offside and nearside..what a laugh!

Same oufit wouldn't let me re-test my van exactly 21 days after the test date (only day i could get it back in for retest) because they maintained the 21 days includes the date of the initial failed test. I queried this with the RSA and they were incorrect.

Never again will i go near the place. Gangsters!

Mech1

new shocks and bushes both sides needed, you dont buy one shoe when its worn out do you?

If both shocks where equally knackered and not obviously leaking you would have passed.

Bushing wear is up to the tester to decide if its bad enough to fail, you recon it is so change both sides while your in there.

Bpmull

I'm lucky enough in my local doe centre the clerk lad that book you in and gives you the result is a qualified mechanic and knows his stuff. The newer cvrt system is a bit stricter but then the old doe was a joke easy to pass. I've never had any real issue with the system but then I've never failed and I think the print outs they now give you are a good idea so you can see exact figures for side slip etc.

TrailerBob

@Mech1, there's no doubt but change both.. I'm not a qualified mechanic but a pretty handy amateur. What I was questioning was the fact the guy didn't think the bush was gone when it definitely is.

Also it's not right that equally banjaxed shocks should pass...

Mech1

TrailerBob wrote: »

@Mech1, there's no doubt but change both.. I'm not a qualified mechanic but a pretty handy amateur. What I was questioning was the fact the guy didn't think the bush was gone when it definitely is.

Also it's not right that equally banjaxed shocks should pass...

its not right. but its true.

TrailerBob

Hence why I don't trust the testing system. A vehicle with 2 knackered front shocks is more roadworthy than one with a blown number plate light...

Never had an issue before..

JC01

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

How can just the passenger side shock be imbalanced ????

Because it's "imbalanced" to the driver side one????

TrailerBob

Ah sure it's good for another 50 thousand lad.... And that's the shock that was "fine"

Mech1

Your gonna notice the difference:D

TrailerBob

Like gliding on air!