07.08.2018

Crane brake test rig for Scotland

Scottish rental company Bernard Hunter Mobile Cranes has installed a high capacity VL Test Systems rolling road brake testing rig at its main workshop in Edinburgh.

The new rig has a 20 tonne per axle testing capacity and a 24 tonne maximum drive over weight. Equivalent to a VL Test Systems 20733 model, it also offers bi-directional brake testing capacity with twin source remote control allowing one man operation. Combined in-ground scissors fitted to the roller brake testers can provide a 13 tonne axle weight to simulate load for applied brake testing to a height of 180mm. It also accurately measures axle loads to ensure that overloading does not occur.
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The new mobile crane roller brake tester

Bernard Hunter's managing director Mark Rafferty said: “The installation of heavy duty roller brake test equipment is to pre-empt forthcoming industry regulations, which will require mobile crane operators to provide certificates of maintenance and regular brake testing. While multi axle cranes are currently exempt from MOT testing, we have always deployed rigorous repair and maintenance schedules for our entire vehicle fleet and the new roller brake tester takes compliance and professional operating standards to a new level.”

“Our larger capacity cranes - up to and including the 500 tonne Liebherr, can be set up in a wide variety of lifting specifications to suit each job, we can now check weigh the entire eight axle rigid in just over 10 minutes.”
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Bernard Hunter's largest crane - a 500 tonne Liebherr - using the rolling brake tester

In addition to the new roller brake testers, Bernard Hunter is currently installing VL Test Systems’ 9152 shaker plates with eight way operation and 100mm travel in all directions to test steering linkages on vehicles with individual axle weights up to 16 tonnes.
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The new shaker plates

“The new equipment means we are able to present customers with certificates of brake testing, axle weighing and maintenance, to provide proof of compliance and operating standards. The new roller brake tester equipment has also been inspected and approved by DVSA and we are exploring the possibilities to offer that organisation its use when conducting roadside checks in the area.”