Stone Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Think you'll find it's something reasonably modern, you're not allowed to take a test in a truck without ABS now! You're right, it's a DAF 65CF240; W reg so 2000ish. Spent three hours crawling around this morning, my control of the range change box is frankly woeful so I spent quite a lot of the time looking like this :sweat:! If you were driving around Leighton Buzzard this morning and got held up by the incompetent numpty driving the big yellow lorry stalling on roundabouts, I can only apologise :cry: I've hired a car with a manual gearbox so I can practise between lessons, otherwise I'm going to have an accident! Stone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoggyDriver Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 On the Bedford you can switch on the move but low ratio only works in 4wd. The current DSA test specs require you to use a standard road-use transmission, so you can have four-over-four, slap-over or whatever. You have to demonstrate block changing (when appropriate) in the test as well so you can't get away just using the highest 4! (also, I've only driven an auto for the last 4 years, so that'll be fun ) No idea! Their website shows some fairly elderly DAFs so I doubt it'll be anything too whizzy. It's a bit scary how quickly you can do it now if you want to, once you have your medical and get your provisional you can complete the theory tests and get a test booked within a fortnight! Stone I did all that in my test, but a hi/low box on an artic is a bit different than a Bedford tranny. Still, if your not taking your test in that you don't have to worry. I passed my test and was driving artics two weeks later. An old Seddon Atkinson split windscreen twin turbo. Cold as the Arctic tho...:shake: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoggyDriver Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Met a couple in Duncannon last week with an MJ and comms body. They just tried to register it as a motorhome but the VRO office has said that under Irish regs it doesn't have enough headroom! They are waiting on a final verdict from head office, otherwise they'll take the body off and register it as a truck. Advantage with motorhome here is it's cheap road tax and MOT exempt. COOL, no MOT required!!! I haven't seen any restriction on headroom for trucks in the UK in the regs. So I should be OK even though I have bought the smaller comms body out of the two different heights available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stone Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 I haven't seen any restriction on headroom for trucks in the UK in the regs. So I should be OK even though I have bought the smaller comms body out of the two different heights available. The extra streamlining will come in useful when you want to do more than 52mph :rofl: Didn't stall at all in today's lesson, I might be improving! Did do 3rd to 1st instead of 3rd to 5th a couple of times though! Stone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean101ryan Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Apparantly the headroom is just OK in the middle but not at the sides!! Just heard a rumour that motorhomes will have to be tested from later on this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Hi, I have just purchased a bedford MJ and have the same same problem. in ireland, any vehicle registered after January'86 must have rear and side crash bars in England I think it's '84? I have made and fitted a rear crash bar. I'm going to take it for the DOE on wednesday and see what they say, anything can be done! but side bars will be a bit more of a challange because of the spare wheel on the side underbelly. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 the headroom has to be 6ft all round, I was speaking to someone in a landrover club a few weeks back who mentioned someone he met having the same trouble. I don't have a problem in this regard, but I was thinking you could put overhead cudboards along the sides - surely they some nasty B is not going to messure to the underside of the cudboarb? I was thinking that when it is converted to a camper insurance might be a problem as any company I have looked at specify that you must have access to the rear from the cab! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 they do want motorhomes to be DOE tested but the the motorcaravan club is contesting this and are putting together a legal case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 52mph would be great! anything over 40mph and the wheel starts to jerk about so violently I sh*t me pants. I have the new type off road tyres, could it be this or do the wheels need balancing! Help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stone Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 52mph would be great! anything over 40mph and the wheel starts to jerk about so violently I sh*t me pants. I have the new type off road tyres, could it be this or do the wheels need balancing! Help! 52mph might have been a little optimistic (!) but you should be able to get it up to 45 or so without too much trauma - ours tops out at about 50 downhill and 55 if you rev the nuts off it. Sounds like yours might benefit from a little TLC... Stone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overthere Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 Dan, I can usually get up to 45 - 47 mph and then I get a shaking (about a quarter to half inch left to right) in the steering wheel. However, if you let go of the steering wheel the truck doesn't drift like it would if the alignment was off. I also have the new type tire tread and I am thinking that is the cause of the shaking. I have been on some new pavement that has no wear grooves in it and the steering didn't shimmer at all. So, I am hopng that it is just the new style tire treads gripping the ruts and grooves worn in the roads and at this speed it causes the shaking. If anyone has information otherwise to why the steering shakes at these speeds please let us know. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoggyDriver Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 My steering also shakes, and it can be pretty bad at a certain speed. Up to 40mph and it doesn't shake at all, then about 42-47 it's pretty bad. If I floor it to about 50mph it eases off a little. I've also got the new type tyres fitted. I think a lot has to do with the fact the steering doesn't have a damper on it. Also consider it is fitted with split rims and the wheels aren't ballanced. My speedo works, but the drive gear in the transfer box must be the wrong type for the speedo head as it reads 15mph slower than it's actually going. I'm going to book it into Lucas to see if I can get it callibrated. I'm doing 40mph around the 2,000 rpm mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davie Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 I had a Bedford RL that had this problem. I eventually found out it was caused by excess play in the steering swivels. (Like a land rover without enough preload on the steering.) There are no shims to remove for adjustment on the RL, so I machined a few thou off the top swivel pin plate. Sorted. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoggyDriver Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 I had a Bedford RL that had this problem. I eventually found out it was caused by excess play in the steering swivels. (Like a land rover without enough preload on the steering.) There are no shims to remove for adjustment on the RL, so I machined a few thou off the top swivel pin plate. Sorted.Hope this helps. That can be the cause. Mine had it's disposal inspection two months after a two yearly inspection and both recorded the truck as fully fit with no problems at all. They changed the transfer box for a brand new item as the old one was leaking (my main gearbox output shaft oil seal is leaking when the box is full. It looses about 1/2 a litre and then stops. I need to order a new one) and put a new fuel tank on (MOD Instruction), so it was inspected properly. Worth looking at though.:cool2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Thanks, My truck went through the DOE today with flying colors though I have got to fit the side under runs. I expected this and atleast after speaking to the tester I kow what he wants of me and have twenty one days to retest at no charge. I took the truck up to 50mph and she did smooth out, but I have got to find out what is causing that judering, because it just isn't very pleasnt. But it seems to be a common problem with these and someone must know how to solve it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevpol Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 just a quick question. If you downrate to 7.5 tonnes, can you tow a car trailer with a landy on it? Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ives Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 C1 Vehicles weighing between 3,500 kg and 7,500 kg, with or without a trailer - weighing no more than 750 kg 18* C1+E As category C1 but with a trailer weighing more than 750 kg. The total weight of the vehicle and the trailer together can’t weigh more than 12,000 kg. The weight of the trailer, when fully loaded, can’t weigh more than the unladen weight of the vehicle 21*, **, *** hope this helps mark so depending on the weight of the trailer would limit the weight of everything else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Hi, I recently saw an add on milweb for an MJ fitted with side bars & claiming that it was " as per the new regulations " perhaps you could give him a ring & ask the ins & outs of it. Personnaly though I'd trawl through the VOSA regs till I could find an appropriate exemptiion, print it off & slap it on the jobs worths desk at the test centre ! Regards Basil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
volvoc303 Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 trevor from barmy army makes side bars and under run bars has done loads of bedfords and takes them for mot 1983 and before you can get away with but not after they have to have bars a motor home is not a goods veh you cannot take your test in it does not need plating just down rate it 7.5 tonnes and put under run bars on it if dont have a hgv license there are alot of ways round it bit if you have a major accident look out my bedford does not have a made body in side but a body from a hanomag which is bolted to the floor ie fixed it has inside fixed bed seats fridge sink etc the body has to cover the full body lenght so that no load can be carried itwas taker n to vosa testing station with no under or side bars tested and reg as a motor home it is not plated it also depends when you took your test as well hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRE Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 Just bought an MJ with side/underun bars (side bars are removable) see pics. hope this may be of use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pristus1 Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 best and cheapest way will be go to your locale truck salvage yard and get all the fittings needed as well as side bars they are aluminium so can be cut to size and can be taken off for shows law says you need them get cought without them on road then hope your pockets are deep as fine can bee steep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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