Hi i have just inspected front shock absorbers on my man horsebox,they are corroded on the top outer casing but there is no leak ,does the corrosion make it a test fail
Not unless it’s affecting the security of the shocker.
AF1:
Not unless it’s affecting the security of the shocker.
^^^what he said, leaks and security are all you have to worry about.
Shouldn’t do
In the ‘old days’ we used to remove the rusted cover and replace it with plastic pipe to make it look tidier!
Pete.
Small world as they say. I have just cut more of the old rusty and disintegrating shrouds off two of my customer’s DAFs and welded a piece of 3" straight exhaust pipe in their place. Although the vehicles are elderly, I am just not prepared to present them for test in a couple of months time looking so scruffy, even if it is only the security which matters. Pipe cost less than £30 for 2 metres and over the last couple of years I have got 6 out of one length. I think the paint cost more. Small things do matter eg. paint flaking off rusty metal above the rear doors or even the chassis is a danger to people’s eyes.
Agreed Cav551, if the tester sees that somebody has made the effort to get the vehicle ready for test by tidying things up a little it always counts in the owner’s favour. Just a few new clevis pins and yokes on the brake chamber pushrods shows that work has been done and the vehicle hasn’t just been steam cleaned and taken for test regardless.
Pete.
Oh how things have changed, I don’t think there’s a single brake clevis on a DAF. I have however renewed 7 and the bushes on an AEC Regent V very recently - and they are cotter bolt-type ones with a castle nut and split pin too. By a quick mental count up I reckon the thing has about 25 of them! 
pauldavison:
Hi i have just inspected front shock absorbers on my man horsebox,they are corroded on the top outer casing but there is no leak ,does the corrosion make it a test fail
There was a change in the testers manual for goods vehicles a couple of years ago whereas dust covers must be present and capable of doing the job they were intended for. But it is up to the person inspecting the vehicle at the end of the day.
In my opinion, a bit of corrosion on the end of the cover would be fine, but a great big hole in the side of the cover exposing the piston or seal would attract a fail.
This is assuming your horse box comes under a goods vehicle test, not sure if this applies to a class 4 or 7
- Shock Absorber:
*a. missing from a vehicle on which it is a standard
component.
*b. with an anchorage fractured, unit insecure or with a
sleeve damaged so that the unit is not functioning
correctly.
*c. leaking .
*d. with an excessively worn rubber bush or pivot.
*e. linkage missing, linkage bracket cracked so that it is
likely to fail, fractured or cracked or excessively worn.