Asking for those who know a bit more about mechanics than me.
On a 7.5T truck - if the handbrake cable is snapped is it likely to be because the driver was driving it with the handbrake on? Or just because it is old?
It could have happened before I even drove the truck as the yard was flat etc. But I want to know if it’s reasonable to think that a snapped handbrake cable is due to driver negligence or vehicle wear and tear.
Cheers
Those Isuzu/Mitsubishi things are cheap so expect everything to break sooner then any other manufacturer.
Have you (or rather your mother) ever driven the car with the handbrake on? If not, ask your mother to try it.
(I promise that she won’t brake the cable…)
sammym:
Asking for those who know a bit more about mechanics than me.On a 7.5T truck - if the handbrake cable is snapped is it likely to be because the driver was driving it with the handbrake on? Or just because it is old?
It could have happened before I even drove the truck as the yard was flat etc. But I want to know if it’s reasonable to think that a snapped handbrake cable is due to driver negligence or vehicle wear and tear.
Cheers
Wear and tear mate. They normally have a plastic coating but this wears off in certain places and the water corrodes it leading to it breaking.
(I’m an ex-commercial vehicle fitter)
Gembo:
sammym:
Asking for those who know a bit more about mechanics than me.On a 7.5T truck - if the handbrake cable is snapped is it likely to be because the driver was driving it with the handbrake on? Or just because it is old?
It could have happened before I even drove the truck as the yard was flat etc. But I want to know if it’s reasonable to think that a snapped handbrake cable is due to driver negligence or vehicle wear and tear.
Cheers
Wear and tear mate. They normally have a plastic coating but this wears off in certain places and the water corrodes it leading to it breaking.
(I’m an ex-commercial vehicle fitter)
Thanks.
I wanted to know if they reasonably thought I’d damaged it, as opposed to just not wanting to pay me. I know they have their own mechanic/fitter so they don’t have any excuses.
To let me work 15 hours and then to try and leave me with no money. More fool me for not trusting my gut. But thanks again for your knowledge on this.
More likely the handbrake hasn’t been used and the cable has failed. Trailer handbrake cables always broke on test because it was the only time they were used, [emoji14]
Wheel Nut:
More likely the handbrake hasn’t been used and the cable has failed. Trailer handbrake cables always broke on test because it was the only time they were used, [emoji14]
It was a rigid. A small one at that. And because it was an automatic and I was driving at a time in the morning when I didn’t need to stop (much) I didn’t use handbrake until I got to the factory to pick up chicken. At which point I realised it didn’t work. Ground was totally flat on yard so I never noticed.
They are claiming I drove it with brake on and snapped cable. Meaning they are refusing to pay me.
My agency say this company have tried it before and that they are not going to have it. I’ll see what happens. If I get paid it’s a bonus - but mentally I’m writing it off as a lesson in trusting my gut. Looking back their own driver told us that they always dock their pay. I thought as paye agency I was protected from that. My bad.
And the lies just keep rolling on…
harrawaffa:
And the lies just keep rolling on…
+1…
Possibly sock puppet number 3.
If the company can be found on google go on the site and leave feedback and rip them a new one but don’t lie .
And next time do a proper vehicle check before you drive out the yard .
The japs make some great cars but all their trucks are absolutely pants . It’s a question of when they break not if .
Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk
As Gembo says, its just down to wear and tear. Once a cable starts to fray, they quickly break. The Japanese Isuzu’s though are not the only ones with this problem, Ford Cargo’s and Daf LF’s are also weak…
It doesn’t matter what the company says or claims, you work for the agency and they must pay you regardless.Any beef the company has is with your agency NOT you. You will not break the handbrake cable by driving the vehicle with it on. You might well set fire to the brakes, but you won’t break the cable. The common problem with drum brakes on 7.5 tonne and smaller vehicles with spring brake actuated handbrake cables was that the brakes would come on violently and damage all the linkages inside the brake drums.
What you should have done when you noticed at the delivery that the cable had broken was to ring in and say that the lorry had broken down. If the company then tokld you to drive it ring the agency and tell them the vehicle is unfit for the road and is staying where it is until attended to. If necessary taxi back to the Agency’s office.
cav551:
It doesn’t matter what the company says or claims, you work for the agency and they must pay you regardless.Any beef the company has is with your agency NOT you. You will not break the handbrake cable by driving the vehicle with it on. You might well set fire to the brakes, but you won’t break the cable. The common problem with drum brakes on 7.5 tonne and smaller vehicles with spring brake actuated handbrake cables was that the brakes would come on violently and damage all the linkages inside the brake drums.What you should have done when you noticed at the delivery that the cable had broken was to ring in and say that the lorry had broken down. If the company then tokld you to drive it ring the agency and tell them the vehicle is unfit for the road and is staying where it is until attended to. If necessary taxi back to the Agency’s office.
Did all of that apart from telling agency that I’m not driving it.
Got to factory and it wouldn’t hold and would have rolled into gate. Had security guard shouting at me and getting lairy because I didn’t get out. I explained and then drove onto a flat bit and called up company. My first words were “the handbrake isn’t working and this needs recovering” she laughed and said “it doesn’t need recovering, get on a bay and then sit in the cab and hold footbrake then come back to yard”.
I wasn’t happy about this - so put in writing on whatsapp saying the vehicle wasn’t safe and confirming she wanted me to drive it. She responding saying she did. At this point I felt stuffed. She also sent me a defect code via whatapp. I still have these messages.
I drove down the road and could hear a funny sound so pulled into a layby - at this point, I called the agency. He said he’d speak to company and would call me back. When he did: “company have said they want you to drive the vehicle back as there isn’t enough money in the job to recover it due to the cost” So I stupidly drove it back. I just didn’t think I had an option.
Now company are refusing to pay the agency. Saying I drove it with the handbrake on and snapped cable. I’ll see on Friday if I get paid or not. And take it from there. So far agency have been okay with me. They have said that the company are trying it on and just wanted me to forward whatsapp messages and say exactly what happened.
Either way - I take some of the blame. I knew it was a dodgy company and should have walked and watched the rugby at the pub rather than doing 15 hours. The company didn’t feel right and I didn’t trust my gut. I’m just hoping this doesn’t screw things over at this agency for me. Due to where my partner works the location of the agency is great. And I’ve booked class 1 - they have a big contract with a company much ridiculed here. But I’d like to do some work there if/when I pass for experience in a decent motor at a ‘big’ company.
Cheers to everyone who has given me their advice/opinion.
grumpyken52:
If the company can be found on google go on the site and leave feedback and rip them a new one but don’t lie .
And next time do a proper vehicle check before you drive out the yard .
The japs make some great cars but all their trucks are absolutely pants . It’s a question of when they break not if .Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk
Another lesson learnt. Here is a review of them from google:
Worked for this company, if you can call them a company, bunch of cowboys more like, haven’t got a single clue about driving laws, out on the road for 13 hours, then get a phone call adding another 5-6 hours onto your day? Say no to them? Sacked! Dare mention the use of a sack truck when making heavy multidrop deliveries, sacked! Want to be on call 24hrs a day, with no minimum rest period? Go for it, go do 18+hrs driving for this company and you could have another phone call after 3 hours telling you you have 40 mins to get into work. No duty of care, robbing, law breaking, inconsiderate management, the owner is a joke, the top manager is a right piece of work, he must have been bullied as a pubescent cretin because he’s grown into a massive bald cretin that does not know how to talk to or treat staff. Absolute joke of a ‘company’
I’ll be adding mine once all this is sorted. I’m sure it’s against the rules to name the company. So I won’t. I find this site useful. But if anyone is in the Nottingham/Derby area on class 2 and wants the name of a company to absolutely avoid send me a PM.
You were willing to drive a lorry without a handbrake for your agency’s client… You’ll be number 1 on their call list whenever they need a driver for ■■■■ detail.
7 and half tonners with cable handbrakes?? 
I thought they were all replaced with air nowadays.
Last truck I had (or saw) with a ratchet handbrake was a 1979 4 wheeler Fiat in 1980, it stuck on with me going into Bishopgate Ramp lorry park East London, causing a ■■■■ great queue…I was well popular that night. 
I’m amazed at a cable handbrake on a 7.5 tonner. Before passing my class one I occasionally drove an E reg (I think) merc 814 and that had an air handbrake!!!
Thinking about it, do you mean to say the foot brakes are hydraulic or are they air?
Cable handbrakes?..
Flip flops?
COME ON people…wake up and smell the coffee!
robroy:
7 and half tonners with cable handbrakes??
I thought they were all replaced with air nowadays.
Last truck I had (or saw) with a ratchet handbrake was a 1979 4 wheeler Fiat in 1980, it stuck on with me going into Bishopgate Ramp lorry park East London, causing a [zb] great queue…I was well popular that night.
7.5 tonners like Isuzu Canters, have cable handbrakes. 7.5 tonners like Daf LF 45 have air hand brake. The difference to me seems to be that the Isuzu style is an upscaled van chassis where the LF 45 is a downscaled truck chassis.