What a service visit is for
A brake tester sits in the floor and takes a hammering. Every vehicle that drives over the rollers or plates loads bearings, chains, motors and sensors, and grit, water and road salt get in wherever they can. Servicing is about catching wear before it becomes a fault that stops the lane, and keeping the machine in a condition where calibration holds and test results stay trustworthy.
Our engineers work to BM's own procedures rather than a generic checklist. That matters because roller sets, gearboxes and measuring electronics differ between models and generations, and the right adjustment on one unit is wrong on another.
What our engineers typically check
- Roller sets and surfaces – coating condition, wear, contamination and roller alignment, plus the free-running and drive behaviour of each side.
- Drive train – motors, gearboxes, chains or couplings, tension, lubrication and any noise or play that points to a bearing on the way out.
- Measuring system – load cell or force transducer mounting, cabling, connectors and zero stability.
- Safety and sensing – vehicle-presence and slip sensors, third-roller operation, lift beams where fitted, and emergency stops.
- Pit and installation – drainage, covers, frame fixings and anything in the pit that could foul moving parts.
- Control and display – console, remote, software version and communications. The equipment interfaces with DVSA systems.
Plate testers get the equivalent: plate surfaces, return mechanisms, sensor mounting and the measuring chain from plate to display.
How a visit runs
- Booking. We agree a slot that suits your test diary. Tell us the serial number (it starts SR0) and any symptoms you've noticed so the engineer arrives with the right parts.
- On site. The engineer will need the lane clear and the machine isolated for part of the visit. A typical on-site service takes 1–2 hours.
- Findings. Anything worn or out of tolerance is explained to you on the day, with what needs doing now and what can be planned.
- Report. You receive a service report in both paper and PDF formats.
How often
We recommend a service interval of every six months.
Servicing and calibration together
Servicing and calibration are different jobs, but doing them on the same visit is usually sensible: a machine with a worn bearing or a loose sensor mount will not hold a good calibration. Where practical we combine them so the lane is out of use once, not twice. See calibration for what that involves.
Keep testing
A well-serviced machine is the simplest way to protect your ability to test. Unplanned downtime costs bookings and goodwill; most of the faults we're called out for gave some warning first. If something sounds or reads differently from normal, tell us at booking.