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Crewcab 4x4s are popular among younger farmers as a general workhorse and they can also provide transport for all of the family. They are considered as commercial vehicles and must undergo an annual Department of the Environment (DOE) test, carried out by an approved test centre.
To get a feel for what’s involved in a DOE test, we called in on Tom Lane’s 4x4 Centre in Ballylanders, Co Limerick. Tom and mechanic Seamus Martin gave us a rundown of how they were carrying out a detailed examination of a 2006 Toyota Hilux, which they were preparing for a forthcoming DOE test.
Browse the photo gallery above to see some examples of the areas under the skin that require technical or mechanical attention.
There are other equally important areas within the crewcab driver and passenger area that will require attention in order to pass a DOE test.
These include the condition of the driver’s seat. It must be secure and without rips to the cushion section. Rats and mice can also invade a crewcab, especially one that’s used daily for feeding livestock where they search out animal feed in the comfort of the cab. They can do serious damage to seats, which sometimes goes unnoticed until the test day.
Functioning seatbelts
The seatbelts must be fully functioning. That means they must not be damaged or frayed. They must be able to fully extend and retract with equal ease. With wear and tear, they get dirty, especially in farm conditions, so make sure that they are clean.
The windscreen must also be in good condition. Small cracks are acceptable, according to Seamus, but large cracks are not. And you must remove any strong tints from the side windows; anything other than the tint level supplied by the manufacturer will have to be removed.
Lights have to work and that means all lights. If you have added a set of spot lights or a roof bar to pimp up your 4x4 then these must all work and be properly focussed. Spotlight wiring can also be an issue – again, rats and mice can play havoc in this area as much as with the seats.
Given that we have received recent reports of some crewcabs failing tests due to chassis structural problems, we spent a good deal of time under the vehicle in Tom Lane’s workshop. You get an instant view of the structural condition of the crewcab from this angle.
At the Irish Farmers Journal, we have received reports of some Nissan Navara owners having significant chassis problems leading to DOE failures. We contacted Nissan and their response was: “Nissan Ireland will report each concern on a case-by-case basis to the manufacturers and supply all vehicle details and pictures of the concern. On receipt of the detailed information from our dealers, we will then revert to the reporting dealer as soon as the manufacturers respond.”
Towbars and hitches
Towbars are also an area of concern, according to Tom. They will fit a fixed-type towbar in place of one of the quick-attach one on all 4x4s that they sell. Even with that, the condition of the hitch is important; the ball must not be worn, as well as the bolts that hold it in place, plus the chassis-fixing bolts.
In the accompanying photographs, we give some hints of the areas that need to be examined before facing into a DOE test. Tom Lane, who has over 30 years of experience in selling 4x4s, says that preparing a crewcab 4x4 for a DOE test can take anything from half a day to two days, depending on its condition.
“We have often spent upwards of €2,000 on a 4x4 to get it ready for a successful test result, but it’s worth it, as we can be sure that our customer can drive out in a safe and reliable machine,” says Tom. They follow a 60-point pre-test programme that ensures that the 4x4 will pass the test.
Tom and Seamus’s advice is to prepare thoroughly for the DOE; clean down your 4x4 in advance of starting work and that means inside as well as out. You will quickly see the extent of the work that’s ahead of you in getting your 4x4 to pass what is now a more stringent DOE test.
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