Some common issues found in fleets of 4wd Armoured Vehicles (CAVs) whilst doing onsite training.
Tyre Pressures (too low)
- Correct pressures are a basic first step in safety and fleet management.
- Low pressure not only compromises safety but can also lead to interior tyre damage, delamination, and damage to the run-flat system.
Spare Tyre(s)
- The spare tyre is usually still new, has not been rotated, and is found to have low pressure.
- The spare tyre mounting mechanism for lowering and raising the spare tyre has seized because it has not been used. Also, the mechanism may have been “modified” by the armouring process, making it more difficult to use.
- Depending on the modification, the height of the spare may lower the departure angle, making the tyre more vulnerable to damage and increasing the risk of the vehicle getting stuck.
Under the Bonnet (Hood)
Armouring has rarely been removed to check fluid levels. As a result, levels are regularly found to be low. Weight transfer = fluid transfer in reservoirs. Fluid levels that are too low will cause starvation and allow air into systems.
CAV Batteries
Armouring has rarely been removed to check for battery security or whether maintenance has been carried out to the correct standard.
- Batteries are often found loose and unsecured (the leading cause of vehicle fires).
- Battery positive terminals have lost their red insulated coverings. Probably due to poor maintenance / fitting a different battery type than recommended by the supplier /original modifier.
- Changing only one battery: the client is constantly chasing battery issues, as only one battery was changed at a time, and they have to use the changeover switch to start first thing. Best practice: change both batteries together.
Central Locking is Not Operating on All Five Doors.
The most common issue is with the fifth door. Not locked = not armoured.
Damaged Transparent Armouring (Glass)
- Sun damage causing blisters of the polycarbonate layers = no protection.
- Polycarbonate layers are being damaged by poor cleaning and the use of petroleum-based products containing detergents, etc. = diminished protection.
- Cracked glass = less /possibly no protection.
The 4wd Civilian Armoured Vehicle is not bulletproof to start with, and if you don’t take care of the vehicle, it will become less resistant.