Category: Brakes, Steering & Suspension

A tyre records what the van has been doing to it. How to read each wear pattern back to its cause, and why van load ratings matter more than most owners realise.

Steering complaints on a van are usually one of a handful of worn joints, but tyres and alignment mimic them. How to tell them apart before spending money.

Clicking on lock is the classic outer CV joint symptom, but the fault usually starts months earlier with a split boot nobody looked at. What to check and when.

A droning hum that changes when you steer is the classic sign, but tyres and differentials mimic it convincingly. How to isolate the corner before spending money.

Dampers wear so gradually that most owners never notice until they are replaced. What worn shocks actually cost you, why the bounce test is unreliable, and how to judge them properly.

Leaf springs carry the load on most vans, and they fail quietly. How to spot sagging and cracking, why the bushes usually go first, and when helper springs are the wrong answer.

A parking brake that copes empty can fail when the van is loaded on a slope. Cable, shoe and adjuster diagnosis, and why tightening the cable is usually the wrong fix.

An ABS light does not mean the brakes have failed, but it is an MOT failure and you have lost anti-lock function. Why wheel speed sensors dominate the causes, and how to test properly.

Brake fluid absorbs moisture whether you drive or not, lowering its boiling point and corroding the ABS unit from inside. Symptoms, testing, specifications and why a falling level is not always a leak.

Judder under braking is rarely just a warped disc. How to read where you feel it, why sticking calipers and a dirty hub face cause repeat failures, and how to bed new brakes in properly.