The Commercial Vehicle Podcast

Jess Porter talks about being Totalkare's appointed contact for mental health first aid, the importance of looking after mental wellbeing in the workplace and her journey to becoming a director.

Every vehicle business needs access to a wash bay – and it’s not just about looking good when you’re out on the road.

It’s about protecting your vehicles, keeping your repair costs down, and staying compliant for annual inspections.

But if you’re running a fleet that outsources its vehicle washing — especially if you’re in the construction, agriculture, or refuse industries, you might start to wonder if it’s worth it in the long term.

We all know the problems that come with neglected vehicle wheels:

Excessive wear and tear, sideways drift, and the potential for damage to your suspension and wheel systems.

But it’s not always clear what’s causing these problems (and what kind of equipment you need to diagnose them).

Here’s what you need to know about wheel balancing and alignment — and why you shouldn’t have to choose between them.

Dan Haire is an install engineer for Totalkare. 

Come along for a chat with Dan to find out what a day in his life looks like and why he enjoys working for Totalkare. 

We’ve sold a lot of mobile column lifts over the decades. And in that time, we’ve spoken to thousands of workshops and fleet owners all over the country.

But no matter where we go, we hear the same misconceptions about mobile column lifts popping up — about how they work, what they’re good for, and what their limits are.

Should you use lifts or pits for your vehicles?

We all know deep down that there’s a time and place for both, and they’re each fantastic solutions to the problem of getting under vehicles. Today, we’re going to throw a spanner in the works. We’re going to add a new option to the discussion – should you use a full-size pit or a compact one?

When we’re talking workshops, there’s a lot of focus on the vehicles.

It’s all about lifts, pits, tyre changers, and brake testers – the big-ticket equipment that does the heavy-duty work and gets all the attention on the shop floor.

But in practice, there’s so much more going on in the workshop. And if the layout of your workspace isn’t efficient – with optimised storage and easy access to tools and PPE – your teams could be wasting time every day.

If you’re running a workshop that’s looking to upgrade, the choice of different lifts can be overwhelming.

You need to think about the vehicles you’re servicing, the floor space you have, and the amount you’re willing to invest in a long-term piece of kit.

And for some workshop owners, that can make an in-ground lift seem like a big commitment.

We sit down with James Atkins, Key Account Manager for Totalkare to get to know his background and answer some quickfire questions. 

Need to speak to an expert? Visit https://totalkare.co.uk/

Let’s be honest: changing tyres isn’t an everyday job.

In most cases, it takes years on the road (or tens of thousands of miles) before your vans and coaches need a new set of treads.

But when we’re talking about scale – fleets with dozens of commercial vehicles, or busy workshops with high demand – things start to get serious.

And that’s when a dedicated tyre changer can save your business some serious time and money.

Here’s how investing in an in-house tyre changer can help:

There’s a lot of red tape when it comes to MOT testing.

From the layout of your site to the equipment you use, you need to be sure you’ve got all the right parts in place before you commit to investing your cash.

So to help you get started – and so you know what’s ahead – we’ve put together a step-by-step guide to setting up shop as a Class 7 MOT test centre.

When you’re working with vehicles, space is at a premium.

And unless you’re running a workshop in an expansive warehouse premises, you need to squeeze the most value out of every precious square metre you have.

So how can you make sure that every inch of your workshop is being put to good use on a daily basis?

With the kind of equipment that’s flexible, mobile, and adaptable to different spaces and different levels of demand.

Here’s how mobile equipment can help to give you higher capacity, greater productivity, and the versatility you need to match a wider range of jobs and contracts:

We’ve been in the mobile column lift game for a long time. (41 years, if you’re counting!)

We’re proud of our exceptional quality and the robust safety features we put into every lift we build. But we’ve seen first-hand just how far and fast the technology has progressed in that time.

Our latest mobile column lifts (like the T8DC and T8AC) are built on that progression – taking those same robust features and high-quality builds, and improving on them in almost every way.

And if you’re currently running a workshop with our RG, MVL, SVL or Series IV lifts, you could save some serious money by upgrading through our part exchange scheme.

Here’s everything you need to know:

When you’re running a vehicle workshop, it’s all too easy to focus on the big-ticket machinery – the lifts, the pits, and the high-tech testing equipment.

But if you want to run the tightest ship you can (with efficiency and safety as a top priority) you need to take care of the everyday tasks, too.

And when you’re servicing vehicles on a daily basis, oils and fluids can become a serious hassle without the right equipment.

So to help you get to grips with the finer points of oil and waste oil management, we’ve put together the top 5 pieces of oil-management kit that every vehicle workshop needs.

Explore how you can reduce your carbon footprint through in-house testing with our latest podcast celebrating Earth Day. 

Our latest 2-part podcast special discusses how our industry can help save the planet. We cover hot topics such as emission standards, how you can analyse your emissions and how to cut your emissions.

Testing for emissions isn’t just about hitting environmental targets – it’s an essential health check of your vehicles’ engines that can help your business to save money on fuel and maintenance.

But while the smoke meters themselves are built to be user-friendly, understanding the readings isn’t as simple as it seems.

Here’s everything you need to know about how a Diesel Smoke Meter works – and how to make sure your vehicles are compliant:

Fastening nuts and bolts might seem like a simple task.

But when we’re talking about trucks and coaches – vehicles weighing multiple tonnes that are out on the road under huge forces – there’s really no room for error with fittings that are too loose or too tight.

So if you’re running a fleet or a vehicle workshop, the safety of your drivers and your vehicles should be top priority – and that means taking your torque wrenches and fasteners seriously.

Our latest podcast discusses everything you need to know about calibrating your torque tools:

When you’re lifting heavy vehicles, safety is the top priority.

But when it comes to wet work (like under-chassis washing), there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye.

We’re all aware of the risks involved with weight, balance, and stability. But working with water has its own hidden dangers – and using the wrong equipment could lead to higher repair costs, unnecessary maintenance, or even serious danger to the people working on your vehicles.

Our latest podcast discusses what you need to know about using mobile column lifts in wet environments like wash bays:

What’s the most common defect that leads to vehicle MOT failure?

The steering? The tyres? The suspension?

They all sound believable. But they’re not even close.

When we think about vehicles failing their MOTs, it’s natural to think about the high-profile risks – the physical mechanics of how the vehicle moves on the road.

But here’s the truth:

The number-one reason for a vehicle failing its MOT has nothing to do with the engine, the wheels, or the structure and strength of the vehicle itself:

It’s about the headlamps.

There’s been a lot of misunderstanding about inspection pits over the years.

Despite the huge strides forward in technology and safety measures, some people are still stuck with the same out-dated image of what working in a pit is like:

They think of a dark underground space with crumbling walls and a leaking floor – a place with poor ventilation that catches a few clumsy workers in its jaws every month.

But here’s the truth, the industry has come a long way in the last few decades.

Find out how to make your inspection pits safe by listening to our podcast:

It’s an age-old debate: lifts or pits?

But when you’re setting up shop to service vehicles, there usually isn’t a quick and easy answer.

They’re all safe and effective. They’re all wise investments. They’re all robust and reliable pieces of kit, equipped with the latest innovations in modern technology.

But they all have their own specific uses. And the right choice for your business depends on exactly how and where you want to use them – and what you need to use them for.

So to help you get a better understanding of your options, we’ve put together a direct comparison of the three most popular solutions: Mobile Column Lifts, Fixed Lifts, and Vehicle Inspection Pits.

There’s a lot that goes into keeping your vehicles in good shape.

With so much attention placed on the high-profile elements (like the brakes, the tyres, and the emissions) it’s easy to overlook the smaller details that can have a huge impact.

But there’s one part of vehicle servicing that should never be ignored – and it could be costing you a lot more money than you think.

No company wants a huge tax bill – especially when it’s the hefty flat rate of Corporation Tax.  But this year’s Government Budget was met with a warm welcome from every company that pays corporation tax – and it’s all to do with the new rules around ‘Super Deduction’.

So what does that mean? Let’s get into it:

Every workshop knows it needs a strong and reliable vehicle lift.

But with so much focus on the heavy-duty equipment, it’s easy to forget about all the essential extras – the invaluable supporting tools that make working on vehicles safer and faster.

So we’ve put together this essential list of the most important secondary lifting tools that no workshop should be without.

Any tycoon will tell you that oil is pricey.  But there’s a lot more to saving money than just how and where you buy it.  At every stage of the journey your oil takes, good oil management can help your workshop save money – and the right equipment can help you make sure that every drop counts.

Tune in to today's podcast to learn how managing your oil can make a difference to your business.

So you’re in the market for a new vehicle lift for your commercial workshop. You’ve seen all the options and boiled it down to two (a 2-post or 4-post lift) – but you’re still not sure which is the best fit for your business.

If that sounds like you, we’ve got a little secret for you... tune in for our expert advice!

When you’re investing in heavy-duty workshop equipment, it pays to be fully informed before you part with your cash.

So to help you be sure you’re making the right decision, we’ve put together some important tips and questions you need to ask before choosing your brand-new brake tester.