ADR Brake Testing
The brake system of a motor vehicle or trailer is one of the most important safety features and therefore has an extensive set of requirements that must be met to prove a vehicle is safe to use on a public road. The compliance of a brake system to the applicable Australian Design Rules (ADRs) includes a number of test requirements for a completed vehicle or braking system that must be physically tested.
What are the ADR requirements for brake systems?
There are three main Australian Design Rules which cover braking of a road vehicle in Australia:
ADR 31—Brake Systems for Passenger Cars
ADR 35—Commercial Vehicle Brake Systems
ADR 38—Trailer Brake Systems
ADR 31, which is based on the based on Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) Regulation 13 standard, applies to passenger cars with ADR category MA, MB and MC along with light goods vehicles up to 3500kg GVM (NA category) and some motor tricycle vehicles (LEP category). ADR 35 applies to all other motor vehicles excluding Motorcycles and Mopeds, therefore covering buses (MD and ME ADR categories) and medium to heavy goods vehicles (NB and NC categories) along with being an alternative option to ADR 31 for MB, MC and NA vehicles. Regardless of which of these standards is tested to, similar testing criteria is measured, including minimum average deceleration, maximum pedal effort and stopping distance. These standards have various methods of testing the brakes, including laden and unladen tests, service and secondary brake systems, single stop and brake fade tests along with tests with the brake system experiencing partial failures or malfunctions.
ADR 38 is the only Australian Design Rule to cover trailer braking requirements. This includes standards for light and heavy trailers, although the requirements for light trailers are extremely basic and do not have any performance criteria to meet. Compliance to ADR 38 can be met through testing an entire trailer or through the alternate standard ECE Regulation 13.
Who Might Require ADR Brake Testing?
There are a number of manufacturers or component suppliers who might require ADR testing to be carried on their system.
Vehicle Manufacturers/Importers
Prior to obtaining a vehicle type approval (VTA) or in some cases a concessional RAV entry (CRE), full compliance to the relevant braking ADR must be demonstrated, including meeting the testing performance criteria.
Second Stage of Manufacture Approval Holders
Second stage of manufacture (SSM) is when a base vehicle with a VTA is modified prior to first being supplied to market in Australia. As part of the process, the applicant for the SSM must demonstrate compliance with any ADRs affected by the modification. SSM modifications such as axle, tyre, braking and suspension modifications or GVM upgrades can affect the compliance of the braking system and require validation that the braking effort and minimum deceleration requirements continue to be met in order to be granted an SSM approval
Vehicle Modifiers
In-service vehicle modifications are covered by Vehicle Standards Bulletins (VSBs) with modification codes that must be met for the vehicle to be certified. VSB 14 is applicable for light vehicles with section LG covering braking certification and VSB 6 for heavy vehicles having section G as the code for braking. As part of these codes, many modifications will require brake testing to be completed to validate performance, with the test criteria comprising full ADR testing requirements or abridged testing to only some of the clauses depending on the nature of the modification.
Trailer Brake Suppliers
Compliance to ADR 38 for a heavy trailer can be met through completion of a calculation, however for this to be possible the individual performance characteristics of the components being fitted must be known, therefore the component must be tested to determine the torque generated during braking.
An individual trailer braking component can be covered by a component type approval (CTA) as an easy method of demonstrating compliance with the ADR. It is a requirement of any component type approval application to be supported by ADR evidence, therefore ADR testing or testing to an equivalent standard is required prior to being eligible for a CTA
Our ADR brake system testing process
Clients looking to have brake testing carried out with BTT Engineering should expect the following workflow regarding ADR brake testing:
Client contacts BTT regarding their particular ADR brake testing requirements
BTT devise test schedule and provide quote to client
Client accepts quote and BTT books in testing dates
Client provides vehicle/component to BTT for test preparation or prepares vehicle/component for testing under BTT's directives
Vehicle/component is transported to BTT Engineering or direct to site depending on situation
BTT Engineering complete ADR brake testing to the relevant ADR
Client collects vehicle from BTT Engineering
BTT Engineering supplies test report to client in format meeting requirements of an ADR test facility
How long does the brake system testing process take?
The test component of ADR brake testing typically takes 1-2 days depending on how many tests are required. The lead time relating to completing testing involves project management and can vary depending on the particular requirements, including logistics for booking where a test is to be carried out (testing cannot be completed on a public road), preparing a vehicle for testing with the necessary equipment and identifying any particular methods a vehicle's braking must be tested to, such as all possible partial failures of the system.
Why Choose BTT engineering for brake system testing?
BTT Engineering holds an RVSA Test Facility Approval (TFA) for all braking ADRs, which demonstrates our ability to meet the RVSA quality management system requirements and enables all test results to utilised for a ROVER application. We use our own VBOX 3i brake testing equipment for conduction ADR testing which has an accuracy of 2-3cm over a distance of 1000m, ensuring that any test carried out will be a true representation of a vehicle or component's performance. The software is configured to be capable of displaying test results in real time, negating the need to examine prints post-test and potentially restart testing if the test criteria were not met. Our team can carry out testing anywhere in Australia and is dedicated to ensuring that your needs can be met in the most timely manner possible.
Related brake system testing services we can help with
How much does brake system testing cost?
This will depend on the location of the vehicle as well as the type of testing being carried out. Clients looking to have ADR brake testing completed should contact us with their particular requirements for an obligation free quote.