MOT failed.......

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11th Commandment - Do not take your vehicle to an MOT testing station that does remedial work.

Always use the council testing stations. They test according to the book and have no incentive to feed work to their workshops.

G~
 
gencybay said:
11th Commandment - Do not take your vehicle to an MOT testing station that does remedial work.

Always use the council testing stations. They test according to the book and have no incentive to feed work to their workshops.

G~
Click to expand...


How does this work re the condition "for vehicles left at the testing station for repairs, no further test fee is payable" or words to that effect?
 
Two things I've learnt about MoTs...

Firstly, not all MoT testers are the same. Our P38 came with a fresh MoT with an advisory. Can't remember what it was, but it was mechanical and it's never been fixed. Since then it's been through 3 MoTs at different stations without a single advisory. So, either the P38 fixed itself, or 3 different MoT testers have missed something, or the original tester was wrong.

Secondly, you can get a fail for some really stupid things. Our VW Transporter was once failed for a leaf stuck under the driver's windscreen wiper. The tester (Kwik Fit) didn't notice the leaf - just noticed that the wiper didn't clear the screen properly in the correct areas. When I told him I'd changed the wipers the week previously, he found and removed the leaf, and then passed it - and for the rest of time I was there got the p!ss taken out of him by all the other members of staff... :D Serves him right.
 
Many garages use the MOT test facility as a work generator. Absolute and utter fact in my experience. The average Joe, which is the vast majority of the motoring public who don't know their arse from their elbow, keep them ticking over through sometimes spurious fails.
 
I have always stayed at the garage and watched the MOT take place....ever since my first car, I have never not viewed my MOT's being carried out. I do this for both my vehicles and also the girlfriends too...

The MOT station has to provide a viewing area, I generally hang around out side the testing bay, as our MOT garage doesn't usually close the shutters, unless it is really cold, and when they do, they ask if I want to step inside the test bay to stay warm...which I do.

I never interrupt nor ask the tester anything just observe......

During one MOT the tester came up to me and said he may have to fail the girlfriends car due to an Obstruction on the windscreen but if that obstruction was removed by the time he gets to that point on the checklist all will be well - She had put the Sat Nav cradle inside the 'Drivers Vision' panel, while he checked headlamp alignment, I took the cradle off the window....vehicle passed.

I understand people need to go to work etc, but I always take a half day or a full day from work and wait for the MOT.

Most recently the Girlfriends Fiat 500 went for the MOT....he seemed in my mind to spend a little longer checking the steering/suspension joints on one side than the other....after the test I asked him if he had noticed anything as he seemed to be looking for something or was concerned with something...he said no issues, he had dropped his pen up there and was looking for it....!!
 
awillemsen said:
Two things I've learnt about MoTs...

Firstly, not all MoT testers are the same. Our P38 came with a fresh MoT with an advisory. Can't remember what it was, but it was mechanical and it's never been fixed. Since then it's been through 3 MoTs at different stations without a single advisory. So, either the P38 fixed itself, or 3 different MoT testers have missed something, or the original tester was wrong.

Secondly, you can get a fail for some really stupid things. Our VW Transporter was once failed for a leaf stuck under the driver's windscreen wiper. The tester (Kwik Fit) didn't notice the leaf - just noticed that the wiper didn't clear the screen properly in the correct areas. When I told him I'd changed the wipers the week previously, he found and removed the leaf, and then passed it - and for the rest of time I was there got the p!ss taken out of him by all the other members of staff... :D Serves him right.
Click to expand...

Probably the worst of the lot. I have yet to meet anyone who has had a Kwik Fit fail for an item of work that they don't do.

G~
 
At last going to order parts.
New tyres due this Fri, getting General Grabber ATs all round.
The old tyres mentioned earlier, although were for the same wheel size and same tread but by different manufacturers are actually alarmingly different.
Sat side by side one is over half and inch taller than the other. Glad to be rid of them.

The front radius arm bushes are next. They are shot, I was able to look myself.
What type? Single item bush with steel tube inserted already or the other bushes that come in 2 halves with a separate steel tube?
Any preference?
Rear bush for the front radius arms, although they are ok, it is only £1 for a new one and thought maybe change at the same time?

Track rod end, the short drag link on the left hand side is what is worn as the gaiter around it has split. I notice there are 3 types to get from Island 4x4 so was opting for the mid price one.

Foglight tell tale is behind the actual switch itself. Not touched it yet.

Hope you can advise on the bushes and maybe drag link really.
Thanks again.
Cheers
 
James, I have just fitted the split type radius arm bushes on mine. Pig of a job to do on your own. Make sure you have stands and a good jack. You will have to drop the track rod to slide them out.

My bushes went into the arm very easy. Put 1 half, then the other, then the steel tube. Give the bolts a damn good soaking up before removal. And if they have gone that bad, you will have to grip the tube with mole grips.

To me, the split bushes fill the gap better.

The bushes (there 2 on each arm) on the back of the arm are a swine to get lined up. Put a small chamfer on the inner edge.
 
Thanks for your input guys.

One thing I forgot to mention......... On the left front wheel there seems to be a linkage for a steering tie/track rod, or something, it comes from the front of the hub. There is nothing attached to it, so I am hoping nothing has fallen off and that the linkage is unused on RHD vehicles.
Any idea?

Cheers
 
Last edited:
JamesBB said:
Thanks for your input guys.

One thing I forgot to mention......... On the left front wheel there seems to be a linkage for a steering tie/track rod, or something, it comes from the front of the hub. There is nothing attached to it, so I am hoping nothing has fallen off and that the linkage is unused on RHD vehicles.
Any idea?

Cheers
Click to expand...

I think I am correct saying the panhard rod is attached the the same linkage on the right wheel....:confused:
 
JamesBB said:
Thanks for your input guys.

One thing I forgot to mention......... On the left front wheel there seems to be a linkage for a steering tie/track rod, or something, it comes from the front of the hub. There is nothing attached to it, so I am hoping nothing has fallen off and that the linkage is unused on RHD vehicles.
Any idea?

Cheers
Click to expand...

Do you not mean LHD vehicles is yours a left legger?
 
wammers said:
That would give some interesting steering. Panhard rod is to stop axle from moving side to side. Attaches from axle to chassis. :):)
Click to expand...

Got you, so it is the steering arm. Not really worked on steering much, can you tell?

Also, I did mean LHD, and mine is definitely RHD, nothing sinister going on there :)
 
JamesBB said:
Got you, so it is the steering arm. Not really worked on steering much, can you tell?

Also, I did mean LHD, and mine is definitely RHD, nothing sinister going on there :)
Click to expand...

Which way are you looking when you say L/H front wheel? You say your car is RHD which wheel when sat in the drivers seat.
 
The spare hole on the right side is for thr drag link on LHD vehicles.

Dont worry about it. You don't use it.

It was another cheap idea to manufacture the stub axles for both formats rather than cast them gor each different application.
 
sas1810 said:
The spare hole on the right side is for thr drag link on LHD vehicles.

Dont worry about it. You don't use it.

It was another cheap idea to manufacture the stub axles for both formats rather than cast them gor each different application.
Click to expand...

Yeah i do know that, just wondering how it could be missing a drag link on the L/H front hub on a RHD vehicle. He did say L/H front wheel did he not? :D:D
 
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