Failed MOT!!!

[Alzy]

Right..

Took the bus in yesterday for its MOT and there is a few things i`m unsure about! :?:

Firstly it failed on a couple of things that i can sort: :idea:

Welding to front chassis rail :?
Welding to rear n/s jacking point. :?

But here are the things i`m uncertain of how to fix and why..??? :?:

Right first he said that he wants the anti roll bar nuts swapped for nylocks and i wouldn`t have thought that would be a problem and also the top shock absorber mounts changed to nylocks but he also said that he wanted the bottom mounts changed too!! But i`m sure these aren`t standard thread so how can i get around that??

Also my brakes were apparantly imbalanced by 80% and that i needed a new wheel cylinder up front! But it runs discs up front so does this mean a new caliper?

And last but not least it was pulled up on play in the steering column!! Now it seems as though the steering box is fine but i think there must be a bearing of some kind in the top of the steering column? Is there? And how do i get it out? It`s in pieces as we speak! :idea:

Thanks in advance for all the help!! :!:

Cheers

Alex :wink:

 

[Araon]

Nylocs ... why?... theres many ways to lock off the nut.... thread lock - drill and pin - lock nuts.....

your brakes 80% imbalance is a bit excessive...the fact hes talking about the cylinder strikes me hes talking out of his arse, however check your brake pipes rigid and flexi, look at the fluid (bleed a little into a jar), when the fluid brakes down or the hose brakes down you'll get a dark murky looking fluid. check the pads and fit a caliper kit and generally clean up the caliper.

How much play in the steering do you have? is his work predominantly newer vehicles? or was it specifically play on the column? if its excessive play its more likely to be the bushing located at the mounting rather than the bearing at the top of the column...

 

[Alzy]

Cheers for the reply Araon
:mrgreen:

Well as for the steering play its about 10mm maximum and after stripping the steering wheel and indicator assembly off i rocked the column back and forth whilst watching the rubber coupling at the bottom of the column(steering box end) and the movement seemed to be hidden somewhere at the top. Bearing? :?:

The brakes were totally bled throughout the van on sunday with clean fluid.

I`m just unsure to what the guy wants me to do with the nuts and bolts.

Also the rear n/s brake is binding so i guess thats just a case of slackening the shoes off? :idea:

Again any help is appreciated

 

[Araon]

How old are your flexi pipes? and state of the rigids, discs in good order correct thickness, pads ok, pistons free and clean seals etc.... both calipers operating equally ie not a master cylinder prob....

the column bushing is your most likely failing point here

the nuts well he really is talking nuts.......

 

[Alzy]

How old are your flexi pipes? and state of the rigids, discs in good order correct thickness, pads ok, pistons free and clean seals etc.... both calipers operating equally ie not a master cylinder prob....

the column bushing is your most likely failing point here

the nuts well he really is talking nuts.......

I think that the n/s/f caliper is failing as when i brake it does pull to the right but the guy said that it does this for a moment then it seems to start to work and it corrects the bus back into braking in a straight line. :?

The lines look ok although he did mark one flexi as an advisory but that was on the o/s/r which was the best performing brake outta the lot. :roll:

How would i go about changing the bush mate?? :?:

And with regards to the nuts do i just smear lock tight around the thread and get them on??

O and i`ve just checked the fail sheet and he also failed the lever arm on the beam for being loose! Is there some sort of locating pin that this drops on or does it literally tighten up with the nut and bolt???

Sorry for the many Q`S :roll:

Thanks

Alex

 

[67 BAY]

Regarding your nuts just fit some spring washers under them.
Has the centre pin got up and down movement or side to side? If its slight side to side movement greasing it might take the movement out,but for the price of a centre pin it might be better to fully replace it(not like some who just replace the pin and not the bushes). It should just have a bolt tightening it and not a nut and bolt.

Steve

 

[Alzy]

Yea it has up and down movement and was hoping it was just a case of tightening it up????

Spring washers and i suppose flats wouldn`t hurt??

Cheers guys any help appreciated

Alex :wink:

 

[67 BAY]

You could check the size of the bolt that holds the lever arm on,if it is a nut and bolt,somebody might have put a smaller size in,got some s/hand ones if you need one .

 

[Alzy]

Thanks 67 Bay but see origanally it had a nut and bolt but i replaced it for a stainless steel bolt but i think was a bit to short but it threaded straight through! Is there some other nasties making the lever lift then?? The bolt was V. Tight!!! :!:

I`ve been looking at calipers and they don`t look cheap! Am i better off using a kit?? :?:

My faith is slowly starting to deteriorate :roll: :wink:

Thanks Guys


Alex

 

[froggy]

Did the MOT tester give you a price on carrying out the repairs?
The wrong type nut and bolt are not MOT failures, how would he know what the correct type should be?

 

[super-craig]

its a strange one how some mot testers say fail and another will say pass , yet in this day and age of computerised mot testing station and all the info that vosa send out to stations it makes you wonder :? as for nyloc nuts being used as a failer point , thats strange , if they are a special thread either place some kind of locking washer on them , but i would imagine the nuts would need to be torqued up or use lock tight or if you dont mind being classed as a mechanical butcher tap the nut and thread with a centre punch or chisel :shock: but this is a worse case cenario and if needs must :lol:
but as for special threads and nyloc nuts , they are available from good bolt suppliers , but if you dont mind a bit extra cost go with aero-loc nuts 8)

 

[ronmidg]

re your front brake pulling to the right, the mot man description is of a sticky caliper on the left, two things you can try before stripping, use a broad screwdriver or simler to ease the pads and hence pistons back into the calipers and free them off, and whilst stationary push the brake pedal as hard as possible.

 

[Alzy]

Thanks for all the help guys!!

I`ve taken it on the chin the fact i won`t get it done for my stag weekend at rtts (due to other commitments ) but i`ll try and get it sorted for the rest of the summer maybe!!

With regards to my swing lever moving up and down could this be the case of replacing the the pin??

Did the MOT tester give you a price on carrying out the repairs?
The wrong type nut and bolt are not MOT failures, how would he know what the correct type should be?

No he seemed as though he didn`t want the hassle especially when it came to the welding!!!

Thanks again guys!!! :mrgreen:

Alex

 

[vwvanman0]

hi,regarding the play in the top of the steering,i think bluebird customs sell bronze bushes,got one for mine years ago,prise the old bits out and just pop the new bronze ring in,good luck with the retest.

 

[Alzy]

Cheers thanks very much guys!!

 

[Alzy]

Right have been out having a play on the bus today and have managed to get the steering column bearing out!!

I`ve tried looking on heritage and bluebird but can`t seem to find a replacement!Any ideas??
Also how difficult to replace the idler pin as this may be ian idea!!

Thanks guys

Alex

 

[Alzy]

Anyone????

 

[Alzy]

Managed to get the N/s caliper off last night and split it into two parts but can`t get the pistons out to clean them!! Any suggestions how to do this or even if i need to??

Thanks guys

Alex :lol:

 

[Clarkson46]

Managed to get the N/s caliper off last night and split it into two parts but can`t get the pistons out to clean them!! Any suggestions how to do this or even if i need to??

Thanks guys

Alex :lol:

Firstly you should never split a caliper. Reassemble the caliper and hope it reseals. Then using an airline (a footpump will do) apply air pressure to where the brake pipe went with the bleed nipples closed and the pistons will push out. Put something like a g clamp around each piston so that it cannot come all the way out then you should have enough of the piston available to pull it the rest of the way. Above all, don't get you fingers between the pistons when you apply the air as it hurts like hell when you stop 2 pistons with your fingers. :mrgreen:

 

[Alzy]

ooops!! I didnt realise it was like that!! Ok i`ll try and have ago at that cheers! :wink:

Any ideas where to get this column bearing from? I`ve tried bluebirds website but noluck!!

Cheers

Al