Forum:
Hello all,
Well the Sporty is due its MOT at the beginning of may and theres a few things i need to query fixing; im short of cash as it is so cant afford to be paying the garage my life saving to fix things. Firstly are the following failures:
* Cracked Headlight- Hole goes right through
* Cracked Rear light- No white light can be seen
* Chipped Windowscreen(Top R of window.wipers do not clean)
Also on its last MOT it recieved an advisory. The first was for excessive wheel play and the second for corroded rear brake pipe. Is there cheap fixes for both of these?
Im happy to have a crack at sorting the wheel bearing. Can it be adjusted or must it be replaced? The rear brake pipe however? Could i get away with wire wooling it down and the hammeriting it or something along those lines. Ive seen the post about making your own rear brake pipes but i dont think i can manage it.
Any ideas how much it would cost to replace the wheel bearing? And could anyone provide a step by step guide...even better if pics could be included.
Many thanks
Liam
MOTeeeeeeeeed
With regard to the lights, they must be replaced, cracked glasses on headlights are a no no, the lens must be replaced on the rear light, the theory behind this is that water ingress could cause problems.
With regard to the windscreen, if the crack or chip is not in the main view area of the windscreen, and no larger than a 5p piece, it should pass. The main view area is usually defined as that area wiped by the windscreen wipers, but it is usually dependant on the tester. If you are insures fully comprehensive, most insurers will repair the screen free of charge, or resin kits are available for you to repair it.
Front wheel bearings are adjustable, simply remove the freewheel hub carefully, adjust the nut, refill with grease and refit the hub, easy once you've done one.
With regard to brake pipes, buy a flaring tool for about £20 and make your own, use copper or cupro nickel pipe and buy it in rolls, do not use steel. Rolls are available for about £8 each, there are only two types of flare, a single or double flare, the tools instructions will show you which are which. If the old nuts are in good condition drill them out with a 5mm drill bit to remove any old pipe or other debris, and reuse them.
Personally; any vehicle i have is fitted with copper pipe, maintenance free apart from changing the brake fluid every year, no more MOT failures.
MOT
Sorry to say the holed light has to go. I have a pair for a pre face lift which you are welcome to have but I live in France although I am in the UK this coming weekend and will gladly bring them over if you are in the Portsmouth/Fareham area or even Southend. I have a good set of Facelift rHD unit which I will be placing on ebay soon for selling.
The rear lights, well as long as they are not showing white you should get away with those dependant on the examiner. Im France it is just a warning of deteriation but in the UK it may well be a fail because if they are letting water in then the bulbs will blacken and pack up. The screws are somtimes very corroded so I would look out on ebay for replacements from one of the many being broken.
The chipped windscreen mustn't be in the area of the wiper sweep or above a certain diameter. If it isn't causing problems with the wipers or your vision and is within the MOT size acceptance then it will probably be noted rather than afailure, These are usually covered by your insurance with a small or often no excess and no effect on your "no claims", as indeed should be your headligts if they have stone damage. I have just had a new set on my Audi A6 at 600€ for that reason, in fact it was converting RHD to LHD but the garage put it through as damage, tut tut.
If you had a warning last MOT it shuld show up as so on their new computerised sytsem for checking this time. The wheel bearings can be tightened using the centre castelation nut on most cars but in 13 years of owning my Sportrak I have never had to do it so can't reallt offer advice on access behide the hubs, auto or manual. It should be noted though that if it is tightened it will normally need replacement at some time so should be watched.
As for the rear brake pipe this is a common failure point and whilst I accept that their are many cover up solutions like hammerite, underseal there is only one solution and that is to replace it. Not a difficult job but I would advise using a correct brake pipe spanner as the couplings coorrode. Usually if they are corroded as you undo y=the coupling the pip will twist and break off. It is dangerous to ignore brake pipe corrosion as they can go with out warning and then you have fluid on the road and no brakes. The job is simpler than the wheel bearing but can lead to additional work on the system as you progress.
I place polythene over the master cylinder and replace the cap to prevent fluid loss, replace the pipe preferably with copper or an alloy/copper mix pipe, not steel, to prevent future corrosion. Check that all the unions are secure but not overtightened as this buggers them up. Bleed the entire system either with a mate of an easy bleed tool. You can buy your own flairing ool but unless you intend doing that regular it will sit on the shelf in the garage. I restore Mini's as a hobby and replace all of mine with new copper pipes which I get as a premade set. They are not that dear and come with new unions which have usually been anodised to prevent corrosion. Perhpas I am lazy.
Pipes are available from most motor factors or try Milners. At worst take the old pipe to a motor factor or accesory shop, not Halfords, and they will either make you one or get one for you. I would at the same time replace all the fluid in the system as Mineral Brake Fluid is Hydroscopic and takes on moisture which corrodes the bores of the cylinders and lessens it hydraulic effectiveness (water compresses easier than brake fluid). With an easybleed it is simple as long as you keep the resevoir topped up. Test and once satisfied with the brakes which should be more effective with the job done. Fluid should be replaced every few years but many of us never do it although it is better to do than ignore. Synthetic fluid isn't Hydroscopic but their are mixed views on whether you can replace existing fluid with synthetic or even mix them, I understand that it can cause the seals that have been used previously with Mineral fluid to swell and fail so unless you get contrary advice replace like with like, Here in France it is difficult to get non synthetic so I have been using a synthetic mix for some time with no effect on the brakes but that may have been luck and I AM NOT ADVOCATING THAT YOU DO THE SAME.
Good luck
OLDMINIMAN
M J Young
Thank you Oldminiman for
Thank you Oldminiman for your extremely in depth reply!! And thank you too assassin!! Great replies by both! Right im going to replace the wheel bearing but im unsure on how to dismantle the FWH to get to the bearing. Is it straightforward? And ive look on Milner and there are various things using "bearing" in the title and ive not a scooby what bits i need.
With regard to the brake pipe. Is it possible to buy a ready shaped brake pipe; im not overly confident on shaping the pipe myself.
Oldminiman...Im near ipswich which is probly a bit far from Southend? Thanks all the same. I think ill pop into the garage and ask about the windscreen chip, its a little bigger than 5p so ill see what they say! And also query the rear brake light lens. Im trying to think where else i could source a headlight!!
Thanks Liam
SPORTRAK HEADLAMP
Hi Liam
I'm actually going up as far as Coggershall on Sunday but it is still a run for you from Ipswitch. If you get back to me asap and they are the old style I can drop them at Southend and my Nephew will send them for the postage, I don't want any cash for them..
Alterenatively try ebay as a number are being broken. Shop around as the private breakers are cheaper. Assuming it's a pre face lift it shouldn't be that expensive as it is just a rectangular lens wheras the post Face lift are a huge self contained unit and are bloody expensive.
OLDMINIMAN
M J Young
No probs. I dont actually no
No probs. I dont actually no if mines the pre-face lift model. Cars a 96 (n) reg? You sure you dont want any cash for them?
Best regards
Liam
Headlamps
Hi Liam
Sorry Mate the 96 is a face lift model and these are for the older models. I am putting a set of the face lift ones on ebay shortly but these are usually quite expensive. I would advise you to get a set of protectors when you do manage to get a replacement as these afre fairly cheap and stop any stone chips. Sorry I can't help. If anyone else wants a free set of RHD units for the pre facelift (from a 1991) then let me know and I will leave them in the UK for collection or post and a person to contact for them. These have no cracks or chips as I always use protectors.
OLDMINIMAN
M J Young
Wheel play
Just a thought, are you absolutley certain the excessive play is at a ROAD wheel? There is often a lot of movement in the STEERING wheel which is usually described as "excessive play at the wheel". Some MOT testers are less understanding of the vagueness of a steering box where I think you can have 75mm or 3" of free movement at the wheel before it is a failure (please someone correct me if I'm wrong), since they spend all their time on modern cars with nice tight steering racks and two trackrod ends instead of drag links and pitman arms etc.
Regards - Alastair.
Correcting You
MOT testers are tested regularly in all aspects of all vehicles, as part of the mot test, all steering and ball joints should be tested before the wheel bearing play is tested.
This eliminates the potential for it to be a joint, the wheel bearing test is a stand alone test, and consists of rocking the wheel on two planes, 6 o clock, and quarter to three. If play is found in both of these positions it is the wheel bearing, if it is quarter to three only, it is the steering mechanism.
Due to the recent explosion of popularity of 4X4's many testers are examined by VOSA, and are taught the difference between true 4X4's steering systems, and their play as part of their test.
Totally agree with you on some MOT testers being less tolerant about play in certain models, it is now one inch either side of the steering wheel centre position before it fails.
One recent incident i had was with a young cocky arrogant MOT tester who had his first testers card, it was with a family members 4X4. He claimed excess play, and i asked him to show me where it was, he wouldn't, he just kept saying it had failed, and was extremely mouthy, and had attitude. I suddenly developed attitude and picked him up with one hand and hung him on a conveniently located hook on the garage wall, nis screams bought his father out. His father started laughing when he saw him hanging from the hook, and me standing there, i explained the situation and his father examined the vehicle, "nowt up with it owd lad" was his response, and he issued the ticket. He told his son he had adopted a bad attitude with the wrong person, and that i had forgotten more about vehicles and the law than he knew, and left his son hanging all afternoon, until the garage closed.
Yes, it does depend to a large degree on the tester, their age, and their experience.
Actually, another question i
Actually, another question i was going to ask was about my spotlight i fitted.
Now ive fitted them a bit dodgy. Ive ran the wire from the spots, straight to the battery. And then another wire to a seperate fused switch in the dash. Where do i stand with this on the mot? Must they be wire in a certain way if they are to a seperate switch.
Best rgds
Sportycg
Brake Pipes and Spots.
Brake Pipes
The copper or cupro nickel pipe are very easy to shape and usually come rolled. Gentlr straighten the loops and then gently shape them to the rear axle. Dont make tight bends as this may collapse the tubing. ensure thet both ends reach the unions/cylinders and clip the pipe to the rear axle.
Spots..
There are rules and laws relating to spots but first you need to sort the wiring out. They should be connected via a relay which should be supplied with one permanat live supply, an earth, a live from the headlamp supply and then the wires to the lights. They must be paired and not singular and spots should only operate on MAIN BEAM. You can run them from the relay via a dash switch so that they are not always on with full beam. The relay prevent any overload on the wiring and is the safest method of fitting. Some relays come with a blade fuse as part of the relay or you can place an in-line fuse on the headlamp supply lead. The laws also dictate height and placement and spot should be placed above the bumper. I actually removed two of the bolts from the buper and used these to fit mine. The power of the lights for road use should not exceed,I THINK!!! 55w
Someone will correct me if that is incorrect. I think I am correct in saying that you can use stronger lights and lights high up on the roof. Again should be wired via a relay but must have an illuminated dash switch and only used OFF ROAD. Again if I am wrong someone please correct me. To date mine have never been tested as part of a UK MOT or the French Control Technique.
Sorry that the headlights were not for your model. I have now dug them all out for taking to the UK this weekend and they are vastly different .
OLDMINIMAN
M J Young