MOT fail
 

Hi all. Had a suspension arm ball joint excessively worn front (both)
suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn. My concern with taking the vehicle back to the same garage is that I had new arms/bushes fitted two years ago at the same place and have only done 10.000 miles since. I have had no feedback during driving to suggest there is wear. The garage also say that the parts they use are Rover and not cheaper aftermarket ones. Thoughts welcome.
I cannot seem to download images.

Definitely go to a different garage - or ask one of the guys here - to have the ball joints, bushings and hubs looked at. Are they really that worn in 10,000 miles? Were they actually replaced? What brand/quality of parts were actually installed? These are the questions that should be in your head to discuss with whoever looks at it for you.

Good luck,
Glenn

buy the parts your self and then get it fixed best way to get it and is cheaper

BOTH sides AGAIN ---:eek:

Not likely. My guess would be they didn't get changed last time they were supposed to be sorted out.

Could be the hubs weren't clamped tight enough to the lower arm balljoints. Common problem as the official torque figure is barely enough, and over time any movement will wear the hub.

You, or your mechanic need to examine exactly where the play is - easy to do once the wheel is off the ground and the car securely chocked.

Agreed, also if the bolts were refitted and the shanks had worn, the joint will chatter. In the previous DVSA tester manual, it had expressed that many suspension designs have a "Built In" amount of play. Mercedes Benz Sprinter for example, this rule will apply to generate an advisory for any design with slight play or even wear based on the movement in relation to the diameter of the ball pin itself. Thus, a ball joint can pass with a level of play on any component - Drop links, lower ball joints, track rod ends ETC.
I make no claim to allowing slack / clearly worn out joints getting a pass, but the manual has a section relating to the permissible play.

Thanks all for your thoughts. I did repair the front struts a few months back after a broken coil so quite possible I either did not tighten the pinch bolts or they were already worn, hence I now understand how the ball joints would wear and also how the rear bushes would too. The car failed on the same items at a second MOT centre so I am getting lower arms and rear bushes replaced. Still a fantastically smooth car to drive and great value considering it is now 17 years old.

Worth checking to see where the play is mate, if the hubs are worn then fitting new lower arms won't cure it.

You may save the cost of buying new arms though. :}