Broken rear spring - MOT fail or not?
 

The rear springs on my tourer both snapped within a few months of each other over 5 years ago.

In each case, only the bottom half turn of the spring broke, and the height of the car was unaffected

After replacing one rear spring, I recall being told by someone who I had believed was informed, that this was not an MOT failure.

The car has been MOT tested more than 5 times since the original failure.

I had also assumed that the lower seat of the spring was not viewable with the wheels on and that could be why it was not noted.


I have just had the car MOT'd and it failed due to "Offside Rear Upper coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)" and two other items that I have since rectified.

I would have had a go at replacing the spring, but I am struggling to undo the ARB drop-links as the nuts are just rotating and I cannot see any suitable flat section to get a spanner onto.

I need to take it to another MOT station and pay again, because the original centre does not have any convenient appointments and it has been over 10 days since the failure.

From these photos of the spring, would it look like a definite or marginal MOT failure ??

Broken spring
 

At the end of the day the spring is broken so it needs replacing.I have replaced mine with out having to remove/un doe the ARB,Just disconnect the lower shock absorber bolt this will allow the arm to drop enough to remove the broken spring.

it is normally recommended to replace them as a pair.:o

Thanks for the reply. It is interesting to read that fact.

All of the other info on the forum, Haynes and YouTube suggests that ether the ARB must be disconnected or removed and the top and bottom bolts of the hub need to be removed as well as the shock absorber bolt.

I had also read that it was possible to leave all of these connected and to unbolt and partly drop the subframe on one side.

Yes by far the easiest way of doing the job Steve ;)

You don't need to remove the ARB to replace the rear springs

Simply slacken slightly the subframe bolts opposite side to the spring you're changing, and remove the ones on the side you're changing the spring on, along with the bottom damper mount.

Once you done that, refit the subframe bolts to that side and remove the opposite side.

Once the new springs are fitted, torque up the subframe bolts to the specified torque and job done

Beats frabbing about with drop links and rusted fasteners any day of the week.....20 minutes to do both rear springs

Brian https://the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/i...es/biggrin.gif

No ifs & buts a fractured spring is now a major failure and thus a fail for MoT purposes. according to new test requirements :-https://training.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/documents/manuals/class3457/Section-5-Axles-Wheels-Tyres-and-Suspension.html#section_5.3

No change there then - it was a fail under the old system and quite right too.

Very easy to miss broken rear springs on our cars though.

Just fitted a pair of rears on my 190 because the O/S had broken on the bottom.

Very straightforward job & to be honest, I'll only fit them in pairs.

It's true that the lower part of the spring is concealed but if you know these cars, you know where to look!!

In any case, a broken spring is something that should be rectified irrespective of MOT.

Yes it’s deffinately a fail, if the tester spots it and by now they should be well clued up on the 75’s for broken rear springs.

Several years back my diesel passed three tests with a broken rear spring.

My current project car failed among other things, a broken front spring.

When I was doing my partial restoration on the car it also had both rear springs broken unnoticed in the test, which of course have now been replaced.

If broken, then have them replaced, both. I managed to do mine and after releasing the lower nuts, on advice I believe I found on this forum, placed a plank of wood on the hub and balancing on that gave enough space to pop the new springs in.

Chaps - one of my rear springs has broken and of course I now need to replace both. I know for a fact that the pivot bolt on the lower arm on the broken side is rusted in place as I've tried to shift it in the past, and so too (annoyingly) is one of the ARB bolts - so do I take it from Brian's message:




...that I don't need to touch that upper arm joint or the ARB? I just wondered if those instructions had been omitted!



I'd been putting the job off until I could get hold of another subframe and rebuild it with new springs and associated parts to avoid the possibility of getting my car into an undriveable state.