Bit of moral support needed after MoT fail... - Page 2

jn12 · 13th September 2017, 11:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tourist

Hello chaps,

It's been an annoying day - the Tourer failed its MoT today, which is the first time it's ever had as much as an advisory other than tyres on its MoT record.

The work required isn't too bad at all and in truth if I'd been more organised I'd probably have done most of it before the test, but life gets in the way sometimes, doesn't it....?

It's failed on rear brakes, handbrake and most annoyingly a rotten upper rear suspension arm, as well as a couple of other annoyances which amount to nothing more than changing a couple of bulbs. Advisories were mainly about thin front brake discs which will also get replaced before a retest.

I'd actually bought new rear discs and pads prior to the test, when I also did a service and lots of other preparatory stuff, but hadn't the time or the required TORX bit (what size is it anyway?!) to replace before the test, and only noticed the rot in the upper arm the day before. Grrr.

Anyway, thanks to this forum (hello Arctic!!) I've got a handbrake compensator on the way and also from DMGRS a new suspension arm so if those get here for Friday, I can spend the day fitting them, along with the discs and pads. I reckon my yearly subs is money well spent.

How much of a pain is it to fit the upper arm?- I guess It'll be a case of removing the rear subframe? maybe an opportunity for some major waxoyling while I'm under there.

Anyway, here's to getting another one through for another year :-)

Good luck and hope it all goes smoothly, do let us know how you get on.

Tourist · 16th September 2017, 17:25

Hello again all,

Good news - after a day in the workshop with it yesterday, the Rover passed the MoT this morning

Steve (Arctic on this forum) very kindly got a new handbrake compensator to me pretty much over night so fitting that was my first job. It's a bit of a pain to fit really, with the carpet and seats in place (even with his clear instructions) but I got it done. My original unit is on the way back to him under his part-exchange scheme.

Next job was to get the upper rear suspension arm out. The captive nut on the subframe held on, so I could get the inboard clamp bolt out without dropping the subframe. Phew. Getting it off the car was a simple case of following Mr Haynes's instructions, however, you don't need to remove the anti-roll bar, you just have to undo the ball joints at either end of it.

I couldn't get the lower arm inboard clamp nut undone, even with all my strength at the end of a breaker bar. I shall have to attend to that in the near future though because in doing all this work I found out that one of my rear springs aint too pretty

With the arm replaced I could then change the rear discs and pads and then adjust the handbrake.

As an aside, I followed Mr. Haynes's instructions for adjusting the handbrake and have to say that I don't think much of that way of doing things, because by definition you end up with the handbrake adjuster at the lever end almost at the limit of its travel (22 - 24 mm, with the limit being 25 mm). As a result I got an Mot Advisory about little handbrake reserve travel. Still at least I now know what that means - I thought it was referring to lever height, rather than the amout of thread left to screw the nut down under the lever.

Seems to me that the best way to adjusting the handbrake is to undo the nut under the lever to the end of the thread, then adjust both wheel adjusters so that the brake is just about to bind on either side, then once they're both balanced, adjust the nut under the lever so that you get a fully applied handbrake on the third click.

Anyone agree / disagree? - I'm going to have another go at it soon so that it's adjusted to my satisfaction.

Anyway, I finished everything at about 7 pm last night (having started at 9 am) so it was a relief to have it done in time and get it down to the test centre.

Cheers everyone for the help and encouragement, especially Steve (arctic) and Mat (DMGRS).

Here's to another year's Rovering ;-)

16th September 2017, 17:25	#12
Tourist Loves to post 2004 Rover 75 Tourer CDTi Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Fulbourn, Cambridge Posts: 455 Thanks: 105 Thanked 123 Times in 101 Posts	Hello again all, Good news - after a day in the workshop with it yesterday, the Rover passed the MoT this morning Steve (Arctic on this forum) very kindly got a new handbrake compensator to me pretty much over night so fitting that was my first job. It's a bit of a pain to fit really, with the carpet and seats in place (even with his clear instructions) but I got it done. My original unit is on the way back to him under his part-exchange scheme. Next job was to get the upper rear suspension arm out. The captive nut on the subframe held on, so I could get the inboard clamp bolt out without dropping the subframe. Phew. Getting it off the car was a simple case of following Mr Haynes's instructions, however, you don't need to remove the anti-roll bar, you just have to undo the ball joints at either end of it. I couldn't get the lower arm inboard clamp nut undone, even with all my strength at the end of a breaker bar. I shall have to attend to that in the near future though because in doing all this work I found out that one of my rear springs aint too pretty With the arm replaced I could then change the rear discs and pads and then adjust the handbrake. As an aside, I followed Mr. Haynes's instructions for adjusting the handbrake and have to say that I don't think much of that way of doing things, because by definition you end up with the handbrake adjuster at the lever end almost at the limit of its travel (22 - 24 mm, with the limit being 25 mm). As a result I got an Mot Advisory about little handbrake reserve travel. Still at least I now know what that means - I thought it was referring to lever height, rather than the amout of thread left to screw the nut down under the lever. Seems to me that the best way to adjusting the handbrake is to undo the nut under the lever to the end of the thread, then adjust both wheel adjusters so that the brake is just about to bind on either side, then once they're both balanced, adjust the nut under the lever so that you get a fully applied handbrake on the third click. Anyone agree / disagree? - I'm going to have another go at it soon so that it's adjusted to my satisfaction. Anyway, I finished everything at about 7 pm last night (having started at 9 am) so it was a relief to have it done in time and get it down to the test centre. Cheers everyone for the help and encouragement, especially Steve (arctic) and Mat (DMGRS). Here's to another year's Rovering ;-)