18 replies to this topic

[Jet Williams]

Got my fingers and toes crossed, not sure what to expect really. Just hope they don't find any terminal rot I suppose! Sat at work waiting for the phone call now. It's like waiting for hospital test results!

[spiguy]

Got my fingers and toes crossed, not sure what to expect really. Just hope they don't find any terminal rot I suppose! Sat at work waiting for the phone call now. It's like waiting for hospital test results!

I know that feeling...... It is horrible. I never expect mine to pass, and rot or emissions are the main two worries. I have done a little bit of bodging on my car, where really I should have had new metal welded in, but skill and cash shortage did not allow.. I always worry they will find it!

Also, when / if it does pass, I need to try very hard not to look too surprised!!

Good luck, and let us know the outcome.

I think with minis, you really need to find a decent garage, and by decent I dont just mean good at doing work and good value, I also mean that they have the ability to apply reasonable judgment and dont just enforce the absolute letter of the MOT in its most sever form (alot of places do this). My local garage is run by guys who started off fixing cars in their garden when they were young men, and know their stuff. So whilst I'm sure they would not let me away with anything serious, they don't just look at a bit of rust on a mini and say "thats within 30 cm of a suspension mount, FAIL!"

We await your (hopefully) success!

[cookie4343]

Hope your mini passes mate, if not it may just fail on silly little things, but think positive as you never no you might be surprised.

[Jet Williams]

And the verdict is..... FAIL


The good news is that it doesn't sound particularly horrendous; it failed on a split steering rack boot, and excessive play in both upper ball joints. Anyone know what parts I'd need from Minispares? At least they didn't find any serious corrosion.

Cheers!

[Naif_Wolves]

Steering rack boot is pennies, and your ball joints may grease out if your lucky. Ask at the garage what they recommend to do!

[Ethel]

you might get away with reshimming the the ball joints but they're not expensive

A kit contains 2 joints for 1 side but would also do both upper joints

[evansisgreat]

Miniworld did a guide to doing your ball joints a month or 2 ago. PM me and ill sort you out if want a copy.

[cookie4343]

And the verdict is..... FAIL


The good news is that it doesn't sound particularly horrendous; it failed on a split steering rack boot, and excessive play in both upper ball joints. Anyone know what parts I'd need from Minispares? At least they didn't find any serious corrosion.

Cheers!

See i said think positive, thats not a bad fail 3 things, hope you sort it and get it back on the road asap.

[Jet Williams]

Miniworld did a guide to doing your ball joints a month or 2 ago. PM me and ill sort you out if want a copy.

Thanks for that offer; I'll just check when I get home that I don't already have a copy, but I may well take you up on that!

Thanks to cookie4343 for the positive vibes!

I'm actually quite pleased; when he told me it had failed I thought my credit card was heading for a monumental hammering, but it isn't that bad at all.

[cookie4343]

Mine failed last year on a steering rack, 2 hours work later it had 12 months m.o.t, hopefully goes straight thru this year.

[dazzul]

Mine runs out sunday

[Jet Williams]

A kit contains 2 joints for 1 side but would also do both upper joints

Thanks for the advice! Think I might aswell order some new joints just in case; they're not exactly expensive so it seems to make sense to replace them.

So would this kit: Minispares GSJ166MS

be used to do both upper joints rather than upper and lower on one side?

[MiniBonkerz]

Miniworld did a guide to doing your ball joints a month or 2 ago. PM me and ill sort you out if want a copy.

Could i get a copy please

[Danny_California]

A kit contains 2 joints for 1 side but would also do both upper joints

Thanks for the advice! Think I might aswell order some new joints just in case; they're not exactly expensive so it seems to make sense to replace them.

So would this kit: Minispares GSJ166MS

be used to do both upper joints rather than upper and lower on one side?

Good thinking, but make sure they are genuine ball joints, have heard nightmare stories of non-gen parts breaking and in most cases then the whole wheel will come loose, and usually cause an awful lot of damage to the wing/ a panel area.
I think one kit can be used to do top of both sides, its just they come with a spring or something that you need for the bottom I think. That was the explaination from the chap in GMF anyway
Although I might be backwards I'm not sure, someone correct me lol

[Jet Williams]

Right, booked in again for tomorrow, can't wait to get Jospeh back on the road! Missed driving him but the weather's been pants anyway, and I don't like taking him out in the wet.