Hello all, Sparky failed its MOT yesterday on a few things; offside front hub (fitted this evening), nearside cv joint boot (but seriously though I checked that 2 weeks ago!!!!! sourced; to be fitted tomorrow evening), nearside headlamp aim too high (will sort when it gets dark tomorrow), and offside rear numberplate bulb shot... Only problem is I don't know the spec of the bulb... Does anyone know what I need to buy? All the mechanical stuff is no problem but even the merest hint of voltage and my hackles rise and i start twitching!!! (possibly should wear rubber boots!!)...

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks in anticipation...

Cheers, Luke.

Number plate bulbs are the same as interior light bulbs.

Yeah that Luke...Rick is spot on....

kev

Cheers gents, I'll try and get one tomorrow... I'm gonna try to get the car re-tested on Thursday... I'll let you know how it goes.

Cheers again, Luke.

Try your head light level adjustment for your misaligned headlamp. I found this to be wrong on my Panda a while ago. One was up one was down

The MOT tester probably wouldn't bother checking this, and may even assume that a Panda's headlights don't have level adjustment...

Good luck Luke....The possie all have their exhaust's crossed...

kev

Formula 91 said:

The MOT tester probably wouldn't bother checking this, and may even assume that a Panda's headlights don't have level adjustment...

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All cars have this, but it's not the place of the MOT tester to make adjustments to vehicles. Only done normally if done through a garage which you've instructed to sort bits out that would cause the car to fail.

Jon.

Most Easterly Pandas said:

All cars have this, but it's not the place of the MOT tester to make adjustments to vehicles. Only done normally if done through a garage which you've instructed to sort bits out that would cause the car to fail.

Jon.

Click to expand...

Sorry I don't think I explained very well. What I was refering to was the adjustment for vehicle loading, so that when you have a fully laden car you can adjust your lights down to prevent blinding oncoming drivers. On modern cars this is either automatically done, or by a switch on the dash. On older cars it's a knob/lever behind the lamp itself.
The point I was making is that some nice tester may have realised this and just switched it up or down acordinally. Not all older cars have this adjustment.

Jon you're right in saying all cars have headlight alignment adjustment, but this is a couple of smaller screw type adjusments that should only be made with the correct beam alignment equipment (or a calibrated wall, and some chalk ).
And yes MOT testers aren't supposed to make adjustments, although in my experience if it is something minor like a bulb out, they will sort it for you there and then.

So in summary, if your head light leveling is out lamp to lamp, first check both the 'loading' level adjusters are set the same.

Formula 91 said:

And yes MOT testers aren't supposed to make adjustments, although in my experience if it is something minor like a bulb out, they will sort it for you there and then.

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My friendly local garage has been doing my MOT's for donkeys years. They will always sort out something minor like a headlamp adjustment or a bulb without even asking.. think it comes under the heading of "customer service".

Hence why they've profited from my repeat business all this time..

Cheers,

Plug

Plug said:

My friendly local garage has been doing my MOT's for donkeys years. They will always sort out something minor like a headlamp adjustment or a bulb without even asking.. think it comes under the heading of "customer service".

Hence why they've profited from my repeat business all this time..

Cheers,

Plug

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:yeahthat:...same as the one i go to...

Hmmm. This thread has got me thinking. Is a headlight level adjustment gizmo a legal requirement? Will it be an MOT fail if it doesn't have one, even if the lights are correctly aligned?

I ask because the headlights on Satan's Rodent are fixed. They don't have a means of lowering the beam for loads in the back.


EDIT:
OK, might have answered my own question but I still have a niggling doubt. Checked the requirements of the MOT concerning lights here:

http://www.ukmot.com/mot_check.asp

There is no mention of adjustment for load, just that the aim is within set specifications. Can anyone clarify?

default_user said:

Hmmm. This thread has got me thinking. Is a headlight level adjustment gizmo a legal requirement? Will it be an MOT fail if it doesn't have one, even if the lights are correctly aligned?

I ask because the headlights on Satan's Rodent are fixed. They don't have a means of lowering the beam for loads in the back.

Click to expand...

I don't see how they can fail you if your lights are correctly aligned, regarless of whether you have load level adjustment.

I have had a number of cars which don't have this feature. Most have been 70's or 80's cars, but even my 7 y/o Landy doesn't have it.

Did satin's rodent go through an SVA test when it was completed, or is it still a 'standard' Panda ?

SR was originally built before SVA was even thought of so only needed to pass an MOT when first built to be road legal. When it was built the first time the original Panda headlights were used which had load adjusters as standard. I've now rebuilt and extensively modified it. The whole front end is completely different now (and much better than orginal in my opinion) with the main headlights being Metro items.

Having thought about it a bit more, when looking at pictures of other kit cars that have headlights in pods I can't see that they have any adjustment for load.

The acid test will come when SR goes in for the MOT. I'll just have to take the hit and make any modifications that might be needed. I'm just a natural born worrier.

A couple of washers top or bottom should work to tilt them...

kev

I bought some LED's for my interiour and numberplates. They iluminate the whole road under the numberplate.
Bought these: http://aceparts.com/led-bulbs-by-fitting/272/festoon-ultra-led-bulb-39mm-interior-number-plate.htm

For the interiour i got them somewhere else but they aren't that good quality as the LED units from aceparts.