Technical Do I need to replace my rusty rear axle ☹️
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Technical Do I need to replace my rusty rear axle ☹️
The joys of living North of the border?
To be honest I would have failed that when I was doing Mots.
Seriously structurally weakened, well beyond advisory!
I can't tell from the.photo, scabby often look worse than they really are
Really needs the top knocking off and seeing if it's solid underneath, or truly weakened or cracked
Really needs the top knocking off and seeing if it's solid underneath, or truly weakened or cracked
That's worse than my Becky (2010 1.2) and she's had two years of advisories on it now with a "promise" that it'll be failed on it next year. The springs are compromised by the rust pitting which will be forming stress concentrations which increase the likelihood of it breaking. If you're doing the axle it's only common sense to do the springs too while you're about it.
The problem used to be the tester was only allowed to use the plastic "toffee hammer" when testing for rust.
Personally I found even where a gaping hole in a sill has been filled with newspaper and body filler, that tool will not expose it.
However a gentle "bounce" with a flat metal tyre lever would do two things, one it would give a different sound and secondly a couple of bounces and the body filler would crack and drop away.
My theory was, if my name was going onto a certificate of road worthiness, I needed to feel confident.
I don't agree with some who would stab a pointed screwdriver into metalwork.
Personally I found even where a gaping hole in a sill has been filled with newspaper and body filler, that tool will not expose it.
However a gentle "bounce" with a flat metal tyre lever would do two things, one it would give a different sound and secondly a couple of bounces and the body filler would crack and drop away.
My theory was, if my name was going onto a certificate of road worthiness, I needed to feel confident.
I don't agree with some who would stab a pointed screwdriver into metalwork.
Thank you.The problem used to be the tester was only allowed to use the plastic "toffee hammer" when testing for rust.
Personally I found even where a gaping hole in a sill has been filled with newspaper and body filler, that tool will not expose it.
However a gentle "bounce" with a flat metal tyre lever would do two things, one it would give a different sound and secondly a couple of bounces and the body filler would crack and drop away.
My theory was, if my name was going onto a certificate of road worthiness, I needed to feel confident.
I don't agree with some who would stab a pointed screwdriver into metalwork.
So you suggest I should give it a couple taps with a tyre lever and knock off the flakes, and if the metal underneath sounds solid and looks ok it's probably good?
Personally I don't think there will be much left if you do that.
Aye Mike, you can make a hole in a perfectly sound panel with a sharp screwdriver. Also we had our MOT license suspended for passing a car which arguably shouldn't have been. It was a right phaf getting it back and head office were very "upset" with me into the bargain! We lost a lot of revenue and business because of it (doing MOTs is a revenue generator for most garages) A lot of us (I mean car owners/customers) spend time arguing about whether something should have been passed when it's actually quite marginal. My attitude from quite early on in my career has been that these vehicles which fascinate us so much and which we often get quite emotionally attached to are in reality absolutely lethal devices. And there are enough drivers out there taking diabolical risks that we don't want to add in the possibility of a mechanical failure, perhaps when it's heavily loaded due to someone carrying out a "dodgy/silly/risky" manoeuvre, which ends up in someone's death or injury. So I think this whole subject needs to be viewed from the perspective of maximum integrity and safety rather than "what can I get away with".The problem used to be the tester was only allowed to use the plastic "toffee hammer" when testing for rust.
Personally I found even where a gaping hole in a sill has been filled with newspaper and body filler, that tool will not expose it.
However a gentle "bounce" with a flat metal tyre lever would do two things, one it would give a different sound and secondly a couple of bounces and the body filler would crack and drop away.
My theory was, if my name was going onto a certificate of road worthiness, I needed to feel confident.
I don't agree with some who would stab a pointed screwdriver into metalwork.
Corroded & severely weakened.. or not? | FIAT Panda (Mk3)
Our 04 panda just failed mot on a few points. Feels like they have been a bit harsh with their inspection and want another opinion. Failures are all on suspension and exhaust parts which is convenient as I took it to a tyre, exhaust and suspension garage…. To me this just looks like a bit of...
www.fiatforum.com
Springs are perfectly fine, no need to change
A good percentage is cars will be the same or worse
I would have sooner been accused of being over zealous than negligent. Fortunately in all the time I did Testing I only had one official complaint and the Inspectorate backed me up.
I'll give you that if the axle was in good condition but with springs looking like this, then I'd be relatively happy to live with them and tolerate the possibility that one might give way. But, if you're fitting a new axle? I'd like to see new springs going in too.
Corroded & severely weakened.. or not? | FIAT Panda (Mk3)
Our 04 panda just failed mot on a few points. Feels like they have been a bit harsh with their inspection and want another opinion. Failures are all on suspension and exhaust parts which is convenient as I took it to a tyre, exhaust and suspension garage…. To me this just looks like a bit of...
Springs are perfectly fine, no need to change
A good percentage is cars will be the same or worse
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
My ammeter eye would have that off the road yesterday. Better safe than sorry. I think its totally past it. You dont want to be the cause of a nasty incident where anyone including you is hurt. The cost of an axle is not huge if the bolts will undo. It makes me feel much better about spending £80 on Bilt Hamber rust protection each year. That after all is only £20 a car to not have that situation. Daffo our 169 was a 2011 ca. While the axle was surface rusty it was still sound enough for several more years. A cheap power washer or a regular trip to a garage equipped with one is always a good move. Once the rust reaches anything like that stage I have always found drastic action is required. When our Seat was around 18 years old I sent it for MOT and it failed on rusted sills. It looked perfect but had rotted under the factory stone chip. I have to say Im grateful to the tester for picking that up. I dont think it really affected the structural integtrity of that car where it had gone, but the only way you will verify that thought, is if is sucessfully survives and does not fail and cause an accident or at best a breakdown. I wouldnt allow my daughters cars on the road in that condition. Its good to see someone asking and to see the range of advice which is all given without any prejudice.
For most of my shop floor time I was working foreman/workshop manager, never went for my MOT inspector but, of course, got to know all the ins and outs of being one. In all my time I only had two real run ins with "officialdom" One was the incident just mentioned and I still think they were harsh to come down against us but won't argue that it was completely unfair. The other was where my MOT guy had taken the apprentice under his wing for a week and was "showing him the ropes" Unfortunately we had a Ghost MOT tester submit a car for test and observed the test taking place. Of course he didn't identify himself until I was handing the car back to him when he told me he was of the opinion that "the Laddy" had been instrumental in some of the testing procedure and he was reporting us. The decision went against us, even though it was very obvious that the qualified man had done and was responsible for the test result. Took a number of months to get the license back after that one and I was nearly fired because of it! Now a days you'll often see an advisory which sets you to thinking "WHY"! but in reality, it's the MOT inspector protecting himself if it gets raised as an issue after, perhaps, an RTA takes place and the defect wasn't listed at the MOT as a weakness. I learned quite early on in my career that MOTs need to be strict but fair and that's the sort of MOT I like to see being done on my cars.I would have sooner been accused of being over zealous than negligent. Fortunately in all the time I did Testing I only had one official complaint and the Inspectorate backed me up.
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
I did clean up Daffos springs with some strips of aluminium oxide paper. They were better than those though. It was clear they were pitted but After they were well rubber down, I gave them 3 coats of red oxide primer and 3 coats of spray Hammerite. The Hammerite was still looking OK, no cracking or chipping 2 years later. If the axle is replaced I would go the whole hog, personally and change the springs and dampers then it will be good for at least 5 years. It all depends on budget and what the rest of the car is like though. Easy to spend someone elses money I know, but I would just rather take the hit and not revisit for a long time.Corroded & severely weakened.. or not? | FIAT Panda (Mk3)
Our 04 panda just failed mot on a few points. Feels like they have been a bit harsh with their inspection and want another opinion. Failures are all on suspension and exhaust parts which is convenient as I took it to a tyre, exhaust and suspension garage…. To me this just looks like a bit of...
Springs are perfectly fine, no need to change
A good percentage is cars will be the same or worse
Thank you all for your replies. I really appreciate the help as someone who knows jack about this. While you are all here, I also scraped the bottom of this car in a rocky car park and seemed to have damaged or dislodged some kind of exhaust clamp? I think theres also a crack in the exhaust in this photo
You can see where it scraped by the white bit from the rock. Not sure how it managed to scrape there unless it was already hanging low?
Here is what it looks like from outside:
Any help with what is happening here too? Thanks again everyone
You can see where it scraped by the white bit from the rock. Not sure how it managed to scrape there unless it was already hanging low?
Here is what it looks like from outside:
Any help with what is happening here too? Thanks again everyone
When I was testing you had a separate "advisories" sheet so all the dodgy car dealers used to bin them, but at least I had a record of it.
Now it's all on computer, but I still get suspicious when checking a cars reg. number on the Gov. Mot website and see a history of immaculate passes.
A lot of sellers hide the reg.number in any photos.
The weld on exhaust doesn't look factory?Thank you all for your replies. I really appreciate the help as someone who knows jack about this. While you are all here, I also scraped the bottom of this car in a rocky car park and seemed to have damaged or dislodged some kind of exhaust clamp? I think theres also a crack in the exhaust in this photo
View attachment 466770
You can see where it scraped by the white bit from the rock. Not sure how it managed to scrape there unless it was already hanging low?
Here is what it looks like from outside:
View attachment 466771
Any help with what is happening here too? Thanks again everyone
