MOT pass or fail?

First off, Ian, I'm not "having a pop at you", you sold me the motor in good faith and I don't doubt that. You might want to have a word with your MOT station though.

..so the story goes... Ian (t'other one) should be coming down to purchase said motor this weekend and I remember that I've still got to re-fit the alloys to the front having taken off the over-sized Knobblies ( Yes, I know)... at the same time, I think to myself, I'll just swap the rears to the front as they have slightly more tread and check out the rear shock mount 'cause it's just touching the inside of the tyre when off-roading....this is what I found. Bear in mind Ian (The first one) had, obligingly, put 12 months test on her before he sold her to me and she's done maybe twenty odd miles since..all at Stourport!

Backplate rotten through and seriously buckled and not one..but two spacers fitted.......MOT pass?

It'd fail at the garage that we go to.......


Sitting on the fence,
E.

Umm Brail MOTs, Nice!

The spacer's would be hard to see with a wheel on ,and as for the back plate thay are made in two parts and spot welded together if its only the outer rim (grit gaurd) that as rotted off it will not affect the brake in any way and would be down to the tester to pass or fail as its none stuctual .I would have failed it but some testers and its down to the tester , may have done a advisory notice on it (VT32) .You can see if one was given on www.vosa.gov.uk

minibuger wrote:You can see if one was given on www.vosa.gov.uk

Yes, it's a good site that is.

E.

minibuger wrote:The spacer's would be hard to see with a wheel on ,and as for the back plate thay are made in two parts and spot welded together if its only the outer rim (grit gaurd) that as rotted off it will not affect the brake in any way and would be down to the tester to pass or fail as its none stuctual .I would have failed it but some testers and its down to the tester , may have done a advisory notice on it (VT32) .You can see if one was given on [url=http://www.vosa.gov.uk

www.vosa.gov.uk[/quote[/url]]


Good point about the spacers.

The backplate is corroded. Not just the outer rim. I have the MOT in front of me. No advisory issued.

Any possibility the backplate at least looked OK before Stourport?

Frankly I'm really glad Jono spotted it and didn't just bolt the wheel on and wave goodbye. Top bloke.

Driving 250miles could have been exciting if it had let go, though the amount of braking done by the rear end of such a light car won't be much jamming on would have been another matter.

Oh well, still going to get my hands on it one way or another though it's going to get another MOT before it goes on the road just in case there's anything else the testers guide dog missed.

"Woof woof, Woof, Woof-woof, Woof!"

The MOT Dog say's that the ramp was too high and he couldn't see properly but if you take the car back he'll cast his paws over it for a nice biscuit!

I read a while ago that anymore than about 10mm knackers your wheel bearings.

Mk3rob wrote:I read a while ago that anymore than about 10mm knackers your wheel bearings.

All later minis from 84 on i think where all fitted with 1" spaced rear drums so i would think you should get away with a 1" spacer on a standard wheel offset ,but the bigger the offset the more strain on the bearing.
I read that you are not to use alloy spacers on alloy wheels thats why alloy wheels have steel inserts where the studs go .So if this is true two alloy spacers on the same wheel can't be good..

minibuger wrote:

Mk3rob wrote:I read a while ago that anymore than about 10mm knackers your wheel bearings.

All later minis from 84 on i think where all fitted with 1" spaced rear drums so i would think you should get away with a 1" spacer on a standard wheel offset ,but the bigger the offset the more strain on the bearing.
I read that you are not to use alloy spacers on alloy wheels thats why alloy wheels have steel inserts where the studs go .So if this is true two alloy spacers on the same wheel can't be good..

"Spaced" drums were used from '84 because the switch to discs effectively gave a wider track, so a wheel with less offset/more inset was used to maintain overall vehicle track. Therefore "effective" leverage on the bearings stays the same.....I think.....

Two spacers just doesn't "feel right" from an engineering standpoint, though I suppose there is no real issue assuming they're good quality/fit.

I can't see the problem with Alloy spacers if they're solid and the right grade etc...no-one has an issue with the Minifins with the built in spacer....or do they?

Dont minifins still have steel inserts in the stud holes ?? That why the cheaper copys are s--t think it was in one of the mini mags.Also the track on the front of a mini as always been wider than the back as wider drums on the rear was added to the 1st cooper s mk1 and 1275gt's fitted with the disc's to bring them in line ..



Not me but been on google ....
Track width was 47.5 inches / 3 feet 11 and 1/2 inches* (1207mm) at the front, and 45.7 inches / 3 feet 9 inches and 3/4s (1162mm) at the rear.
*Might be 3 feet 11 and 3/4 inches wide at front, and 3 feet 10 and 1/2 inches at the rear, depending on version.

minibuger wrote:Dont minifins still have steel inserts in the stud holes ?? That why the cheaper copys are s--t think it was in one of the mini mags.Also the track on the front of a mini as always been wider than the back as wider drums on the rear was added to the 1st cooper s mk1 and 1275gt's fitted with the disc's to bring them in line ..



Not me but been on google ....
Track width was 47.5 inches / 3 feet 11 and 1/2 inches* (1207mm) at the front, and 45.7 inches / 3 feet 9 inches and 3/4s (1162mm) at the rear.
*Might be 3 feet 11 and 3/4 inches wide at front, and 3 feet 10 and 1/2 inches at the rear, depending on version.

I think we're saying the same thing aren't we? The geometry of any disc-braked Mini meant, using drum braked rims, the track would be way outside the bodywork. So to bring the track back, the wheels fitted had more inset. So when these new (greater inset) wheels were fitted to the rear, they would foul on the inside. Therefore spaced drums were used.