2nd Opinion?

[Cymru1]

Just failed the dreaded MOT test.

a) "Parking brake efficiency below requirements".
No Problem: New pads 2 months ago and "self" adjuster was not adjusting!
Fixed by WD and a whack on the actuator! Good Handbrake now.

b) "Offside front upper front suspension has excessive play in upper suspension
ball joint"
Got her home and and a "feel" / play - all seems ok, no obvious faults.

So how can I tell if the guy is taking cr*p or correct?

He said I need a bush.

Would there be any obvious side effects of a worn bush in the upper ball joint?

Thanks

????

[newsh]

A Macpherson strut doesn't have an upper ball joint.

[Cymru1]

ouch!

guess it's money making then?

[Cymru1]

Any advice welcome before I have an argument in the morning!

MOT Code = 2.5.B.1A for any experts out there.

Sry / thanks

[rj scotty]

b) "Offside front upper front suspension has excessive play in upper suspension
ball joint"

Could he be referring to the top mount? or is a liar?

[baltiboyS2]

he will be on about the top strut try lifting the wheel also turn the wheel lock to lock you might see the top of the strut move side to side as it rotates

cheers Raj

[madpugger]

Maybe the top mount? The fail sheets are pretty generic.

Maybe you could ask him to identify exactly which bush he is referring to.

[baltiboyS2]

the M.o.t have a pre selected comments for failure on there computer he might have pick the wrong one

cheers Raj

[newsh]

Yeah, prob means the top mount.

[madpugger]

Or more likely he meant to tick lower, in which case it will be inner wishbone bushes or balljoint.

Maybe they ARB drop link but I would doubt it.

[TimE-J]

a top mount has a separate fail on its own, by the sounds of the failure, that would be something I would write for the likes of a passat or a4 when you have 2x top arms with ball joints on. If you want and your free before you take it back for test ill have a look at it as im only just down the road. The tests on an MOT for front wheels are basically with the vehicle jacked up, movement when the road wheel is shaken from side to side, up and down then span to feel ruff-ness in the wheel bearing. then a bar should be placed under the tyre and lifted up to feel it there is and movement or knocking up and down. Some cars have movement as standard and the Tester is told this on the start of the test!

[Rusty]

S2 top mount is held in by the weight of the car so it will have axial movement. That's why the top cups are there - to stop the strut falling out

[adamw]

my rs2 failed on the top mount just the other week....... turns out after all the hassle replacing them (wheel nuts seized) they were ok and the up/down movement on the wheel is standard?! 10mm gap between the strut top and cup? when you jack up the front and the shock reaches max length the gap between the strut top and cup closes?

other then that she just failed on the wipers!

[driftin jo]

I once had an MOT guy fail my old coupé on a top mount and they were new fitted just the day before I went to the MOT station , he had jacked up the car then felt movement , duh , I quickly informed him that this normal and that they were new anyway. After conferring with an older more experienced MOT guy who worked there he quickly issued me my MOT .

[TimE-J]

When a tester regesters a vehicle for test he prints out a VT40 sheet, on that sheet it will tell him all the info about the car a possible suspension checks and also how to check and what should be there.