Morris Minor Owners Club

Neil MG wrote:I thought the new (2012?) MOT rules mean that a split gaiter is now by default a fail, not an advisory?

I would not have failed them even if split. I would pass & advice, as they are NOT a boot or cover over a BALL JOINT ( EG drop links)

Heres an extract from the online public manual, Our VTS Device is more detailed on the fails but never the less it still describes ball joint boots!

"a ball joint dust cover missing, insecure or excessively damaged or deteriorated to the extent that it would no longer prevent the ingress of dirt etc."

I'll bet thats the rfr (reason for failure) quoted on the fail sheet, if so it's not as the rubber is from a trunnion & kingpin not a ball joint.


A gaiter is different again. They are found on CV joints there is a specific rfr for that and also on steering racks again with a specific rfr

So if these covers were not fitted, it should not fail?

I wouldn't have failed them if split or not fitted, they are NOT ball joint boots

Interesting, as I would have thought that dirt could get into the thread and add to wear, presumably that's why they were fitted originally.

Looks strange seeing our vans pointing in opposite directions, one after another!

Thanks Dennis, kind offer, but I'd already ordered my bits from ESM and as always, they arrived the following day.
comparison shot of old and new.[frame][/frame]

MogBob mentioned covering the brake shoes in masking tape to keep your oily hands from them, he mentioned that tip three years ago, I was catching up on old tips looking over part two of my pickup restoration thread, there's a wealth of info on there.[frame][/frame]

So, car up on stands, wheel off...[frame][/frame]

little Haynes manual tip, paint the screw slots in the adjusters white so you can more easily see them through the hole in the drums, and with my eyes I need all the help I can get.[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

Bob's tape in action, it's all going smoothly.[frame][/frame]

so smoothly I'll let the near side adjusters dry off in the sun and have a "mid-work" cup of tea.[frame][/frame]

les wrote:Looks strange seeing our vans pointing in opposite directions, one after another!

If I knew how I would turn mine around! When my 10yr old grandson comes I'll ask him to have a shuftie!

I've been away for a few days..so just catching up with the posts.
The brake drum exercise seems to have gone smoothly.I don't mind you saying that the masking tape on the brake shoes
was "old tip " from an "old bloke " Dave.
Mr old Dad use to say " no point in getting older, if you don't get wiser ".
Well done.
Bob

cheers Bob, all the tips from your good self and all the other members are there to be read and re read, constant source of helpful info.
This years MOT has dragged on, I now think it was the wheel cylinders all along causing the front shoes to bind, I'm trying synthetic fluid from my local autofactors hoping the new cylinders arriving tomorrow will last longer with it.[frame][/frame]

correction to above, after tips from members on the mechanical thread, I'll stick with DOT 4, as a conversion to 3 or 5 would need a very involved rebuild of the brake system. So new cylinders tomorrow, MOT RE-TEST in the afternoon.

so here's where I'm at, the car has it's MOT re-test later on today, the drivers side front wheels cylinders are off, and here is the source of my front brake woe.[frame][/frame]

the one with the bleed nipple has had an impact, I can't get the cylinder to raise up even under the pressure of a screwdriver, I'm thanking my lucky stars I've ordered a new set from ESM in time, should arrive by post any minute...[frame][/frame]

so. Minutes later the doorbell rang, ESM, good for their word once again. Pattern one's, not the Lockheed type. Fitted up great, wheel spun and I had to wind the adjusters out a way to jam the drum up and back off a click. So it wasn't the drums or new shoes. My Boy boobed letting the fluid level drop in the master cylinder, we sucked air into the system and will have to bleed out the whole lot before the re-test, lucky I have two days grace due to the weekend days not being included in the ten day re-test period[frame][/frame]

Alice passed the MOT re-test this afternoon, a few advisories to consider, the rear shackle bushes are worn but do not result in any movement, I have the polly bushes, they're ready to go in, I wish I were, I need a rest after all that, maybe when it's summer...[frame][/frame]

patterns are ok for the rear cylinders but best to go with lockheed for the fronts

well it's rear suspension time, my advisories have come up with criticism for the last two years that the rear spring bushes were showing signs of deterioration, not resulting in movement. So I'm replacing the rubber bushes with polys, I've ordered everything in ESM's Pickup rear suspension kit save the bushes and leaf springs. They should arrive tomorrow, if past experience of ordering from ESM is anything to go by.[frame][/frame]

surprisingly straight forward strip down, chance for a bit of rust searching and a clean up[frame][/frame]

the axle bracket appears bent upward. Need to tamp that back into shape before the new parts arrive tomorrow[frame][/frame]

The springs are in for a clean up too. plenty to be getting on with before tomorrows post arrives.[frame][/frame]

poly bushes ready to go in, after some advice sourced over on the mech section, I'm putting the small blue polys in the rear spring and the red polys in the shackle to chassis position. First, the mucky bit, some diesel and rags.
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David, re the axle mounting bracket - it is probably on the way out. I had one go like that on my green minor and it allowed the axle to turn slighlty on the U bolts when I was taking off and made a strange worrying noise. It will probably need strengthened, you can buy a repair section for this


http://morrisminorspares.co.uk/shop/pro ... 88cad9bbcf