Print

[Russell Price]

What is needed in this country are much stiffer punishments for using unroadworthy vehicles. The MOT is an independent check and only represents the vehicle at the time of the test. I lived in the Isle of Man for a few years where they don’t have MOTs . If you import a car more than 3 years old it gets a one off check before it can be registered and that’s it. Vehicles supplied new on the Island may never visit the test centre. However should you be caught with an unroadworthy vehicle then you will be looking at a custodial sentence or a large fine in court, no pandering about with points on your licence, and in the Main Manx motors are to a much higher standard than their UK equivalent. Basically it was down to the driver to ensure the car is roadworthy at all times rather than relying on someone else to check it once a year.? Vehicle spot checks are fairly common during winter and busy times. My job over there entailed working with the Manx Vehicle Inspectorate closely and I know that they used to fail lots of freshly imported vehicles with new MOTs.
In Britain the same principles are being applied to older vehicles to start off and I think you will see the penalties for using unroadworthy vehicles being increase here before long. 

[2286]

I love my Tapley meter  but more as a fire-side ornament than a tool.

Based on the toppling brick principle. If you don't have a Tapley a common or garden brick will give you a good idea of how your brakes are working.
You put the brick in the passenger footwell - just as you do with the Tapley.



I test my brakes on the bit of flat road to the junction at the end.
Driving at walking speed, with the palm of my hands on the wheel rim - I brake hard.
If there is an imbalance from one side or the other, you can feel the wheel turn away from the weaker adjusted side.
If it pulls up straight and the front wheels lock up, then the brakes are OK.
It should then pass the MoT brake test with ease.
The handbrake test is easy too - find a steep hill (yes they do exist in Norfolk) or driveway and see if the brake will hold the vehicle. It soon becomes clear if it doesn't.

 

I do like the brick test in the absence of a meter.

Re the meter were they date stamped and are the earlier ones all aluminium and the later ones black or coloured plastic on the lower part with alloy bezel.

My 88 has had roller and decelerator and blitz through the industrial estate.  But it does have map fwh so I guess they could be certain not to damage transmission even if it had been in 4wd despite the stick position.

Have I imagined that there is a fancier version of the tapley that not only gave force but also imbalance as they had duel display?

[w3526602]

Hi,

To my mind, the benefits of an MOT test are nullified by not having the wheel nuts torque tested. This particularly applies to S1 and S2 Land Rovers with the wheel studs screwed (maybe) into the hub. Land Rovers do not have knave plates that require removal to access the wheel nuts.

And why did Rovers suddenly decide that 16mm wheel studs were necessary? Not that I'm objecting, only cost would prevent me fitting S2A, or preferably S3 hubs to any LR that I owned that did not come with splined wheel studs.

Yes, I have drilled S2 hubs to 9/16" to accept splined studs, but two problems ....

1. Hubs are made of very tough metal, which is reluctant to be drilled.

2. Drilling, in situ, by eye, is maybe not a good idea .... but I've done it several times.

It would be nice if somebody could offer a hub stud conversion service ... but the Jobsworths would probably argue that a hub with stripped threads is safer than a modified hub. Are there any statistics for wheels falling of early Land Rovers? A stipped wheel stud held in with chewing gum would probably pass an MOT.

A hub with two adjacent stripped studs will have an ominous creak. Don't ask!

602