Re: T5 - Another 'not yet a classic' Bloggy.
Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2019 3:31 pm
Well; its been an entertaining few months with this 'banger' 
My mobile mechanic came over to fit a new top mount & also, having diagnosed a knackered ball-joint on that side, I'd got a suspension 'wishbone' for him to fit as well.
Whilst doing it the drive shaft came out along with the bearings, as they are prone to do on these. He cleaned all up & re-fitted, then completed the work. He went for a test drive........ The shaft came out again just along the lane after a left turn. We towed it back some 400 yards. He pulled the shaft and found the casing had cracked, so that was 'toast'.
He ordered a replacement (at his cost) it was incorrect. He ordered another & came to fit it..... that was incorrect too. Nearly a month later he'd got one, fitted it and finally we were rolling again. Chris charged me 40 quid for the fitting of top mount and wishbone. The rest he covered .
So move onto MOT. I decided to put it in as it was, knowing the front tyres were on their way, but decided to see what else it needed before committing!
Fail it did, Front right tyre, left side steering rack gaitor & front brake flexi hoses. Not too desperate then? Oh they recommended tracking too as the right side was, apparently well out.
I decided to go for it, I also decided to get track rod ends seeing as one needed to come off in order to do the gaitor. Also two new tyres for the front end.
I found a garage willing to fit parts supplied by the customer (my mobile chap doesn't do tracking and was shying away from attempting the track rods as they looked rather seized......
Well it went in last week (2 months here for MOT repairs).
The garage called during the day saying a brake line had broken due to it being seized, so they made a new one. They reckoned the calliper nipples were going to break and wanted to inform me before going ahead with bleeding. They tried and the nipples snapped. So I ordered 2 new callipers... 105 quid delivered for 2 from Amazon, of all places.
These were fitted this morning & we are finally rolling again. Went to the MOT place & they booked it in for the re-test on 24/10. Then I shall be good to go for another 2 years.
Phew
My mobile mechanic came over to fit a new top mount & also, having diagnosed a knackered ball-joint on that side, I'd got a suspension 'wishbone' for him to fit as well.
Whilst doing it the drive shaft came out along with the bearings, as they are prone to do on these. He cleaned all up & re-fitted, then completed the work. He went for a test drive........ The shaft came out again just along the lane after a left turn. We towed it back some 400 yards. He pulled the shaft and found the casing had cracked, so that was 'toast'.
He ordered a replacement (at his cost) it was incorrect. He ordered another & came to fit it..... that was incorrect too. Nearly a month later he'd got one, fitted it and finally we were rolling again. Chris charged me 40 quid for the fitting of top mount and wishbone. The rest he covered .
So move onto MOT. I decided to put it in as it was, knowing the front tyres were on their way, but decided to see what else it needed before committing!
Fail it did, Front right tyre, left side steering rack gaitor & front brake flexi hoses. Not too desperate then? Oh they recommended tracking too as the right side was, apparently well out.
I decided to go for it, I also decided to get track rod ends seeing as one needed to come off in order to do the gaitor. Also two new tyres for the front end.
I found a garage willing to fit parts supplied by the customer (my mobile chap doesn't do tracking and was shying away from attempting the track rods as they looked rather seized......
Well it went in last week (2 months here for MOT repairs).
The garage called during the day saying a brake line had broken due to it being seized, so they made a new one. They reckoned the calliper nipples were going to break and wanted to inform me before going ahead with bleeding. They tried and the nipples snapped. So I ordered 2 new callipers... 105 quid delivered for 2 from Amazon, of all places.
These were fitted this morning & we are finally rolling again. Went to the MOT place & they booked it in for the re-test on 24/10. Then I shall be good to go for another 2 years.
Phew