V70 P2 2001 - failed MOT

[Tunku]

Failed on offside lower balljoint - excess play. I had replaced the flappy trackrod ends yesterday, fettled the handbrake, but missed the play in the balljoint. First time this car has actually failed, at 101150 miles.
Balljoint cost £23.00 from the local factor, I'll fit it tomorrow when I can borrow a friend to help heave the control arm down, and resit on Monday. Job done.

Forgot to add - My space saver spare was flat, so I had a quick look, found a nail in the edge of the tread. Typical!
I have a plug kit, so used that for the hole, pumped the tyre up to 60 psi and put everything back.
It then occurred to me, that to get to my spar tyre, you have to undo a storage tray under the shopping rack that lifts out of the floor. Are MOT testers allowed to remove the tray to test the tyre?

Edited by Tunku on Friday 7th October 19:00

[Rockatansky]

AFAIK the spare tyre doesn't currently form part of the test. Not sure if that changes in the new year with the revisions to the test.

[Tunku]

Rockatansky said:

AFAIK the spare tyre doesn't currently form part of the test. Not sure if that changes in the new year with the revisions to the test.

I thought it did if it was present.

I've just had a look at the .gov site, it says -

The tyres and wheels - Their condition, security, size, type and tread depth. Spare tyres are not inspected.

Edited by Tunku on Friday 7th October 22:32

[dern]

Tunku said:

I'll fit it tomorrow when I can borrow a friend to help heave the control arm down, and resit on Monday. Job done.

Just in case you haven't already done this you can get teh control arm down far enough using one of those ratchet strap you use to tie a car down on a trailer. A luggage ratchet strap won't be strong enough.

Replaced both wishbones using this method yesterday.

Mark

[jagracer]

Tunku said:

It then occurred to me, that to get to my spar tyre, you have to undo a storage tray under the shopping rack that lifts out of the floor. Are MOT testers allowed to remove the tray to test the tyre?

Edited by Tunku on Friday 7th October 19:00

The tester can't remove anything during the test apart from lifting boot carpet and only if it's accessible and not fixed, the spare isn't tested although if it's slung under the car it needs to be secure.

[Tunku]

dern said:

Tunku said:

I'll fit it tomorrow when I can borrow a friend to help heave the control arm down, and resit on Monday. Job done.

Just in case you haven't already done this you can get teh control arm down far enough using one of those ratchet strap you use to tie a car down on a trailer. A luggage ratchet strap won't be strong enough.

Replaced both wishbones using this method yesterday.

Mark

I used my mate with a long lump of metal chained to the control arm god that sounds wrong. Anyway, long lump of bar to lever the control arm down out the way. Then, used a 4 foot length of angle iron with a hole drilled in one end of it bolted onto the bottom of the Balljoint and hit it with a sledgehammer to pop it out. Put the new balljoint in with the bolts to align it (it was splined) and slowly drifted it in whilst bolting it tight.