MOTs and the wobbly rear wheel bearing issue

[ghost123uk]

We see so many posts like this :-

Sergy's finally back from the Mot station:-
Passed with advisories :-
Rear wheel bearings has slight play near side and offside.

I have had that same "advisory" from the same MOT station every mot for years and I have never yet had to change the bearing.

"We" know that a tiny amount of play is normal and correct, how come MOT testers don't know this?

[CovKid]

Because the vast majority of testers are just seeing modern jelly-mould vehicles. On my last MOT (which it sailed through like the previous 10 years) he let me inspect a modern peugeot. I was shocked at the amount of bracing pieces fitted to help strengthen the tin-plate chassis. No wonder they don't last many years.

[nevill3]

How much wobble is acceptable? My camper is booked in for an MOT next week and I have just adjusted the handbrake and when I replaced the wheels one has a little more wobble than the other. There is a definite movement when you push against the wheel even when not jacked up.

[Mr Bean]

I Had my T25 failed on one rear and advised on the other. I also had advisory on both fronts. I explained the almost imperceptible play on the fronts to the young recently qualified tester who seemed to have no knowledge of taper roller bearings but changed the rear failure as it is not adjustable. Sadly I found the big nut virtually impossible to undo and after using a length of scaffold pole it came off stripping a previously crossed thread on the way. I managed to get another hub and nut but when installing it I found that the new bearing was not what I would consider to be an interference fit in the hub. So the new bearing also had a very small but still perceptible amount of play. It seems to get though now but changing the rears bearings is not a job to be done on an overzealous testers whim or lack of knowledge.
Cheers CS
PS not having a ginormous torque wrench I calculated the correct radius for my thirteen stone body weight and marked out the point on the scaffold pole where I should stand to apply the correct torque value.

[kit]

Someone on here said you should not let anyone younger than your van near it

[nevill3]

Well a little wobble is obviously OK, My Camper passed the MOT today

When I checked mine again there was only a slight movement in the 6/12 o'clock plane but none at 3/6 o'clock, Iwill be keeping a close eye on them from now on.

[King Kenny]

A few years ago I took my Morris Minor Traveller to H*****'s for an MOT. They failed her because the front suspension moved when the used a long lever to test the joints. I had to point out that the bushes are all rubber and would move as normal. They always tell me that the brake fluid needs replacing too. I have had silicone brake fluid since a complete brake system replacement about twenty years ago and it is still working fine.
Kenny.