Club 80-90 Forums

Failed today for the following:

Both nearside and offside rear sills suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded.

Front above spare wheel brake pipe excessively corroded and unsupported.

Offside handbrake cable insecure.

Nearside rear tyre needs replacing.

I'm pretty confident in doing them all but need some advice on the sills.

It's where it meets the suspension mounting brackets. Took a quick picture....


The mechanic suggested I seem welded a "patch" over the corrosion and that will get it through its MOT. Is this the correct way to do it or is there a more logical solution? Would prefer to do it properly but also at the same time I'm low on funds and want to get on with going on holiday.

Rob

Rob..

Post a photo from a bit further away so we can see the area affected better.

yes welding a patch over the top is a quick fix for an MOT.
Best way would be to cut the corroded bit out and patch it with a grade of metal one higher than the original used (not sure what that is tho...?).
You could always patch it for an MOT: seal it up using some silicone to stop any more moisture getting in so you can get it through an MOT then have a good go at it over the winter while you have the time? give it a coat of red oxide to stop it getting loads worse if your going to the seaside before you weld it.

thats what i would do anyway.
All the best!

Thanks. Will get some better pictures on sunday.

So cut out rot and patch over for now to get through MOT. Is it better to patch over the cut out and weld up like a plaster or cut a piece of steel the same size as the cut out and but weld and grind back thus making it invisible? Trying to think of structural integrity :/

What thickness plate is the sill? 2mm??

Rob

Transporter Porter wrote:Thanks. Will get some better pictures on sunday.

So cut out rot and patch over for now to get through MOT. Is it better to patch over the cut out and weld up like a plaster or cut a piece of steel the same size as the cut out and but weld and grind back thus making it invisible? Trying to think of structural integrity :/

What thickness plate is the sill? 2mm??

Rob

Nope 2mm is a bit thick for a sill! suspension mount itself is probably getting on that thick.

If youre plating to get through the MOT and sort properly over winter, then just cut the patch oversize and weld it over like a plaster. bit of black underseal and your done. Theres not really any point in doing any more as a temporary fix. I reckon if you cut it out to do it properly it will snowball and you wont be going on holiday!! ( I speak from experience...)

Before you do the winter job properly, read the many threads on here about sills and mentally prepare yourself!

Depending on where you are putting the patch (can't really tell from your photo), it might be easier to use 2mm steel. Concentrate the welding bead on the 2mm steel and occaisionally let it spill over onto the thinner original steel surrounding the patch. It's a tip that has been suggested by others on here before and I find that I blow fewer holes in the old steel which has been cleaned up to make it shiny (so has become even thinner) when I do patches like this. Once you've got some weld onto the thinner steel it then gives you thicker steel to go back to and run the welder over it again.

I guess it just depends on how good you are with a welder and whether or not the patch is flat or has to be shaped to fit a profile on the surrounding bodywork.

Tony

your bodging it to pass the test so the metal gauge is irrelevant , cover it or do as little as you can for the ticket.
then at the end of the year take the interior out and cut the wing bottom off and you will find most of whats behind there is scrap , if i get time i will post up a link or two for the correct way to go about it if you wish to do it correctly once and for all.
mm

Transporter Porter wrote:Failed today for the following:

...Nearside rear tyre needs replacing.

Don't forget that the MOT tyre standard is the same as the legal minimum. Go and thank your tester for beating Mr Plod to it, because he's just saved you three points and a hefty fine.

AdrianC wrote:

Transporter Porter wrote:Failed today for the following:

...Nearside rear tyre needs replacing.

Don't forget that the MOT tyre standard is the same as the legal minimum. Go and thank your tester for beating Mr Plod to it, because he's just saved you three points and a hefty fine.

I know what your saying. I respect MOT test stations that's why this year I taken it to a different garage with a reputation for being thorough. The tyre has plenty of tread but it's old and cracked with a few cords showing through. Are these tyres readily available? Thinking of buying part worn.

metalmick8y wrote:your bodging it to pass the test so the metal gauge is irrelevant , cover it or do as little as you can for the ticket.
then at the end of the year take the interior out and cut the wing bottom off and you will find most of whats behind there is scrap , if i get time i will post up a link or two for the correct way to go about it if you wish to do it correctly once and for all.
mm

Please if you could. Really want to sort it properly but want to go on holiday. But could start mentally preparing myself for opening the can of worms in the winter.

Rob

Transporter Porter wrote: Are these tyres readily available? Thinking of buying part worn.

185/R14 C 8 ply are about as cheap as any tyre you can buy .... just buy new. I got a set of 5 4 years ago for £120 fitted, NOT worth scrimping on tyres and brakes .. do people really still sell p/w tyres let alone be stupid enough to buy them ??

Where I live I was quoted £60 each! I have had some quality part worns in the past but that was for the Astra that's why I asked. But I guess it's where you go really.

I wouldn't drive a 2.4 Tonne van with my family in on unknown second-hand tyres. It's a different mentality running a camper to running a crappy old Astra.

Try Dove Tyres & Exhaust at Dove Holes and ask for Terry ... I believe mine were Vanco or something like that.

Ian Hulley wrote:

Transporter Porter wrote: Are these tyres readily available? Thinking of buying part worn.

185/R14 C 8 ply are about as cheap as any tyre you can buy .... just buy new. I got a set of 5 4 years ago for £120 fitted, NOT worth scrimping on tyres and brakes .. do people really still sell p/w tyres let alone be stupid enough to buy them ??

err .yep, i just fitted 2 on the front of my golf snotter. as new tyres and the car it came from my mate had just failed, also you see plenty folk on here selling wheel/tyre combos. so not all part worns are evil as such but as has been eluded to , cracked side walls and the like are aged old tyres and much more l;ikely to failure, , as also said thee are loads of places doping new rubber for sensible money , and if you stay of the premium ££££advertising budget makes then it dont cost a packet
mm

So here is a picture of the tyre that needs replacing. From what i've read around the internet looking at the date this tyre was made in 1986 which is the same year as the van was made!! and so is the other rear and spare. These will all be replaced with new.