blackknight2010

Guys, just took my 85 transam for MOT today. Failed, not really a shock there, (does anyone pass a car these days?) on O/S/F coil spring broken. Question is...do I need to replace them in pairs & how easy is it to do this ?

Also, my front seats back support don't lock-in (like when you fold them forward to climb in the back) & I'm sure this is not a MOT requirement. Can anyone give me feedback on this ?

ZZ42Fast

iTrader: (2)

Hi Boyd,

If one has broken then how good is the other? I would change them both out and take the opportunity for a quick upgrade- maybe GTA or IROC springs? Not sure how easy to do though as haven't changed the springs myself.

As for the seat- mine haven't 'latched' since I have had the car and I have passed every year- fortunately the place that MOT's mine is decent- they can be such jobsworths! Anywhere else you can take it next time? Just tell him it was a GM special He'll be complaining about the seatbelts not retracting properly next! What's the World coming to?

RMK

You must replace the two fronts at the same time. The old springs will have sagged and having one old sagging spring on one side and a new one on the other is not a nice match. I had to replace my front ones a couple of years ago for a MOT. Will tqke time for them to sag in with the rears though.

As for seats, never had a problem there.

As for seatbelts, I've had my car back before with the belt yanked ll the way out and had to drive home without a working belt. Dick heads.

Robert

englishz28

Guys....

With regard to the seats not latching i've had the same problem..............i once spent four hours trying to fix one until i read my owners manual....it's normal for this be the case!!!

The front seats work on the inertia principal, so, under normal conditions the seats can move forward of their own accord (i.e when getting in and out of the back) when the nose of the car is down, as in heavy braking, a metal roller moves at the side of the seat and locks the seatback into position.

If you want to prove it to yourselves, jack the back of car up and try and move the seatback forward - you can't - until you release the lever..... I suppose the only reason it's got the lever is in case you're parked on an incline and need to get into the back.

It once took jacking the back of the car up to convince my MOT tester that it was meant to be like this!!!!

Cheers

Phil

uk89camaro

Interesting on the seat latch issue, I didn't know that, and I do have an owners manual!

My missus wouldn't get in the car for the first few weeks I had it, because "the seat belts don't work". I have replaced the crappy old ones with some "previously loved" items, and it took me a while to convince her (i.e. on a hill with slight braking) that they worked differently to euro boxes.

Also, my MOT guy has never checked the inside of my car for anything , and neither has he stuck a tube up the exhaust. Light test was a quick "give us flash" variety, but to be fair, he went to town on the underside mechanicals. All the bushes, bearings, etc. given a right working over.

blackknight2010

Thanks everyone for the comments & advice.
Phoned Ultimate spares USA for a quote on a set of front coils...£120 plus VAT.

Yes, I think I'll end up going elsewhere for MOT next year, I went to this place as a friend of mine's yank passed with a blowing exhaust as they were trying to get business back, looks like they decided to make my car an example.


Englishz28, I pulled the MOT regulations on this one regarding the seats, however the tester was not sure whether to believe me & I got to admit your info on the inertia principle is much appreciated. My driveway is on a slope & I always wonder why the seat would lock there but not at the test station .

Thanks RMK & ukcamaro89 for the advice.

zz42fast, would ya believe the tester DID also fail my passenger seatbelt not retracting ha ha ! What is even funnier is that he failed the passenger side as n/s/f belt , but the drivers belt is perfect. Would I be right in going back & saying "hey, you guys failed my n/s/f belt but it works fine" & would I be right in saying they couldn't pull me up now for the passenger non-retracting seatbelt ? My understanding of the MOT is they can only check the failed items have been rectified on one re-test.

The other thing they failed me on was my o/s/front headlight unit no pattern.(this was due to past problem of water getting in...problem now cured) Would I be able to switch headlights around to get through MOT till I can afford to buy a new headlight as I got quoted £37.00 plus VAT from Ultimate spares USA ?

Thanks everyone for the help:hail:

uk89camaro

Oldcott Motors will do you one over the phone, and post it to you.

ZZ42Fast

iTrader: (2)

That is something I never knew as well! Good bit of info there my Garden Centre buddy
Have you made any more decisions about your wheels?

Cheers,
Felix

englishz28

Through the garden centre i receive elightenment in the ways of the seat latch!!!!!!!!!!

Felix...

Yeah, made a decision about the wheels...gonna go for IROC 16" rims.....i've placed some adverts in the parts wanted sections of a few places so we'll have to wait and see...

Anyone here got a set they'd like to pass my way!!!!!

C-ya

Phil

german-motorsport

GTA Springs
Headlight H4
Seatbelts
owner manuals
GTA 16" rims: polished or grey
Iroc rims 16" gold.........for sale!
Attn. there was a seatbelt recall wayback!
Mot or over here called TÜV is one funny place to go!
We meet the place every two years and our club tech guru always supports this visits with 3 large files of law and other vital info to counter attak those guys there!

Get all info of the MOT read there reports this is the only way to battle them on an high educated level!
Over here in Germany we have lots of maroons that made the TÜV inspection so tuff cause they pull onto the TÜV ground with Fbodys that need only one thing :a 6Ton wrecker hammer!

englishz28

German-Motorsport,

check your PM


Look on the bright side people...at least we don't live in japan where the majority of cars are scrapped at about three years old due to the prohibitive cost of their "MOT" test.

( And you wondered why there were so many jap imports in Europe at the moment!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Cheers

Phil

RMK

boydmutch,

Where exactl has your spring broken? If it's at the bottom you could clean it up by cotting it then cutting the one from the other side. This would lower your front end a little but should get you past the MOT.

philoldsmobile

my seats dont latch either, seems to be a common fault.

watch for MOT teaters trying to fail an American car for seatbelts that dont latcg, they are designed differently and will not latch with the car standing still. it is not an MOT failure, sinse the belts are not defective.

i found this out after fitting new belts to my old oldsmobile cutlass

blackknight2010

In the end, I had to fit a second hand spring for MOT deadline.
The part supplier got the order wrong, what a battle I had to get the mess sorted out...one error after another on their part. Sorted out now though.

So,any recommendations for which spring I should go for ? The ones that came out had six coils.

uk89camaro

The front seats work on the same principle as the seat belts. They'll go forward at rest. But they'll lock up under braking. Check out this page of my owners manual.

ZZ42Fast

iTrader: (2)

It's reassuring to know that. Always wondered about the seats and seatbelts as they are mildly important!

Boyd, I would go with new TA springs or GTA. If replacing upgrade I always say! At least you don't have to worry about MOT for another year....

novadk13

What the heck is a MOT test? Ive heard that you need an annual "safety test" for your vehical is this true and what happens if you fail?

uk89camaro

M.O.T stands for Ministry Of Transport, the government department that is supposedly responsible for Transport. They're not actually responsible for transport, they're responsible for ripping off as much money as they can from motorists!

However, to your question. After a car is 3 years old, it is required to pass an annual MOT test. I understand some states in the USA have a smog test, well the MOT is a mechanical and Smog test rolled up in one. So you get stuff like, brakes, steering, seat belts, lights, suspension, bushes, exhaust, floorpan, etc..all tested for safety, as well as a smog test. So, you can fail an MOT if you have a side light bulb gone out, for example. Driving a car without an MOT is illegal, and you can't get insurance. If you fail an MOT, you can go away and get it fixed, and then have a re-test...for another small fee of course. The MOT runs at about $50.

So if you have a beater POS eurocr@p with a couple of holes in the floor pan, then it's heading for the junkyard!.

Not as bad as our Japanese friends though. I gather their tests are so stringent, that essentially most cars over three years old automatically hit the junkyard!!!

novadk13

wow that really sucks sorry to hear that guys do you have ANY classic cars?

blackknight2010

We have plenty Classics here in the UK. To be fair, I'd say the UK MOT is okay in general, in comparison to some US vehicle state inspections. Last time I was in the States I read many stories about the clunker laws & the smog tests. One guy in New Jersey had a real rough time getting his restored Gran Torino to pass the state inspection....however, most of the test stations in NJ would give a pass if you produced a bill saying £300 had been spent on repairs.

The Japanese laws sound really horrid...and that isn't being enviromentally friendly,all those cars being wasted.

uk89camaro

Yes, a 1989 RS Camaro. (Not laughing.)

blackknight2010

Thanks for the advice ZZ42Fast, any recommendations which supplier is best ?

ZZ42Fast

iTrader: (2)

Hi Boyd,

I would post a new topic asking for best suppliers here under the Europe forum for springs. I'm sure Eriktheviking would know of a good source. I ordered my Eibach through Autopontiac so wouldn't know of any direct sellers. How about lowering whilst you're at it? (Devil inside, devil inside )

Cheers,
Felix

irocfan

hey zz42... how much did good ol' Robin Gray charge you for the spings?

ZZ42Fast

iTrader: (2)

irocfan,

Can't remember exactly. I think it was about £400 fitted.

Cheers