Failed MOT, doing own fix up

MathewS · 23 May 2007 at 21:34

Hey guys,

My Ford Escort LX (1996) failed it's MOT yesterday, and it going to cost more than i can afford at the moment, the labour anyway.

How easy or difficult is it to change,

the rear shock absober/damper
the front suspension arm
brake pipe

I'm just wondering if I can save the money, im pretty technical minded and can usually do stuff like this on my own, I just really need to know if its possible to do on a driveway?

SB118 · 23 May 2007 at 21:38

MathewS said:
the rear shock absober/damper
the front suspension arm
brake pipe

Absolute piece of cake.

Rear shock should take you about 30 minutes

Suspension arm? Wishbone? Allow an hour.

Is it a solid brake pipe or a flexy?

MathewS · 23 May 2007 at 21:43

im not sure about the brake pipe, i have one of those big books about the car back home, basically gives instructions ect. but because i dont have it on me i just wanted to check.

So can it be done on the driveway then?

On the mot sheet, it says offside front brake pipe excessivly corroded, so im not sure

SB118 · 23 May 2007 at 21:48

MathewS said:
offside front brake pipe excessivly corroded

does it include the word, "ferrule" ? if it does, it's the flexy.

MathewS · 23 May 2007 at 21:50

nope, im guessing its the solid one then.

think its a good idea to get the parts from the garage that did the mot?

dalin80 · 23 May 2007 at 21:51

a corroded failure would be the metal feed pipe to the flexi. they can be trickier due to the male and female ends and the way the pipe has to be crimped and joined. not just bolt on bolt off.

the shocker and arm you can do yourself just requires varying degrees of hitting with a hammer i would leave the brake pipe to the people who have the tools to join it.

SB118 · 23 May 2007 at 21:56

Does the escort use steel pipes? bloody ford

You could always check for yellow chalk if you aren't 100% sure

MathewS · 23 May 2007 at 22:03

I'll get that book tomorrow night, and then see what its going to take for the brake pipe.

Doing the shocker and arm will cut the estimated cost in half so that always good

Thanks guys, ill let you know how I get on with it

btw, whats the yellow chalk for?

SB118 · 23 May 2007 at 22:09

MathewS said:
I'll get that book tomorrow night, and then see what its going to take for the brake pipe.

Doing the shocker and arm will cut the estimated cost in half so that always good

Thanks guys, ill let you know how I get on with it

btw, whats the yellow chalk for?

Should be able to get single shock from a breakers yard for a tenner, and a wishbone should cost you roughly 20 quid (use a new one)

MOT testers usually mark any failed items with yellow chalk to show the exact fault. Can tell if it's a solid or flexy line then.
(underside of my vitara looked like the bugger had used a spray gun!)

helpimcrap · 23 May 2007 at 22:19

as said they are easy enough although i found the bottom arm a bugger to do! they dont make it very easy to do on that one. brake pipe wise, take the old one off, go to a motor factors and get them to make you one the same as the one you took off and same fittings, then refit.

easy.

i have an escort that failed on 3 sheets worth when i bought it for £50... cost me £250 in bits rather than the £700 bill the garage gave. its a diesel in case you wondering why i bothered.

and it had a full tank...

Dfhaii · 23 May 2007 at 23:09

get a more friendly mot centre

Gribs · 26 May 2007 at 10:10

SB118 said:
Should be able to get single shock from a breakers yard for a tenner, and a wishbone should cost you roughly 20 quid (use a new one))

Don't just replace one rear shock, do them both as the other will be near the end of it's life and it's pretty dangerous to have mismatched suspension bits. I'd also buy new as you've no idea of the condition of one you're getting from a breaker and they're cheap.

SB118 · 26 May 2007 at 11:24

Gribs said:
Don't just replace one rear shock, do them both as the other will be near the end of it's life and it's pretty dangerous to have mismatched suspension bits. I'd also buy new as you've no idea of the condition of one you're getting from a breaker and they're cheap.

Correct, it's best to replace shocks in a pair, but if he's doing this to save a pile of cash, he can swap the one shock to get through the MOT, then get some cash together to get 2 new units.

MathewS · 26 May 2007 at 23:33

hey guys, ive not had chance to do it yet, been way too busy with work.

what tools will i need to get this done properly? i dont want to get half way through and realise i cant do the rest, lol. will i be able to do this with a normal jack?

ive been thinking that maybe the more expensive option is the best way. but if i can do it myself and save the money i will.

SB118 · 26 May 2007 at 23:44

MathewS said:
hey guys, ive not had chance to do it yet, been way too busy with work.

what tools will i need to get this done properly? i dont want to get half way through and realise i cant do the rest, lol. will i be able to do this with a normal jack?

ive been thinking that maybe the more expensive option is the best way. but if i can do it myself and save the money i will.

Tools? Jack, axle stands, sockets & spanners, balljoint splitter. Nothing exotic.

You can do this yourself, it's really not difficult. If you do this with one hand behind your back and both eyes closed, it should take you a day.

dalin80 · 27 May 2007 at 01:32

the lower balljoint bolts on escorts can be a torx head (t50 or t55), iam not 100% sure but i think a 96 would be the torx bolt anyway. might be worth having a quick look.

MathewS · 27 May 2007 at 19:14

so maybe a good idea to get down to halfords or somewhere similar to get the tools to do it then?

both of the rear shocks need replacing so its not a problem about different wear on each side.

would a normal jack be up to the job? as in the one that usually comes with the car?

SB118 · 27 May 2007 at 20:10

MathewS said:
would a normal jack be up to the job? as in the one that usually comes with the car?

As long as it gets the wheel off the ground, it'll be fine.

You need a set of stands to put the car on (never trust a jack). Or you can just put the wheel you've taken off under the car incase it falls (cheapskate method!) Axle stands 4tw though.

Syngress · 27 May 2007 at 23:57

dalin80 said:
the lower balljoint bolts on escorts can be a torx head (t50 or t55), iam not 100% sure but i think a 96 would be the torx bolt anyway. might be worth having a quick look.

Yep mostof them are, I had to replace both of mine the other month for my MOT....they were about £35 each, I also got 2 new bolts as removing one of them sheared the head off it

Syngress

SB118 · 28 May 2007 at 00:13

Syngress said:
Yep mostof them are, I had to replace both of mine the other month for my MOT....they were about £35 each, I also got 2 new bolts as removing one of them sheared the head off it

Syngress

Always worth checking your local breakers yard for new parts.

Mondeo wishbones-
Main factor - £33 each
Friendly factors - £25 each
Breakers yard - £18 each (new!)