# Wheels out of balance



## lenny (Jul 9, 2008)

My 1991 Ducato just failed it's MOT today but I'm over the moon cos the defects were all so trivial, apart from one that said "Front wheels out of balance..37%", I'm told that this means that one side is braking better than the other which could cause the van to pull to one side when braking.
I've ordered new pads for tomorrow even though the old one seemed to have a little more life left in them, although the offside set seem to be crumbling slightly and have a covering of dust (this side also heats up more than the nearside), discs look ok, flexi pipes look ok, any advice please


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## Belgian (Jul 9, 2008)

Hi Lenny,
Maybe it could be this:
If your right side is braking better than the left side :left side brake pads accumulate more dust and smear than the other side: (this is the ditch side) so less braking, car pull out to the right. (overhere car will pull to the left, for we drive at the right).
New pads will solve the problem. 
Regards 
Leo


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## lenny (Jul 9, 2008)

Thanks ,Leo, new pads will be fitted tomorrow ,although i've got a feeling it's more than this,but one things for certain, we won't be beaten


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## Deleted member 207 (Jul 9, 2008)

Sounds like frozen/corroded disc cylinder(s) if one side is only working at 37%. Thickness of the pads should n't make any difference to braking effort unless they are down to steel.

Easy enough to check, with the wheel off, and someone pumping the brake pedal, see if there is any movement of the disc pads. Have a look at the good one first so that you know what to expect from the bad one.


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## lenny (Jul 9, 2008)

***** said:


> Your luckier than me with the MOT.
> Mine car was going to cost about £600 and with lots more of advisories and on top of that it wanted a full service and cam belt change.
> So I have got rid of it and having something else, so now skint again



Sorry to hear that,Graham, but what am I going to do about the nearside flasher not working(amazing how bulbs blow whilst on the garage forecourt), and the windscreen washer not distributing enough water to the windscreen,(Where's that pin)
Oh, and headlight aim too low.

You're right ,I was lucky


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## sundown (Jul 9, 2008)

***** said:


> Your luckier than me with the MOT.
> Mine car was going to cost about £600 and with lots more of advisories


My car had its MOT yesterday.
1999 peugeot 406 estate 
had it since new, 135,000 miles on the clock
it was picked up from the door 8am
returned 4pm with full service, everything fixed what needed fixed
and MOT pass certificate.
total bill £195
Knowing a good self employed mechanic is the answer!


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## lenny (Jul 9, 2008)

sundown said:


> My car had its MOT yesterday.
> 1999 peugeot 406 estate
> had it since new, 135,000 miles on the clock
> it was picked up from the door 8am
> ...



Not bad,eh, hope he filled the tank up


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## Deleted member 775 (Jul 10, 2008)

lenny said:


> My 1991 Ducato just failed it's MOT today but I'm over the moon cos the defects were all so trivial, apart from one that said "Front wheels out of balance..37%", I'm told that this means that one side is braking better than the other which could cause the van to pull to one side when braking.
> I've ordered new pads for tomorrow even though the old one seemed to have a little more life left in them, although the offside set seem to be crumbling slightly and have a covering of dust (this side also heats up more than the nearside), discs look ok, flexi pipes look ok, any advice please



think you may have a seized brake caliper on the side of low brake pressure could either be the piston in the caliper or or the caliper that is seized on its slide that will account for the crumbling pads on one side when you change the pads you will tell if it is the cylinder or the caliper that is seized if it is the caliper use wd 40 to free and then some copper slip to lubricate the slider to be safe do both sides if it is the cylinder then a new caliper may be needed


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## Telstar (Jul 10, 2008)

*Rd Tax*

The proposed increase doesn't affect cars registered before 'Y' March 2001.

So make sure you buy a 4.6 Range Rover on an x plate!!!!



Jon


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## lenny (Jul 10, 2008)

Thanks all for the kind advice, but I found the problem and thought I'd share it with you, the culprit was the flexi hose at the caliper(somehow it was blocked) preventing fluid from passing to the piston.
This was not obvious at first as there are twin pistons in these calipers and only one was working. I dont know how long the pipe has been blocked ,it could have been 6 month or so, now when you consider this brake assembly could have been binding for that long,slowing me down and reducing my MPG.

I've not known a flexi to block before but I have encountered a problem with one that is kinked.

Flexi replaced, brake fluid replaced all round,test drive.. spot on,,job done

And the rain held off all morning


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## Deleted member 775 (Jul 10, 2008)

great news lenny glad it has been a cheapish fix


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## Deleted member 775 (Jul 10, 2008)

Telstar said:


> The proposed increase doesn't affect cars registered before 'Y' March 2001.
> 
> So make sure you buy a 4.6 Range Rover on an x plate!!!!
> 
> ...



up to press but he will have some sneaky trick up his sleeve for the veichles not included in this round of tax hikes. it aint like the robbing theiving governmental highway robbers to let it go at that there will be some thing like a stricter mot to remove older motors off the road


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## Deleted member 775 (Jul 10, 2008)

the conservatives had a good system any motor over 25 years old were classed as historic vehicles so were tax exempt. look what good ole labour did set a cut off period at built before jan 1973 just because they were losing some money i somehow think labour want to commit political suicide at the moment mabey they are being paid by the conservatives to ruin any chance of been returned to power


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## Telstar (Jul 10, 2008)

*Mandrake*

It wasn't you driving the orange van this morning near the sheffield wednesday ground was it at 8.40ish.  If so, I was at the side of you!!!!


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## messenger 2.5td (Jul 10, 2008)

*Mot time*

Think there was a eu proposal recently to have mot testing every 2 years instead as in other european countries strikes me this will cause a major loss of income for the garages which at present make a very good living out of mot's and repairs(thank you very much).They would no doubt make up the shortfall by increasing their charges for repairs to compensate.My van is going for it's mot tomorrow so the weekend is on hold for the minute,fingers crossed.Had 4 new tyres fitted across the back axle total cost £362 so hope there are no nasty suprises.Pardon my ignorance but forgot to ask when booking the mot is it the same price as a car anyone know?


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## Deleted member 775 (Jul 10, 2008)

no not me havent been out today something about computer system at b&q distribution center going on melt down  i must have jinksed there system two days there and things gone t-t- up


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## Deleted member 775 (Jul 10, 2008)

messenger 2.5td said:


> Think there was a eu proposal recently to have mot testing every 2 years instead as in other european countries strikes me this will cause a major loss of income for the garages which at present make a very good living out of mot's and repairs(thank you very much).They would no doubt make up the shortfall by increasing their charges for repairs to compensate.My van is going for it's mot tomorrow so the weekend is on hold for the minute,fingers crossed.Had 4 new tyres fitted across the back axle total cost £362 so hope there are no nasty suprises.Pardon my ignorance but forgot to ask when booking the mot is it the same price as a car anyone know?



mine was  same class as a normal car


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## Deleted member 775 (Jul 10, 2008)

yes you are correct there although when my van went for its test the garage could not carry out the test as there was not enough room for him to test it he said  so it went to another station still same price


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## lenny (Jul 10, 2008)

***** said:


> I think that up to 3500 it is a class 4 and the same as a normal car
> Maybe more if over that weight, but mot charges vary garage to garage



I think you're right Graham, I paid £45 for the test but was told I will have to pay for the retest within 10 working days, possibly half the origional fee,now thats news to me


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## Deleted member 775 (Jul 10, 2008)

yes thats true another way of getting that little bit extra from us , but if you leave it with them to do the repairs you dont have the retest fees funny just there bill for work done


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## messenger 2.5td (Jul 10, 2008)

*Mot time*

My van is 5.5 tonnes started out as mod van before being converted by the owner prior to me so will see tomorrow afternoon hopefully when i collect with a brand new mot.Strange question was asked by mechanic when dropped van off earlier wanted to know with it being a home conversion was it fitted with a toilet otherwise it didn't count as a camper for mot purposes and would have to be mot'ed as a hgv(go figure that one)


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## lenny (Jul 10, 2008)

I think they just make up there own rules, I think your test will probably cost £53, good luck.


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## messenger 2.5td (Jul 10, 2008)

*Mot time*

Thanks Lenny hope you are back on the road soon need you to go out on a reccy for the northern meet,Andy


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## Deleted member 775 (Jul 10, 2008)

messenger 2.5td said:


> My van is 5.5 tonnes started out as mod van before being converted by the owner prior to me so will see tomorrow afternoon hopefully when i collect with a brand new mot.Strange question was asked by mechanic when dropped van off earlier wanted to know with it being a home conversion was it fitted with a toilet otherwise it didn't count as a camper for mot purposes and would have to be mot'ed as a hgv(go figure that one)



thats a strange one look at the campers about that dont have toilets fitted home or factory built i would have thought that if it is registered as a camper then the mot mans question would be irrelevant and even more so as it is only 5.5 tonne


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## messenger 2.5td (Jul 10, 2008)

*Mot time*

Got the impression it was to do with the class of mot as most garages are limited to cars and vans rather than hgv's,maybe because some people when converting their vans themselves don't inform dvla of the changes(don't re-register them as campers)will ask tomorrow


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## messenger 2.5td (Jul 11, 2008)

*Mot time*

Got the dreaded phone call this morning from the garage camper failed it's mot on brake pipes,handbrake ineffective and kingpin worn on one side advisory to replace other side.Left van at garage so work can be carried out but they are having trouble sourcing the kingpin you would think they would be stock items but apparently not,these are indeed testing times


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## Deleted member 775 (Jul 11, 2008)

sounds like ive got away lucky this year with my mot, the only thing that was a real pain was the setting up of the front brakes with them being drum type. so to cure that i am considering fitting the later disks some time this year. by the way ***** do you remember the trouble i had when i came to hayfield with the steering well i cured that with a new tyre and the tracking reset so while i was at it i replaced the other trackrod end, i had one   replaced for the mot, it had had a new steering rack fitted just before i bought the van.


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## Deleted member 775 (Jul 11, 2008)

cheers the problem apart from the tracking was mainly the tyre as the tread was parting company with the casing there was a crack down the center of the tread pattern so it seems the mot guy missed that one shows they are not infallible after all


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## Deleted member 775 (Jul 11, 2008)

wasent too bad coming back home but getting there well  all cured now i am thinking of getting some more front wishbones rebushing them over the next few months and fitting them then thats another job done so it wont fail next years test on them at least i have some new dampers at home to be fitted at the same time cost a tenner of e.bay bargain


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## lenny (Jul 12, 2008)

My van passed the MOT retest today, all defects repaired by myself, so I,m well chuffed, especially with the faulty front brake.
To think I could have been running around for months with that brake binding and burning more fuel than necessary, so I would advise everyone to check that there wheels spin freely when brakes are not applied.
A simple check would be to walk around the van and feel each hub after a journey to see if any are hotter than normal.

Good luck to all that are having MOT problems,Iknow it's a weight off your shoulders when it finally passes.


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## Wilbury (Jul 12, 2008)

mandrake said:


> the conservatives had a good system any motor over 25 years old were classed as historic vehicles so were tax exempt. look what good ole labour did set a cut off period at built before jan 1973 just because they were losing some money i somehow think labour want to commit political suicide at the moment mabey they are being paid by the conservatives to ruin any chance of been returned to power



Hi Mandrake,
I do not think anything will induce this shower to go. 
They are so thick skined, uncaring and contemptious that they will continue to hang on and feather their own nests untill they are forced out.
The trouble is that none of the other parties will be any better. 
So what do we do to improve things.
Elections do not work.
Wilbury


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## wildman (Jul 13, 2008)

the answer is simple elect independant candidates, no party politics, no line to toe and represent the people only, nothing more, no hidden agenda, so VOTE independant Everytime it would work if everyone did it.


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## messenger 2.5td (Jul 14, 2008)

Had a phone call from garage where i took van for mot lat week good news they have managed to source kingpin for nearside(suggested replacing offside as advisory)bad news £217 plus vat nice lady in the reception asked did i want to replace the offside at same time err i think i will leave it for now need to save up for next years mot now i think.Anyway hope to have van back in time for weekend(just as soon as i stop crying over the bill)


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## lenny (Jul 14, 2008)

Sorry to hear about the expense but just think of the fun you can have with your van in the 12 months till your next MOT.
I dont trust the garage, only take the van there once a year and thats cos the law says I must,, I sometimes wonder if they invent faults in order to get the work of repairing it for you. mine had advisories... all four wheel bearings/slight play,now I find that hard to believe that all four can show signs of wear at exactly the same time,after 17years
Anyway I just acquired one complete front hub assembly for £10 + £8 postage,(saves the need to get bearing pressed into place) so I,ve got 12 months to find the other three. This is considering the castle nuts dont just need nipping up. Hope you get your van back for the weekend,, Good luck


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## t&s (Jul 16, 2008)

i have found this firm usefull in the past a good quick service
may be they have a hub for you 
http://www.partsgateway.co.uk/


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## Deleted member 775 (Jul 18, 2008)

hi just trying to catch up on many posts as my dear daughter is more than hogging  the keyboard , as for mots  when i used to run a car aswell as the van i used to think oh well if the car fails the mot and it costs more than i can buy another for then i will just scrap the car and buy another, it was a case of run the car into the ground dont spend a penny on it if it fails the mot what the hell £200 will buy me another. but now i only run the old beddy i am willing to spend any spare money i have got on upkeep of it, i have replaced all the brake pipes needed or not so i know they are done any thing i can do will be done over the year so when the test is due i know there will be no probs. rather spend during the year than have it come all at once all so if your nice local garage  wants to make a few quid out of you once a year he is not gona make a lot out of me on repairs only a first time pass  i just got a compleat set of top and bottom ball joints 25 quid so they will be replaced soon and they have grease nipples fitted so a shot or too of grease will keep them good for years.


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