MOT failure

Has the first MOT since I bought the car and everything was ok, including the headlight alignment that I did after 'trophying' the headlights

Unfortunately one failure - the nearside wishbone was rusted through (the garage took me into the pit to show me)

This is a bit too far for me to do myself yet and they can replace the wishbone and do the retest without charge.

I have a couple of questions:

How much should I expect to pay for the wishbone replacement?

The offside was fine - is there a known cause for the bad state of the nearside part?

I think the ones on the one i am stripping are ok! The drivers side I replaced - i'll nip out and have a look now!

Just had a quick look and the passenger one looks ok at first glance!

laz they are quite straight forward to do, but remember to get your tracking checked after. me personaly would get the wishbones and fit new poly bushes while its out and any other bushes that might need changing. im starting to buy parts for my mgf now ready to change every thing over when the time comes. best of luck

Laz1957 wrote: Has the first MOT since I bought the car and everything was ok, including the headlight alignment that I did after 'trophying' the headlights

Unfortunately one failure - the nearside wishbone was rusted through (the garage took me into the pit to show me)

This is a bit too far for me to do myself yet and they can replace the wishbone and do the retest without charge.

I have a couple of questions:

How much should I expect to pay for the wishbone replacement?

The offside was fine - is there a known cause for the bad state of the nearside part?

Rusty Wishbones is a common problem, they are two bits of pressed tin spot welded together and painted ! the internal viod sucks in water and they rust from inside out. the offside one on my 96 F had a minute rust spot on the top, the wire brush soon made a bigger hole!!! I was advised to paint the outsides of the new arms with POR15 and fill the void with waxoil (there is a drain hole in the side of the arm) i was also told that the OEM arms are no longer availiable and the later TF arms are different, it was suggested that i replaced both sides with aftermarket arms. prices are around £70 each from MGF Centre or Sussex Classic car parts. Rimmers & B&G and Moss are more expensive. i am going to replace all of the front bushes with poly at the same time, moto build have a god price at the moment for Probush sets.
As rayb has said it is a fairly easy job to do, but you do have to drop the subframe a bit to remove the rear bolts, a lot depends on your own diy mechanical skills?? Hope this all helps. :whistle:
Hopefully picture below of my front lower arm :shrug:

That's what mine looked like except the hole was about twice the size.

I'll remember to getthe tracking sorted after it's done.

Laz1957 wrote: That's what mine looked like except the hole was about twice the size.

I'll remember to getthe tracking sorted after it's done.

I have seen worse!! the whole top of the ones replaced on Madeleine Lillywhite's (MG Enthusiast) F was like a crusty pie and on some the bottom has fallen out after a tap with the testers little hammer.

The tracking should be checked by the garage who do the work (if you choose that option, that is) but make sure they check all four wheels (4 wheel lazer tracking)

Oh I know this is a rookie question :lol:

Are tracking and wheel alignment the same thing? :blush:

What's the correct set up for my Mk1 Ffitted with trophy wheels and Tojos? (I know I read a post with the figues in but now I can't find it.

i'n no expert but i belive, Alignment is the angles at which the tires sit, tracking is how the rear wheels follow the front.
Allthough lots of places will use both alignment and traking as meaning the same thing, depends if your are talking to guy with a spanner in his hand or a chap with a full 4 wheel laser setup

Laz1957 wrote: Oh I know this is a rookie question :lol:

Are tracking and wheel alignment the same thing? :blush:

What's the correct set up for my Mk1 Ffitted with trophy wheels and Tojos? (I know I read a post with the figues in but now I can't find it.

Wheel alignment:

Front 10' ± 6' toe-out
Rear 10' ± 6' toe-in

Tracking and wheel alignment are used interchangeably. Both are commonly used to describe toe out/in adjustment because normally, only the toe in/out needs to be adjusted.
Really there are more things involved in wheel alignment like camber and caster angles.

This is quite a good read.

Covers the basics.:yesnod:

Ahh - some bedtime reading