I took the mighty Chev-suzu for it's MOT on Wednesday... MOT time always installs into me a sense of un-easyness, the type usually reserved for the Dentist, or the Doctor. But no matter, it was out of MOT and so it had to go for one. I took some small comfort in knowing, well thinking, that no matter how bad it is, it won't be as bad as the Carlton!
Obviously it was a FAIL!! But not as badly as some of my cars have!! This is what I got:-
Front brake excessively fluctuating nearside.
Front brake excessively fluctuating offside.
Rear brake excessively fluctuating nearside.
Rear brake excessively fluctuating offside.
Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement offside front.
Brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened offside front (INNER FACE).
Leaf spring has excessive wear in shackle pin and/or bush nearside rear upper.
Leaf spring has excessive wear in shackle pin and/or bush nearside rear lower.
Leaf spring has excessive wear in shackle pin and/or bush offside rear upper.
Leaf spring has excessive wear in shackle pin and/or bush offside rear lower.
So,
not too bad for a truck with just over 206,000 miles on it. On the way
home it was a case of stop into the motorfactors, and pick up some
bits in order to have it back on the road as soon as possible.
Of course my local motorfactors didn't have everything in stock so I then had to hit the Isuzu main dealer for a few items.
Before long I had everything I needed so it was back to the ranch to get them flung on! I'm often surprised by just how
much some car parts can be, for example, why are shackle pins, which
are basically just bolts welded to a flat piece of steel £100+vat?
Anyway, not that it matters as it wasn't getting an MOT without them, so I stumped up the extorsionate amount of money for them, and with the rest of the bits, and headed for home.
My bank account seriously depleated just in time for Christmas! Sorry
kids FATher CHRIStmas
isn't coming this year, his sleigh needed a serious amount of work, so
he's skint! Yeah, like that would wash with my two little monsters! Anyway, to be honest I was glad I
had to have the front discs replaced because quite frankly, they were, and this
is a technical term, BUGGERED! So new bits on, the offside front brake
caliper cleaned up and freed up, and it was straight back to the MOT station today for a
re-test!
Which
of course it failed straight away! Why I hear you cry? Actually you
could've probably heard me cry if you were with about a 50 mile radius
of the place! Everything was good except for now the nearside front
claiper had decided it was now it's turn to sieze up! Great, forty miles
from home and no tools! There was just one thing for it, go and see my
friend Paul at Coltech Classics, and ask for help!
As
ever he jumped straight in there and quickly cleared a space in his
workshop and freed the front brake up for me! Standing there looking at
my pick up amoungst the other pick ups in Pauls workshop I was suddenly
overcome with what can only be described as a Sesame Street moment!
It didn't take too long before I found myself singing (in my head I might add!) That
old Sesame Street favourite, Two of these trucks belong together. Two of
these trucks are kind of the same. But one of these trucks is doing its
own thing. Now it's time to play our game... It's time to play our
game. Could've been a lot worse I guess... I could've had a Peppa Pig moment!! I
discussed this at great length with Paul, and he said, yes, but which
one is the odd one out? I said, simple, mine, it's the only truck here
that isn't from the 1950's! But Paul disagreed, he thought it was his,
because his is a Ford, and mine and the other truck are both Chevrolets!
Hmm, it's funny how you can have a long conversation with good friends
over such trivia! Anyhoo, with the caliper freed up by Paul, and me
extremely greatful for not having to get dirty while he did the work for
me, I headed back off to the MOT station! Where a short while later I
was issued with a certificate for another twelve months of happy
motoring!!
Hooraah!!! And I was headed for home! Still with Sesame Street playing in my ears!! It's a good feeling knowing that my little pick up is good to go, as I've got a little roadtrip coming up soon, and it'll be in this because I feel I'm going to need to space in the bed for Carlton parts!
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