MOT Fail :-(

[munter]

Well as expected I got a fail. A few things:

1- NS driveshaft gaitor bust
2- NS front anti-roll linakge ball joint dust cover bust
3- NS steering arm movement

For 1 and 2 is my best port of call Mr T? Can't believe the ball joint is knackered already as that was an OEM replacement two years ago..

For 3 do I need an entire steering rack or does the NS arm come seperately? If the full rack is there anywhere that does recon ones? Not sure I can spare the cash for a new one from Mr T, but neither do I want to buy a 2nd hand one from one of the eBay breakers knowing that often they sell stuff that isn't in great condition.

Is there an online parts catalogue around still? Did a google search but couldnt find anything. Could do with the various part numbers. Assume these parts are all shared with the MK1b?

Any help appreciated!

Thanks

[kaiowas]

#2 sounds like it's describing a drop link dust cover rather than a balljoint

I covered #3 in your thread on the SC forum last week

Driveshaft gaiter may be different to a mk1b as the shafts are different on an SC. Part numbers should still be available on toyodiy

[munter]

Thanks Kaiowas I'll take a look at toyodiy and see what I can find.

Had a look at the MOT sheet again and you're right its the drop link dust cover! Annoying as the drop links are two years old...

The steering rack wasnt the rack but the NS arm. Quote "nearside front steering arm has relative movement". So is that a replacement tie rod end?

Oh well I guess it could have been worse!

Whilst the drive shaft and steering rack are off is it worth getting the garage to anything else?

Cheers

[kaiowas]

Based on your previous comments about having been advised of some play on the inner joint last year I've assumed you were talking about the same issue having got worse. With the car in the air and the wheel off it should be pretty easy to tell where the movement is.

[munter]

Yep I'm on it! Will get up early tomorrow and get the wheel off to make sure. My best guess is that its the tie rod ends. I think while everything is off I'll get the tie rods changed out and new boots on as well.

Had a look on toyodiy and the driveshaft boot kits for the auto seem to be $130 Checked the third party ones (only available via US it seems) and they are $15. That toyota price can't be right surely? Will check tomorrow but what a rip off.

Bit disappointed with the front drop links from TCB the one that failed I can see why the rubber is cracked and shot to pieces already. Not good after only two years...

P

[Lauren]

Bit disappointed with the front drop links from TCB the one that failed I can see why the rubber is cracked and shot to pieces already. Not good after only two years...

P

OEM is the way forward.

I would only go OEM for the driveshaft gaitor too.

[munter]

OEM difficult on the gaitor Lauren as it discountinued in Europe (if indeed it was ever available for the auto SC in the first place)!

Only option on that was Japan and the guy in parts said even if he could get it you're looking at 3-4 weeks. No good for my MOT retest!

Sounds like a few other folk are starting to have problems sourcing service OEM items now. It's going to make ownership a bit more complex/expensive.

P

[Lauren]

I would just get it from Japan and wait a month for it. I've done this before for AE86 parts which are generally rarer than MR2 parts.

There would have been OEM part available, you can be sure of that.

[jimzzr]

Well as expected I got a fail. A few things:

1- NS driveshaft gaitor bust
2- NS front anti-roll linakge ball joint dust cover bust
3- NS steering arm movement

For 1 and 2 is my best port of call Mr T? Can't believe the ball joint is knackered already as that was an OEM replacement two years ago..

For 3 do I need an entire steering rack or does the NS arm come seperately? If the full rack is there anywhere that does recon ones? Not sure I can spare the cash for a new one from Mr T, but neither do I want to buy a 2nd hand one from one of the eBay breakers knowing that often they sell stuff that isn't in great condition.

Is there an online parts catalogue around still? Did a google search but couldnt find anything. Could do with the various part numbers. Assume these parts are all shared with the MK1b?

Any help appreciated!

Thanks

Regarding number 3 if the ball joints check out i.e. end plus inner then there might be wear on the nylon bush stuck in the near side end of the steering rack. This is replaceable, you'll need the bush and claw washer. There's some writes up on the web and on my (lengthening) to do list.

bush part no 45522-17020 washer 90214- 14002

[munter]

Finally got the car back from the garage this morning. "It's ok Mr Munter" they say, "we have sorted everything".

I knew I should have been worried!

So they have sorted out the steering rack, but decided not to fit the new boots and poly bushes I so kindly supplied. Why they didnt do this I have no idea. Maybe they were being kind and decided to save me labour costs?

I'm keen to get these bits fitted so I can forget about steering rack issues for the next five years. Is it hard to do? It would be good to get done before I pay to get the alignment done.

Clearly having driven the car back they have not done the alignment. The steering wheel is at about 10 degrees turn to the right when driving straight. Talk about feeding my OCD issues!!! You'd have thought having replaced half the steering rack they would at least tell me I'd need to get the alignment done. It seems not.

Worst of all the engine is rough as hell at idle now. They have replaced plugs, oil and fitted a new AC belt so I'm at a loss as to what they have done. Seems fine at higher revs and under load. Could they have knocked the timing off?

Good news is that the couple of small weld spots have been fixed very well and they've done a good job of the under seal.

Finally while I'm in moan mood I took a look at the two year old drop links they removed and the rubber dust shields are in a really bad shape. Not sure what the deal is there but not pleased. Maybe they've been sat on a shelf for 20 years and the rubber has degraded even before fitting.

Good news is that the MOT has passed though. Silver linings and all that....

[LimeyMk1]

Steering rack boots and bushes are easy enough to do, the bushes just need both brackets loosening off then change one, reattach, change t'other and do em up tight (half to one grunt torque).

For the boots you'll need to remove the steering rod ends from the hub and screw them off the rack then remove the boots. Usually you'd mark/measure the position of the rod ends so the steering alignment remains the same but if you're going to get the allignment redone this isn't as important as long as the wheels don't end up seriously out of line.

As to the rough idle, check the HT leads are on properly and in the right order.