Most horrifying things done to my car by a tester

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Fri 13 Jun 2008 10:37
Most horrifying things done to my car by a tester - L'escargot
The most horrifying things I have seen done to one of my cars was ...........

(a) Balancing the front wheels on the car. This was a procedure carried out in the 1960s when McPherson Strut suspensions were in their infancy and front wheel balance was very critical. The claimed advantage was that it balanced the whole of the rotating parts, not just the wheel and tyre. The car was jacked up at the front, the existing balance weights were removed and then the wheels were spun up to speed by pressing a motorised roller up against the tyre. (I can't remember whether the roller pressed on the tread or the sidewall, but I remember that the tyres got damaged by the roller skidding on the tyres.)

The vibration was so severe I thought the bonnet was going to fly off!

(b) Testing the dampers. Again in the 1960s. The front of the car was lifted (by about 500 mm if I remember correctly) and the car was then dropped. The motion of the body was recorded on a strip chart. If the top spring mountings and inner wings were a bit rusty (as was common in the 1960s) the car didn't survive the test! Fortunately mine did survive.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 13 Jun 2008 11:09
Most horrifying things done to my car by a tester - BazzaBear {P}
Not a tester, but took a car to a quick fitter a fair few years ago because there was a buzzing in the exhaust system at 1500rpm.

Despite me telling them exactly that, the 16 year old spotty oik who was stationed behind the wheel while it was up on the ramps proceeded to rev the plums off my car - and there wasn't even anyone under it to spot the rattle yet.

I found a radiator leak shortly afterwards, and remain suspicious it was down to his antics.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 13 Jun 2008 13:06
Most horrifying things done to my car by a tester - billy25
I used to dread the "multi-rod" rust gun! - more than one of my sills has been blattered to dust, leaving what was just a small rust bubble a gaping cavern.

Billy
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 13 Jun 2008 15:59
Most horrifying things done to my car by a tester - craig-pd130
On-car balancing was very effective on my old B GT, it sorted out a nasty vibration that used to come through the steering at speed. Very few places do it now.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 14 Jun 2008 09:27
Most horrifying things done to my car by a tester - oilrag
I remember a guy with a sharp pointed `ice pick` really hammering all over the underside of the old Man`s motor, Circa 1964.

Edited by oilrag on 14/06/2008 at 09:29

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 14 Jun 2008 10:10
Most horrifying things done to my car by a tester - Dog
I drive petrol now, but I've had a few diesels and once upon a time, long long ago I had what is known as a Hymer which is just about the best Motorcaravan money could buy (then) and the engine was the proper job - Merc ... I used to get really, really angry about the smoke test on the MOT - rev'd the firkin life out of it they did !
Yes, and I've also had the clown with whatever the MOT tester uses for the underside - failed my ole 240 GLT cos of it (pink fluffy dice !) even the other mechs said he was a bit hefty with his ole tool !!

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 14/06/2008 at 14:13

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 14 Jun 2008 11:54
Most horrifying things done to my car by a tester - Robin Reliant
One tester poked the sill of my Morris Marina so hard with his finger that it went straight through!

I had a good mind to sue him.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 14 Jun 2008 12:02
Most horrifying things done to my car by a tester - maltrap
Nothing to do with M O T's but a pal of mine who was in the trade showed me a device for testing car batteries. It basically shorted the battery out and gave an amperage reading. He reckoned if the battery wasn't knackered before the test it would be after it!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 14 Jun 2008 12:10
Most horrifying things done to my car by a tester - Alby Back
Years ago I dropped my "pride and joy" Westfield off for an MOT. Returned later that day to pick it up only to find one of the mechanics doing doughnuts in it in the yard. Full and frank exchange of views and no charge for MOT resulted. Some small revenge was exacted by dint of the fact that the forecourt was gravel and their shiny new tow truck was behind my car as I set off to leave. ;-)
Reply | Report as offensive | Link

From choosing the right tyre to what to do when it goes wrong - we have the answers.

Tyre News And Advice