Failed at Norwich today
If it hadn't been for the excessive noise or the leaking wheel cylinder I could have sorted the rest of the niggles there and then and passed first time! As it was, they made me get a recovery truck to take it home at £130 This is turning into an expensive day out!

The wheel cylinder and other bits are easy fixes but I have no idea how to quieten down the car. It was 104db. They suggest a decibel reducer thing that fits into the exhaust but that may not be enough. The silencer is sealed so I can't repack it even if I knew how to. Any suggestions on what to do?
Also any ideas on how best to cover the top ball joint lock nut....they didn't like my foam rubber bits!!
On the positive side, the car drove well on the fifty mile journey to Norwich without missing a beat and the bloke said that despite the few faults it was in fact a very good car.
Cheers
Jon
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used electrical insulators on mine, the kinda thing you see going in to junction boxes on the thick industrial type wires, they're kinda cone shaped but if you trim them down they can fit on really tight and look quite smart. got mine from B&Q.

I covered my Stering rack / extensions and joint nuts with a bit of bike inner tube, then covered that with a bit of Split Convoluted tube (Left over from the wiring job) and secured it with Tie wraps.
On the Top joints I used those ball joint plastic covers, but they were so tight, I slit them underneath, and secured them with a couple of cable ties.

Have a look in my SVA section. I also used bike inner tube to cover the wishbone brackets (not shown in piccy below)



Front Suspension Area

Jon, Could have been worse the unfortunate bit was having the car 'grounded' for the drive home.

Top ball joint nuts - I used rubber hose pipe about 4 inches long each side (I think it was an old top hose), split down the side to get it over the track arm and then used black insulation tape neatly wrapped around the whole length to hold it in place.

Noise - my 1300 Xflow had the same reading as yours at its first test and the exhaust was a 'standard' caterham system I managed to pick up cheap. I made up a section of 22mm pipe about 200mm long drilled a load of holes in it and welded one end up.
I then made a 'washer' that was a push fit up the tail pipe and slipped over the drilled tube and welded it to the drilled tube.
Banged it up the tail pipe and the noise measured just over the 100db which passed the test. needless to say it 'fell out' after the test!

Just a quick question- what max revs did you quote on the form? Some people proudly put 6000 then they get tested at 4000. I put 5000 on the form and they test at 2/3 of that which was about 3300 and the engine is much quieter at those revs.

- Alan

PS next time you will pass!

This any help Jon?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SVA-TOP-BALLJOINT-COVERS-LOCOST-MK-MAC1-kit-car-7_W0QQitemZ230005017910QQihZ013QQcategoryZ100921QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Also I have a T/Ace can you could borrow.

HTH

Paul G

Jon , I have a pair on my car that are about to fall off if any use to you . No longer working in Milton but if any help I'm in most evenings if you want to collect from Shelford (about a mile from Addenbrooks as the crow flies)

Thanks everyone. I'll be in touch! Talk to you all later, I must get into the garage as my insurance runs out in 29 days and need to get my retest booked .................. for next week hopefully!!!
Cheers
Jon

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Originally posted by rusty nuts
Jon , I have a pair on my car that are about to fall off if any use to you . No longer working in Milton but if any help I'm in most evenings if you want to collect from Shelford (about a mile from Addenbrooks as the crow flies)

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As far as can see the only part which should make a difference is the locknut which stops the ball-joint moving in the wishbone. My understanding is as long as I file the corners of to a 2.5mm radius that's okay. Or am I wrong???

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Originally posted by brynhamlet
As far as can see the only part which should make a difference is the locknut which stops the ball-joint moving in the wishbone. My understanding is as long as I file the corners of to a 2.5mm radius that's okay. Or am I wrong???

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Jon,

Shame about the fail - but at least they're all relatively easy to fix. The leaking brake cylinder is just a straight replacement job, the top balljoint is easily covered with split radiator hose & a couple of tie-wraps (watch where the tie-wrap joint sticks out).

The exhaust should also be quite easy - I'm sure some of the tips listed here will sort things out.

You should be on the road pretty soon!

cheers,
David

P.S. iank - the point of covering sharp edges is to protect people in minor accidents - they get bruises instead of bad cuts.

[Edited on 6/7/06 by David Jenkins]

Forgot the picture of my top balljoint...
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quote:

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Originally posted by David Jenkins
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P.S. iank - the point of covering sharp edges is to protect people in minor accidents - they get bruises instead of bad cuts.
...

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quote:

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Originally posted by David Jenkins
Forgot the picture of my top balljoint...

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