Jump to content

MOT Failure / Continuing Excess Play Wheel Problem


Recommended Posts

So today my UK EP91 failed it's MOT on 'excessive play in rear nearside wheel'. I've had an issue with this passenger side rear wheel since I inadvertently went over what was a large hole in the side of the road where a B road had collapsed away at the edge due to rain or something. I went over the hole with the rear wheel, a huge bang occured and there was some grinding noise for a few mins, before that went away. Noticed that rear end of car was a bit all over the place.

Took the car to mechanic who only found the rear passenger wheel had excessive play in it. Everything else he said looked fine. He took the wheel off, and reassembled things with a new hub pin. The mechanic told me there needed to be some play in the wheel and he was not going to do the nut up too tight. But wheel play had diminished. I drove the car for a while but noticed after a short while things felt loose again going around corners etc. Took the car back to him and wheel play was back to being excessive again. We then repeated this whole cycle again one more time.

So getting fed up I took the car to my local tyre fitter to check that the alloy wheel was not warped, as I thought that might be the root cause after the big pot hole I went over. Not sure if they checked the wheel tbh but they came right back to me and said 'it's the bearing'. So, both rear wheel bearings were subsequently replaced. I thought this had made things better, but then the bombshell today of a failed MOT on this same wheel.

The very experienced old school mechanic I use is usually pretty darn good, but he has told me he thinks the 'younger' MOT guys are wrong to fail on this, as quoting him 'there has to be some play in an adjustble taper roller bearing' - but it's obviously worse than the other wheels hence the MOT fail.

So other than confirming 100% the alloy wheel is not warped and not some sort of root cause I can't see with the bearing already replaced what else it can be..... Any idea guys?

I've read some other forum posts on similar issues people have had, and some have replied that the hub nut must be really tight? Is there a torque setting anyone has used for similar issue I can give the mechanic, as he is convinced that if too tight then damage will occur.

Any help appreciated as this issue is really beginning to get on my goat! Clearly the new rear bearings were money wasted and I don't want to waste anymore if I can help it :)

Cheers.

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

I've had problems with this aswell, car failed 2 times on a rear wheel bearing before I finally got it to pass. I thought I was doing the nut tight enough at home and I would test for play with the car jacked up but on the drive to the MOT station it would still develop some play which i didnt have before

your old school mechanic is correct that the nut shouldnt be too tight but he 's being too careful with it, they still have to be 'sort of' tight

also because its a new bearing I can imagine it has to wear in a bit and needs re-tightening after a short while

if the nut is tightened too much the wheel will rotate less smooth while the car is jacked up. try to tighten the nut atleast 1/8 or 1/4 of a turn more than you would think is right and see if it still turns smoothly (car jacked up) and let it be tested again

otherwise just ask your MOT guys to fix it as it is hardly more than 15-30 mins work to tighten the nut a bit more.

Edited by maerijn
Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for the reply. I will try to get my chap to tighten it further. It only concerns more why it keeps getting loose again if he thinks it's fine. I can imagine by the time I get to the MOT place it will be loose and fail again!

Link to post
Share on other sites

The rear bearings are floating bearings and not pressed so there will be play!! whenever I've stripped EP82 /Ep91 rear brakes I have literally been light on the tightening the hub - being too tight compresses the bearings and could potentially lock the bearing under heat. 

Edited by Gilly
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...