Discussion
Well the old girl failed the MOT yesterday, on a brake light inoperative (chuffing bulb blew on the way to the testing station) and seat mounting insufficiant(the tester said "the seat is only monted on fibreglass, it needs plates to support the weight)
This is from the same testing station that has done the mot for the last 4-5 years! My question is has anyone else had to plate the seat runners?
This is from the same testing station that has done the mot for the last 4-5 years! My question is has anyone else had to plate the seat runners?
andy390se said:
for the sake of 50 quid before welding plates on.
If you value your life a bit more than 50 quid then I'd suggest you get proper seat mounts put in under the car and while at it check your seat-belt mounts too. Are you really happy that the thing you are sitting in and potentially held in by is only bolted through fibre glass?
As far as I can remember, there are pictures in Steve's Bible of the seat mounts. One of the first mods I had to mine.
Edited by cirks on Tuesday 24th April 23:13
MOT tester man him talk out of ringpiece. If it was good enough for the legislation when new, that's all it needs. Lotus et al did exactly the same (in fact the Esprit's floor wasn't as thick as the TVR's).
Let's face it, if you're in a crash where it matters whether the seats are bolted down, it won't matter whether the seats are bolted down, if you see what I mean.
Think of the forces involved: in a head-on you are straining at your seatbelt; if the seat wants to go anywhere it can't because you are holding it in place. In a side-on, what difference would it make? If the colliding vehicle gets past the side-impact bars in the door, your next stop is the spine tubes. Seat? What seat?
Let's face it, if you're in a crash where it matters whether the seats are bolted down, it won't matter whether the seats are bolted down, if you see what I mean.
Think of the forces involved: in a head-on you are straining at your seatbelt; if the seat wants to go anywhere it can't because you are holding it in place. In a side-on, what difference would it make? If the colliding vehicle gets past the side-impact bars in the door, your next stop is the spine tubes. Seat? What seat?
My mounts seat fixings failed because someone had tried to raised the seat and the nuts on a threaded rods inside had worn them selves out side so only one secure fixing
So, couple of alloy 6" square plated either side, all sealed up and everyone is happy. Saying that, the tester was happy with the one single fixing that was still good but only small washers either side.
So, couple of alloy 6" square plated either side, all sealed up and everyone is happy. Saying that, the tester was happy with the one single fixing that was still good but only small washers either side.
I own a Ginetta G33 and a Chim 500, all seats are just bolted through the fibreglass floor and held in place by washers. At least in the Ginetta i'm held in place by my harnesses and strapped to the back of the car (theres no space behind the seats) but the Chim seats had worn themselves through the floor so 2 out of 4 bolts were just completely loose. The seat use to try and tip me out if I went around left hand corners. Can't quite understand why it was never picked up during services or MOTs 
If you do have a frontal crash then the seats can't go anywhere as such as somebody has suggested but what happens when the weight then flies backwards ?? Surely thats going to leave you a lot of trouble or through you out sideways maybe ??
If you do have a frontal crash then the seats can't go anywhere as such as somebody has suggested but what happens when the weight then flies backwards ?? Surely thats going to leave you a lot of trouble or through you out sideways maybe ??Sounds like MOT man is angling for extra work.
I have had a couple of 'offs' and the seats have never moved.
All 3 wedges have been through a total of 20 MOTs and are stock in this area, and never had this mentioned.
Also - if you mod it, you'll have to delare it to ins co. Which might mean an engineers report - more expense.
Tell him you'll appeal the seat thing - assuming the mounts are all secure, ask him that first.
I have had a couple of 'offs' and the seats have never moved.
All 3 wedges have been through a total of 20 MOTs and are stock in this area, and never had this mentioned.
Also - if you mod it, you'll have to delare it to ins co. Which might mean an engineers report - more expense.
Tell him you'll appeal the seat thing - assuming the mounts are all secure, ask him that first.
Edited by adam quantrill on Wednesday 25th April 12:33
adam quantrill said:
Also - if you mod it, you'll have to delare it to ins co. Which might mean an engineers report - more expense.
additional safety things don't usually cost more although depends how bureaucratic the ins. company is regarding getting mods checked. Apart from my leap in engine power/spec, none of the other mods increased my premiums.
adam quantrill said:
Sounds like MOT man is angling for extra work.
Tell him you'll appeal the seat thing - assuming the mounts are all secure, ask him that first.
Tell him you'll appeal the seat thing - assuming the mounts are all secure, ask him that first.
Edited by adam quantrill on Wednesday 25th April 12:33
I agree, it's a road of borrocks, as they say in Japan. Mines been through all it's MOT's as per standard. Griffs etc are probably the same. He maybe has a hair stuck in akward place.
I'd be inclined to ask for the MOT complaints procedure and follow it as MotMan obviously has missed the fact that the vehicle had type approval when it was sold and the seat mounting is factory standard. You could ask him to reconsider his decision before you start proceedings...
If I was looking to enhance the safety of a wedge I think after making sure everything is within OEM specification I would be looking at upgrading front brakes then fitting a proper roll over bar. To be honest unless I was looking at serious and regular track use I can't see the seat mountings worrying me for all of the reasons already stated. So long as the mountings have reasonably large washers/plates to spread the load I don't see the point of stretching them to the chassis. After all fiberglass is a pretty strong material. Stronger than steel weight for weight! If you think it's a bit thin for the purpose why not just apply a few more layers.
If you can't be arsed with the complaints procedure and don't mind letting the gumby inspector get away with your hard earned then try your luck with a new testing station. Though in these big brother days the new tester probably has access to the previous failure certificates!!!
If I was looking to enhance the safety of a wedge I think after making sure everything is within OEM specification I would be looking at upgrading front brakes then fitting a proper roll over bar. To be honest unless I was looking at serious and regular track use I can't see the seat mountings worrying me for all of the reasons already stated. So long as the mountings have reasonably large washers/plates to spread the load I don't see the point of stretching them to the chassis. After all fiberglass is a pretty strong material. Stronger than steel weight for weight! If you think it's a bit thin for the purpose why not just apply a few more layers.
If you can't be arsed with the complaints procedure and don't mind letting the gumby inspector get away with your hard earned then try your luck with a new testing station. Though in these big brother days the new tester probably has access to the previous failure certificates!!!
Well I have taken the seats out and put two galvanised plates under the seat rails and some square galvanised plates underneath the floor where the bolts secure. The annoying thing is I know for a fact the fibreglass hasn't deteriated or cracked at all in the time I have owned the car, it has gone to the same test station for the last few years (and they are not angling for work as they only mot (council run place) Maybe the tester was in a bad mood or something!
leorest said:
try your luck with a new testing station. Though in these big brother days the new tester probably has access to the previous failure certificates!!!
That would be the problem .. If you take it to another test station it would be treated as a retest, with the spot light on the previous failed items, in which case if repair / replacement was not evident, the new tester would have a problem in passing it as it would ring alarm bells back at Big Brother MOT HQ. You would need to at least fit new pins and washers and maybe a spreader plate.
BadRedWedge said:
leorest said:
try your luck with a new testing station. Though in these big brother days the new tester probably has access to the previous failure certificates!!!
That would be the problem .. If you take it to another test station it would be treated as a retest, with the spot light on the previous failed items, in which case if repair / replacement was not evident, the new tester would have a problem in passing it as it would ring alarm bells back at Big Brother MOT HQ. You would need to at least fit new pins and washers and maybe a spreader plate.i us to be a mot tester and it says the set must be sercurely mounted to the car body if the fiberglass is cracked he can fail it
but the setbelt must be mounted to a metal mouting u can ask the mot station for the phone no and thay will send a rep to the mot station to cheak the item in disput or if thay dont think it neaded thay will contact him and tell him he is at fault or ask for him to do his testers test again
but he cannot fail you car because the set is only mounted to fiber glass
hope this helps u
but the setbelt must be mounted to a metal mouting u can ask the mot station for the phone no and thay will send a rep to the mot station to cheak the item in disput or if thay dont think it neaded thay will contact him and tell him he is at fault or ask for him to do his testers test again
but he cannot fail you car because the set is only mounted to fiber glass
hope this helps u
Just taken the ole Wedge for her annual MOT, and passed 1st time. (i'd already checked it over, and i had to do was adjust the handbrake)
As has already been stated here you need to choose a good testing station, that's used to the older vehicles.
Mine was 3rd on the ramp today, following a Morris Minor rag top and a TR6.
Next up looked to me a classic Mini, and a 944.
However the MOT station is booked up at least a month in advance!
As has already been stated here you need to choose a good testing station, that's used to the older vehicles.
Mine was 3rd on the ramp today, following a Morris Minor rag top and a TR6.
Next up looked to me a classic Mini, and a 944.
However the MOT station is booked up at least a month in advance!
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