Clio 172 coil springs

[Dex90]

Hi all,

I've been working on a project car and put in some 172 Cup shocks and coil springs a while ago. Put the car in for an mot today and it failed on coils springs being lose and easily moveable. The springs do rotate when there's no weight on the spring but youve got to put in some effort.

I think I bought the wrong coil springs as I took them off when I got home and they are tightened on the top bolt fully.

I have a Clio 172 phase 2 and installed 172 cup shocks by recommendation on the forum . What springs do I need ? Any links ?

 

[bloke]

can't fail it on that. go back and ask them to show you where it says it's a fail. if they refuse or can't show you phone vosa, or whatever they are calling themselves this week, while you are there and watch them squirm while you complain about them ?

 

[Dex90]

The mot failure code was 5.3.1 (a) my reg if you want to check the mot failure is FP02 ULT

• Nearside Front Coil spring insecure (5.3.1 (a) (i))
• Offside Front Coil spring insecure (5.3.1 (a) (i))

 

[Dex90]

They failed me on both my front tyres too which are only worn on the inside of the tyre. I thought 75% of the tyre had to be worn below 1.6mm?

Test centre was a national tyres due to proximity to work.

 

[bloke]

Figures it was someone like that.

As long as springs don't drop out when the car is jacked and they seat as they should when it's back on its wheels they can't fail it.

 

[Dex90]

They don't drop out but are moveable by hand when lifted, you can spin them in the seat. He said if you can move them by hand then it's possible if i went over a bump they could come out from seat and pierce tyre.

I did buy aftermarket springs so maybe the spring rate isn't correct . Kilen I think

 

[bloke]

100% it cannot fail on that!!!!

 

[Dex90]

Cheers, will dispute it. Out of interest is that normal for springs on Clio 172s ?

 

[bloke]

Yup, perfectly normal. If you look online at the tester manual you'll see what it says about springs.

 

[Dex90]

just found it,

https://www.mot-testing.service.gov...-Wheels-Tyres-and-Suspension.html#section_5.3

5.3.1 Springs
This inspection includes bonded suspension units.
You shouldn’t reject vehicles with leaf spring type suspension if modified spring anchor or shackle brackets are fitted and there are more mounting holes in the bracket than holes in the chassis.
Defect 5.3.1.b also applies to that part of a leaf spring which is curled to prevent disengagement from a slipper.

You should assess the security of a coil spring to the chassis or axle when jacking and lowering the vehicle. If the spring doesn’t correctly locate when the suspension is returned to its normal running position, then you should reject it for being insecurely attached.

You don’t need to jack the rear wheels of vehicles with a DGW more than 5,000kg.
An unsafe modification includes welded repairs or the use of excessive heat to highly stressed components (see Appendix A) and modifications which are likely to affect the roadworthiness of the vehicle.
Defect Category

1. A spring:
2. insecurely attached to chassis or axle

clearly the spring will return back to original position, thanks @bloke

 

[bloke]

No problem.

 

[Dex90]

booked the car in for another mot at the same place, again due to convenience, with the intention of disputing the previous mot failures. i went on holiday for a week so missed the 14 retest period. Ended up having an argument with the MOT tester , showed him the paragraph on the government website for the mot testing manual which he replied "that doesn't mention anything about a McPherson strut". It's the only section under suspension that doesn't refer to leaf springs and how to test an insecure spring!

"I've tested dozens of these cars with the mcpherson strut and they don't do what your car is doing" was the last thing he said."
"if i mot'd it with them it will fail, if you want you can dispute it with the dvsa" , which of course i'm out of the 14 day window to do that.

so cancelled the mot with them and got my money back. booked in elsewhere for the MOT.

I don't mind changing the coil spring if it's wrong but apparently they aren't so hopefully new mot tester elsewhere won't be dimwitted.

have also emailed dvsa asking what constitutes a failure when testing suspension coil springs on specifically a McPherson strut so i have confirmation from them but will also send this over to national tyres to educate them if they are wrong. so much wasted time on this!

 

[bloke]

report him, he's obviously a cockjockey BUT it kind of serves you right for going to a tyre depot for an mot ?

 

[Dex90]

True, but it's so close to work I can drive there and walk to work. Booked in elsewhere now anyway so fingers crossed

 

[Clio_fool]

How many others has he failed on this and then offered repairs though? Finding an mot man you trust is massively important if you have a modified car and these type of places are a joke.
My wife took hers to Halfords a few years ago and they failed it on a sidelight and headlamp bulb out and tried to tell her she couldn't take the car away because it had failed the test and was therefore un road worthy! I went to collect it and they offered to replace the bulbs for £30odd and retest it. I had bulbs in the boot as that bloody car popped them for fun, 2 mins in their carpark and back in all good. Never again.

 

[bloke]

i had someone on facebook telling me they had someone from the ministry who told them a customer can't take a car away that's failed a test, scary as it's all down to the wording and how retarded the person reading it is!!

i've even seen testers who are convinced the customer can't take the car away and they are having non of it when you point out what it says in the testers manual regarding a failure and taking the vehicle away. nothing worse than a tester who's convinced he's correct regardless of how wrong he is ?

 

[Usr117063]

"Objects removed from screen prior to test". Mum just had that put down as an advisory, also failed on a rear wheel bearing as kwik fit now have vibration plates or something and a re test was 17 quid odd, but it was free if done within 24 hours.. Mine failed recently on "Offside Rear Hydraulic brake cylinder leaking hydraulic fluid", was because there was excess fluid left over in the bleed screw under the cap! Although the kwik fit I went to were pretty good and let me off on about 5 cancelations, free re test and mot was 27 quid so can't complain

 

[Usr117063]

@bloke If you take out the headlight washers they can't put it down as a 'minor fail' can they?

 

[bloke]

need to check but think now pre 2009 and it doesn't even com into the test?

yup, pre september 2009 and doesn't even come into the test anymore.

 

[Usr117063]

They need to update their system.. ?

 

[bloke]

system is online, down to the tester if they are failing on things it shouldn't fail on.

 

[Brigsy]

Sounds fine to me, some fecking useless mot testers out there. The clio is renowned for sloppy top mounts too when jacked up for mot and my springs are the same no issues.

I had a massive bust up with an mot tester over my engine converted extra van. Engine is 1985 carburettor gtt turbo engine. I have an aftermarket afr gauge and lambda sensor fitted in downpipe so he tries to fail it over decat. Its never had a cat and never will on 1985 engine. Massive bust up and pass when his boss reads the mot manual. Never went back after that have a better garage now that actually understands the mot rules properly.

 

[Dex90]

well failed again with 2 new things but didn't fail on coil springs or tyres so happy with that.

• windscreen washer jets not powerful enough
• unable to open bonnet

was nothing wrong with the bonnet opening, put the battery in that morning . tested washer jets, they aren't blocked the motors just failed. tried swapping over the xenon washer motor to the windscreen washer motor as a quick fix to pass mot but that was broken too!

ordered 2 new washer pumps. will fit them and hopefully finally have a mot'd clio!

cheers for help.

 

[Dex90]

all passed!
first passed mot in 4 years lol.