spitfire 1500 indicator/hazard issues.

[outdoorjoe]

Went in for an MOT yesterday and................. Failed

but only minor, one ball joint dust cover split
handbrake below requirements
excessive steering column end float (you can pull the steering wheel toward you 1/4 inch)

all in all happy with that get it done over the weekend ready for the bristol classic car day!

[outdoorjoe]

ok classic lovers,

hazards fixed turns out the wire goes through the ciggerette ligter which was the issue poor connection there! I also changed the front light units and flasher units and hazard switch so hopefully be ok for a while yet too!

anyways took it for an mot and it failed but not on much

1. ball joint rubber (should have noticed this derrr)
2. steering column end float, you could pull the wheel toward you 1/4 inch it was a worn bolt at the rack UJ!
3. handbrake poor. adjusted better not great but were they ever?

retest today at 4:30 so wish me luck!

[JPB]

adjusted better not great but were they ever?

Yes, as it happens. The later cars with their dual circuit brakes had the same parking brake mechanism as the single circuit ones which is capable of reading 117% of service brake effort on the rollers. Yes, that's one hundred and seventeen percent of service brake effort is available assuming that the parts of the linkage are all present and nothing is seized or excessively worn.
However, if yours is a dual circuit car, you don't need anything close to that figure. So good luck.
Watch out for the tester trying to fail on wear that's actually intentional movement in these, as the lower column - if it's the original, rubber bushed type - does allow some play though this shouldn't be radial so I'd check that the lock wire is still present and that those bushes haven't disappeared totally. Replacing with a steel u/j makes sense and James Paddock does those at around the same price as the stock part.

[outdoorjoe]

OH i see should have asked what effort they did record but oh wel it PASSED yehaaaaa!!! summer classic fun. handbrake works well enough for me parked on a steep hill and tried to push it down and couldnt so thatll do for me!

cheers for all help during my MOT quest, probably need a lot more now post mot

[JPB]

Result! The fact that it holds on an unspecified steep hill is probably enough, if it'll do that it'll more than likely give you sufficient braking in the event of its being required on the road.