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larger The MOT Test: 2005-08 smaller
keep moving !
Beware - most modern garage hoists are only JUST narrow enough to fit the Ten.
Drive onto the hoist dead straight with alert guidance and extreme care
Jun 05 After some deliberation, I put AYD56 in for the MOT test this month.  It was really a test of what I had done so far and I didn't really expect a pass It was most pleasing to find that the brakes worked and pulled up fairly evenly all round.  Also that the  headlights  had been properly aimed (I did it by eye !)
Jun 05 click for larger imageclick for larger imageThe only failure points were the front drag-link ball joint (which I hadn't spotted) and the offside king-pin (which I had spotted). click for larger imageBut after these two small jobs, here is the MOT certificate  - together with the last Certificate from 1977.

click for larger imageand the Tax Disc - back on the road after 27 years !

Jun 05 trackrodendlo.jpgThis is a track-rod end assembly drawing taken from Andrew McMillan's web-site, no longer available. 

The drag link ball joint seemed OK after I had cleaned it and freed off the spring loaded plunger.  I couldn't get the thing apart to clean it properly but made sure the plunger was free and re-greased it.

Jun 05 click for larger imageclick for larger imageclick for larger imageI added a shim (actually a 5/16" washer) between the end of the drag link and the drag link end; this gave minimal plunger movement when the end was screwed back on.
Jun 05 I hadn't looked forward to dismantling the king-pin ! --->>

click for larger imagebut I was lucky - despite having been undisturbed for 70 years, the kingpinreadytopullcotter pin tapped out.  After undoing the dome nut (which is held by a locking tabwasher and takes the whole weight of the car)  . . . . . . .

 click for larger image. . . . . the ball bearing (in three pieces plus the cover) lifted off.  The bearing races were slightly indented but on reassembly seemed to run smoothly enough.  The alternative would be thick washers; not as good as the original frictionless bearings.
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Jun 05 Disconnect the drag link and track rod joints and the brake cable,

click for larger imageUsing a spare 9/16" bsf nut (don't use the dome nut as the keyway can cut into the threads) and various spacer washers, the pin was pulled out by tightening the nut.   It was moderately stiff but came out easily enough.

click for larger imageAfter this the stub axle assembly dropped into my hands leaving the axle eye ready for cleaning up.

 click for larger image It is a fact that the steel pins usually wear faster than the bushes (they can also corrode in the inhospitable conditions the king-pins have to work in !) - so I replaced just the pin after checking there was minimal play in the bushes.

click for larger pictureThe old pin didn't look that bad, but the small amount of wear at the bottom end is magnified by the time click for larger picturethe wheel is rocked top & bottom by the MOT tester.

Jun 05 click for larger imageI already had a king-pin kit - one king pin had already been used on the nearside - and I had two sets of reamers ready in case anything need cleaning up. click for larger imagethe new pin needed cleaning up as it had started to corrode over the last 27+ years of disuse.
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Jun 05 reverse the above to reassemble as they say; it all went back together very quickly.
Jun 05 a final point - it was recommended that the Bowden brake cables should be oiled rather than greased.  So as most of the steering joints and king pins would hold oil as they were "upside-down" - they were oiled.  Oiling the king pins of my Rover 90 has worked well - they have never been apart in 216,000 miles from 1955. Although it is possible to use a grease gun for oil, it can be messy.  Proper oil guns are not easy to find and  I got an Abnox-Wanner 30960 from a very helpful firm:   Stephenslube 
Dec 05 Poor braking led me to take off the front drums: there is a small hole between the lower king-pin bush and the brake cam spindle.  So using oil in the king-pins also oils the brake cam spindle AND THE EXCESS RUNS THROUGH ONTO THE BRAKE LININGS !  So - use grease as specified !
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Jun 06  Sailed through the MOT this year - brakes 62% on the Tapley meter 
 nothing needed doing ! 
Jun 07  Sailed through the MOT this year - brakes 62% on the Tapley meter 
 nothing needed doing ! 
Jun 08  Sailed through the MOT this year - brakes 65% on the Tapley meter 
 nothing needed doing ! 
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