Failed MOT

Coyoteboy ( snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Show us where in the tester's manual it says anything about the battery security...

I cant, though I wouldnt trust that site to be entirely accurate. All I know is that I've heard of several cars failed on it over the years and every time I take my car in for a test the battery gets yanked about. Makes sense, you dont want a very dense and heavy object able to easily escape and fly across the carriageway in an accident.

Coyoteboy ( snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

The text on that site is taken straight from the tester's manual, AIUI.

And how many times have we heard of cars failing on the condition of the spare tyre?

Like I said - It *ought* to be.

Hmm. Either you've never done any welding or you've been doing it so long you've forgotten the learning curve. It requires practice and skill.

Thanks for that. Thought my few remaining brain cells had died.

hehe its an escort, he'll get plenty of practice.

On the plus side it doesnt take much practice with some spare sheets of scrap steel (a tenners worth from a scrap place) to get a decent weld nailed with a MIG. Arc is a lot harder to get a decent weld with. I prefer gas welding - its somehow more 'calm' and theraputic, and somehow more controlled. But it does take a lot more concentration and the use of much more expensive equipment which i dont have access to anymore.

The message from "Coyoteboy" contains these words:

And use ArgoShield on thin stuff like bodywork. CO2's fine for angle iron but makes like too hard on bodywork.

Even with a lot of practice I've not been able to make a decent butt weld in car bodywork with a MIG. 'Patch' welding I can do perfectly.

Butt welding is harder but there are many ways to skin a cat.

mrcheerful. ( snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Did that EVER exist? There's certainly never been a requirement for one to be fitted.

OK, fair enough. I just never trust the web for exact info :)

Personally? Never, though obviously it does happen by the sounds of it.

nope not in all the years ive been doing it.

an insecure battery will only be nothing else but an advise.

The message from "Dave Plowman (News)" contains these words:

The trick is to joddle the patch in so it sits flush - then you can grind off the proud bits of weld.

Non-visible welding I do with joggled overlaps. Visible panel welding I do as a butt-weld (yes, with plain CO2!). It looks like this...

Never used to be. It was common knowledge that failing on a battery tray on Scrotes was a big scam.

It would. It has appeared on Top Gear and Fifth Gear.

You think? My mate got 3 points and a £60 fine for an unsecure battery. Charged with CU20 I think.

It's a common failure on a MkIII or IV Escort and is definitely an MOT fail once it takes hold as it's very close to the strut top - if the battery tray is rotten you can bet your life on the inner wing being shot, too.