Help,initial MOT tomorrow,2 panic questions

[Stephen Arsenal]

Hi LJ took everything apart this morning,shoes are in good shape,I´ve turned the bracket to your suggested 8,0 clock and actually its perfect,the rear footbrake lever has the perfect pressure and toe tap distance.However my mot guy wants it vertical, at 6 o clock. I will print your rear brakedrum picture with  your comments about the 8 o clock and see if he will accept it.He did have right with the 4 o clock position (in my defence your honour it was´nt I who adjusted it there).
Hi Tom it has a square hole,so its either 4 or 8 o clock.Some told me that the 3 stars next to the 3 faults were only strongly recomendations and not reason to fail the MOT because those things still functioned.So the only thing it really failed on(if true) was the headlight test which the bulb was broken (have ordered 2 new ones).

[RichardL]

Having embroiled myself in this discussion and unable (or unwilling) to extract myself, I have a couple more observations and my own questions. I see Stephen has left the spring in place, LJ has no spring at that location and Andy has yet another approach. My parts book, covering '54-'56, shows "rear brake pedal retun spring" (42-4355). This appears to be on the end of the cross-shaft. I'm assuming LJ's bikes (and, maybe, Andy's) have this spring out of view of the pictures, while Stephen's might have this spring at the cross-shaft plus an orphan spring at the brake lever (shown in my book as a cast part with a star hole). Stephen, dost thou haveth said springy thing at the end of thy cross-shaft EDIT: on the left side?

On another point, it appears that Stephen's after-market brake cable has the wrong diameter lock nut that is not contacting the brake cable abuttment (I love those terms straight from the book). I wonder why the MOT officer didn't mention this.

Richard L.

[LJ.]

I was going to mention this spring on the end of the brake pedal cross-shaft, all three of my A10s have this (see picture) Bear in mind Richard that all three of my bikes mentioned here are 1960 models.

Steve... I'd be very happy with that angle, in fact you'll see in my last  post the three pics, one has this angle and is the better brake of the three. The one with the six O' clock angle is okay and still a good working brake.

Before someone asks why are the angles both different, the answer is... I don't know! and while all are functioning satisfactorily I'm leaving well alone. 

[A10Boy]

Stephen
I cant believe that a competent MOT tester [presumably at a MC dealer/garage] would fail a bike due to a blown headlight bulb. Any tester worth his salt would just change the bulb while he tested the bike so you could leave with an MOT, not fail the bike then leave you to go away and order one. Don't they sell bulbs there ? If you are on 6v which some places don't stock, maybe you should keep a few "consumables" in your garage.

I also think hes being really pedantic about your rear brake, why not take it somewhere else and tell him to go away?

[MG]

I also think hes being really pedantic

No, he's just being really German.  

I think it is hard to imagine for any Englishman how fussy German (as well as Austrian) authorities are when it comes to vehicle inspections.
Legislation here just is like that, these guys are simply doing their work. If one of them wants to, he can make your life a misery, so it probably isn't a good idea to tell him to go to hell. Especially as the things this guy criticised are bothersome without question, but relatively easy to put right. Just imagine what happens when they start arguing about things like noise or emission.

And being an official, changing bulbs not being part of his decided field of responsibility, you might just as well expect him to jump on his left foot whilst singing "The Irish Rover". No way!

[Stephen Arsenal]

things over here are very strict and its better to say yes sir you are the boss (and swallow your tongue and really want to give him an right uppercut,and he knows this too) ,I could of left with a far bloodier nose.The bulb blew about 5 hours before the test( I called around for a spare,no luck),if I had cancelled,I´d of still had to pay for this test,or my name would of registerted next time and I´d of started off -2 points.The guy did´nt check many things,but I spent today cutting out stupid white sticks with arrows to put onto the speedo which indicate kilometers instead of mile per hour-.He knows as soon as the test is over I´m going to take them off as well as refit the brake light switch,but thats the game.In germany there is no grey,its black or its white.I take my oldtimer cars over 700 miles to france to get them MOT´  d so sparing myself the ordeal of the german inspection.Thing is most of the tester guys are only doing their job which is filling out a fault sheet,they can make you or break you.All said and done,the guy was fair,but he kept me waiting over 30 minutes whilst he called a fellow member on the telephone talking about the world and its problems,letting me know he was the big man.Thank god for Karma

[trevinoz]

Stephen,
                   I think you will find your rear brake plate started life on an A65.
They had the spring wrapped around the lever.
The A10 only had the spring around the pedal plus the springs on the shoes.
   Trev.

[Stephen Arsenal]

Thanks Trev,Now I know what I´m doing next month.Thanks A10 boy,I only fitted the rocker cover with the breather outlets because they were on there,I know what I´m doing next weekend.cheers-steve