Club 80-90 Forums

I've just had a text to tell me that the van has failed it's MOT on corrosion of the door steps. "Major fail vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the structure is significantly weakened".
Now, firstly this is a new MOT station to the van, and secondly it's the only mention apart from "front brakes slight bind" - which is probably fair enough since it's been sitting for the last eight weeks or so.
Now I don't have pictures and am not near the van, but can honestly say that there is nothing but possibly a 5p sized hole if one was to search around the usual bubbling and hit it with a hammer & chisel anywhere near the doorsteps on either side, let alone both. There is absolutely no flex when you stand on (admittedly 1981 original) panels!
Question is, when did door steps become a structural component, is this some new thing with the updated MOT - or am I being taken for a ride?

https://www.motester.co.uk/new-mot-insp ... o-changes/

Cab steps, from 20th May 2018

You need to talk to the MOT tester and find out what he has seen that you haven't....... or maybe he's seeing the factory holes in the step floor as weakness.

I wonder if you got a core drill and made the rusty hole into a more defined hole, lick of paint - would it still be a fail, dunno? I’ve heard new MOT is more stringent though. What if the step failed and you gashed your leg? Schofields have these steps for £25 were you to replace.

Take it off the road for 6 years and wait for it to get to 40 years old

With the new rules would a strong fiberglass step repair pass or do they specify a solid metal repair ?

One step is within 30cm of steering etc so a fail, the other is just within 1cm, most testers don’t realise they are within the fail zone so they don’t fail them unless your foot goes through

937carrera wrote:https://www.motester.co.uk/new-mot-insp ... o-changes/

Cab steps, from 20th May 2018

You need to talk to the MOT tester and find out what he has seen that you haven't....... or maybe he's seeing the factory holes in the step floor as weakness.

Are you saying the rules on cab steps have changed?

multisi wrote:With the new rules would a strong fiberglass step repair pass or do they specify a solid metal repair ?

You need an MOT tester to answer that question "vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the structure is significantly weakened".

I think this is a different part of the test that evaluates structural corrosion with 30cm of a mounting point for brakes, suspension etc. Minor body holes taped over have not been a fail before

and yes, rules on can steps have changed, now specifically testable, see the link I posted

937carrera wrote:
and yes, rules on can steps have changed, now specifically testable, see the link I posted

ahh yes I see it now, Balls mine will need welding then

Time to call in some of the engine rebuilding favours then

937carrera wrote:Time to call in some of the engine rebuilding favours then

yes maybe, I really want to learn I have all the gear jusf not practiced enough.

Opportunity Knocks

Sadly, now steps are MOT testable. I got away with this years ago about 2008 for ages, mine were totally rotten, MOT kept passing them, until one year, they said major corrosion because of the 30cm rule.
I see the step as a lip, same as a wheel arch lip, but MOT tester deem it different, even now I never step on my step, as want to preserve them, I just step up into the cab and tell any passengers which is rare!

mine are not totally rotten just some holes which are not growing because I painted them.
mainly on the seams, the drivers side on the tin top was badly bodged by a welder thats why I don't trust them.
you wonder where they draw the line?

Pop top steps by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

tin top steps by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

Well, I got a look this morning. Near side has lost the seam sealer for an approx. 3" length in the centre of the step, offside two of the mat retaining holes are 'enlarged'. The testers claim is that the general condition of the steps is 'weakened by corrosion' and hence a fail.
So I guess the lesson is to clean up your cab steps, check the sealant is intact if you still have the original panels, and tidy the edges of any of the factory holes that are showing corrosion.
Still seems very harsh to describe these as 'corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced' . They don't flex when you stand on them and all the surrounding metalwork is absolutely solid...
Lesson learned, I'll stick to the usual MOT guy in future - even if it's a 50mile round trip!

I found it a hard area to weld nicely. The repair panel I bought ended up looking worse than the one I fabricated, not completely happy with either.

You could probably grind that slug lump back and pretty it up?


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