Club 80-90 Forums

I only realised today that my rubber door step mat has gone walkies. Steps still in great nick, though though, as I say I never step on them, just step up in to the cab, which is ok having long legs!

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!

Explains what came out of mine. What is the seam sealer made of?

Going by your description, that shouldn't have been failed by the tester. He appears to have applied the wrong criteria, misunderstanding the meaning of the section he's relied on, which I'm guessing was 6.1.1 "General condition" of Body, Structure & Attachments. I say this as it's the only section with wording similar to your failure item, specifically;
"Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that:

the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced"

This would not be the appropriate category, as there is a specific category for cab steps, which reads thus;
"6.2.8 Cab steps (if fitted)

You must only inspect steps that aid entry into the driver’s and/or the front passenger compartment.

DefectCategory

A cab step or step ring:

insecure
Minor

so insecure that it is likely to cause injury
Major

A cab step or step ring in such a condition that it is likely to cause injury
Major"

So unless it's likely to cause injury, either by condition or insecurity, then it's not a reason for failure.
And to argue that the rigidity of the whole body assembly is significantly reduced by a 5p sized hole in a step is clearly nonsense.

https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/probl ... est-result" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Yup, that's his clause [6.1.1(c)(i)] vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced Nearside Front (step) - same for offside.
As I say, no flexing when you stand on them,just a couple of inches of missing sealer and some surface corrosion on the nearside and slightly enlarged hole, maybe holes, that the mat clips into on the other side.
He's not been bothered about the corrosion around the rear arch panels or along the front panel, both of which areas were intended to be done earlier this summer if I hadn't done my back in!
That makes the van sound like a rot box - it's genuinely not, having been obviously waxoiled and undersealed from near new. There's seam rash, etc. but it's never been welded as far as I can see.

Double post, darn iPhones...

So, not perfect by any means, but not at all bad for an X-plate T25! Remember that these pics are completely uncleaned and include mud, dirt, rust and flakey paint!

I had resigned myself to the fact that they were going to be replaced, bought panels and then today had a 'disagreement' with the scrote who was busy telling me that they'd been poorly repaired in the past because they had "only replaced half the step - look at the big join they've left down the middle"...
...And then refused to accept that the front arches had never been welded since "this'll have had a couple of new arches by now, definite, they came out the factory rusty"

And to think these guys were recommended to me as specialists! Thankfully it was only 'the boy' I was speaking to today, the boss does seem to have a better idea all round, but I can't help feeling that if I'd just gone to the guy that MOTd it last year I really wouldn't be having to go through this nonsense! Lesson well and truly learned.

Yep, I think you got a raw deal, (from someone who doesn't know the T25 that well ) especially on that nearside step, was the rubber missing when presented for MOT ?

TheDocmeister wrote:they'd been poorly repaired in the past because they had "only replaced half the step - look at the big join they've left down the middle"...

Brilliant

Print this off and leave it on his desk!

the rule is always clean off rust treat and paint.

The MOT inspector is going to be much more inclined to pass it is it looks like it will last the year and you care about the rust. Holes that are a bit rusty can be punched round with a qmax cutter, I have done this before and it looks like a factory standard hole.

TheDocmeister wrote:



So, not perfect by any means, but not at all bad for an X-plate T25! Remember that these pics are completely uncleaned and include mud, dirt, rust and flakey paint!

I had resigned myself to the fact that they were going to be replaced, bought panels and then today had a 'disagreement' with the scrote who was busy telling me that they'd been poorly repaired in the past because they had "only replaced half the step - look at the big join they've left down the middle"...
...And then refused to accept that the front arches had never been welded since "this'll have had a couple of new arches by now, definite, they came out the factory rusty"

And to think these guys were recommended to me as specialists! Thankfully it was only 'the boy' I was speaking to today, the boss does seem to have a better idea all round, but I can't help feeling that if I'd just gone to the guy that MOTd it last year I really wouldn't be having to go through this nonsense! Lesson well and truly learned.

Depending on costs vs replacement I would be inclined to clean treat and paint the nearside step.

Pop top passed MOT today like this

itchyfeet wrote: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

Mine are like that, one is a bit worse. Is sikaflex the right stuff to fill in the join?

If you can see day light between the 2 panels its because the edge of the inner step has rusted away, its not a seam and doesn't have sealer , the wheel arch step part sits over the inner step panel.