I need advice

[Paul G]

Hi, i need some advice and thought this would be the best site for info and ideas, i have a 1995 4runner and have done lots of work on her as she has been stood for nearly two years, i am coming close to booking her in for an MOT BUT! the rear axle seems quite flakey and i'm worried it might fail, although all suspension mounting points are solid and there are no oil leaks, are rear axles cheap to buy second hand? Does the Hilux or Surf use the same axle as the 4runner? any help would be well appreciated, Paul

[stormforce]

i think the axels are the same but the diff's may be different but i'm not sure.If its just surface stuff flaking then just get a small stiff brush to get any loose stuff off.It will only be loose paint or something coming off anyway so they can't fail it for that

[hiroler]

think it would have to be some serious rot to be an mot fail it probably just looks worse than it is!!

[Mrbill]

Hi Paul,

I'm over on Skye - not to far from you but a world away! good to meet you!!!

Flakey? de-flake -clean axle and see what it's like under the chaos maybe? Surely it can't be that bad? If it was me with a vehicle off the road 2 years I would do the work that I thought it required then pop it in for the MOT expecting it to fail and deal with any issues it may have after the test.

I can be a lazy sod though!

I am nearly sure that the surf has the same axle but hopefully someone will confirm this for you.

All the best!!!

[Brummie]

Dont worry just give the axle a going over with a wire brush. Dont go mad at it, just enough to get rid of the loose rust and then if you're happy with the rest put it in for the mot. As long as the major parts are ok let the tester earn his money and tell you what needs doing. It makes him feel wanted.
Anyway you might be surprised and it passes.

[slobodan]

Don't mean to Hijack, but, Do you need an MOT on Skye and Shetland?

I thought everybody knew everybody and laws were for 'mainland' folk.

Or am I wrong?

[Mrbill]

Don't mean to Hijack, but, Do you need an MOT on Skye and Shetland?

I thought everybody knew everybody and laws were for 'mainland' folk.

Or am I wrong?

Don't know about the Shetlands but the Inverness police are always over on Skye doing roadside checks. Not so bad in the summer months but come the dark evenings they like to remind us dizzy Island folk's how to use headlights

[adpsimpson]

Hello and welcome. Guess there can't be that many surfs/4runners in the Shetland islands?

I've always treated the MOT like a cheap checkup - for £30 odd they'll look over the vehicle and tell you what's wrong with it. Not bad, especially since the re-test is usually even cheaper. Fix what you know is wrong, then see what they say

[Paul G]

I need advice

Thank's for all the replies guys, think i will give it a clean up and see what happens, i have only spotted two other 4runners in Shetland but there are lots of surf pickups, £30 for M.O.T i wish £55 here fella's, in mainland Shetland you need Tax, M.o.t and Insurance on the smaller surrounding Ilse you just need Tax and Insurance, i can't wait to get the 4runner on the road, although i have been useing her off road and even with M.o.t she wont spend much time on road only between Tracks Sorry i dont know how to reply to each of your posts as i am quite new to comp's, the wife calls me a tecnaphobe, even thats a new word to me

[Brummie]

Good luck with the M.O.T. and keep us informed.
By the way. Welcome to the mad house.Oops sorry I meant forum

[Paul G]

Thank's i will, How do i put up a pic of my 4runner on my profile?