Ford Focus Estate

Errrrrrrrrrr

Where in all that is the answer to the question?

The after market manufacturer never said that the sill was a cover sill, I did because the after market manufacturer only makes a full skin sill. This full skin sill which fits to the top flange and the bottom flange I said had been modified because the top flange of the full sill had been cut off and seam welded along the top to the door sill, then spot welding the bottom flange, treating the sill as a full sill, but having been modified to fit it. 

Technically it is a fail but at the time of test my AE pointed out that I could not prove that the sill was not a full skin sill, and he was right I could not. The AE also pointed out to me that he bought the sill and was a full skin sill, which he had a receipt for he said (not seen). I had no idea whether this sill was a new design or not at the time of test, and I pointed this out to my VE, where he asked was it seam welded across the top and I said yes, and I did advise him about the spot welded lower flange to floor panel. He did not tell me what decision to make but advised me he was OK with the sill being seam welded across the top. 

In the light of experience at that time I gave the BOD and passed and advised saying that the sill might have to be seam welded across the lower flange for the next mot test. 

I mean what else could I do, I advised the AE of my concerns, I advised him to ring VOSA, the VE advised me of his understanding on this matter and I gave the BOD to the customer.

 The AE fixed a Ford Transit Connect braking system Tuesday afternoon after I had failed it for low park brake effort and low park brake efficiency, the customer presented the van back this morning for a retest, I failed the rear brakes on 47% service brake imbalance, park brake low effort and park brake efficiency 12%.

The van has been repaired by another mechanic today at our place and I have carried out another full mot test on it this afternoon, yes the brakes are OK now, but the mechanic was trying to defend the AE by saying there was nothing wrong with the brakes, he said that the reason the brakes were imbalanced and had park brake low effort on one wheel was because the tyre pressures across the axle were incorrectly inflated 2:1 above the manufacturer recommendations.

I do find it very difficult to believe that tyre pressures would reduce the park brake effort on one wheel to such an extent that the effort would be significantly reduced to only providing 12% efficiency, even if a contribution to brake imbalance was there because of the (Supposed) inflated tyre pressure, I find that difficult to believe that this variation in tyre pressures across the axle would result in a brake imbalance of 47%.

 

.....home time!!