Fixing Sierra for road worthy

[dewy]

Hi there, on new years day my Sierra was taken off of the road due to a defective vehicle warning for a list of things (of which i have no all repaired), however when i took it for a new blue slip I was given a new list as follows:

n/s Front Hub Seal Leaking
Exhaust Leak
Play in front uni
Secure Real Tail Shaft (Loose Bolts?)
o/s Door Handle
n/s Cracked Ready Body Mount
Brakes
o/s Front Floor Rust
o/s Radiator Support Rust
Play in column bush
Indicator Flash Rate too Fast
Windscreen De-mister to work
All Spring Bushes (Front and Rear)
Secure Gear Shift Boot
Wash Mud off under carriage for inspection

Now I hardly understand half of these terms, I was wondering if anyone has had any of these issues, or at least knows whats involved in fixing them (the gear shift boot is simply 4 bolts, I know that one at least) and the inspector said something about the Breaks needed machining (they work, just could work better?).

Any help with this would greatly be appreciated.

-Andrew

[flyinwall]

n/s Front Hub Seal Leaking - drivers side
Exhaust Leak
Play in front uni - replace front uni
Secure Real Tail Shaft (Loose Bolts?) - tighten rear tailshaft bolts
o/s Door Handle - there is a problem with the passenger door handle
n/s Cracked Ready Body Mount - im guessing a cracked rear body mount on the drivers side
Brakes - bleed the brakes and possibly replace the pads/shoes replace the disks
o/s Front Floor Rust - fix the rust in the passenger side floor
o/s Radiator Support Rust - fix the rust on the passenger side radiator support
Play in column bush - replace the steering column bush
Indicator Flash Rate too Fast - replace the indicator flash can
Windscreen De-mister to work - make sure the demister is working
All Spring Bushes (Front and Rear) - replace the spring bushes
Secure Gear Shift Boot - screw the gear shift boot down properly
Wash Mud off under carriage for inspection - wash it before you take it back to them

that should make it easier to understand[/b]

[oldmate]

they were being very picky, but that doesn't suprise me. blue slips are a good way to bring in the work.

having said that alot of those are just general wear like suspension bushes, brakes, uni joints oil leaks etc

Wash Mud off under carriage for inspection

I'd say 100 percent this is why they were picky. no one likes getting under a muddy car. in future give it a good wash before any inspection.

individually the problems aren't all that big, but it will add up to quite a bit epsecially when you're paying to have it all done.

[dewy]

Thanks guys, just not 100% on what a "uni" is, I wan't to have a bit of an understanding so I can either guage if I can do it myself/look like I know what I am talking about when I walk into the shop.

[foolsp33d]

n/s and o/s refer to the side of the car closest to the gutter.. N/S is Passenger.. not drivers and vice versa... unless your in an american car(unconverted)..on Australian roads in which case the above would be obsolete and N/S would be the drivers side..

a 'uni' is an abreviation for universal joint...

It may just need replacing or the ears on the shaft may be 'ovalised' and ratteling the uni to death..
dodgy pic but givess the basic idea of what you will be looking at...


taken from here..
http://dodgeram.org/tech/repair/U_joint/repair.htm

[dewy]

Thanks a lot for that one, I was wondering with the N/S and O/S because the door handle one I believe is the drivers door (the door handle snapped (and no longer opens the door) when I foolishly tried to hold the door using the handle when putting it back onto the car (one of the defects was running the car without the doors all together).

Will a 4x4 Workshop be likely to stock a uni for my vehicle (are they a 1 size fits all jobbie for specific to application)?

[mnemonix]

Most of these are easy DIY fixes. You'll find tutorials on the net to walk you through them.
But I get the feeling you haven't spent a lot of time on the tools, so you probably want to call over a mate who has.
Perhaps someone from the Newie crew can spare the time to lend a hand and show the way if you supply the beer/bbq?

Generic and genuine parts are cheapily available from ebay or suzistore.

- front hub seal leaking: Grab a full hub rebuild kit and do it all while you're pulling it apart. It takes an hour or 2 to do a sierra hub including axle seals, wiper seals, felts, kingpin bearings etc. And about $60 in parts.
May require some tools you don't have, like circlip pliers and 50mm hub socket.
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/ftopic127 ... ght=swivel

- exhaust leak: Take it to Newcastle Muffler Service at bennetts green. They're cheap and do good work. I find exhaust work to be frustrating so I palm it off to them.
If it's just a gasket or something simple you can buy one and whack it in, but with the other rust issues you've been pinged for, I dare say rust might be the culprit here also.

- Uni joints are $30 each, specific to your vehicle model (nt/wt sierra) and take around 1/2 hour if you've never done one. Will require some tools you don't have like circlip pliers and a big g clamp or vice. http://dodgeram.org/tech/repair/U_joint/repair.htm

All the rust can be tricky, it might just be a bog and paint job if you don't care for the car, or get a mate with a mig to give you a hand doing some fab work.

[foolsp33d]

How ya doin with this fella?! get it sorted!??

[kirstyandgrace]

[quote="mnemonix"]Most of these are easy DIY fixes............quote]

Excellent reply

Sorry, phuqed the quoting.

Still an excellent reply, as were the others in this thread

[lay80n]

If you really stuck, im sure a Newy local could help out

Overall its a pretty minor list of things.


Layto....