10 replies to this topic

[superted87]

Hi guys

I just failed my mot because I have replaced the sills and the tester said the sills require seam welding all along the lower edge between the vents. I think this is wrong but the tester popped in to the body shop at the garage and they agreed with him!!

I did forget to finish a little patch which I gave him , but the sill is spotted all the way around and seamed at the ends.

any advice would be welcomed


Cheers

[alex-95]

seam sealer and underseal

[Yoda]

When you say spotted, do you mean tacks along the edge, or spot welded properly as per OEM.

[R1mini]

My understanding was if they are oversills then they need to fully welded along the seam under the car at least, if they are genuine sills, then they can welded on in a similiar manner to what the original sill would be, either mig spot welding or stitch welding or genuine spot welding

 

Cheers

David

[superted87]

OK , to be clearer for the lovely people who replied,

I fitted genuine sills, plug welded 4 welds per section and seamed up the ends.

Thanks so far

[craig 1010cc]

You've replaced like for like so should be fine for  the MOT.

[superted87]

This is what I thought but he says no.

Any testers out there that would normally pass a sill that is plugged where a spot would be and seamed up at the ends??

I need an official statement or reference to take to my tester and make him see sense.

[Ethel]

You could always take it up with VOSA. I believe the book says all welds that are not original joints should be seam welded, that wouldn't apply to attaching the sills in the same manner Rover did. 

 

It's not too surprising the bodyshop will back the tester, you're the motor trade outsider, and it means more business for them.

 

If you come to replace them again it'll be ten times the job if they're seamed.

 

http://www.minifinit...7944&hilit=sill - lots of pics to show how the factory did it.

 

http://forums.motest...um4/1310-2.html - if he won't accept that you could insist he also rings VOSA

[Daz1968]

I would think they are defo in the wrong, but easiest option is just take it elsewhere then let them know they have missed out business in future, I always find best way to protest is by walking away. If the garage is that thick then not worth bothering with

[sonikk4]

Yes you have replicated the factory fit so should not be a problem. He is wrong.

 

Yes if it was an oversill that is different but as its not then no.

 

And having replaced both of my outer sills on my clubman doing the plug weld method he sailed through the MOT. 

[tiger99]

As several people has said, that is within the rules for the MOT and should pass. The need for seam welding is only when you are replacing something that originally was seam welded, or patching a panel, which was originally one piece of metal. That of course includes most floor and inner sill replacements, as it is normal to use a quarter, half or outer edge floor, and it has to be seam welded to what is left to make one panel again. But the outer sills, vitally important as they are, are attached by spot welding, and plug welding is an acceptable substitute. You appear to have used sufficient welds, so that is not the problem.

 

You should follow the appeal process for the MOT, which if I recall will be stated on the fail certificate, or see here:

 

https://www.gov.uk/g...our-test-result

 

You need to submit a form VT17, but please act quickly as the form must be in within 14 days of the test.

.

One possible excuse for the apparent stupidity of the MOT tester is that he may have been thinking of an early 1959 Mini, where the floorpan was contiguous with the outer sills, and the inner sill was spot-welded on. In that case, you really would have to seam weld an outer sill replacement. But that area was redesigned quickly in an attempt to cure the water ingress problem (which was actually caused by the floor to toeboard joint being lapped the wrong way) so such cars are very rare now. They will also mostly have a foam filling in the sills, which produces toxic fumes and has to be cleaned out prior to welding.