How urgent is it to change rear axle?

[jonnybaz]

I have the classic syndrome with more or less collapsed bearings in the rear. The look from behind is btcc-lookalike

[addo]

I'd suggest leaving only so long as absolutely necessary. Takes a long time to wear through the pins but you have compromised freedom of suspension travel.

[geoff]

If the rear suspension is that bad then you run the risk of being caught / prosecuted for using a vehicle on the road in an unroadworthy condition and or being involved in an accident which if processed will likely render your insurance void with all the attendant implications of this. I know what I would be doing.

[jonnybaz]

The car passed the MOT in September last year with the same condition, so endurance-wise, I could "blame" them if there would be an accident. Or not...

[steve valentine]

The car passed the MOT in September last year with the same condition, so endurance-wise, I could "blame" them if there would be an accident. Or not...

Unfortunately, not.

[addo]

I'm yet to hear (ie, not hearsay but from the affected person or their immediate cohort) of a case in either the UK, NZ or Australia, where an insurer declined a claim, or a driver was prosecuted based on either a minor modification (eg, non-standard wheels/tyres/lighting) or a minor defect (eg, underthickness rotors).

In cases where such items are cited, there always seem to be aggravating factors such as speed, drunkenness, road rage. Even when there is a question mark over such possibilities, it's very rare for (say) airbag data dumps to be tendered as evidence - even in an inquest. Submissions usually focus on traditional evidence such as length of skid marks or eyewitness accounts. The times when a vehicle is gone over with a fine toothed comb, are usually when someone is trying to (shiftily) blame the car for a deliberate act of their own - such as saying the throttle stuck or the steering locked, causing them to run over their spouse...

As a road user, I prefer to share it with people who drive or ride knowing the present state and limitations of their vehicle, rather than people who may have a 100% "legal" car but drive like blind zombies, warm in the knowledge that their insurance cocoon will protect them if they stuff it up for others.

A worn rear beam on the Berlingo takes some of the fun out of piloting it - mine is clunky and needs new pins, Neat have currently none in stock and the Lithuanians want a small ransom (£65) to post me a pair: http://manodalys.lt/product.php?id_product=1071260121 Post to England is much more amenable.

[jonnybaz]

The car passed the MOT in September last year with the same condition, so endurance-wise, I could "blame" them if there would be an accident. Or not...

[ffrenchie]

The car passed the MOT in September last year with the same condition, so endurance-wise, I could "blame" them if there would be an accident. Or not...

Or not... The MOT only reflects the vehicle's condition at the time of the test. You could drive out of there and lose your wheel and it would be none of their concern.

[addo]

They might lose their nuts, though?

[ffrenchie]

Neats have them on ebay at the moment for a lot less than the Lithuanian site.