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Failed Warrant of Fitness (WOF)

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Here in New Zealand, cars that were new before 1st January 2000, need to obtain a Warrant of Fitness (similar of an MOT in the UK), every 6 months, and Digby’s time was coming around. If you own a 23-year-old vehicle you learn to dread the WOF inspections because there is always something that the car can fail on. As you may have read in previous blog posts, I have been diligently repairing and fixing items on the Delica since we got it in early 2018, so I had my fingers crossed that between myself & my mechanic, Harry’ we had done enough to get Digby through the WOF.

Guess what…? Digby failed on the brake pad wear…. Bugger…!! I knew the brakes were on their way out but I figured that I wouldn’t replace the pads until I had to, and now I had to… My immediate thought was to get the garage to just put new pads on for me there and then, and then get a re-test, but with a little more thought I thought that it was probably time that I learnt how to replace the pads myself, after all, I was expecting to drive this vehicle around the world, it would a good idea if I knew how to do it… So where do you go these days if you want to learn something new…? Do you go to a Library, a night school, or a university..?


No, you go to YouTube where there are helpful how-to videos for every possible subject under the sun. There was even a brake pad replacement video specifically for a Mitsubishi Delica L400’s, in English (here), that had all the information I needed to attempt the job myself. In for a penny, in for a pound..!

I was up bright and early the next morning and straight down my local auto repair shop and spent a couple of hundred bucks on new pads all round, some jack stands, and a few clamps and what have you. I jacked up the back of Digby and place the jack stand under the rear axle for safety and started removing the first wheel.

[NOTE: While I had the rear up off the ground, I checked to see if I had one of the very rare LWB Delica with a Limited Slip Differential, (here), I did not..!!]



Apart from a few tight wheel nuts here and there and a stiff calliper bolts on one or two of the wheels, it was smooth sailing. I think it took far longer than it should have done, but I was being very careful and diligent and I am sure that the next time I do I try, it will be a much quicker exercise. With all the pads in place and wheels back on, I built up the pressure in the brake system and took it out for a test run. Perfect…!

There is a very strange sense of achievement that comes over me when I have done something that I would not have thought I could do…. On this journey, Digby is pushing me on to new heights, and this goes to prove the old adage wrong, and that you can teach an old dog a new trick.



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