Ouch, remind me to add DE to the list of places to not move to :P My safety
inspection consisted of lights, horn and blinkers, checked for codes, ran it
on the dyno for emissions (passed with a high flow cat), cost me $75 tho and
I have to do it every year :( Next year's emissions should be interesting,
especially if I get the heads/cam over the winter ;)
-Dave
'02 FR RC R/T
<raymond.irons@gm.com> wrote in message
news:OF99D4411E.EE4B880F-ON85256D89.0059C4B2@mail.gm.com...
>
> The inspection runs out the end of August and I don't want to wait till
the
> last minute, I hate waiting in line there. So last night after I got off
> work I drove to the vehicle inspection lanes. I figure I got no problems,
> my check engine light is lit, the truck runs good, I should be able to
sail
> right thru. I pull i n and there is only 2 cars ahead of me, great, I can
> get done and outta here and get home and have supper like a regular
person.
> The inspector waves me in to the lane, and asks me for the registration. I
> was ready for him, already in my hand. He tells me to shut off the truck
> and step out. I stand off to the side while he goes in my truck and starts
> it, hooking up the computer to check for stored codes in the OBD-II. No
> problems we're good to go. He directs me to get back in, put on my seat
> belt and we start the other safety checks: horn, wipers on high,
> headlights-low beam, high beam, left turn, right turn, brakes. The
> inspector then informs me that I've failed the safety check. WHAT?????
> What's wrong, I ask? I was told that the license plate light bulb wasn't
> working and that failed me for safety reasons. OK, no biggie, I can get
> some replacement bulbs and run it back thru the reinspect line outside the
> regular inspection lane. Then he tells me that he isn't going to fail me
> for it, BUT, my DML decal on the rear sliding is not legal. I'm only
> allowed a single 3x5 inch decal on the rear window and it must be in the
> corner. Geez, that's a bit out in left field. What if I had a large cargo
> box or something back there that completely blocked the rear window? I
> still have my 2 outside I pull forward to the brake test pad and wait
for
> the technician to tell me to drive up. He comes backs and instructs me how
> to do the brake test. Since I have a stick he tell me to pull up to about
5
> mph and push in the clutch and coast on the pad till he tells me to hit
the
> brakes. I do it and he tells me to back up and try it again. Uh-oh, this
> ain't good. I do the test the second time and he tells me I fail because
> the rear brakes aren't applying power evenly to the rear wheels. He then
> tells me I can't drive the vehicle other then to a repair shop or home. OK
> OK, I get it, I'll fix 'em and bring it back, what time do you close the
> lanes? 8PM. OK, I can stop at a parts store on the way home and get new
> brake shoes, plate light bulbs, get home, make the repairs and get back
> before they close. I run to Advanced Auto, tell the clerk I need new brake
> shoes for my truck. Which rear drums, 9 or 10 inch? I got no clue so I end
> up buying both, paying the core on both, I remembered to get the plate
> bulbs and run home. Quick change in to grub work clothes and head out to
> the driveway and get to work. Get the truck up on jack stands, get the
rear
> wheels off, drums don't wanna come off. After turning the air slightly
blue
> for about 20 minutes, I get the passengers side drum off. The brake shoes
> don't look all that bad, but I've got new shoes so go ahead and put them
> on. I look at the new shoes and one shoe has a longer strip of brake
> material then the other. WTF? I look at the installed shoes and they have
> the same amount of material on both the shoes. I go inside and check my
> trusty FSM. Nothing is said about the length of the brake material. I call
> the parts store and ask them if they know. They put me on ignore for about
> 20 minutes and finally come back with the answer. The forward shoe, the
> primary shoe is the one that gets the longer strip of material. I'm
> suddenly starting to remember why I really hate drum brakes. I go back to
> work and get the self adjuster ratchet arm pin installed on the one shoe
> and start installing the new shoes. The dang retaining pins don't want to
> cooperate and line up. Grrrrrrr, now I know why I really, really do hate
> drum brakes. Finally the passengers side is back together and I can turn
my
> attention to the drivers side. The drum comes off a bit easier, but what's
> this? Why is all this brake dust caked on the entire backing plate and on
> everything inside the drum. Nuts, the wheel cylinder is seeping a tiny bit
> of brake fluid at the aft piston boot. No time to change it now, besides,
I
> don't have the part and no way to get to the parts store till I get the
> truck back together. Just remove the old shoes and clean up everything as
> best as I can. I'll get the wheel cylinder changed out this weekend
> sometime. I get the new shoes ready for install by installing the self
> adjuster ratchet arm pin and go to install the new shoes. DOH! I put the
> pin in on the wrong side of the shoe. Drive the pin out and re-install it
> in the correct side. Re-assemble the brakes, start checking the plate
> lights. Neither bulb is working so I wonder if I have another problem then
> just burned out bulbs. Seems my truck likes me a little bit after all,
just
> both bulbs were burned out. Put in new bulbs and all is good. Drop the
jack
> and go get washed up so I can get back to the DMV. Side note here, if you
> haven't got them yet, I highly recommend a set of Mechanix Wear gloves. I
> bought a set of the M-Pact gloves when I bought my new brakes for under
> $20. I gave up a little bit of dexterity for not having to worry about
> tearing up my hands and keeping my hands a lot cleaner. The only thing I
> couldn't do was pop open a soda can. Anyway, I drive forward, stop,
> reverse, stop about 5 or 6 times on the street in front of my house to set
> the self adjusters. I gotta admit, the brakes do feel much better now. Ok
> off to DMV. I get down there, and the line is about 15-20 cars long. Oh
> well, I check my watch and I was only gone about 2 hours or so, I got
time.
> I think I'll open the slider so the DML decal isn't so apparent. The line
> inches along and 45 minutes later I pull in the inspection lane. I hand
the
> inspector the paperwork I was given at the first inspection and he tells
me
> to turn on my lights. He checks the now working plate lights and comes
back
> up and stick the brake paperwork under the wiper. Then he tells me that
the
> other inspector didn't say anything about it, and he is not going to fail
> me for it, but the NASCAR frame I have around my rear license plate is
not
> legal. You gotta be kidding me. OK, lets get on to the brake test. I pull
> up and wait for the signal to do the test. The tech waves me forward, then
> says brake. I wait for the computer read out......... DONE! Everything on
> the brakes show they are working perfectly. The tech hands me the
paperwork
> and I head over to the Headquarters building. I was so happy everything
> passed I go in and stand in line for about 10 more minutes. I get up to
the
> window and hand the clerk my paperwork. Then she asked me for my insurance
> card, I forgot it in the truck. She hands me the paperwork back and I run
> out. get the insurance card and back in line.... AGAIN. Thank God I
> remembered to bring in my wallet and cash. $40 later I Leave DMV with new
> tags good for 2 years. I get out to the parking lot, put the new stickers
> on my plates and go to get in the truck and I notice something on the left
> front tire. I go and look at it a little closer and on the outside edge of
> the tread and I see the belt starting to show just a little tiny bit. I
got
> two 2 things going for me on this, 1) neither inspector noticed the tire
> wear (even though they did fail me for no plate lights) and 2) I got a
pair
> of Badyears in the shed I can put on till I can get some better tires all
> around. On top of all that, in 2 weeks, I have to stop driving my truck
for
> a bit. I have to trade it to my Dad for his Crown Vic when I get my knee
> surgery done. Kinda hard to push in the clutch with a messed up left knee.
> And I still ain't taking my DML decal off.
>
>
>
> Ray (I can stop on a dime now) Irons
> Dover, DE
>
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Feb 06 2004 - 11:46:48 EST