dave see if they have some sort of provision for show vehicles or race
vehicles.
they have some thing like that over here in illinois. where if you qualify
you are exempt from testing. you have to renew it ever so often.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Downing" <ded74@yahoo.com>
To: <dakota-truck-moderator@bent.twistedbits.net>
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2003 2:13 PM
Subject: DML: Re: Time to get the truck inspected..... (bit long, rant)
>
> 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