All I can say after reading this thread is, I'm proud to live in Maine! :-)
After driving my truck from the lot into the garage, then having me get in
and operate the lights, horn, wipers, etc, the technician scrapes the old
sticker off, puts a new one on. $12.50 later, I'm inspected for a year.
(And to think I was actually irritated when our inspection fee went up two
years ago - from $6 to $12.50) :-)
-- -Jon jonsdak@midmaine.com http://jonsdakota.tripod.com 1996 Dodge Dakota Sport 4X4, 3.9L V6, 42RE, 3.92:1 8.25 axle, "BackRack" Headache Rack, Dodge Motorsports decals, steering wheel cover, and front license plate, diamond-plate bedrail covers, Lund VentVisors, Lund BugShield, Jensen MP-3310 CD/MP3 Receiver, Pioneer TS-G1347's in front, TS-A5713's in rear, Bulldog RS-82 Remote Starter ""Dave Downing"" <ded74@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:bi35lo$8sl$1@bent.twistedbits.net... > > 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 > > > > > >
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