Posted on 12/13/2009 9:44:44 PM PST by Dubya
After five years of inspecting vehicles, Dallas mechanic Robert Garcia has seen cars with everything from whisper-thin tire treads to brakes ready to fall off.
Garcia – like many insurers, legislators and safety advocates – can't imagine how bad the disrepair would be without Texas' yearly required safety inspections. "It would cause a big dilemma on the road," said Garcia, who works at Adkison Tire and Service on Irving Boulevard.
But some states have dropped the basic safety review after driver complaints that they were annoying and unnecessary. And some automobile experts in Texas and across the country say more reliable cars and other safety improvements have rendered the inspections obsolete.
Texas is one of 19 states left that require a periodic safety review – down from a peak of 31 states in the 1970s. The District of Columbia recently disbanded its inspection program because of high costs and a lack of evidence that the inspections saved lives.
(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...
I see that you don’t live in Texas.
Inspection and registration are separate.
But there are fees for both, yes?
Yeah, I'm always running over bumpers and hoods.
Texas has a set inspection criteria for brakes. Seems pretty comprehensive to me:
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/inspection/rules_list.asp?itemdrop=Brakes&rejectsubmit=Go
20.02 Brakes. Every passenger car, truck, bus, school bus, and motorcycle shall be equipped with brakes acting on all wheels except:
1. Motor-driven cycles, motor scooters, motorcycle sidecars, or mopeds.
2. Trucks and truck tractors (manufactured prior to 1981) having three or more axles need not have brakes on the front wheels, except that when such vehicles are equipped with at least two steerable axles, the wheels on one steerable axle need not have brakes. However, such trucks and truck tractors must be capable of complying with the performance requirements of this Act.
3. Any vehicle being towed in a driveaway or towaway operation, provided the combination of vehicles is capable of complying with the brake performance requirements, does not require brakes acting on all wheels.
Definition of Terms:
Brake System: A combination of one or more brakes and their related means of operation and control.
Service Brake System: A brake system used for retarding, stopping, and controlling the vehicle under normal operating conditions. This brake is sometimes referred to as “foot brake.”
Parking Brake System: A brake system used to hold and maintain the vehicle in a stationary position. (A positive mechanical means is employed to hold the brake applied when the vehicle is unattended.)
Pedal Reserve: As applied to hydraulic, mechanical, or power assisted hydraulic brakes, this is the amount of distance (total pedal travel) left in reserve when the pedal is depressed to the brake-applied position. (The purpose of the pedal reserve check is to ascertain the degree of the brake adjustment and to demonstrate satisfactory brake actuating system condition).
Equalization: Brakes shall be so adjusted as to operate as equally as practicable with respect to the wheels on the opposite sides of the vehicle.
Driveaway-Towaway Operation: Any operation in which any motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer, singly or in combination, new or used, constitutes the commodity being transported when one set or more of wheels of any such vehicle are on the roadway during the course of the transportation, whether or not any such vehicle furnishes the motor power.
4. Inspection Procedure. Service brake performance tests should be conducted on a substantially level, hard, smooth surface road or area that is free from loose material, oil, or grease. Using the service brake only, the stopping ability of the vehicle should be tested by one of the following methods.
a. Service Brake Test
1) On Road (Decelerometer): Mount an approved decelerometer at centerline of vehicle. Level the deceleromoter. At a speed of 20 mph apply service brake firmly. Observe decelerometer reading.
2) On Road (Road Test): At a speed of 20 mph apply service brakes firmly. Observe whether a vehicle comes to a smooth stop within the distance prescribed by the chart, “Required Brake Performance.” Inspector should have firm control of the steering wheel throughout the test.
3) Platform Tester: Drive vehicle onto “drive-on-and-stop” platform tester. Apply brakes firmly at a speed from 4-8 mph without wheel lockup. All braking action must take place on the platforms.
NOTE: Front-wheel drive vehicles are to be checked by road test only unless a platform tester specifically approved by the Department to test front-wheel drive vehicles is used.
These machines may be used to inspect the relative effectiveness of each wheel. There should be braking action on all wheels and the action on any one wheel should be 75 percent or more of the action on the other wheel on the same axle.
4) Roller-Type Brake (Dynamometer-Force Measuring Type):
a) Adjust tire inflation to recommended values.
b) Position vehicle on dynamometer rolls and begin test.
c) Follow Department’s recommended testing procedures.
b. Test Brake Hydraulic System for Leakage.
While vehicle is stopped, inspector should be able to apply a moderate foot force (40-60 pounds in nonpowered systems and 15-20 pounds in power assisted systems).
c. Test Pedal Reserve.
While the vehicle is stopped, depress brake pedal under moderate foot force (40-60 pounds in nonpowered systems and 15-20 pounds in power assisted systems).
d. Condition of Vacuum System.
Visually inspect system for collapsed, broken, badly chafed and improperly supported hoses and tubes, and loose or broken hose clamps.
5. Inspect Service Brakes for and reject if:
a. Vehicle is not equipped with required service brakes.
b. Upon first application, there is less than 2 inches of pedal reserve as determined by the use of an accurate measurement on the fully applied brake pedal of vehicles equipped with conventional brakes.
c. Upon first application, there is less than 1 inch of pedal reserve as determined by the use of an accurate mea-surement on the fully applied brake pedal of vehicles with power brakes (power must be on and operating when tested).
d. On service brakes that cannot be checked with the use of an accurate measurement, there is less than a reserve of one-third of the total travel distance of the brake actuator.
e. Brake pedal height cannot be maintained under moderate foot force (40 to 60 pounds for conventional - 15 to 20 pounds for power) for a period of 1 minute.
f. There is visible leakage or audible seepage in hydraulic lines and cylinders, or any other part of the service brake system.
g. Fluid level in the master cylinder is more than 1 inch below the top of the reservoir or below manufacturer’s recommended level.
h. Hoses or cables are restricted, abraded, crimped, cracked, leaking, frayed, or broken.
i. Brake rods or mechanical parts are missing, broken, badly worn, or misaligned.
j. Brake operating levers or control cables do not operate freely, improperly positioned, or misaligned.
k. Any part of the service brake system has been removed, disconnected, rendered inoperative.
l. There is an obvious metal to metal contact sound when brakes are applied, and upon investigation, drum or disk is being scored.
m. The service brakes do not develop the required total braking force as determined by machine tests.
n. Brakes do not meet requirements for stopping distances for the class of vehicle.
o. The brakes are not equalized as determined from road testing or by machine tests of the vehicle.
p. Brake warning lamp or signal is on or comes on during test.
NOTE: Anti-lock (ABS) lamp or signal which is on or comes on during test will not be cause for rejection.
NOTE: It is imperative that brake system reservoir cover and the surrounding area be thoroughly cleaned before cover is removed for inspection to assure that NO DIRT OR WATER is mixed with the brake fluid.
We also have regs for parking brakes.
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/inspection/rules_list.asp?itemdrop=Brake+-+Parking
I would though suspect the poster had little mechanical expertise about brakes....after they told him the brakes failed the test....
At the least wouldn't you think about checking it out before you placed yourself in a possible "bad" situation?
not much, champ. I think you were given three attempts to pass inspection. The brakes weren't shot at the station, or perhaps they would have impounded it.
And anyone with any sense can control a vehicle with bad brakes especially if they have reason to believe there's a brake problem. I'm also a really good driver.
Go back and read what I said....please.
Thanks-
yeah, champ. whatever.
The last full year I was out there, I hit one bumper and a bumper cover in my truck and narrowly avoided six more as well as lots of smaller car parts on the freeways. Listening to KNX 1070 on the internet, there’s always some SIGALERT about a traffic jam caused by some car part that’s fallen off.
Listen to KRLD in Dallas, you’ll almost never hear of that. Pick a Houston, Austin, San Antone, whatever Texas station and you won’t hear it either.
Maybe as a regular motorcycle rider, I notice it more, but believe me, there is no comparing the road debris.
In a way, I wish states had the same inspections on cars that they do on large trucks (semis). I live in California and I see how many Mexican trucks come up in the states and they are inspected by the CHP and many are put out of service. Some of these trucks are being held together by nothing more than duct tape and bailing wire. How many cars do I see going down the road with no tail lights, no head lights (they use their fog lights) and parts literally falling off the cars. I know if the state starting inspecting cars, it would cost more taxpayer money, but sometimes I wish they would do something to the cars and not just us, the big truck drivers.
Yeah, those were the good old days. Like most small business functions, graft has been rolled up into large corporations and the government so that the little guy can't hardly compete.
No I don’t live in Texas. I have relatives there and live slightly north in Oklahoma. I apologize if I misunderstand the Texas situation. I have been involved in and studied inspection programs and am just stating what I’ve seen and learned. As to your other post about random traffic stops, no I do not favor that really. It would be more effective though as many cars are fixed just good enough to pass today, barely.
"Actually, Florida used to have auto and truck inspections, and when I lived there many moons ago, a truck I owned failed the brake test, and on the way home from the inspection station the brakes failed altogether (it was a bad master cylinder)"
All I have/had to go by was you SAID the truck FAILED...the brake test.
But you CHOSE to drive it home anyway....and the brakes went bad. Right? Yes, or no?
Great...you're a good driver.
Me too....We are great!! Yee Haa!!
You can have the last word....cuz,
FRegards,
Wow...Someone could make a fortune selling bumpers....
Just no concern of mine...Don't tail gate, and ya don't hit bumpers, axles, hoods, dogs, couches, people, ladders....
Me, I would have had the thing towed home. But impounding it isn’t exactly legal (though they can call the police and *they* can impound it) - they can also tell you that the thing is unsafe and refuse to let you leave without signing a release.
Texas has a set inspection criteria for brakes. Seems pretty comprehensive to me:
All that for 14.50? OK beleive what you will
I wasn’t tailgating. In fact, both times were late at night or early in the morning and on clear freeways.
And people are making tons of money selling bumpers in CA. In fact, there are companies buying bumpers from junkyards in TX and shipping them to CA.
Most facilities will actually do it. Thing is, they will often find something wrong that more than makes up for the lost time and income, especially on older cars.
It should be mentioned that the person doing the testing is usually not a master mechanic but some young kid making $15/hr who’s been trained by the state.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.