I'm worried!!!
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Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2002
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I'm worried!!!
Hi guys, I have a 1990 Ford Bronco. Today I took it in for emmissions. When I got there they performed the normal routine...... then the attendant got in the truck, set the emergency brake and started to drive my truck on the machine. I yelled at him to stop and told him he had the emergency brake on. He said that it was a new policy, and that they did this to eliminate the chance of the truck flying off the machine. I told him to get the heck out of my truck, and I left.
My question is can running the truck at close to 50 m.ph. for approximately 5 minutes with the emergency brake on hurt my rear brakes. I just spent $250 to put new ones on, I don't want to have to do that again because of some stupid emmissions testing. Sorry about this long rant. Thanks for all your help though!!!
My question is can running the truck at close to 50 m.ph. for approximately 5 minutes with the emergency brake on hurt my rear brakes. I just spent $250 to put new ones on, I don't want to have to do that again because of some stupid emmissions testing. Sorry about this long rant. Thanks for all your help though!!!
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
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I'm worried!!!
They release the e-brake when they get the vehicle situated on the machine. It is just used as a safety precaution, nothing to worry about.
I don't think I would take it back to that station tho, -they probably haven't stopped laughing yet
I don't think I would take it back to that station tho, -they probably haven't stopped laughing yet
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,182
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From: Gateway to the West
I'm worried!!!
Forget that nonsense! Where are you guys from? If some Missouri Clean Air technician tried to move my truck with the E-brake applied, I'd be suing the state for the cost of the entirety of the rear braking system. Thats why there is a service brake system. Nobody deliberately damages my truck in the name of "safety"....so what do they do, replace the rear brakes before you leave. I mean in MO here we have something that actually takes precedence OVER emmissions inspection...SAFETY inspection. And if the emissions inspectors are going to void my safety inspection by tearing up the rear brakes, then somebaody is gonna PAY for it and it WON'T be me.
In case the idiots at the emmissions station have forgotten, Broncos are REAR wheel drive..you can't set the parking brake and let the drive wheels drag the truck around...which would effectively drag the tread of your rear tires across the shop floor and still hack me off if I had a front wheel drive vehicle. Put the vehicle on the dyno and chock the non-moving wheels like every other mechanic and technician who have half an once of sense would do.
In case the idiots at the emmissions station have forgotten, Broncos are REAR wheel drive..you can't set the parking brake and let the drive wheels drag the truck around...which would effectively drag the tread of your rear tires across the shop floor and still hack me off if I had a front wheel drive vehicle. Put the vehicle on the dyno and chock the non-moving wheels like every other mechanic and technician who have half an once of sense would do.
Last edited by greystreak92; Jul 28, 2003 at 02:37 PM.
Thread Starter
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Posting Guru
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I'm worried!!!
Hi, he didn't just put on the E-brake to to get the truck situated on the machine. He performed the run with the E-brake on!! He was up to about 48 m.p.h. when I yelled at him to stop.
By the way I do live in Arizona. I called the emmssions place, and they said that in fact the guy was telling me the truth, that there new policy is they must keep the emergency brake on, incase the truck flys off the machine. I'm just going to disconnect the system, so when he does engage them nothing will happen.
By the way I do live in Arizona. I called the emmssions place, and they said that in fact the guy was telling me the truth, that there new policy is they must keep the emergency brake on, incase the truck flys off the machine. I'm just going to disconnect the system, so when he does engage them nothing will happen.
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2003
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I'm worried!!!
I'm glad we don't have smog nonsense here, as that has to be single stupidest thing I have ever heard.
Seems like that would put an awful lot of stress on the tranny as well as burn the brakes in a hurry. Block the wheels or use safety straps like every other dyno operator I've ever seen does.
Seems like that would put an awful lot of stress on the tranny as well as burn the brakes in a hurry. Block the wheels or use safety straps like every other dyno operator I've ever seen does.
New User
Joined: Jul 2003
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I'm worried!!!
When I lived in Memphis, they would have you put the E-brake on, then put it in drive. I never could tell if they were checking the emissions, or if it was a safety thing.
The next time I went, I told them my e-brake wouldn't hold the car in gear, they just shrugged and did the rest of the emissions test.
I think the purpose of it is to test your engine's emissions under load.
The next time I went, I told them my e-brake wouldn't hold the car in gear, they just shrugged and did the rest of the emissions test.
I think the purpose of it is to test your engine's emissions under load.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
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I'm worried!!!
It won't hurt your brakes or the vehicle to drive a few feet with the e-brake on.
Running a RWD vehicle on the dyno with the brake on would hurt the brakes and possibly the tranny.
The dyno applies the load to the vehicle. The e-brake is not used for that purpose.
I have seen service techs place a vehicle on a dyno and on lifts etc with the ebrake on as a safety measure. It does help keep the vehicle from lurching off etc while positioning. After the vehicle is positioned on a dyno the brake should be released. Depending upon the service proceedure it may or may not be released on a lift or other equipment. Straps or chains are used to restrain a vehicle while on a dyno.
Running a RWD vehicle on the dyno with the brake on would hurt the brakes and possibly the tranny.
The dyno applies the load to the vehicle. The e-brake is not used for that purpose.
I have seen service techs place a vehicle on a dyno and on lifts etc with the ebrake on as a safety measure. It does help keep the vehicle from lurching off etc while positioning. After the vehicle is positioned on a dyno the brake should be released. Depending upon the service proceedure it may or may not be released on a lift or other equipment. Straps or chains are used to restrain a vehicle while on a dyno.
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2002
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I'm worried!!!
What a load of crap. I would do just what bronco 351 did. I would not for any reason let some idiot drive 50 miles a hour with my e brake on. This cant be legal. Man, I am getting real tired of crap like this! Next they will do this in my city.
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2003
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I'm worried!!!
50 mph with the ebrake on... what a bunch of morons. If they could read (instead of following the pretty pictures) they are probably supposed to release the ebrake for rear wheel drives. I know it's a big IF there. We've got something similar here (BC) for emissions, and so far no ebrake involved (I actually passed with almost no "bad" emissions this year!), just blocking the front wheels. There's no way I'd let them do that to mine either!
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Posting Guru
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I'm worried!!!
Hi guys, I went back to a DIFFERENT station. It turns out that the policy is actually, they are only supposed to apply the emergency brake on front wheel drive cars. I guess the idiots over at the other station thought Bronco's are front wheel drive. Oh, by the way I did pass (barely)!!
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,182
Likes: 12
From: Gateway to the West
I'm worried!!!
Ah yes emissions testing horror stories....my buddy has a 76 chevy van heavy-half....three-in-the-tree. He had to drive the thing into the station. 19y/o coed who was running the test equipment couldn't understand why there was a lever on the column and THREE pedals on the floor. (Blonde)