does anyone know the states suspension laws?

[jeepspeedtj]

I had to register my jeep today. So when i took it in for the inspection the highway patrol safety inspector just happened to show up. He claims that my jeep can't be street legal due to the fact that i have altered my suspension from the stock style of suspension. WTF? It is a TJ they came from the factory with coil springs and shocks. In my opinion that is all a coil over is right?

But anyway he revocked my registration and now i am at a loss at what i can do?

Any suggustions?

 

[spaggyroe]

It might be helpful if you post up some info about your Jeep.

What suspension do you have, how high, etc.

 

[jeepspeedtj]

I have a 2000ish mutt of a TJ. It is legal height. the frame is 24inches off of the ground. The suspension is a custom 4link that i built. and i am running FOA coilovers

What i am wondering is. What about a coil over is not legal on a jeep that is legal in everyother way?

 

[STAG]

the inspection terms I have is from 2008 but it should be the same for this year...

Utah Safety Inspection Manual 2008[/QUOTE]

That will show you everything you need to be legal... I know lots of guys that run coilovers & custom suspensions and they are 100% UT legal..

I think the inspector that you went to just thinks that you can't touch a suspension w/o disqualifying the legal-ness... not true... maybe if it doesn't look safe to him thats another thing though... but if everything checks out you should be legal.

 

[jeepspeedtj]

the inspection terms I have is from 2008 but it should be the same for this year...

Utah Safety Inspection Manual 2008

That will show you everything you need to be legal... I know lots of guys that run coilovers & custom suspensions and they are 100% UT legal..

I think the inspector that you went to just thinks that you can't touch a suspension w/o disqualifying the legal-ness... not true... maybe if it doesn't look safe to him thats another thing though... but if everything checks out you should be legal.

The inspector at the shop was going to pass my jeep. The problem is that while the jeep was in the parking lot of the shop the local highway patrol man that works in the area happened to stop by the shop and he is the one that had a problem with the jeep. according to the guy at the shop the jeep is just fine.

But what the highway patrol says is what goes. and he says that I am not legal because i have altered the suspension from the stock style of suspension.

 

[STAG]

Then Mr. HWP is wrong and you need a 2nd opinion .. Call the "Utah Public Safety Office"... sorry I don't have their number right on hand anymore you'll have to look it up... You can take the Jeep to them and they will go over it and do the visual inspection... (you will still have to go to an inspection station to have the brakes tested on the plates if you havn't already.) But the public safety office will be able to make the final decision of inspection...

 

[jeepspeedtj]

Then Mr. HWP is wrong and you need a 2nd opinion .. Call the "Utah Public Safety Office"... sorry I don't have their number right on hand anymore you'll have to look it up... You can take the Jeep to them and they will go over it and do the visual inspection... (you will still have to go to an inspection station to have the brakes tested on the plates if you havn't already.) But the public safety office will be able to make the final decision of inspection...

That is the guy that flagged my jeep. He is the highway patrol man that goes around to all of the shops to make sure that they are doing there job right. the problem is that down here in Richfield the Public safety office is run by this Dip Shi*.

 

[STAG]

Oh and p.s. make sure that when you have it inspected by them you get someone who knows what they are doing when they inspect the suspension... I know that one time I called there and the verbatum conversation I had with the lady was:

Me- "Hi I need to get a list of what I need to do to keep my Jeep rock-crawler street legal when I modify the suspension"

Her- "Oh well if its a rock-crawler then there is no way that it can be street legal"

Me- "No I know it can be, All I'm doing is modifying my Jeep a little bit to be more offroad capable and I need to know what specifics I need to keep street legal"

Her- "Well no if it is going to be a rock-crawler they are not street legal"

.....

So the lady freaked out and wouldn't listen to me or help me with my question as soon as I mentioned the word "rock-crawler".... All I was looking for was that Inspection Manual that I posted the link to earlier...

 

[Caleb]

That is the guy that flagged my jeep. He is the highway patrol man that goes around to all of the shops to make sure that they are doing there job right. the problem is that down here in Richfield the Public safety office is run by this Dip Shi*.

You notice he said UTAH Public Safety Office...not the Richfield office

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Post some pictures of your rig.

Look up the laws pertaining to suspension and get to know them, particularly:
41-6a-1629
41-6a-1630
41-6a-1631

Take it to the Highway Patrol office and as for an inspection while you have the inspection manual in your hands if you feel everything is legit.

For example:

41-6a-1630. Standards applicable to vehicles.
(1) The following standards apply to vehicles under Sections 41-6a-1629 through 41-6a-1633:
(a) A replacement part and equipment used in a mechanical alteration shall be:
(i) designed and capable of performing the function for which they are intended; and
(ii) equal to or greater in strength and durability than the original parts provided by the original manufacturer.
(b) Except for original equipment, a person may not use spacers to increase wheel track width of a vehicle.
(c) A person may not use axle blocks to alter the suspension on the front axle of a vehicle.
(d) A person may not stack two or more axle blocks of a vehicle.
(2) (a) In doubtful or unusual cases, or to meet specific industrial requirements, personnel of the Utah Highway Patrol shall inspect the vehicle to determine:
(i) the road worthiness and safe condition of the vehicle; and
(ii) whether it complies with Sections 41-6a-1629 through 41-6a-1633.
(b) If the vehicle complies, the Utah Highway Patrol shall issue a permit of approval that shall be carried in the vehicle.
(3) (a) Upon notice to the party to whom the motor vehicle is registered, the department shall suspend the registration of any motor vehicle equipped, altered, or modified in violation of Sections 41-6a-1629 through 41-6a-1633.
(b) The Motor Vehicle Division shall, under Subsection 41-1a-109(1)(e) or (2), refuse to register any motor vehicle it has reason to believe is equipped, altered, or modified in violation of Sections 41-6a-1629 through 41-6a-1633.

You will need to justify and prove that your suspension, fabrication and assembly are equal or stronger than the OE design.

 

[STAG]

You will need to justify and prove that your suspension, fabrication and assembly are equal or stronger than the OE design.

Sums it all up pretty nicely ...


And just another thing that might help, get a 2nd opinion from a different HWPman... one who just doesn't say "its altered, therefore it fails"... and have him point out what needs to be fixed, and what scares him.... and then fix it...

 

[spanky]

i got a question.. that is only kinda sorta off topic;

lets say "bob" goes to "joe shmoe emissions & inspections" and joe shmoe fails bob because of something of the safety variety.

can't bob just then go to a totally different emissions & inspections place and take the chance of "maybe or maybe not" getting passed at the new place?

i got my truck safety/emissions done today. some gal came into the place saying her safety didnt get passed at "joe shmoe" and she wanted her safety done at this place.

the place i was at said "no, we cant even test you, because you were failed already"

i guess a long way to get to a question is....

do you get put "into the system" when your vehicle fails at a safety & emissions?


because if not..... then why cant jeepspeedtj go to another place to get it all said and done?

 

[phatfoto]

Which is why as I get my project closer to finished, I'm going to ask my neighborhood UHP officer to check it out before I ever head for the safety check...

 

[Caleb]

i got a question.. that is only kinda sorta off topic;

lets say "bob" goes to "joe shmoe emissions & inspections" and joe shmoe fails bob because of something of the safety variety.

can't bob just then go to a totally different emissions & inspections place and take the chance of "maybe or maybe not" getting passed at the new place?

i got my truck safety/emissions done today. some gal came into the place saying her safety didnt get passed at "joe shmoe" and she wanted her safety done at this place.

the place i was at said "no, we cant even test you, because you were failed already"

i guess a long way to get to a question is....

do you get put "into the system" when your vehicle fails at a safety & emissions?

I'm pretty sure that if the station is following through properly you get put in to the system, afterall, how are they going to give you a failed cert if you don't get entered in.

because if not..... then why cant jeepspeedtj go to another place to get it all said and done?

Even if the station didn't enter a fail in the system, the UHP yanked his registration, which means there is no way he can get it registered without going through them.

 

[poorboyzdreamz]

Because everyone is linked to the uhp database when they give you a inspection form whether pass or fail. If you fail it raises a redflag prohibiting the other location to pass without repairs being made.

 

[Rot Box]

When I got nailed with a Five Day Letter I also recieved a few Fixit Tickets-- One was for altered suspension. I have a mild 3" lift, but my rear springs (leafs) have a big FORD stamp on them so the officer considered them altered and along with many other reasons (that I considered very minor) my vegistration was revoked

I had the fixit tickets removed, and the springs were not an issue in another officers eyes, but thanks to the Five Day Letter my registration is still revoked ... And it still is ... In Utah.

I think that every inspection place is really pressured to make sure that we are all safe, and disapproves any big modification for their safety and ours. I believe that its a conflict of interest because we all know things like new suspension are generally a "modification" not a "weaker link".

Either way If I don't get what I want from my cable company I just call back and talk to somone else untill it's made right

 

[snccoulter]

I was failed last year and went to a new place and they had no issues with my jeep and they passed me at the new place

 

[utah340six]

jeepspeedtj
check with someone like teraflex if you are legal.
wayne or dennis, they modify jeeps all the time, or ben hanks racing.
how do they get theres to pass???

 

[rockreligious]

Because everyone is linked to the uhp database when they give you a inspection form whether pass or fail. If you fail it raises a redflag prohibiting the other location to pass without repairs being made.

Yep, the best you can hope for is that the shop will just warn you that you would fail, but if they got time involved in your inspection the only way to recoupe thier time is to fail you, then expect repairs and charge you agian for a second inspection. or perform the repairs and charge you parts and labor.

 

[Jesser04]

Yep, the best you can hope for is that the shop will just warn you that you would fail, but if they got time involved in your inspection the only way to recoupe thier time is to fail you, then expect repairs and charge you agian for a second inspection. or perform the repairs and charge you parts and labor.

I don't know where you been going but for the last few years every place I've been failed at has told me that I have two weeks to fix it and bring it back and they will do it again for free. Davis county failed my uncle for no mudflaps and they told him the same thing. I also challenge the database theory too