Driving without doors...

phatfoto

Giver of bad advice
Location
Tooele
The only way a door provides structural integrity is if it has door bars in it, and then only provides side impact protection.
 

FJ55 Hooligan

GOOOAAALLLLLLL!
Location
Gotham City
Ok, so here is the thick and the skinny of the whole thing.

It's not illegal to remove your doors, per se, but if your vehicle is not designed to have removable doors from the manufacturer, and you take them off, then it should not pass the safety inspection. However, some safety technicians might simply overlook that, and pass it, another might say hell no and make you put the doors back on. Which leads into another point I'll make here in a second. So, a jeep with the removable doors would pass the safety inspection if you took them off, but a Tacoma without the doors would not.

Now, as for driving around without doors. There is an code under Utah 41-6a-1601, that is kind of a cover all. It's addresses "vehicles unsafe to operate", which leaves the discretion of unsafe up to each individual officer. So, Officer Johnny Law might see you without doors and say "that Tacoma is unsafe without doors because something could fall out, or a passenger could slip out rounding a corner, or it may cause a distraction to other drivers", or whatever he wants really.. and he could cite you for it as well, then you could go before the judge and plea your case.. hopefully he is a redneck at heart... On the other hand, Officer Lucy Lawless could see the same Tacoma without doors and say "Damm that's HAWT! I want to go wheeling with that rig!" and just wave as you go on by.

One point to remember though, if you remove the doors, you still have to have the mirrors, and if you don't, it will definitely get you a ticket.

Most of the officers out there probably wouldn't even pull you over for it, and of the ones that did, most of them would probably just let you go as long as you were not an ass, a drunk ass, or a stoopid ass with guns and/or drugs and/or warrants and/or a body in the trunk. But then again, there are some guys out there that will just simply pull you over for it and give you a ticket.

Hopefully this clears some things up.
 

SAMI

Formerly Beardy McGee
Location
SLC, UT
3 or so years ago I had 3 UHP on me to inspect my '85 4runner whilst on a leisurely stroll south to hit Richfield.. I hadn't even gotten to Murray from Sugarhouse before it looked like a felony stop on SB I-15... I think I even saw some friends drive by that were headed to the same destination..

I ended up with verbal warnings for my tires sticking out too far (not covered by the fenders), my rear bumper was an illegal heigth(mine was 2"s tall, while 4"s is the law), they questioned the tube doors but only mentioned that I would need no smaller than a 4" mirror on the driverside to be legal as mine was 2"s (they saw I had a rearview on the windshield, so pass-side not needed). Luckily they didn't notice that my front plate and rear plate were different from eachother! ;)

I was cool and straight forward with them, removed my hat, sunglasses, keys from the ignition, and they were cool with me.

-Jason
 

choptopbII

Well-Known Member
Location
Clearfield, UT
I drove my toyota around all last summer with no doors and never got pulled over once. i just had a mirror bolted to the fender on the drivers side.
 

strangeKowboy

Oops i did it again
Location
Springville, Ut
Just talked to my neighbor who happens to be the utah safety comissioner bla bla bla and former uhp for the state of utah. He told me that the law is "if it was made to have removable doors from the factory then it is legal. If you have modified your vehicle and taken the doors off say a tacoma he would ticket. Thats about all he said tho. He said its more a grey line and officers call.
 

poorboyzdreamz

poorboyzdreamz
Location
Sandy
Right from the manual Section 6 Page 65:
G. DOORS
1. Check doors and door components for proper operation.
a. REJECT when:
1) Doors are missing when not designed by the original manufacturer to be removed.
2) Doors parts are missing, broken or sagging to the extent that the door cannot be opened and closed properly.
*NOTE: Shaved door handles with automatic releases are allowed provided that when the engine is running, and the vehicle is in drive, the wireless remote cannot activate door release switch.
PLT
 

poorboyzdreamz

poorboyzdreamz
Location
Sandy
And just to throw in the extra bonus round Section 2G Page 19:
G. TIRE SIZE, TIRE WIDTH, FENDERS AND MUDFLAPS
1. Check vehicle tires for proper size and weight load ratings.
2. Check that fenders and mud flaps are in place when required.
a. REJECT when:
1) Tires do not meet proper load rating per axle as determined by OEM specifications.
2) Tires are mounted on wheels that are not within tire manufacturer specifications.
3) Tire tread is not fully covered by existing fenders or fender extenders.
4) Rear tires do not have the top 50% of the tire covered by mud flaps.
5) Rear mud flaps are not directly aligned with the tire and at least as wide as the tire.
6) Tires make contact with any other vehicle parts or accessories.
NOTE: Mud flaps are required on any vehicle modified from original OEM specifications. This includes larger tires or any alterations to the frame or suspension. 41-6a-1633 UCA. Any tire size that was available as an option from the manufacturer is accepted as OEM equipment.
PLT
 

Cottle

[0++13
Location
North Salt Lake
Just my two cents... Any modification to a vehicle could possibly render the vehicle "illegal" I drove my toyota pickup for 2 summers with tube doors, I would get pulled over because my driver side mirror was small but present; The officer would always say it was ok as long as I had that mirror + one other (passenger, rear view) I also agree and believe its kinda up to the police officers descression (excuse my horrible spelling...)
 
Location
hill AFB
And just to throw in the extra bonus round Section 2G Page 19:
G. TIRE SIZE, TIRE WIDTH, FENDERS AND MUDFLAPS
1. Check vehicle tires for proper size and weight load ratings.
2. Check that fenders and mud flaps are in place when required.
a. REJECT when:
1) Tires do not meet proper load rating per axle as determined by OEM specifications.
2) Tires are mounted on wheels that are not within tire manufacturer specifications.
3) Tire tread is not fully covered by existing fenders or fender extenders.
4) Rear tires do not have the top 50% of the tire covered by mud flaps.
5) Rear mud flaps are not directly aligned with the tire and at least as wide as the tire.
6) Tires make contact with any other vehicle parts or accessories.
NOTE: Mud flaps are required on any vehicle modified from original OEM specifications. This includes larger tires or any alterations to the frame or suspension. 41-6a-1633 UCA. Any tire size that was available as an option from the manufacturer is accepted as OEM equipment.
PLT


trying not to hijack this post,,,but
i live in arkansas and almost anything goes. lack of mirrors, doors, bumper size, bla bla bla.... i do know that headlight hight is an issue, but my question is with this post here. i have a 81 cj and i want to swap my axles to a wider axle, w/spring over. I am moving to utah in august.
If i do this what am i going to have to do to make this legal? the axles aren't anything special just the wider cj axle. but i have been told i can run 35s. & thats a smidge bigger then i think factory specs.
is this thing going to be allowed out in the public?
 

heinie_21

Active Member
Location
Price
If i do this what am i going to have to do to make this legal? the axles aren't anything special just the wider cj axle. but i have been told i can run 35s. & thats a smidge bigger then i think factory specs.
is this thing going to be allowed out in the public?
Get some fender flares that cover the width of the tire and mud flaps and you're fine
 

heinie_21

Active Member
Location
Price
WARNING: when you drive through Price on your way to Moab.. make sure you have flares and mudflaps cuz the fuzz here are... picky.. for lack of a better word.
 

broncomitch

dont be a sheep in a jeep
Location
west jordan,UT
before i mangled my bronco, i got pulled over for a brake light out. he sighted me for a cracked windshield,not licensed,no mufflers,no mud flaps,no fender flairs,no license plate light(didn't have a plate so don't see why i needed one :p) no front bumper.. but didn't say anything about my doors being off. he said, if i didn't love EB's so much i would impound you.

gave me a fix it ticket a mile long and drove off without signing the ticket. lol
HE some how got my number and asked if i would sign it so he don't get in trouble. sense he didn't impound me i said OK come to my work and ill sign it.

get some door insert's.
 
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