Are tires allowed to stick out on 4x4's?

Ive never had a problem getting my xj's inspected, Ive had 2 with 9-10 inches of lift, and always run trimmed fenders so my tires stick out pretty damn far. Had a 78 k10 on tons and 44's and never had a problem either. Could just be bad luck. I would like to think cops have better things to worry about. Insurance companies, maybe not so much, if an accident occurs and ur bumper/headlights are 7 feet off the ground, they may say the other guy couldnt see ya or something.

Anxious to see what the law book technically says
 
Im trying to find the lift law as well, but here is one about the headlights:

§ 20‑131. Requirements as to headlamps and auxiliary driving lamps.
(a) The headlamps of motor vehicles shall be so constructed, arranged, and adjusted that, except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, they will at all times mentioned in G.S. 20‑129, and under normal atmospheric conditions and on a level road, produce a driving light sufficient to render clearly discernible a person 200 feet ahead, but any person operating a motor vehicle upon the highways, when meeting another vehicle, shall so control the lights of the vehicle operated by him by shifting, depressing, deflecting, tilting, or dimming the headlight beams in such manner as shall not project a glaring or dazzling light to persons within a distance of 500 feet in front of such headlamp. Every new motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle or motor‑driven cycle, registered in this State after January 1, 1956, which has multiple‑beam road‑ lighting equipment shall be equipped with a beam indicator, which shall be lighted whenever the uppermost distribution of light from the headlamps is in use, and shall not otherwise be lighted. Said indicator shall be so designed and located that when lighted it will be readily visible without glare to the driver of the vehicle so equipped.
(b) Headlamps shall be deemed to comply with the foregoing provisions prohibiting glaring and dazzling lights if none of the main bright portion of the headlamp beams rises above a horizontal plane passing through the lamp centers parallel to the level road upon which the loaded vehicle stands, and in no case higher than 42 inches, 75 feet ahead of the vehicle.
(c) Whenever a motor vehicle is being operated upon a highway, or portion thereof, which is sufficiently lighted to reveal a person on the highway at a distance of 200 feet ahead of the vehicle, it shall be permissible to dim the headlamps or to tilt the beams downward or to substitute therefor the light from an auxiliary driving lamp or pair of such lamps, subject to the restrictions as to tilted beams and auxiliary driving lamps set forth in this section.
(d) Whenever a motor vehicle meets another vehicle on any highway it shall be permissible to tilt the beams of the headlamps downward or to substitute therefor the light from an auxiliary driving lamp or pair of such lamps subject to the requirement that the tilted headlamps or auxiliary lamp or lamps shall give sufficient illumination under normal atmospheric conditions and on a level road to render clearly discernible a person 75 feet ahead, but shall not project a glaring or dazzling light to persons in front of the vehicle: Provided, that at all times required in G.S. 20‑129 at least two lights shall be displayed on the front of and on opposite sides of every motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, road roller, road machinery, or farm tractor.
(e) No city or town shall enact an ordinance in conflict with this section. (1937, c. 407, s. 94; 1939, c. 351, s. 1; 1955, c. 1157, ss. 6, 7.)
 
§ 20‑135.4. Certain automobile safety standards.
(a) Definitions. – For the purposes of this section, the term "private passenger automobile" shall mean a four‑wheeled motor vehicle designed principally for carrying passengers, for use on public roads and highways, except a multipurpose passenger vehicle which is constructed either on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off‑road operation.
(b), (c) Repealed by Session Laws 1975, c. 856.
(d) The manufacturer's specified height of any passenger motor vehicle shall not be elevated or lowered, either in front or back, more than six inches by modification, alteration, or change of the physical structure of said vehicle without prior written approval of the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.
On or after January 1, 1975, no self‑propelled passenger vehicle that has been so altered, modified or changed shall be operated upon any highway or public vehicular area without the prior written approval of the Commissioner. (1971, c. 485; 1973, cc. 58, 1082; 1975, c. 856.)
 
§ 20‑122.1. Motor vehicles to be equipped with safe tires.
(a) Every motor vehicle subject to safety equipment inspection in this State and operated on the streets and highways of this State shall be equipped with tires which are safe for the operation of the motor vehicle and which do not expose the public to needless hazard. Tires shall be considered unsafe if cut so as to expose tire cord, cracked so as to expose tire cord, or worn so as to expose tire cord or there is a visible tread separation or chunking or the tire has less than two thirty‑seconds inch tread depth at two or more locations around the circumference of the tire in two adjacent major tread grooves, or if the tread wear indicators are in contact with the roadway at two or more locations around the circumference of the tire in two adjacent major tread grooves: Provided, the two thirty‑seconds tread depth requirements of this section shall not apply to dual wheel trailers. For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1) "Chunking" – separation of the tread from the carcass in particles which may range from very small size to several square inches in area.
(2) "Cord" – strands forming a ply in a tire.
(3) "Tread" – portion of tire which comes in contact with road.
(4) "Tread depth" – the distance from the base of the tread design to the top of the tread.
(a1) Any motor vehicle that has a GVWR of at least 10,001 pounds or more and is operated on the streets or highways of this State shall be equipped with tires that are safe for the operation of the vehicle and do not expose the public to needless hazard. A tire is unsafe if any of the following applies:
(1) It is cut, cracked, or worn so as to expose tire cord.
(2) There is a visible tread separation or chunking.
(3) The steering axle tire has less than four thirty‑seconds inch tread depth at any location around the circumference of the tire on any major tread groove.
(4) Any nonsteering axle tire has less than two thirty‑seconds inch tread depth around the circumference of the tire in any major tread groove.
(5) The tread wear indicators are in contact with the roadway at any location around the circumference of the tire on any major tread groove.
(b) The driver of any vehicle who is charged with a violation of this section shall be allowed 15 calendar days within which to bring the tires of such vehicle in conformance with the requirements of this section. It shall be a defense to any such charge that the person arrested produce in court, or submit to the prosecuting attorney prior to trial, a certificate from an official safety inspection equipment station showing that within 15 calendar days after such arrest, the tires on such vehicle had been made to conform with the requirements of this section or that such vehicle had been sold, destroyed, or permanently removed from the highways. Violation of this section shall not constitute negligence per se. (1969, c. 378, s. 1; c. 1256; 1985, c. 93, ss. 1, 2; 2009‑376, s. 5.)
 
§ 20‑123.1. Steering mechanism.
The steering mechanism of every self‑propelled motor vehicle operated on the highway shall be maintained in good working order, sufficient to enable the operator to control the vehicle's movements and to maneuver it safely. (1957, c. 1038, s. 3.)
 
§ 20‑124. Brakes.
(a) Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and to stop such vehicle or vehicles, and such brakes shall be maintained in good working order and shall conform to regulations provided in this section.
(b) Repealed by Session Laws 1973, c. 1330, s. 39.
(c) Every motor vehicle when operated on a highway shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and to stop and hold such vehicle, and shall have all originally equipped brakes in good working order, including two separate means of applying the brakes. If these two separate means of applying the brakes are connected in any way, they shall be so constructed that failure of any one part of the operating mechanism shall not leave the motor vehicle without brakes.
(d) Every motorcycle and every motor‑driven cycle when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with at least one brake which may be operated by hand or foot.
(e) Motor trucks and tractor‑trucks with semitrailers attached shall be capable of stopping on a dry, hard, approximately level highway free from loose material at a speed of 20 miles per hour within the following distances: Thirty feet with both hand and service brake applied simultaneously and 50 feet when either is applied separately, except that vehicles maintained and operated permanently for the transportation of property and which were registered in this or any other state or district prior to August, 1929, shall be capable of stopping on a dry, hard, approximately level highway free from loose material at a speed of 20 miles per hour within a distance of 50 feet with both hand and service brake applied simultaneously, and within a distance of 75 feet when either applied separately.
(e1) Every motor truck and truck‑tractor with semitrailer attached, shall be equipped with brakes acting on all wheels, except trucks and truck‑tractors having three or more axles need not have brakes on the front wheels if manufactured prior to July 25, 1980. However, such trucks and truck‑tractors must be capable of complying with the performance requirements of G.S. 20‑124(e).
(f) Every semitrailer, or trailer, or separate vehicle, attached by a drawbar or coupling to a towing vehicle, and having a gross weight of two tons, and all house trailers of 1,000 pounds gross weight or more, shall be equipped with brakes controlled or operated by the driver of the towing vehicle, which shall conform to the specifications set forth in subsection (e) of this section and shall be of a type approved by the Commissioner.
It shall be unlawful for any person or corporation engaged in the business of selling house trailers at wholesale or retail to sell or offer for sale any house trailer which is not equipped with the brakes required by this subsection.
This subsection shall not apply to house trailers being used as dwellings, or to house trailers not intended to be used or towed on public highways and roads. This subsection shall not apply to house trailers with a manufacturer's certificate of origin dated prior to December 31, 1974.
(g) The provisions of this section shall not apply to a trailer when used by a farmer, a farmer's tenant, agent, or employee if the trailer is exempt from registration by the provisions of G.S. 20‑51. This exemption does not apply to trailers that are equipped with brakes from the manufacturer and that are manufactured after October 1, 2009.
(h) From and after July 1, 1955, no person shall sell or offer for sale for use in motor vehicle brake systems in this State any hydraulic brake fluid of a type and brand other than those approved by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. From and after January 1, 1970, no person shall sell or offer for sale in motor vehicle brake systems any brake lining of a type or brand other than those approved by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. Violation of the provisions of this subsection shall constitute a Class 2 misdemeanor. (1937, c. 407, s. 87; 1953, c. 1316, s. 2; 1955, c. 1275; 1959, c. 990; 1965, c. 1031; 1967, c. 1188; 1969, cc. 787, 866; 1973, c. 1203; c. 1330, s. 39; 1993, c. 539, s. 359; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 2009‑376, ss. 10, 11.)
 
§ 20‑126. Mirrors.
(a) No person shall drive a motor vehicle on the streets or highways of this State unless equipped with an inside rearview mirror of a type approved by the Commissioner, which provides the driver with a clear, undistorted, and reasonably unobstructed view of the highway to the rear of such vehicle; provided, a vehicle so constructed or loaded as to make such inside rearview mirror ineffective may be operated if equipped with a mirror of a type to be approved by the Commissioner located so as to reflect to the driver a view of the highway to the rear of such vehicle. A violation of this subsection shall not constitute negligence per se in civil actions. Farm tractors, self‑propelled implements of husbandry and construction equipment and all self‑propelled vehicles not subject to registration under this Chapter are exempt from the provisions of this section. Provided that pickup trucks equipped with an outside rearview mirror approved by the Commissioner shall be exempt from the inside rearview mirror provision of this section. Any inside mirror installed in any motor vehicle by its manufacturer shall be deemed to comply with the provisions of this subsection.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate upon the highways of this State any vehicle manufactured, assembled or first sold on or after January 1, 1966 and registered in this State unless such vehicle is equipped with at least one outside mirror mounted on the driver's side of the vehicle. Mirrors herein required shall be of a type approved by the Commissioner.
(c) No person shall operate a motorcycle upon the streets or highways of this State unless such motorcycle is equipped with a rearview mirror so mounted as to provide the operator with a clear, undistorted and unobstructed view of at least 200 feet to the rear of the motorcycle. No motorcycle shall be registered in this State after January 1, 1968, unless such motorcycle is equipped with a rearview mirror as described in this section. Violation of the provisions of this subsection shall not be considered negligence per se or contributory negligence per se in any civil action. (1937, c. 407, s. 89; 1965, c. 368; 1967, c. 282, s. 1; c. 674, s. 2; c. 1139; 2002‑159, ss. 22(a), 22(b).)
 
§ 20‑127. Windows and windshield wipers.
(a) Windshield Wipers. – A vehicle that is operated on a highway and has a windshield shall have a windshield wiper to clear rain or other substances from the windshield in front of the driver of the vehicle and the windshield wiper shall be in good working order. If a vehicle has more than one windshield wiper to clear substances from the windshield, all the windshield wipers shall be in good working order.
(b) Window Tinting Restrictions. – A window of a vehicle that is operated on a highway or a public vehicular area shall comply with this subsection. The windshield of the vehicle may be tinted only along the top of the windshield and the tinting may not extend more than five inches below the top of the windshield or below the AS1 line of the windshield, whichever measurement is longer. Provided, however, an untinted clear film which does not obstruct vision but which reduces or eliminates ultraviolet radiation from entering a vehicle may be applied to the windshield. Any other window of the vehicle may be tinted in accordance with the following restrictions:
(1) The total light transmission of the tinted window shall be at least thirty‑five percent (35%). A vehicle window that, by use of a light meter approved by the Commissioner, measures a total light transmission of more than thirty‑two percent (32%) is conclusively presumed to meet this restriction.
(2) The light reflectance of the tinted window shall be twenty percent (20%) or less.
(3) Tinted film or another material used to tint the window shall be nonreflective and shall not be red, yellow, or amber.
(c) Tinting Exceptions. – The window tinting restrictions in subsection (b) of this section apply without exception to the windshield of a vehicle. The window tinting restrictions in subdivisions (b)(1) and (b)(2) of this section do not apply to any of the following vehicle windows:
(1) A window of an excursion passenger vehicle, as defined in G.S. 20‑4.01(27)a.
(2) A window of a for‑hire passenger vehicle, as defined in G.S. 20‑4.01(27)b.
(3) A window of a common carrier of passengers, as defined in G.S. 20‑4.01(27)c.
(4) A window of a motor home, as defined in G.S. 20‑4.01(27)d2.
(5) A window of an ambulance, as defined in G.S. 20‑4.01(27)f.
(6) The rear window of a property‑hauling vehicle, as defined in G.S. 20‑4.01(31).
(7) A window of a limousine.
(8) A window of a law enforcement vehicle.
(9) A window of a multipurpose vehicle that is behind the driver of the vehicle. A multipurpose vehicle is a passenger vehicle that is designed to carry 10 or fewer passengers and either is constructed on a truck chassis or has special features designed for occasional off‑road operation. A minivan and a pickup truck are multipurpose vehicles.
(10) A window of a vehicle that is registered in another state and meets the requirements of the state in which it is registered.
(11) A window of a vehicle for which the Division has issued a medical exception permit under subsection (f) of this section.
(d) Violations. – A person who does any of the following commits a misdemeanor of the class set in G.S. 20‑176:
(1) Applies tinting to the window of a vehicle that is subject to a safety inspection in this State and the resulting tinted window does not meet the window tinting restrictions set in this section.
(2) Drives on a highway or a public vehicular area a vehicle that has a window that does not meet the window tinting restrictions set in this section.
(e) Defense. – It is a defense to a charge of driving a vehicle with an unlawfully tinted window that the tinting was removed within 15 days after the charge and the window now meets the window tinting restrictions. To assert this defense, the person charged shall produce in court, or submit to the prosecuting attorney before trial, a certificate from the Division of Motor Vehicles or the Highway Patrol showing that the window complies with the restrictions.
(f) Medical Exception. – A person who suffers from a medical condition that causes the person to be photosensitive to visible light may obtain a medical exception permit. To obtain a permit, an applicant shall apply in writing to the Drivers Medical Evaluation Program and have his or her doctor complete the required medical evaluation form provided by the Division. The permit shall be valid for five years from the date of issue, unless a shorter time is directed by the Drivers Medical Evaluation Program. The renewal shall require a medical recertification that the person continues to suffer from a medical condition requiring tinting.
A person may receive no more than two medical exception permits that are valid at any one time. A permit issued under this subsection shall specify the vehicle to which it applies, the windows that may be tinted, and the permitted levels of tinting. The permit shall be carried in the vehicle to which it applies when the vehicle is driven on a highway.
The Division shall give a person who receives a medical exception permit a sticker to place on the lower left‑hand corner of the rear window of the vehicle to which it applies. The sticker shall be designed to give prospective purchasers of the vehicle notice that the windows of the vehicle do not meet the requirements of G.S. 20‑127(b), and shall be placed between the window and the tinting when the tinting is installed. The Division shall adopt rules regarding the specifications of the medical exception sticker. Failure to display the sticker is an infraction punishable by a two hundred dollar ($200.00) fine. (1937, c. 407, s. 90; 1953, c. 1254; 1955, c. 1157, s. 2; 1959, c. 1264, s. 7; 1967, c. 1077; 1985, c. 789; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 997; 1987, c. 567; 1987 (Reg. Sess., 1988), c. 1082, ss. 7‑8.1; 1989, c. 770, s. 66; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 1007, s. 34; 1993, c. 539, s. 360; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 683, s. 1; c. 754, s. 4; 1995, c. 14, s. 1; c. 473, s. 1; 2000‑75, s. 1.)
 
Here is what the statue book that most all law enforcement in north carolina carries with them to right tickets out of says and the charge reads as follows,

Having Raised or lowered a motor vehicle more than 6 inches from manufactured specifications. g.s 20-135.4 (d) (this is a infraction)

(d)- The manfactures specified height of ANY passenger motor vehicle shall not be elevated or lowered either in the front or the rear more than six inches by modification, alteration,or change of the physical structure of said vehicle without prior written approval of the commissioner of motro vehicle's.

fine is $25.00 plus court cost....... hope this helps
 
hondatech81 said:
Here is what the statue book that most all law enforcement in north carolina carries with them to right tickets out of says and the charge reads as follows,
Having Raised or lowered a motor vehicle more than 6 inches from manufactured specifications. g.s 20-135.4 (d) (this is a infraction)
(d)- The manfactures specified height of ANY passenger motor vehicle shall not be elevated or lowered either in the front or the rear more than six inches by modification, alteration,or change of the physical structure of said vehicle without prior written approval of the commissioner of motro vehicle's.
fine is $25.00 plus court cost....... hope this helps
Click to expand...


you missed sub section (a)
(a) Definitions. – For the purposes of this section, the term "private passenger automobile" shall mean a four‑wheeled motor vehicle designed principally for carrying passengers, for use on public roads and highways, except a multipurpose passenger vehicle which is constructed either on a truck chassis or with special features [transfer case]for occasional off‑road operation.
 
I was just posting what was in the statue book that most all law enforcement carries. "A" is not in there at all in this book. Im sure that you are correct,and its listed in the big motor vehicle law book, but what I wrote word for word is all thats listed in the small statue book that is usally carried.....
 
I have been an officer for eleven years. I have never really heard of anyone enforcing the lift laws, but was always told that to be considered a multi-purpose vehicle, it had to be registered as such and you usually had to have a letter from the dmv commissioner.

But i think it really comes down to how the officer , the district attorney and the judge interpret the law, as I have also worked in three different judicial districts and they have all interpreted some laws slightly different.
 
cj777 said:
I actually got hassled getting my Jeep inspected in Durham last time. The inspector told me "you failed the second you pulled in. Your tires stick out past your fenders." Of course there doesn't seem to be a law anywhere that I can find, but what can you do if the inspector thinks there is? I just went to another place and had no problem. Bottom line, I guess is it just depends on the inspector.
Click to expand...

I think the whole inspection thing in NC is crazy. One guy checks your headlights and tail lights with mirrors hung on the wall and another pulls out the laser to detect the angles. I was failed with the laser when I first moved here and informed them that they just got the last dollar from my pockets. Then I found the guy working from a barn with mirrors on the wall.
My wife was failed just last year for her tires and I pulled out my gage to confirm that they were fine. She goes to my dude now too.

Go to a Joe that does inspections on the side, not any of the inspection stations that that's the only thing they do.:beer: If you don't slack off a little in every aspect in this economy, people are going to go elsewhere. Seems every buisness a person can walk into to get something done is being re-defined right now.
 
In the section on window tint, MP vehicles are further define for that section. "A multipurpose vehicle is a passenger vehicle that is designed to carry 10 or fewer passengers and either is constructed on a truck chassis or has special features designed for occasional off-road operation. A minivan and a pickup truck are multipurpose vehicles. "

No search of the entire DMV code finds any reference to a special designation being required to have a vehicle designated as a multipurpose vehicle.
A Jeep wrangler qualifies because it meets the criteria of being built on a truck frame. A Jeep Cherokee qualifies because it has a transfer case and the code has "or" not "and" in the description. Put a transfer case on a Dodge minivan and it can be lifted beyond 6".
As such, there is no room for any prosecutor or judge to "interpret" the law in any way other than the way it is written.
Any judge, prosecutor or law enforcement officer who does so is violating their sworn oath to uphold the law. Instead they are making up law for their own financial benefit since a portion of the fines collected go into their budgets.
 
4 wheel magazine had a write up on lift laws, go to the library, look up vehicle code enforcements. my rears stick out almost a foot, their 35s.
 
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