jht3

i have a '95 4runner registered in VA as a "4d sdn". as such the motor vehicle laws state i have a maximum bumper height of 22 inches. i've measured my front bumper where it sits on my stock 31" tires and i'm just below that mark. it's about 22" to the bottom of the crossmember.

now i've been wanting to trash the stock bumper and put on a tube bumper, but as i understand the law that illegal. the code states the measurement is to the main horizontal bumper bar if the bumper has been raised.

a pickup truck or panel truck between 4500 and 7500 GVWR is allowed a max of 29 inches. my 4runner fits into that classification.

any of you 4runner owners registered as a truck in the commonwealth? are pickup trucks still eligable for the car tax relief?

Roadrunner

When I researched the topic earlier, it seems the bumper height laws are not enforced that much. From what I've read on various local boards, being above the bumper limit isn't much of a problem as long as you don'y go too high. With that said, there are still some state vehicle inspectors and police officers that may give you problems. But I haven't heard about such problems in the Northern VA area.

Some info on these discussions:
http://www.novajeepers.com/phpBB2/vi...heighth+height

http://www.novajeepers.com/phpBB2/vi...heighth+height

http://www.novajeepers.com/phpBB2/vi...heighth+height

jht3

well i failed my inspection in july b/c i didn't have my fog lamp covers on. the inspector let me put them on, but as i was doing so one snapped in half. made me come back. that was at a mobil station in tysons

i have another buddy w/ a sas pickup. a cop measured his bumper heights. failed in the back, passed in the front b/c they measured to his front crossmember. think he got let off though. down in southwest va

and other buddy w/ a xj who has been harassed about tires and bumpers. MD tagged vehicle

so it does happen

Roadrunner

Do you know if your friends were pulled over just for the bumper height or were they speeding or some other traffic violation? The folks that I know of ran into problems after being pulled over for speeding and/or running red lights. After receiving their citation for the speeding/red light violation, out came the tape measure to check the bumpers.

I have fog lights on my TJM and my inspector informed me too these were illegal on the roads if not covered. I put some soft KC light covers on them. This guy is pretty nice, he does alot of modified 4x4 inspections.

Virginia's lift laws always had me wondering because you see so many lifted, big-ass trucks on the roads. I think it's one of those times where you try to play the odds that you won't be bothered by the cops or inspectors. But it sucks dealing with the 22" limit on passenger vehicles.

Border411

Hey---what do you know---this is my profession! Ok, so I can honestly say that I would never measure a bumper height because there is too much to do to prove that your height was out of the laws spec's. Some judges even want you to bring in the SAME tape measure that you used to measure the height with. Plus, just a slight variance in tire pressure can greatly affect the ride height (ie-on cold tires, could be within the law, on hot they expand and could make the height be outside the law), plus who is to say the tape measure was straight up and down from the ground to the bumper?? I also dont think that you can be stopped by a police officer just because he *THINKS* there may be something wrong with your truck(ie-cant be stopped because he thinks you may have an air intake not certified by DOT and the EPA.) If a cop stops you for that, IMO he isnt a very good cop. If you are stopped for some other traffic infraction, then you are fair game.

Oh, and the law also doesnt state where to make the measurement from. So put a little piece of metal well within the limit, and I would think that makes you good to go. I know the department I work for hasnt enforced that on regular traffic stops that I know of within the 14 months I have been there.

Just my .02

If any of you have any other questions regarding anything having to do with the laws and enforcement of them...just start a new thread and I will respond to them (If it is ok with the administrator of this site that is ).