Having red paint means you'll get pulled over more often. Big, beefy tires make you an easy target. Cops hate rust buckets. We've all traded or heard these tales. In fact, each has made the rounds about as often as the friend whose sister is the ER nurse who witnessed the gerbil thing, or the buddy who woke up inside an igloo in the bathtub with his kidney popped out, or that toothbrush/natives/honeymoon photo.
So what's reality and what's urban legend when it comes to vehicle modifications and getting pulled over by a cop? Listen to everyone's claims and you'll discover that the line between truth and fiction is not only blurred, but it has come back seeking revenge at a campground with a hook for a hand. And that's exactly why we went straight to The Man to find out what will really get you nailed, what you can get away with, and what the trick is to getting out of a ticket.
What you need to remember, however, is that what's legal for your Jeep in one state may be totally illegal in the state next door. Sure, it may be registered in California, but if you're traveling through Oregon on a road trip, your Jeep can indeed be in violation of that state's laws and ticketed.
SUSPENSION
Your Jeep:
You've added a 4-inch suspension lift and a 2-inch body lift.
Will You Get Pulled Over?
Ah, modifying the suspension system ... it's one of the most popular improvements you can make to your Jeep -- and one that can get you into trouble as well. As expected, laws vary from state to state, so you'll need to check with your highway patrol or police department about the rules. Many states don't care how much you lift your truck -- as long as the distance from the ground to the center of the head and tail lights is within the law. The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108 is usually the standard for these measurements: headlights are allowed no more than 54 inches and taillights 60 inches, although some states are up to 72 inches for the tails. Another common measurement is frame height, which may be based on the GVWR, and other states take note of bumper height. And then there are states that incorporate all those factors plus overall height of the vehicle, which is commonly limited to 13 feet, 6 inches, including load. Yet some states don't allow any alteration of the suspension system from the OE setup (beyond heavy-duty parts like shocks). A few states say anything goes, as long as it's deemed "safe" in the cop's eyes. What's not safe? If it looks unstable or is wandering all over the road.
TIRES
Your Jeep:
You've got 35-inch tires.
Will You Get Pulled Over?
Oh, Lordy, the bane of a modified vehicle's existence: tires versus cops. Getting pulled over really has nothing to do with having tires larger than stock. It's more likely pointed toward two possible culprits: the rubber sticks out beyond the fenders/fender flares, or the wider tires change the overall width of the vehicle to an illegal measurement. As Lieutenant Robert Ticer with the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Highway Patrol Division says, "Our only law stipulates the width of the vehicle. Of course splash guards are required if the center of gravity has been lifted." The Colorado State Patrol says vehicle width is what they follow too, and for most states that number is 8 feet, 6 inches. Or to put it in Colorado legalese: "The load shall not protrude beyond the width of clearance lights, rearview mirrors, or other accessories required by federal, state, or city laws or regulations." But in Mississippi, Major Joseph L. Rigby of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Highway Patrol Division is very adamant about "Nothing outside the fenders." He was as serious as cancer, so we don't think we'll test him. Bald tires could also get you pulled over.
EXHAUST
Your Jeep:
Your four-banger sounds like a Hemi.
Will You Get Pulled Over?
If it's putting out excessive or unusual noise or too much smoke, yes, you will. First and foremost, you better have a muffler -- and in proper working order. States usually have laws against the muffler or exhaust system having a cutout, bypass, or such. In many states there aren't specific decibel rules, but rather the noise disruption is at the officer's discretion. However, to reference Colorado law again, no mods can be made that would give the exhaust a note louder than what was put out by the original pipes. Another thing that could get you pulled over? Remember how your pipe got ripped off on the trail? It's now dragging and sparking below your Jeep, and Lieutenant Ticer says that dry vegetation in Arizona makes easy kindling for fire, so if you're sparking, you'll get pulled over -- but probably issued only a warning, bringing it to your attention.
LIGHTS
Your Jeep:
You have enough off-road lights to land an airplane.
Will You Get Pulled Over?
Once you're off the dirt, there is commonly a limit to how many lights you can have on at a given time, and that is probably four. Two is usually the allowable number of foglights you can have mounted on the vehicle, and those count as part of the four allowed on at once. Lieutenant Ticer says a big no-no in Arizona is headlight covers. You can't run them regardless of the time of day because you need them operational to flash oncoming traffic about accidents or for sudden dust storms and fog. And as we said, when you modify your suspension, you change head and tail light distances from the ground, which could mean a ticket if you go beyond what the law allows. With regard to lights in general, the Texas Department of Public Safety explains that there is a regulation that governs vehicle manufacturer's lighting equipment. Because vehicles are engineered to meet the regulation, "If a vehicle doesn't come from the factory with the equipment, it probably is not a good idea to install it."