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Muk you would have been pretty OK when it came to tires. He seemed to be really out for the XJ/ZJ crowd. I am just real glad he didn't start writing guys as it would have really made a great weekend go sour.

yes it really is.

I don't own a jeep, but i have MANY jeep buddies. This is always a problem, however most cops don't know its illegal.

Kinda like mr. officer telling me that DIY beadlocks are OK.. which tehy are not.

It appears though, Nobody got ticketed.. at least nobody has spoken up about it.

Maybe he is trying to be nice.. just dosn't know how to do it wihtout that look he gives, and being a smart ass.

Is it possible WE are being to hard on him?

Horus, write your letter!!

I might not make it to Evans any time soon, but when I go, I want it to be an enjoyable experience without the worry of getting pulled over.

Once the letter gets to Pierce county or where ever it needs to go, it will get sent to all the county sherrif's and FS Rangers. I am sure it will make a difference!

perhaps indeed. i was being sincere when i stated that - to me - he was one of the nicest cops i've ever dealt with. and yes, there's been a few...

he told me that his job up there that day was to simply educate. since he wasn't ticketing everyone he could (mine would have totalled over $700), i belive that. and, in all fairness, if a lot of our rigs are not road-legal, is that his fault - or ours? sure, there's bigger crimes out there than not having reflectors on the back of my jeep, but law enforcement is there to enforce all laws - including the ones that piss us off...

That old saying "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" may be appropriate here.

If he is trying to "educate", that's 2 way street. Perhaps he should be invited on a ride and learn about our hobby and why we do what we do.

We're not all bad, but the few that are leave the bigger impression.

with age comes wisdom

Education is excellent! I'm all for it. When he stopped me, i knew i was in the wrong BUT, some of the things he told me were dead wrong. this was my list

1) mud flaps-OK
2) Fender flares - I could use a set up front. The rear.. Boarderline.
3) Front bumper - Since I don't have one.. OK.
4) Exhaust too loud - Complete BS
5) No rear view mirror - Complete BS, I have 2 and 1 is the drivers side
6) But, my Beadlocks are OK - Complete BS.

If your going to educate people, make sure you are educated yourself.

When i spoke to him, I told him that i live right next to Pierce county PD. I have sat at a light with 3 cops around me in patrol cars. Nothing. He told me, The cops in town down know what to look for. So i wonder how the local PD is going to like it when they hear that he thinks they don't know what they are doing (thats the way i would take it anyway).

What gets me is how he TARGETS "US". Every day i drive up Meridian in Puyallup / southhill. Every day i see a particular vehicle that is WAY worse than mine driving. the opposite direction. Why is HE ok?

Every single new "crotch rocket" has an exposed rear wheel. No mud flaps required. You can see the tire from the ground to the top of the tire. But he's ok too.
Should I mention that 99% of EVERY Semi truck out there is illegal when running Bobtail? (1% does have the back 4 covered, but not many) Why is he ok?

Or, a guy that I work with. The ends of his H3's front bumper are over 27" in Height. It came from the factory that way (100% stock). he's OK too.

And as stated before, EVERY single lifted superdooty is OK as well.

But most of us, who he's bothing ONLY drive our rig from HOME to the TRAIL. and we're the bad guys. You can't target a certain group of people.. Its discrimination.

Thats my beef with them.

Ditto. It is blatantly obviously he is singling out wheeling rigs - since he just had to find something to lecture me about, despite the OBVIOUS effort I've made at keeping mine as close to 100% legal as possible...

Why are beadlocks not legal?

Its not that the beadlocks themselves are illegal, or so I have been told. Its that modifying a rim, like when people do the do it yourself beadlocks thats illegal.

-Alex

Not DOT approved.

Thats right.
any externally welded on bead lock is not street lega. To the best of my knowlege, the only beadlocks that are DOT approved are the Stauns and other internal type runflats (i think the H1's are not DOT approved either but i might be wrong on that)

You are right about the H1 wheels and beadlocks as they are not DOT approved. However, that doesn't mean they are illegal. The DOT just has no way of testing them. I would trust a set of Trail Ready, Champions or Walker Evans before most cheap ass stamped steel wheels that come from the factory.

When you think of it, how many other items are on vehicles that are not DOT approved? I'm not just talking about 4wd vehicles either. There are seats, mirrors, wheels, exhausts, lights and many other parts that are not DOT approved and roll around all day long without blowing up and killing 100 innocent people in 8 seconds flat.

All Very good points

Very well put, when you modify a vehicle to the point we do and drive it on public roads your taking a chance at having a run in with the law. While people may not like having someone tell them what is wrong with their vehicle and how to make it safer/legal it sounds like he was doing his job, especially when warnings were issued and not citations. Some may not think its right or fair but its a risk you take when driving a modified vehicle on public roads. Right now it looks like a tow rig and trailer are my option if I want to continue wheeling and improving my rigs off road capabilities. The payment and insurance sound like a lot of extra money but my last ticket for equipment violations was more than the monthly payments I am going to be facing. Not to mention the ride quality will be much nicer and less wear and tear on the wheeler.

Hey on the door thing I have talked to the state patrol and it is ongly illeagle if the mirrors are not there.So if you put the mirrors that mount to the winshield frame on and take your doors off its not illeagle.Thats what I would say to that 5.0