PA fender flare laws

Its a $137 inspection violation if any part of the tread sticks beyond the outer edge of the flair/fender. I have gotten a few tickets over the years and a few warnings. Its usually only the small town cops that bother me.The field test is holding a quarter on the outside edge of the flair and dropping it. If it hits any part of the tread, its illegal. Im not sure if that is an "official" test method, but I have had 2 different cops do it.

Most big and small inspection shops will not pass it if the tires stick out at all. My buddy's shop I use doesnt even check anything on my vehicles when the inspect, but they will not pass me if my tires stick out at all. Its crazy.

With all that being said, I have not gotten a ticket or a warning for about 5 years and almost all of my past tickets/warning happenned when I was younger and used to cruise around town alot. The local cops liked to pick on us. It seems most of the people I know, eventually get a ticket or warning if their tires stick out. And yes, my tires still stick out

Dragline said:

Good old Mt. Carmel, somethings just don't change. What are the bumper requirements in PA? Do they need to be full width or ?

Click to expand...

Ummm....I hope not.....

I have been going rounds with a state cop for the last 8 months, first its for the flares-
The flare is only aloud to be 3" from the body line, that would be the side of the Jeep, not the flare.
I have the Xenon wide flares, got pulled over, and this guy is all over me about how wide my flares are. I try to explain that they are only as wide as the stock ones are, just shaped different. He asks- so since your stock ones are wider than you can put anything on there you want... My reaction is "can I get out" ( I think better on my feet) , as he puts his hand on his gun, steps back a few and asks why.
I say there are a few things that I dont understand and if we can go over things together we can all get along... I get out and he is still looking at the flares as they are to wide, that makes your tires to wide also.
I had the same runaround with my Tj, got a warning.

Anyway, he looks at my front bumper, stock stubby, and says that he doesnt think its legal either, but cant remember the code at this point. If he can have my phone number he will get back to me. He writes his warning for the flares and is on his way.

I took my stock flares and a tape to the cop shop and the trooper on duty looks and measures and says "I dont see a thing wrong with it" signs the thing and I leave.
I get the call a couple days later and first cop leaves a message, says he has called "the guy" in Harrisburg and says my flares are not good, they have to be 3" from the body line if they are not stock. He also said my bumper wasnt wide enough either. He left his # and when he would be in the office that day, well I could call him back at those hours and since my warning was already signed I forgot about it.

8 months later, Im getting gas @ about 2am, and in pulls the same cop. He gets out and is JACKED... "I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO GET THOSE FLARES FIXED" - I say I did, well I took it up to the barricks and had another trooper look at it and measured and he said it was ok, I dont know what you want me to do...
Well how about that front bumper- I said yes I did, he walks up front to see my new bumper and his face is red. "Thats not fixed, the tires are still exposed, a rotating shaft has to be covered". I tell him that its as wide as the stock one, his ears start to turn, "do you know the difference between air and steel"? - I have the concept... as he is showing me where the plastic was, he explains that there use to be steel here now ther is air.

I try to tell him that there was never any steel its just a plastic cover and the law states that the bumper has to be as strong as the oem part, and its now 3/16" steel. He took a couple of pics and asked who inspected it. Noone after I fixed it... He is ready to punch me, I can see it, he was freaking out.
He calls me a couple days later and said he did some more checking with Harrisburg and my bumper is to high. I tell him its stock height. he says that since I cut off the stock ends that the bars I put on are now my bumper and they are to high. I say ok, I was busy and didnt have the time to argue, plus its better to see him get jacked in person...
I took it to the dealership and had it inspected, they call Harrisburg and the guy knows who I am and the mechanic says he doesnt see a thing wrong with it and he is going to put a sticker on it. Harrisburg says its good enough for him...




I know Im jinksing myself, but he said that its registered as a stationwagon and it doesnt need mudflaps...
So it really all depends on who the cop is and if his wife will allow him to have one

They will stick out.
Not me, but what exactly what it will look like

Twisky, as Dan and I mentioned the first time you asked this question, you could have some difficulties with getting it inspected with a 4.5" back spacing. You'll need that back spacing to make sure your tires don't rub when you turn the wheel. If you are friendly with your mechanic or you have your Jeep inspected at a Jeep shop you are more than likely not going to have an issue. But you might. As JDam told you, he had to go home and remove the back spacing to get it inspected.

If you are going to ask a question, and you get an answer, and don't like it, so you go and ask others, you are going to piss off the folks that know better and were trying to help you out.

A 12.5 inch tire with 4.5 back spacing is going to stick out past stock flares. If you are worried about it, don't get the tire. If you want the tire, get some bushwacker flares that are oversized. Or just deal with the ticket when you get it.

You need to understand that this doesn't come all wrapped up in a package for you. Learn, from those more experienced, and your own mistakes, decide what risks you are willing to take, and then take the consequences.