Help me decipher this lol (body lift/roll pan laws...)

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

SCOTTYINWV

si vis pacem, para bellum
Joined
Jun 26, 2013
Messages
12,976
Reaction score
110
Location
West Virginia
In regards to the legality of a body lift...
The maximum distance between the vehicle body to the vehicle frame may not exceed three inches. The distance from the vehicle body to the vehicle frame shall be measured from the vehicle body mount seat to the vehicle frame mount seat: Provided, That the maximum distance limitation shall not prohibit a body lift kit up to three inches to be added to the manufacturer's original spacer between the body and the frame. No vehicle may be modified to cause the vehicle body or chassis to come in contact with the ground, expose the fuel tank to damage from collision, or cause the wheels to come in contact with the body under normal operation. No part of the original suspension system may be disconnected to defeat the safe operation of the suspension system. Modification of the front end suspension by the use of lift blocks is expressly prohibited.

In regards to the legality of a roll pan...
No person may operate upon a public highway any motor vehicle registered or required to be registered in this state if it has been modified by alteration of its height from the ground to the extent that its bumpers, measured to any point on the lower edge of the main horizontal bumper bar, exclusive of any bumper guards, do not fall within the limits specified herein for its gross vehicle weight rating category. The front and rear bumper height of motor vehicles whose gross vehicle weight rating is ten thousand pounds or less may be no less than six inches and no more than thirty-one inches. In the absence of bumpers, and in cases where bumper heights have been altered or modified, height measurements shall be made to the bottom of the frame rail. If a motor vehicle has a bumper, the bumper must be at least three inches in vertical width, centered on the center line of the motor vehicle and not less than the width of the wheel track distance. The provisions of this subsection do not apply to motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating in excess of ten thousand pounds. For the purpose of this subsection, the term "gross vehicle weight ratings" means the manufacturer's gross vehicle weight ratings established for that vehicle.

Help needed with the words in bold...
 

1997chevydriver

OBS MAGIC!!
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2011
Messages
15,899
Reaction score
181
Location
Minnesota
Body lifts are allowed. Not sure what your question is with roll pans though......:think:
 

SCOTTYINWV

si vis pacem, para bellum
Joined
Jun 26, 2013
Messages
12,976
Reaction score
110
Location
West Virginia
Body lifts are allowed. Not sure what your question is with roll pans though......:think:

Some people say roll pans are illegal and will not pass inspection. It clearly says "in the absence of a bumper", so I'm trying to figure out if it means I will be legal to use a roll pan and able to pass inspection...
 

great white

Retirement countdown!
Joined
Jan 21, 2012
Messages
6,266
Reaction score
210
Looks like up to a maximum 3" body lift is legal.

Also sounds like no bumpers at all is legal, as long as your vehicle falls within the height regulations. Roll pan or not seems irrelevant.

Keep in mind, I'm basing my statements on the small excerpt from the statutes you've quoted. There may be something somewhere else in your local laws.

Legislators are "sneaky" like that. They seem to like putting a "gotcha" somewhere else in the statutes that doesn't fall right in line with where you think it should be....

:)
 

SCOTTYINWV

si vis pacem, para bellum
Joined
Jun 26, 2013
Messages
12,976
Reaction score
110
Location
West Virginia
Sounds like your good!

Alot of trucks didn't even come with bumpers, at least up here anyways.
I know a lot of mini trucks from the 80-90 came factory with welded in roll pans, and I had no issues when I removed the aftermarket drop bumper and only ran the stock roll pan. But I was worried that was only because it was factory. :shrug:
Looks like up to a maximum 3" body lift is legal.

Also sounds like no bumpers at all is legal, as long as your vehicle falls within the height regulations. Roll pan or not seems irrelevant.

Keep in mind, I'm basing my statements on the small excerpt from the statutes you've quoted. There may be something somewhere else in your local laws.

Legislators are "sneaky" like that. They seem to like putting a "gotcha" somewhere else in the statutes that doesn't fall right in line with where you think it should be....

:)

Sneaky little ********, ain't they. And yeah l, I'm really just trying to avoid a modified inspection sticker. They literally r@pe your vehicle looking for faults... Local police whom don't know the laws that they are supposed to enforce is the big issue. I know I'll be under the minimum bumper heights. Even if I add a suspension lift later. The thing that scares me, is my buddy has a tube bumper front and rear on his lifted 79 f150. He can only get a modified sticker at one place around here with it...
 

great white

Retirement countdown!
Joined
Jan 21, 2012
Messages
6,266
Reaction score
210
... The thing that scares me, is my buddy has a tube bumper front and rear on his lifted 79 f150. He can only get a modified sticker at one place around here with it...

I would say that's because he's falling under the "modified bumper heights" clause.

The suspension lift probably isn't helping him either, especially if it "looks" tall. Likely a cumulative effect when he rolls through the door that it's not within the laws.

The mechanics who write these permits/inspection approvals are keenly aware that if it looks wrong, there's a high probability it's going to get pulled over. Mechanics aren't stupid either, they can tell if you altered something just to pass an inspection and that it will likely go back to whatever it was before you changed it (likely outside the limits) for that particular inspection.

If it gets cited (legal or not, whether you changed it afterwards or not), it comes back on the mechanic who approved it. They may loose their license to do inspections.

When I was doing it, I almost wished they would pull my license. No money in it since it was provincially regulated. Only thing is: it would p!ss the owner off if you lost your license, which could mean you loose you job. The owner was concerned with "secondary sales", which we saw none of. We only saw the percentage of money we got for the jobs we did.

Yeah, that kind of stuff used to be hung over us. The assumption was were were "stupid" since we were "only" mechanics. I didn't like it. One of the many reasons I got out of it.

Not many people know that so they just see a "bitchy" shop that won't approve their inspection.

If you're at the limit of legality (or close to it), remember the guy who puts that sticker on your truck is sticking his neck out just like you are....
 
Last edited:

cjman250

Last Of A Dying Breed
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Messages
2,662
Reaction score
38
Location
Northwest GA
Some people say roll pans are illegal and will not pass inspection. It clearly says "in the absence of a bumper", so I'm trying to figure out if it means I will be legal to use a roll pan and able to pass inspection...

i would ask someone who does inspections near you about roll pans
 

tylers88

I'm Awesome
Joined
Nov 20, 2010
Messages
364
Reaction score
6
Location
Clarion, IA
Sounds like West Virginia is bunch of commies compared to ia but it sounds like a 3" body lift and the roll pan are legal at least how i read it.
 

SCOTTYINWV

si vis pacem, para bellum
Joined
Jun 26, 2013
Messages
12,976
Reaction score
110
Location
West Virginia
Sounds like West Virginia is bunch of commies compared to ia but it sounds like a 3" body lift and the roll pan are legal at least how i read it.

This about sums it up.


The only things I've ever had them let me slide on was catalytic converters and window tint. I would never want someone to take a huge risk of loosing their job to allow my vehicle to be driven, nor would I want it to be unsafe to operate on the highway. I want it to be legal, but the laws are so vague, that it is hard to know what is acceptable or not.
 
Top