Wanted: Jeep friendly inspection place in SLC

[wheelinjames]

Hi!

I'm looking for a jeep friendly place to get inspected. Last time I went to a jiffy lube and that was a huge mistake!!!! The guy did EVERTHING by the book, according to his interpretation...(Very painful)

I'm running a SOA with 35s, Tires protrude from the flares about an inch (less depending at the angle you look).

Any ideas on some home made mud flaps?

What are the rules with bumper height? I've been gone for the last four years in Virginia. Thanks for your input.

 

[mbryson]

There's a thread about this about every month. The shops get in trouble if they 'pass' you, so it's better for everyone if your rig is legal. What you do with it AFTER it's been inspected is your business, but make it legal and get it passed.

 

[offroaddave]

There's a thread about this about every month. The shops get in trouble if they 'pass' you, so it's better for everyone if your rig is legal. What you do with it AFTER it's been inspected is your business, but make it legal and get it passed.

And just take the Damn tickit. Don't blame the shop regardless!
These people are just trying to make a living too.

 

[gijohn40]

ALL shops are Jeep friendly... but people with no desire to make their vehicle legal usually turn them into "Painful" places to get inspected....

 

[waynehartwig]

There's a thread about this about every month. The shops get in trouble if they 'pass' you, so it's better for everyone if your rig is legal. What you do with it AFTER it's been inspected is your business, but make it legal and get it passed.

No kidding... It's the law, just comply and be done with it. If you dont' like the law, lobby to have it changed.

 

[kowe69]

ALL shops are Jeep friendly... but people with no desire to make their vehicle legal usually turn them into "Painful" places to get inspected....

Ditto! I couldn't have said it better myself!

WheelinJames, I am a Jeep friendly inspector myself (even though I prefer my Blazer). My own blazer isn't exactly street legal either. As I have mentioned on this forum before, I know first hand what happens when a vehicle is passed illegally.

2 years ago I passed my own inspection for it so I could make the annual trip to Moab. I only drive it for this one week a year. It had no mud flaps, no bumpers, and a cracked windshield. I was just getting off a trail and heading back to town when a UHP officer pulled me over. Don't ask me how but he knew my windshield had been cracked long before it was inspected.

He proceeded to ask where I got it inspected, where I work, and then WHO inspected it. He even stated specifically he was out to find illegal vehicles so he could go after the inspectors who passed them!

I was busted and there was nothing I could do about it. He gave me a fix-it ticket and sent me on my way. The next week back at work there was a UHP officer in my bosses office. I admit they gave me a slap on the wrist with a 1 week suspension of my inspection license and a $10 fine. But if they where so inclined they could have revoked my license and my employers inspection station license permanently and fine both me and my employer $10,000. Not to mention fire me. Lucky for everyone they didn't.

So the lesson I learned was that I was NEVER going to risk that again. ESPECIALLY for some other guys rig who I don't even know! So as a result, rather then make it street legal I choose to trailer it from now on.

You could do one or the other but don't expect some guy trying to feed his family to risk his job and a $10,000 fine so you can keep driving your Jeep on the road.

If you chose to make it legal, here is a link to a thread I posted here on RME with the 2007 UT safety inspection manual in pdf. format. This is UHP's interpretation of the law and is what inspectors are instructed to look for.

http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=41357

Remember, the more an inspector sees wrong with your vehicle, the more in depth he is going to keep looking....So just make it 100% safe. The safety inspection laws are not meant to be an inconvenience. There are for your safety and also the safety of others driving on the road next to you.

Sorry....nobody is here to try and bash you. Just trying to help you make it right so everyone has a hassle free experience when it come time to inspect again.

Hope this helps...

 

[bobdog]

Statistically states with inspection programs are no safer that states without. The reason there is a program here is that the last time doing away with it came up in the legislature the shops mounted a huge lobbying effort to keep their cash cow in place.

 

[JTCJMAN]

Try Six states distributors for mud flaps

I bought some parts to build my own removable mud flaps at Six States for around $45. I was very happy with them.

 

[Jay5.9L]

I biult my own mud flaps with a quick disconnect for about $20 in parts.... very easy

 

[offroaddave]

Ditto! I couldn't have said it better myself!

http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=41357

You actually you said it very well!

Nicely done.

 

[kowe69]

You actually you said it very well!

Nicely done.

Thanks!

 

[themaniam1]

The bottom line is the law. So the way to get your rig to pass is to ask the inspection place to come and have a quick look and at your rig before it is past renewal time. Then you go and correct the obvious like put on temp or removable mud flaps and thin tires. The best way is just make it perminantly legal.

 

[wheelinjames]

Thanks all!!! I'll get to work on some REALLY goofy looking mud flaps and fender flares. Goofier the better - I say!!! Windshield washer is the other thing I'll have to fix (junk yard).

And if it gets to be too much of a hassle to pass "THE LAW" the 22 year old CJ-7 will become a trailer queen....Easy guys, I'm talking about the jeep not your woman...:greg:

 

[venpick]

hehehehe you said "THE LAW"

Im convinced there are too many people in this world with not enough things to worry about. they should all just go wheelin.

 

[Caleb]

Statistically states with inspection programs are no safer that states without. The reason there is a program here is that the last time doing away with it came up in the legislature the shops mounted a huge lobbying effort to keep their cash cow in place.

Would you mind showing me these statistics? It's not that I don't agree with you but there's no statistics that state that, there's no studies that have been done on safety in states with inspections vs. those without. Saying that is like saying 87% of all stats are made up.

 

[bobdog]

Would you mind showing me these statistics? It's not that I don't agree with you but there's no statistics that state that, there's no studies that have been done on safety in states with inspections vs. those without. Saying that is like saying 87% of all stats are made up.

Enlighten me. You state that no studies have been done and that there are no statistics. That is a bold statement. My statement was based on my memory (which is pretty good) I remember the debate the last time this was debated in the Utah State legislature(admitedly a long time ago). Studies were cited and none showed a safety benefit from inpection programs.

 

[bobdog]

After about 5 minutes on google I have found many studies about programs. They all seem to find the results they are looking for either pro or con.
Here is an abstact of one side. http://www.ncpa.org/iss/reg/2002/pd082102f.html

Here is one that shows a benefit. http://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/MSHPWeb/Publications/Miscellaneous/fatalCrash2000-2002.pdf

 

[wheelinjames]

I sure would like to see this re-introduced into the state legislature for debate. I have no studies/stats to refer to, but I feel strongly that vehicle inspections do little, IF ANY good towards increasing safety. At the end of the day it's simply a revenue producing "trash pickup" program.

Are the shops required to check wheel lug condition and lug nut torque? Didn't see it in the regulation. To me a wheel coming of a vehicle at highway speeds is one of the more dangerous (equipment failure) scenarios out there. How's this sound: the tire/wheel falls off of your CJ/YJ/TJ/XJ and your vehicle does a barrel roll at 70 MPH with the recently departed 35 inch Goodyear MTR screaming into oncoming traffic...Sorry but I don't think the mud flaps are saving any lives.

Additionally, I would argue the fender flare regulation might make a vehicle more dangerous. Why? It encourages skinny tires and narrow axles which puts vehicles at greater risk for rollovers.

Lastly, the whole thing (vehicle inspections and emissions) makes it very difficult to stay legal for older vehicles. In Virginia once a vehicle is 25 years old you qualify for antique plates and you are exempt from emission and safety inspections. (You still have bumper height and other "fixit" restrictions). Here in Utah, 40 years and older vehicles are exempt from emission tests but not "safety" inspections...Again, it's an unwanted and UNECCESSAY revenue producing "trash pickup" program. The laws should change and law enforcement should ease up a little in the mean time. Cops don't need to be chasing down shop owners and threatening them with $10,000 fines because they passed someone that had tires barely protruding from the fender flares. Just ticket vehicles that are REALLY jeopordizing safety! Yeah get the jalopy that has bald tires and no tail lights, I don't have a problem with that.

Funny - I just thought of a new show "Salt Lake CSI"......Going after the big crimes...

 

[burke]

To find a "friendly" place, I look for a couple of things:
-Stay away from places that only do emissions
-The greasier the mechanic the better
-Look for somewhere that isn't on any major roads/traffic flow
-if the place looks a little disheveled I consider that a plus

My current Jeep cj8 is pretty much legal but it's so much nicer to not get raked over the coals.

 

[kowe69]

To all the safety inspection "haters" out there.....If I could show you how many vehicles I have seen with tires that have separated tread, loose ball joints/tie rod ends, broken springs, trashed wheel bearings, missing lug nuts just to name a few, you may all change your mind. None of these people had any idea there vehicle even had a problem. If it where not for the safety inspection program they would never have taken there vehicles to anyone to get looked at in the first place and the failures could have resulted in an accident.

More than once I have seen vehicle come into my shop as a result of tires falling off, tie rods and ball joints breaking. I wouldn't want to be driving there car at 65 mph when there right hand tire decided to make a sharp right turn!

So for all you guys that are still whining about the law....It's only inconvenient to those who are ignorant. Why should the law change for older vehicles as they get older?? Just keep up on repairs and if you choose to modify your vehicle from factory do it according to the law or prepare to deal with the consequences and quit bitching about it!