State Inspection information needed

[jwingfield2k]

Can anyone provide me with a link for Texas State Inspection Requirements, in case I want to make my rig street legal- I would like to know what it takes.

Thanks guys.

[Sharpe]

I think we can sum it up and say basically everything it doesnt have...

[jwingfield2k]

Funny man. :rainbow:

No seriously. Brake lights, and headlights. But I know there are rules on the distance off the ground they can be.

Such things as if I don't have a bed, will I have to have mud flaps.

Legal ruling on fenders, hood, doors. Side mirrors...

[BigRedFord04]

i used to be a certified inspector, and i dont think much has changed with the exception of emissions BS. i just figured i'd wait to see if anyone posted anything useful before i said anything....

the headlights can be no more than 54" off the ground, not something anybody here should have to worry about. that is the only height requirement. you technically only have to have one mirror (doesnt matter if its one of the side ones, or a rearview), this is how Jeep guys can get away w/ taking the mirrors off w/ the doors. you do not have to have a windsheild, but you do have to have a windsheild wiper. all the lights must work (i.e. headlights, tail lights, brake lights, turn signals front and rear, backup lights, and a license plate light...i'm not certain if you have to have high and low beams). there are no mud flap laws in Texas on non-18 wheeler vehicles, so you would not have to have a bed. adam got away w/ this no problem. oh...and you have to have a working parking brake...doesnt have to work well...just well enough for it not to roll down a small incline. tire tread wont usually get checked as long as its not obviously bad. you have to have a horn. you have to have insurance on it. you can have nothing that sticks out from the body more than 6" on the passenger side, and more than 3" on the driver's side, with the exception of mirrors, this was specifically included to refer to tires, otherwise, you have to have fender flares. front widows cannot be tinted more than 5%. if it came factory w/ a y-pipe, it should be there, but unless you're running glasspacks/cherrybombs they probably wont look.

all of that is "by the book"....which most people dont pay a whole lot of attention to, and getting an inspection sticker has never really been difficult for those of us w/ a few technicalities. usually even if you go to a straight dealing shop, and are cool w/ the guy inspecting it, he'll pass it....just make note to him that its mainly an off-road vehicle. when i got nix's truck inspected it was scary as sh!t, and unsafe to drive on the street...but i told him i just needed an inspection so i could park it on the street w/o getting grief from the city. he was understanding of that excuse. dont sweat it too much, someone will have a hookup.

[aggieblazer07]

what is the rule about doors?

[TexTJ209]

You DO realize this is Texas..right. There are some ****ty vehicles driving down the road..

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/


Side mirrors aren't req, but a rearview is I believe..

[RCcola55]

im an inspector all u need is good tires legal exhaust and all ur lights and horn workin then some various other things and ur good to go

[Sharpe]

I haven't measured but my headlights and bumpers are prety damn high and I've passed inspection once, but that was before I put the body lift and new bumper on. I think the rules are "loosely" inforced. I dont have an ebrake I hope they dont notice when I get inspected...

[RCcola55]

gotta have an e-brake
thats the first thing i check for and the most common thing a i fail people for

[Sharpe]

sshhhiittttt I have rear disks :mad:

[jwingfield2k]

RCcola55: wanna give me an inspection then.

I'm only lacking lights (easy to fix), horn (easy to fix), and some type of fenders (need to find a way around that).

Are you in the CS area? I think this would be a fun thing to drive around town in.

How much are inspections anyways? 50 bux?

[BigRedFord04]

i think if RC does it for you and passes that thing, then yes, they are $50. :D

[BigRedFord04]

i know what you're talking about Ryan, but, high enough for what?

[jwingfield2k]

For stuff on the floorboard not to roll out and fly down the road. Jeeps have that little lip on the side so stuff wont roll out onto the road.

My emissions and exhaust system should be up to par. mechanically this thing seems to be in good shape, cosmetically it sucks.

[RCcola55]

i work at the Kwik Kar off of wellborn and rock praire ill be there all week 2-6 execpt on monday, the state for an inspection is $12.50, but depending on how much isnt quite up to par the price could go up, you might want to bring it by me apartment before hand so i can "inspect" then come up to the shop so u can get ur sticker b:gigem:

[savvyaggie]

I have a loser friend that is a cop, and he look up the no door deal for me, the only thing that he could find(in tha books) was that it is illegal to drive down the road with your door open OR any part of the body hanging out, but there is nothing about not having doors in the books. SO, if it is not ilegal then that means that it is legal, right. I drive in my bronco with no doors, and I have never been stopped(for it)..

[BigRedFord04]

i've never known anyone to get in any trouble for no doors.

[Shaggy]

ok i doubt you will have problems with lights being too high... they have to be under 4 and a half feet... that is freaking tall... and the door thing isnt a problem.. i have been pulled over for other things and didnt have a problem without having the doors off.... you wanna wear your seatbelt though... not only cause you can fall out but it is a little more odvious with no doors

[savvyaggie]

ok i doubt you will have problems with lights being too high... they have to be under 4 and a half feet... that is freaking tall... and the door thing isnt a problem.. i have been pulled over for other things and didnt have a problem without having the doors off.... you wanna wear your seatbelt though... not only cause you can fall out but it is a little more odvious with no doors


true dat!!!! seatbelt tickets suck!!!

[uglyota]

try this:
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/inspection/veh_class_list.asp?class=Pickup%2C+Panel%2C+or+Tru ck+Under+80%22&classsubmit=Go
Screw Dixie tire...
I'll be seeing you pretty soon Ryan :D

[jwingfield2k]

Sounds good RCcola55. Let's try to setup a time sometime next week or whatnot for a little beer money or something if that will work for you. Oh, what exactly is the rule for front fenders? Yah, cause I don't have any. I'll get some cheapy horn at a parts store and throw some lights on there.

[stx4wheeler]

dont mean to be an ass but i think if you drive that thing around like that you are asking for cops to pull you over but hey if you can get away with it go for it.

[RCcola55]

when i get back to work tomorrow ill grab the DPS regulations book and go over everything, then ill let yall know

[jwingfield2k]

Eh, i just looked at insurance for that thing and i got a quote from progressive for the lowest amount of liability for 144 a month. Screw that idea I guess.

[jerryg79]

Eh, i just looked at insurance for that thing and i got a quote from progressive for the lowest amount of liability for 144 a month. Screw that idea I guess.

jesus how many wrecks do you have i paid $1500/year (125/month) for full coverage on a '98 chevrolet.

[savvyaggie]

jesus how many wrecks do you have i paid $1500/year (125/month) for full coverage on a '98 chevrolet.


train wreck, hummmm....

[jerryg79]

train wreck, hummmm....

[Oliver Voice on] That Will Happen [Oliver voice off] :flipoff2:

[aggieblazer07]

don't forget the suburban :D

[uglyota]

is this adding it on to your existing policy, or are you trying to get a new policy just for the blazer?

[jwingfield2k]

new policy just for the blazer. i had a perfect record for 4 years, and then i had 2 bad wrecks in 11 days this summer.

would it be cheaper to do one on my exisiting policy?

[uglyota]

would it be cheaper to do one on my exisiting policy?
much...ugly truck only adds $10 a month to mine

[Ben97XJ]

Its always cheaper to add the car. Since you can't drive 2 cars at the same time its cheaper. If it is a seperate policy they normally consider it you everyday transportation. You can also insure it as a recreational vehicle with limited mileage a year. That makes it cheaper.

[jerryg79]

I dont know how expensive insurance is in Dallas, but for Houston it is a ****ton cheaper to claim your address here in college station rather than in houston.

[StevenAg03]

new policy just for the blazer. i had a perfect record for 4 years, and then i had 2 bad wrecks in 11 days this summer.

would it be cheaper to do one on my exisiting policy?


what other wreck were you in...other then the train?

[Ben97XJ]

Actually you have to give your insurance a Garage Address if your are living anywhere other than the address on your policy (ie. parents). Because if it gets stolen here then they could deny the claim. Thats what they told me when i got broken into this summer. It is cheaper to claim it here than Dallas.

[jerryg79]

YOu're right I remember them asking if i was parking in a parking garage.

[jwingfield2k]

I got t-boned by a mitsubishi eclipse and he rolled me

[JB]

I am an inspector at Precision Auto next to Wendy's

It needs:
-tread on tires
-none torn wipers
-1 rear facing mirror
-insurance
-horn
-must stop from 20mph in 25ft.
-all lights, including license plate bulb
-working gas cap
-no brakefluid, powersteering leaks
-belts in good condition
-no exhaust leaks
-e brake that will hold vehicle if I put it in gear
-nothing lower thatn 20% tint

I am not sure on the fenders/hood/grill, but my boss would be hesitant for me to inspect it if you showed up without them.

You could bring it by, and I could inspect it and see fi it would pass. If not, we won't charge you the $12.50.

Also, may I ask how your F250 was not totaled out? The train wreck pics look like the rear frame of the truck is very jacked up. How was that repaired? How long? What all was fixed? I really can not belive that was repaired.

Note to self, CARFAX vehicles before buying them.

[william_ace]

he told me that they gave it a whole new frame, and of course a new bed. Along with all the other little things that had to be fixed.

[BigRedFord04]

they wanted to replace the frame on Hal's suburban when he bent it towing his ZJ over a bunch of whups in the sand. he told them no thx and had it done cheap, guess he kept the rest of the $$.

Adam's truck is another good example....the insurance wanted to total it when he rolled it, but then they realized it was a 2000 and actually had to have the damage estimated. came out to ~$8000 in damage on a vehicle they said was worth $12,500 at the time. cab replacement ensued trying to get the insurance $$ to pay off credit cards but the work wasnt up to par...so he got ~$7200 knocked off what he owed.

good call on the brake test johnbrown. i forgot about that.

search for "insurance" on here wingfield....i know Krebs looked into the "recreactional vehicle" insurance not too long ago. might shoot him a PM.

[TexTJ209]

:flipoff2: :gigem: :flipoff2:

[BigRedFord04]

nice job newbie. couldnt throw a pic of that hacked up blazer on there too? :gigem:

[JB]

How do you fix a frame that damaged? It can obvioulsy be done, but how does a body shop do it? Seems like being rammed up the butt by hundreds of tons of steel is a little more extreme than Hals case.

[BigRedFord04]

How do you fix a frame that damaged?


he told me that they gave it a whole new frame....

frame REPLACED. take all the sh!t off one, put all the sh!t on the other. its not unheard of. we did it on Tate's Bronco. the parts and labor included in undergoing such a task must've estimated out to less than the vehicle was insured for.

[JB]

damn, I did not realize that was actually done. Thats gotta be a ****ton of work, espicaly on a new truck.

[savvyaggie]

It sure is a good thing that he bought that hacked up blazer, it can't get to much body damage..

[jwingfield2k]

total work done the repair the truck was $24,500.00. Insurance convered everything. They put a new frame under it, and transferred everything over.

[BigRedFord04]

what was the truck valued at, at the time?

[jerryg79]

I thought they totalled at around half, that is not 50,000 truck

[BigRedFord04]

full coverage insurance covers the entire value of the vehicle. if the damage doesnt exceed the present market worth they are obligated to fix it, or pay you the full market value of the truck. its cheaper for them to pay to have it fixed.

[Violentv8toy]

from what i understand, these new ford trucks's frames are bolt together. My buddy bubba got hit in the front by a ranger right on the tow hook...never hit the body....

but it tweaked the frame and broke motor mounts. What they have to do is unbolt that section of the frame and put a new one on.

[Broncocustom]

According to my insurance they will total the truck if the repair cost is more than 65-75% (sometimes they go higher) of the value of the truck. According to the insurance company that truck is probably worth $40000. So it would be cheaper to fix the truck then to pay for the truck.

[jwingfield2k]

totalling a vehicle with my insurance company is if the damage is 80% or more of the current value. It was a $42,500.00 truck, and when it was hit the current value was something like 32.5k or something close to that. So it came real close. But I am have tranny problems, so they still owe me a tear down and rebuild if needed.