Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Custom Mud Flaps For Lifted Trucks 101 - Legal Considerations For the Serious Off Road Drivers

Custom Mud Flaps For Lifted Trucks 101 - Legal Considerations For the Serious Off Road Drivers

Getting custom mud flaps for lifted trucks is more complicated than it looks - it involves a lot of legal considerations that you need to follow. If you don't want to be pulled over, make sure that you check with your local state policy before installing custom flaps for lifted trucks.

Lifted trucks never fail to stand out from the rest whenever you take it on the road. Aside from their monstrous builds, these also have several functional advantages that make these so great to use. First of all, these are more capable of towing heavy loads because of its heavy weight and tall structure.

Second, lifted trucks are ideal for road surfaces that are uneven and filled with deep holes. Unlike ordinary pickup trucks or domestic vehicles, these can easily maneuver through rough terrains without any problems at all (of course, you have to be a professional or experienced driver to use lifted trucks).

Each state has their own set of rules and specifications about custom flaps for lifted trucks. So, you can expect that Arizona would have a slighter different version of flap laws compared to California. For those who are fairly new in the custom trucks world, here are some of the important legal specifications for custom mud flaps.

The length of the flaps should not exceed more than 8 inches from the bottom of your vehicle to the ground. In some states, the minimum length should reach the midsection of your tires. That's why you have to take measurements first before ordering, especially when you buy online.

Your mud flap should have enough width measurement that would cover the entire back surface of the tire it's trying to protect. Usually, the standard mud flaps are roughly 24 inches wide.

The flaps from Pro Flaps are offered in different width sizes, which can range from 12-inch to 20-inch. The perpendicular folds specifically direct water splashes downwards instead of upwards. These are made from tough polyurethane materials with optional stainless steel weights.

The corrosion-resistant support braces allow hassle-free detachment of the mud flaps whenever you go off-road and back again if you need to be street legal.

When you attach your custom mud flaps, it should observe the proper distance from the tire tread surface - as much as possible, it should be close enough to absorb all the road debris flying off the ground. Make sure that it would also maintain its vertical position under any types of conditions.

You also have to be aware of special laws that exempt the use of flaps in your state. In Washington, the "fair weather fender" law allows lifted truck owners not to use mud flaps if it's not raining.

As you can see, picking the right custom mud flaps for lifted trucks involves legal matters that you need to follow - if you don't want to get into trouble with the police.

Fay Salmons writes about custom mud flaps at www.betterautopartsreview.com

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