illegal to ride around no rear bumper?

[threeonthetree]

is it legal to have no rear bumper

[67ChevyRedneck]

Cars, yes.

Trucks... I think it depends on the state.

I drove a 2wd 86 Toyota truck for many years in both NY and SC with no rear bumper and was never pulled over for it.

[Nova_Cobra64]

When I first got my truck, I had a police officer mention to me, very politely in a suggestive way that he thought I may need to have a bumper rather than a roll pan. He said he wasn't 100% sure, but I should look into it incase somebody ever decides to hassle me. Did some digging around and found that local laws stated that front bumpers are mandatory on all vehicles and trucks were ok to run without a rear bumper. Odds are good this will vary depending on provincial/state laws.

What I really wonder is if they would classify a front roll pan on one of our trucks to be a bumper or not.

[MonteSS454]

I don't have a front nor rear bumper and got stopped for it and got a warning for defective vehicle. Still haven't put them on and haven't been puleld over since. I think he was either hasseling me or just wanted to look at the truck

[special-K]

It`s illegal in Maryland since they started inspecting trucks in`73.But,I see Japanese trucks come through w/o them all the time w/no problems.It`s a way to get pulled over(and easily damage rear body parts),that`s for sure.
I know bumpers were an option on these trucks,but things have changed and not many cops are old enought to know.
Historic has no inspection here,so that`s ok.Same for Street Rod tags.

[Sport/Truck]

Aren't metal roll pans equal to the 5 mph plastic bumpers on imports?
s/t

[attack eagle]

Short answer is NO. you are not... if you have 3 on the tree, it's a near guarantee that your truck is old enough not to.
anything pre Sept 1 73, no bumper.

LIGHT trucks pre 98 model, also appear to be excluded.

WI
305.18 appears to be the section that would cover this, according to the following.

http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/drivers...violations.pdf


Trans 305.18(1)(a)
(a) Every motor vehicle manufactured after September 1, 1972, and required by federal law to be equipped with bumpers or crash resistance protection, or both, shall be equipped with bumpers which shall be maintained in good condition and in conformity with this section. Replacement equipment shall be the same type as originally required or of equivalent size, strength and surface area. The bumpers may be mounted externally on the vehicle or installed within the front and rear extremes of the vehicle.


Trans 305.18(1)(c)
(c) Light trucks manufactured on or after January 1, 1997 are required to have rear end protection in accordance with s. Trans 305.56. Light trucks operated under s. 341.47 (1), Stats., are exempt from the requirements of this paragraph.

341.47 When vehicles of dealers, distributors, manufacturers and transporters exempt from general registration requirements.



of all the technically illegal things done frequently and blatantly, like air rides that violate scrub line laws, violation of bumper height laws, headlight height laws, modifications to emissions equipment, violations of lighting codes, etc... a rear bumper (or even a front one) on an old truck is pretty low on the list.

You;d win, but at what cost?
remember Though, License plate illumination is STILL required for the rear plate, even sans bumper.

[special-K]

I know of an`85 Chevy truck with 3-on-the-tree from factory...

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by special-K

I know of an`85 Chevy truck with 3-on-the-tree from factory...

I have a bud who had an '84 3-on-the-tree. I guarantee he didn't put it in there.

[big_al_71]

I had an 89Gmc 1500 with a roll pan I installed never got pulled over for it however I did get pulled over for not having lights in the tag area. Of course I did not get ticketed and the very next morning intalled two small led's and never had any issues..

[big_al_71]

Originally Posted by Sport/Truck

Aren't metal roll pans equal to the 5 mph plastic bumpers on imports?
s/t

Just for your info they do have a metal bumper and an absorber in between the bumper cover and the body...They are as safe as any steel bumper only style...

[kulturekat]

right now im running my truck with no bed no bumper nothing back there as im woring on the body work but its my daily driver as well. i mounted a bracket to the rear cross member and put the tag there with two 32 ford lights with built in tag lights that shine down. as long as they are visible you are fine.

however anycop will be able to pull you over for any reason.

[WorkinLonghorn]

is it legal to have no rear bumper

That would probably be different state to state. Ask your Dept. of Motor Vehicles.
Or just go to the junkyard and get one. Your tailgate will appreciate it the next time you back into a post,or somebody rears-ends you.

[Lugnut64052]

I think it is different state to state. I bought a new Toyota pickup in 1991 which never had a bumper. DMV said that was fine-- I never had to have one for yearly inspections or licensing because the truck didn't come equipped with one to begin with.

[tim21391]

i see cars running around my town with no rear or front bumper.. no headlights/ taillights.. no fenders.. so ya it all depends on the state...

[attack eagle]

Originally Posted by Lugnut64052

I think it is different state to state. I bought a new Toyota pickup in 1991 which never had a bumper. DMV said that was fine-- I never had to have one for yearly inspections or licensing because the truck didn't come equipped with one to begin with.

I don't know many people who DID have bumpers on them. Dealer option bumpers or sears catalog was all there was.
for the longest time Toyotas were shipped over without even BEDS on them... beds were manufactured in California near the port at Long Beach.

IN brief though, until ~1997 it was not federally required to have a rear bumper on trucks...

which means that after 1997 bumpers had to then be certified for crashworthiness by OEMs and became standard and semi-cosmetically integrated.
Wiped out the ugly/dealer bumper industry... no loss.

[StingRay]

When I was a kid we had a 69 GMC 3/4 ton Longhorn that came factory with NO rear bumper. I can't see em being able to ticket you for what was available as factory stock.

[Richard8971]

My truck (a '67 stepper) went through inspection from Oregon to Arizona with no problems a few months ago. My truck didn't have a rear bumper.

I know that many imports (and domestics as well) were sold for years with no bumpers, as they were "options". They left it up to the consumer to decide what kind (if any) rear bumper they needed.

Don

[Longhorn Man]

per federal law, light duty (one ton and smaller) trucks were not required to have rear bumpers untill the early to mid 90's.