Baystate Jeepers

Hi My name is Carlos,

I've been looking into getting an XJ as a camping/winter car as well as to get into some light wheeling.

I've been looking at a few options already lifted as that seems to be the best value but the only thing heavily concerning me is the new inspection laws in MA.

Looking at a 2 door 97 XJ with 6.5" lift on 35s with cut and folded fender. I've been told that it will not pass inspection.

My question is; what are you guys going to be doing regarding the new inspection laws. I wish I would've had time to get one last month in order to have a year of buffer time to see how this all plays out.

Any info would be appreciated. PMs also welcome.

Carlos,

I assume inspection stations will be going by "the book" when they do inspections now due to the new camera system being installed at all inspection stations. So a XJ with 6.5" of lift and on 35's certainly will not pass per the MA lift laws.

For me I chose to make my rig a trailer queen. I just trailer it everywhere to go wheeling.

Thanks so much for the feedback. I'm wondering what people with lifted daily driver Jeeps will be doing from this point forward. Wondering if installing fender flares will be enough or if stock wheels/tires will do the trick. I'm just in a tricky spot to try to get one without being totally sure as to what will be doable. Thanks again for the input.

6.5 inch lift even on stock tires will pretty much scream no!

MDSRACING398 wrote:6.5 inch lift even on stock tires will pretty much scream no!

This is what I was thinking as well. It will stick out like a sore thumb. Do you street your Jeep?

CV10077 wrote:I'm wondering what people with lifted daily driver Jeeps will be doing from this point forward.

Serious answer, moving to NH, but that has been in the works for a while. Hoping it happens before the Jeep is due at the end of December.

a lot of us keep inspection tires to aid in getting past the inspection. Its really unclear how bad it will get under the new law as a lot of people intentionally went and got inspected in September. I have a 2.5" lift in my JKU and normally run 35s I put my old 33s on and had my inspection completed in October without issues.

I live in NH so my inspection requirements are not as strict as MA, but my rig's build is 100% compliant with the laws. To comply with MA law, you'll likely need to work towards a Low Center Of Gravity (LCOG) build. Keep the lift minimal, increase fender clearance, and protect the junk out of the underside of the rig. Head towards lots of down travel, and minimal up. As it has been said, having a set of inspection tires can help with getting inspected, but if you get pulled over for something unrelated, the police can pull up the photos to make sure the vehicle is the same as was inspected and could cause issues in that regard.

If the laws are that difficult to comply with, build a trailer-ed vehicle and work the tow-rig thing.

Thanks guys for all the responses. I wouldn't mind investing in smaller tires for inspection only and possibly some bushwacker flares to cover the tires as the XJ I am looking at has cut and folded fenders so I would probably get them either way. I just feel like it is a large investment for a "maybe". I guess time will tell.

In the meantime if anyone has been to inspection recently please do share your experiences as I'm trying to get a rig before winter.

I called the motorist hotline and spoke with a person there about inspection guidelines. I am doing an LS swap on my Jeep and wanted to get the run down on how this was going to impact my ability to pass inspection. While speaking to them i asked questions about lift height and tire/fender issues etc.. Here is what I was told by them.

They have set guidelines as to headlight heights based on the headlight height measurements of factory vehicles. This is measured from the ground to the center of the headlight. There is a height range as most models have options that may vary this dimension. If you are 2" higher or lower than this range you fail.

What is this range? They couldn't tell me? haha.. Great!

I do know this.. I have a very 4X4 friendly inspection station near me and I was told by the owner that they can't get away with anything so keep your stock tires and springs! I was one of those guys that had his inspection done in September...

Richl35 wrote:I called the motorist hotline and spoke with a person there about inspection guidelines. I am doing an LS swap on my Jeep and wanted to get the run down on how this was going to impact my ability to pass inspection. While speaking to them i asked questions about lift height and tire/fender issues etc.. Here is what I was told by them.

They have set guidelines as to headlight heights based on the headlight height measurements of factory vehicles. This is measured from the ground to the center of the headlight. There is a height range as most models have options that may vary this dimension. If you are 2" higher or lower than this range you fail.

What is this range? They couldn't tell me? haha.. Great!

I do know this.. I have a very 4X4 friendly inspection station near me and I was told by the owner that they can't get away with anything so keep your stock tires and springs! I was one of those guys that had his inspection done in September...

Thank you for the detailed response, though it is not what I wanted to hear I imagine that this will drive the prices of lifted Jeeps down though or people will stop trying to sell them all together. Wondering how this is all going to play out as I don't want to get a stock XJ..

Richl35 wrote:I called the motorist hotline and spoke with a person there about inspection guidelines. I am doing an LS swap on my Jeep and wanted to get the run down on how this was going to impact my ability to pass inspection. While speaking to them i asked questions about lift height and tire/fender issues etc.. Here is what I was told by them.

They have set guidelines as to headlight heights based on the headlight height measurements of factory vehicles. This is measured from the ground to the center of the headlight. There is a height range as most models have options that may vary this dimension. If you are 2" higher or lower than this range you fail.

What is this range? They couldn't tell me? haha.. Great!

I do know this.. I have a very 4X4 friendly inspection station near me and I was told by the owner that they can't get away with anything so keep your stock tires and springs! I was one of those guys that had his inspection done in September...

That 2” headlight thing can’t be right, that would make Mass the most restrictive state in the country. From what I understand using that wheelbase formula, my JK can have a 2.5” suspension lift and tires that are 2.5” taller, plus an inch to allow for variances. What a mess.

The 2" headlight thing isn't correct. The lift laws for 4x4's in Mass is spelled out in 540 CMR 6.00

Can be found here: http://www.mass.gov/courts/docs/lawlib/ ... 40cmr6.pdf

The important part reads...
6.05: Maximum Combined Mechanical and Tire Lift
(1)
The maximum mechanical lift for four wheel drive motor vehicles shall be calculated by multiplying the wheel base times the wheel track, and dividing the product by a safety factor of 2200: i.e., 92"w/b x 58" w/t = 5336/2200 = 2" (maximum mechanical lift). The outside diameter of the largest tire size available from the original manufacturer as standard or optional equipment for the particular motor vehicle may also be increased up to an amount equal to maximum mechanical lift calculated.
(2)
The maximum combined mechanical and tire lift shall be no greater than the sum of the maximum mechanical lift and increased tire size calculated for the particular vehicle.

(1)
Due to slight variances in production tolerances, violations must be in excess of one inch beyond the Registrar's specifications of approved maximum altered heights.

Height is measured at the bottom of the door / door opening.
Again from 540 CMR 6.00...

Original Manufacturer's Height: The highest distance inclusive of the largest tire sand highest suspension available as standard or optional equipment for the particular vehicle from the original manufacturer. The distance shall be measured between the lowest edge of the centerline of the operator's door, or to the lowest point where the door would meet the body on vehicles without doors,

RandyCarol wrote:

Richl35 wrote:I called the motorist hotline and spoke with a person there about inspection guidelines. I am doing an LS swap on my Jeep and wanted to get the run down on how this was going to impact my ability to pass inspection. While speaking to them i asked questions about lift height and tire/fender issues etc.. Here is what I was told by them.

They have set guidelines as to headlight heights based on the headlight height measurements of factory vehicles. This is measured from the ground to the center of the headlight. There is a height range as most models have options that may vary this dimension. If you are 2" higher or lower than this range you fail.

What is this range? They couldn't tell me? haha.. Great!

I do know this.. I have a very 4X4 friendly inspection station near me and I was told by the owner that they can't get away with anything so keep your stock tires and springs! I was one of those guys that had his inspection done in September...

That 2” headlight thing can’t be right, that would make Mass the most restrictive state in the country. From what I understand using that wheelbase formula, my JK can have a 2.5” suspension lift and tires that are 2.5” taller, plus an inch to allow for variances. What a mess.

Let's put it this way... I don't want it to be right either but I had a really in-depth conversation with 2 people at the time because of the questions I was asking. The first person didn't really know how to answer some of the questions. They even gave me a ticket number so we could refer to the conversations if I had any problems in the future. Seems crazy to me I hope it's not true.

Kurt wrote:The 2" headlight thing isn't correct. The lift laws for 4x4's in Mass is spelled out in 540 CMR 6.00

Can be found here: http://www.mass.gov/courts/docs/lawlib/ ... 40cmr6.pdf

The important part reads...
6.05: Maximum Combined Mechanical and Tire Lift
(1)
The maximum mechanical lift for four wheel drive motor vehicles shall be calculated by multiplying the wheel base times the wheel track, and dividing the product by a safety factor of 2200: i.e., 92"w/b x 58" w/t = 5336/2200 = 2" (maximum mechanical lift). The outside diameter of the largest tire size available from the original manufacturer as standard or optional equipment for the particular motor vehicle may also be increased up to an amount equal to maximum mechanical lift calculated.
(2)
The maximum combined mechanical and tire lift shall be no greater than the sum of the maximum mechanical lift and increased tire size calculated for the particular vehicle.

(1)
Due to slight variances in production tolerances, violations must be in excess of one inch beyond the Registrar's specifications of approved maximum altered heights.

Height is measured at the bottom of the door / door opening.
Again from 540 CMR 6.00...

Original Manufacturer's Height: The highest distance inclusive of the largest tire sand highest suspension available as standard or optional equipment for the particular vehicle from the original manufacturer. The distance shall be measured between the lowest edge of the centerline of the operator's door, or to the lowest point where the door would meet the body on vehicles without doors,

What if their guideline takes into consideration their lift laws? They never specified one way or the other.

I do agree that this doesn't agree with the way the current law is written but would it shock you in this state. Years ago I owned a garage in Weymouth when OBD2 testing methods came into play and I will tell you the emission testing they wanted to put into effect then required a chassis dyno for acceleration and cruise testing and an electronic brake test to verify brake function. They just couldn't get enough inspection stations to purchase the equipment and enough cars to pass the brake testing. Turns out new vehicles rear brakes at the time didn't do as much as the manufacturers stated and they had issues trying to standardize the test. This was 95, 96 I think.