3in rule

L

lordoeuf

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Vancouver Island
Hi everyone. I just had to read the Illinois driving rules book to switch over my california licence, and I noticed something in there. It said no car was alowed to be lifted more than 3 inches from the horizontal. The wording was vaigue, but has anyone ever been stopped for having too much lift in this state? Thanks
 
That was explained to me (in my racing days) as 3" of rake.
IOW, difference in front height to rear height can be no more than 3".
Hence the "3" from horizontal"
So, you lift it as high as you want as long as it stays horizontal, or level.
 
kid4lyf said:
That was explained to me (in my racing days) as 3" of rake.
IOW, difference in front height to rear height can be no more than 3".
Hence the "3" from horizontal"
So, you lift it as high as you want as long as it stays horizontal, or level.
Click to expand...


Not completely true. Maximum frame height is 30", and max bumper height depends on the liscense plate in Illinois.
 
3" from Horizontal? Hehehe. What if you moved the car 3" to the left? Would that be illegal? That would make those garage roller dollys illegal :)
 
It's mainly the bumper law that you have to worry about. The 3" of lift is only for body to frame. You can have a taller suspension.

I can't remember the maximum bumper height that is needed, but could find out if need be.
 
If it has car plates the max bumper height is 26". Truck plates go to 29". Bumper height is the only thing I have been stopped for. JIM.
 
That 3" rule applies to rake, no more than 3" vertical difference between front and rear bumpers. Body lifts are also limited to 3" but under a differenct section.

(625 ILCS 5/12‑607) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12‑607)
Sec. 12‑607. Suspension System.
(a) It shall be unlawful to operate a motor vehicle on any highway of this State when the suspension system has been modified from the original manufactured design by lifting the body from the chassis in excess of 3 inches or to cause the horizontal line from the front to the rear bumper to vary over 3 inches in height when measured from a level surface of the highway to the lower edge of the bumper, except that it is unlawful to operate a street rod or custom vehicle when the suspension system has been modified from the original manufactured design so that the horizontal line from the front to the rear bumper varies over 7 inches in height when measured from a level surface of the highway to the lower edge of the bumper.
Click to expand...
(625 ILCS 5/12‑608) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12‑608)
Sec. 12‑608. Bumpers.
(a) It shall be unlawful to operate any motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 9,000 pounds or less or any motor vehicle registered as a recreational vehicle under this Code on any highway of this State unless such motor vehicle is equipped with both a front and rear bumper.
Except as indicated below, maximum bumper heights of such motor vehicles shall be determined by weight category of gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) measured from a level surface to the highest point of the bottom of the bumper when the vehicle is unloaded and the tires are inflated to the manufacturer's recommended pressure.
Maximum bumper heights are as follows:
Maximum Front Maximum Rear
Bumper height Bumper Height
All motor vehicles of the first
division except multipurpose
passenger vehicles: 22 inches 22 inches
Multipurpose passenger vehicles
and all other motor vehicles:
4,500 lbs. and under GVWR 24 inches 26 inches
4,501 lbs. through 7,500
lbs. GVWR 27 inches 29 inches
7,501 lbs. through 9,000
lbs. GVWR 28 inches 30 inches

It is unlawful to operate upon any highway of this State any vehicle with a front bumper height that exceeds 28 inches or a rear bumper height that exceeds 30 inches, regardless of the GVWR of the vehicle, except those vehicles covered by Chapter 18b of this Code.
For any vehicle with bumpers or attaching components which have been modified or altered from the original manufacturer's design in order to conform with the maximum bumper requirements of this section, the bumper height shall be measured from a level surface to the bottom of the vehicle frame rail at the most forward and rearward points of the frame rail. The bumper on any vehicle so modified or altered shall be at least 4.5 inches in vertical height and extend no less than the width of the respective wheel tracks outermost distance.
However, nothing in this Section shall prevent the installation of bumper guards.
(b) This Section shall not apply to street rods, custom vehicles, motor vehicles designed or modified primarily for off‑highway purposes while such vehicles are in tow or to motorcycles or motor driven cycles,
Click to expand...
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilc...&SeqEnd=123800&ActName=Illinois+Vehicle+Code.
 
I think I'm still illegal.
MVC-029S.jpg

Never had anything said about the front, but I have been pulled over 3 times for the rear. No tickets, just warnings. Now I have a 6" extension bolted on back for DD duties. Unbolt it for wheeling. It sits alittle higher now with the 33's. JIM.
 
You can usually get around the 3 inch bumper thang... Buuuuuuttt...Most states are very adamant about the 54 inch maximum headlight height. Use some common sense fake em out with the bumpers and show your legal then direct them to the head lights. 54 inches... thats almost 5 feet!
 
So 3 inches is the max in Illinois? Does anyone in Illinois have a greater than 3'' lift in the city/burbs? I was contemplating about getting a 4.5'' lift... but.. i might have to dum it down now...
 
I beleive that law was intended for the jacked up cars that had big tires on the rear. I know an ex-state trooper and he said that was the main concern. He was the type against trie sqealing and such, just keep the lift level and concentrate on bumper-headlight height. :)
 
Don't sweat it. They only pull Jim over so much because of his shifty look. :kissyou:

I spent a couple of years driving my lifted (RE4.5" on 33s) XJ all over the state on a daily basis, and never got hassled over the mods to the rig. A couple of troopers were bothered by my speed, but said nothing about the lift. The only time I was worried was when I was prosecuting a trooper before the Merit Board. At the break for lunch, he gave my rig the twice-over and I was waiting for him to say something . . . but all he said was "nice Jeep."
 
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