You have decided to replace your tires for a more fashionable set, but it turns out that they are too broad to go under the fender. Putting bigger tires on an off-road vehicle looks extremely nice, although this would almost surely look horrible on a car. Is it, however, lawful to leave them in such a condition?
Most states prohibit vehicles with wheels that protrude over the fender because it endangers other drivers. Water, dirt, or gravel might spin out of the wheels when they are not completely covered, striking the cars behind. Consider purchasing fender flares to make your car street-legal unless you create an entirely off-road vehicle.
What Is a Fender?
The purpose of a fender is to prevent tire rotation-related mess. Any mud, water, or debris flung about while driving will be caught by the fender, the metal or plastic component that frames your wheels. This lessens the chance that you or other drivers may obstruct their view while you are driving, but it also lessens the danger for pedestrians.
When you are driving, hurling these things at fast speeds is really simple. This occurs when objects, such as boulders, get lodged in the tread of your tires but subsequently come to a stop. You risked seriously hurting someone if the fender had not been there to capture all of this debris.
Why is it illegal law for a tire to protrude beyond the fender?
You may be asking why your wheels are prohibited from protruding beyond your fender now that you know it is prohibited.
All automobiles are functionally designed, with every component serving a specific purpose. Keeping you and other road users safe when you are out and about is fender’s first responsibility, which is why such stringent regulations are in place.
These regulations may differ from one location to another, but they often require that any treaded portion of your tire, even if the side wall protrudes, be covered by a fender. The law may appear unusual at first glance, but safety is always the priority, so you should verify the regulations in your state just in case.
While some jurisdictions have tight regulations about how much of your tread must be covered, other states do not have any particular fender requirements as long as your tires do not exceed the allowable vehicle width.
Mud flaps also play a role since certain rules specify that if your vehicle has mud flaps installed, you are required to cover less tread. This is due to the flaps’ ability to lessen the amount of debris your tires scatter.
We understand that having tires that extend beyond your fender may give you the impression that it looks nicer, but doing so also endangers everyone else’s safety on the road.
The Laws Across States
As a result, although these rules are quite similar in most states, there are still a few minor variations. Let us examine more closely.
- Texas — There does not seem to be a fender law in force in this state; thus, you may.
- Carolina — Vehicles must have fenders at least as broad as their tire tread.
- Arizona — It is illegal to drive a car on the road without installing rear fenders that completely enclose the tire tread.
- Connecticut — Driving a passenger car without fenders on public roads is illegal.
- Florida — Vehicles above 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight must have fenders.
- Idaho — Fenders are a requirement for all automobiles.
- Ohio — This state has somewhat different regulations; according to them, you may drive on the road as long as half of your tire is covered.
- Louisiana — Although there is not a particular fender regulation in Louisiana, it does indicate that a vehicle may not be wider than 102 inches, so as long as your tires do not protrude beyond this, you are okay to go.
How to Get Wider Wheels
What happens then if you desire bigger wheels but do not want to violate any fender regulations? There are a few choices you can make.
There is always the option of having custom fenders produced to suit your tires rather than having your tires made to fit your fenders. Because of this, you may use somewhat wider wheels without worrying that the tread will not be covered. This is fantastic because practically any automobile can have modified fenders built to accept larger tires.
Check the regulations in your area first. Some other states provide an exemption for fenders not covering the tire tread if mud flaps are installed.
Conclusion
So it turns out that having wheels that protrude over your fender is unlawful in most states. While some states, like Texas, have no fender regulations, others, like Louisiana and Ohio, are far more permissive than usual.
If you want bigger wheels, you have a few alternatives, but it all depends on how much money you want to spend and what the laws in your state are.