Are exhaust stacks illegal on a pickup truck?

[Shuck906]

I recently had a run in with the Michigan State Police. I was pulled over not because of excessive noise, but because of having exhaust stacks and too high of bumper height on my 1986 M1008.

(I just squeaked by with the bumper height at 30in from ground front and rear bumpers with a 6in lift and 37's on it.)

The officer stated that the exhaust has to exit behind the rear wheels and that anything other than how it came from the factory is illegal. I have researched online and all I found is about having to have a muffler and be under a certain dB level. I did not receive a ticket just a warning.

Any input or experience with this topic is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[Tornadogt]

Your answer will have to come from your state... every state is different and also how it is enforced is different. Not that is applies to you but here (Great Republic of Texas), Stacks are Legal. Just because one trooper says they are not legal doesn't make it true, do some research about your state laws and it also helps to look at the "inspection requirements" if it passes inspection requirement it is legal.

 

[infidel got me]

stacks

If they were illegal half the people in this town would be in trouble. To me stacks in pick-up trucks look stoooooooopid, unless it's the blonde from B.J. and the bear.

 

[bikeman]

If they are illegal in the state where your truck is registered (note, you said Michigan and your profile says Wisconsin), then you have to abide by those laws. If you are travelling through a state, you are not obligated to abide by equipment laws (minus the basics for safety and such)

 

[MasterSweeper]

Man,, that's unbelievable that Trooper would have pulled you over for that???? There are tons of pickups I see every day in Michigan with stacks... The stacks on your truck are done nice and not to high. He must have been bored.

 

[Drock]

I can't imagine that they're illegal in any state. The trooper was half right when he said exhaust has to exit the rear of the vehicle. In the case of guy's running dumps, or side exit exhaust, do to the risk of exhaust gases entering the passenger compartment. But obviously the point of stacks is to safely expel diesel exhaust gases up and above the vehicle thus making them even safer then traditional car/truck exhausts. Police are not mechanics or lawyers and are often confused about equipment laws. Or you did something to piss him off and he was looking for any reason to screw with you . In any case if they were illegal semi trucks wouldn't have them.

 

[CUCVLOVER]

I have seen plenty of guys around here with stacks. I have never heard of them being illegal.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

In any case if they were illegal semi trucks wouldn't have them.

Not necessarily true, Drock. There are often different requirements for different classes of vehicles.


But the bottom line is, your answer is almost certainly online, but not here. Look up your state's website and find the actual regs and read them for yourself. All of the, "they are legal here", or worse, "I see them all the time so they must be legal!" type of answers you get here don't mean anything.

I suspect you'll find that Drock was right when he said the guy was reaching for something to give you grief about, but you'll never know until you look it up yourself.

 

[BnaditCorps]

I don't know about your state, but in California they are on the verge of being illegal. Best option is to look at the law of your state. I am surprised though that this is not decided at the federal level, that being said because going from one state to another it could be legal-illegal; same thing as marriage, has to be a universal law in every state.

My opinion they are pretty much ugly/compensating, but hey it is YOUR truck do with it what you want so long as it is within the law.

 

[Drock]

Here's what I found online about Michigan's equipment laws in regards to exhaust. http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(2z...eg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-257-707.. Kind of vague if you ask me. Maybe if you called one of the companies that make stack kits they may know more about it?

 

[Recovry4x4]

Recovry4x4 sees them kinda like men's speeeos., they should be unlawful but at the end of the day, they are likely not. For anyone needing the get their eyes burned out of their sockets, come to a South Florida beach during the winter. You will see more retired Canadians in speedos than you could ever imagine existed. I can tell you with certainty that stacks and speedos are not against the law in FL.

 

[MatthewH]

Having run into the Michigan State Police a few times for exhaust tickets, ill toss in what I've been told.
Your exhaust system is suppose to be factory or factory spec. Anything deviating from that they don't like. I'll agree that there are tons of people with stacks, and ill confess to having had a 92 Dodge Cummins that was stacked, muffler delete. Used to rip up and down I-75 and has zero issues.
Also had a 95 Cutlass Ciera with a glass pack. Got ticketed for it due to it not conforming to factory specs.
My guess is he stopped you for the bumper height issue, and when you passed that, mentions the stacks. Which, again is odd, cause usually they dont bother about bumper heights, at least around here. Must have been downstate somewhere

 

[AECS]

If he gave you a written warning it should have the statute on it.

 

[m1008chevy]

They should be illegal on pickups.

 

[zebedee]

I think I saw somewhere, prob on the internets, that it's not the height that is illegal, it's the waste of bed space and potential for burning the backs of landscape contractors/vegetable pickers.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

I think I saw somewhere, prob on the internets, that it's not the height that is illegal, it's the waste of bed space and potential for burning the backs of landscape contractors/vegetable pickers.

That was not politically correct! Report for re-training immediately!

 

[corvette9]

They are illegal in Ct. They will ticket you and sometimes tow the truck.

 

[infidel got me]

What I have noticed is that 99% of these trucks with stacks, are driven by idiots. They put a smoke switch on the turbo to dump black smoke, weave in and out of traffic and are usually speeding. Yep, they look real cool with the red and blue lights flashing behind them. The only red and blue lights I want to see are on a Christmas tree!

 

[Drock]

Well I guess if SCRAY looking guns were illegal once, and could be again, why not goofy looking exhaust.

 

[Scar59]

What I have noticed is that 99% of these trucks with stacks, are driven by idiots. They put a smoke switch on the turbo to dump black smoke, weave in and out of traffic and are usually speeding. Yep, they look real cool with the red and blue lights flashing behind them. The only red and blue lights I want to see are on a Christmas tree!

Wish they were illegal in Kentucky, the stacks I mean, the idiots are protected by laws and the Good Lord.