Must I have fenders?

[dwgriff1]

I've pulled open wheeled trailers a lot and have never been hasseled by a police person.

The other day, in a small Idaho town, I stopped to do some business with a local. A cop pulled up beside me. He admired the tear and then said "You will want to get some fenders."

My question: How many don't run fenders, and have no immediate thoughts to change?

Said another way: How long can I get away without fenders?

I am in San Francisco now, having pulled my fenderless tear from Idaho. No one seemed to notice or care.

dave

[madjack]

DW...it is against the law (federal) to pull an open wheeled trailer...they must have a wheel covering of some kind...enforcement is up to that local cop on the side of the road...or state DOT inspectors...here locally you will get a ticket pretty quick from the roving DOT cops if they see/notice you...
madjack

p.s. this is similar to the lighting requirements for a trailer that is 80"s wide or wider...if they notice, you may get a ticket!!!

[apratt]

I know here in Washington there is a bunch of street rods that don't have fenders, but if I remember right. You may not have to have fenders but then you can only drive in nice weather. If the roads are wet, you much have fenders or mud flaps.

[dwgriff1]

Years ago when 10 speed bikes first came out I had a pretty nice one. The local cops scolded me because they said they had to have fenders. Bikes like that never had fenders. He would not accept my logic.

Open wheeled cars are not uncommon, actually.

MJ, you make a convincing argument. I'll keep workin on suitable fenders, but now I will travel with great guilt.

dave

[madjack]

Dave, I certainly didn't mean to make ya feel guilty or make ya look over your shoulder...just trying to save ya the cost offa ticket...
Arthur...you are correct...at least on commercial vehicles, mud flaps are acceptable(legal) in lieu of fenders....
madjack

[Leon]

In California:
27600. No person shall operate any motor vehicle having three or more wheels, any trailer, or semitrailer unless equipped with fenders, covers, or devices, including flaps or splash aprons, or unless the body of the vehicle or attachments thereto afford adequate protection to effectively minimize the spray or splash of water or mud to the rear of the vehicle and all such equipment or such body or attachments thereto shall be at least as wide as the tire tread. This section does not apply to those vehicles exempt from registration, trailers and semitrailers having an unladen weight of under 1,500 pounds, or any vehicles manufactured and first registered prior to January 1, 1971, having an unladen weight of under 1,500 pounds.
So if you are under 1500 pounds, you can run without them

[asianflava]

Although you'd probably be able to get away with it 95% of the time, it's that 5% that can be a problem. Driving thru a small town with out of state plates is an invitation for a "local inspection".

[madjack]

Leon, that is fine in California...DW is in Idaho so that doesn't necessarily apply...Federal Regulations require fenders and or mud flaps on all towed vehicles...as stated previously, enforcement is up to the cop on the side of the road and DOT cops, known as Diesel Bears are EVERYWHERE...here in Louisiana, they are know as Weights and Standards cops and they enforce state and federal regulations on ALL motor vehicles...not just commercial vehicles...so driver beware............
madjack

p.s. another thing to consider is the other guy...without fenders, you are throwing up water/mud/gravel/road debris that may(or may not) be caught by the fenders...throwing it all at the other guy...remember how those fenderless bicycles threw up all kinds of things.....

[Ira]

That's what I always thought--that it has to do with the crap you throw at the guy behind you.

We have had some HORRIBLE things happen in South Florida, and I don't know if this particular one had to do with no fenders or not, but now you got me curious:

When I first moved down here 14 years ago, a woman was killed on I-95 when a piece of like 10" rebar kicked up, went through the windshield and right into her chest.

Man, can you think of anything more horrible than that?

[Nitetimes]

When I first moved down here 14 years ago, a woman was killed on I-95 when a piece of like 10" rebar kicked up, went through the windshield and right into her chest.

Man, can you think of anything more horrible than that?

Sure, but it still sucks!!

One of the big hazards I see every now and then are semi brake drums exploding.
When they go big chunks of cast iron set sail. Hard to believe something so heavy could fly so far.

[dwgriff1]

I live in Idaho, but have been in San Francisco for the last couple of weeks, so the California law is not moot. We are headding home Tuesday.

We had an accident where a piece of steel went through a window and killed a driver, but that was off a load and fenders wouldn't have made any difference.

The problem is that I don't have money to buy the fenders I'd like, and don't like the ones I can afford, sound familiar.

I do understand mold making, etc. so I can make my own. A good winter project!

Thanks for all the wisdom,

dave

[madjack]

...once saw a hand truck fly offa 1.5 ton flatbed, hit the trailer he was pulling, dislodging a load ramp...the hand truck then flew thru the windhield and out the back window of a pickup, the load ramp then flipped into the same PU, splitting the roof of cab roof in two pieces...there were two guys in the PU and neither were hurt other than some minor scratches and some very dirty britches...don't get me started on this one...after 2 million miles driving an 18 wheeler I have seen some absolutely devastating sights that I bet you just can't top...
madjack

[Kevin A]

I live in Idaho, but have been in San Francisco for the last couple of weeks, so the California law is not moot. We are headding home Tuesday.

We had an accident where a piece of steel went through a window and killed a driver, but that was off a load and fenders wouldn't have made any difference.

The problem is that I don't have money to buy the fenders I'd like, and don't like the ones I can afford, sound familiar.

I do understand mold making, etc. so I can make my own. A good winter project!

Thanks for all the wisdom,

dave

Dave,

You should head up to Redding when you leave SF and pay Grant a visit, check out his fenders, you could save on the cost of shipping that way.

[dwgriff1]

Kevin, you nailed it. I SHOULD do that.

How much fender is legal? I think of using something like an vintage motorcycle fender (front) that would cover just the back half of the tire. Is that liable to be legal?

dave

[Gaston]

I have seen many trailers with out fenders and I can say I have never enjoyed following one in the rain. To me I feel it is just another way of showing how little consideration they have of the traffic around them. A teardrop without fenders just looks unfinished and makes me wonder where else the owner cut corners to save a buck

I could be wrong but its my opinion