New Laws for 2012

[gpfishingdude]

My police officer-son in law- noticed that my hitch receiver with the ball on it stuck out about a foot from the back of my truck. He told me there is a new law in Illinois that says if the receiver sticks out more than 4" it has to be removed except for when towing. If the receiver is permanent and can't be removed you must carry a red cap on the ball. I looked it up and they have been trying to pass this law for years. I remove my receiver now when I'm not towing just in case the son in law was right about this.

 

[ricohman]

Re: New Laws for 2012

Where I live you have to remove the hitch when you are not pulling.

 

[gpfishingdude]

New Laws for 2012

My police officer-son in law- noticed that my hitch receiver with the ball on it stuck out about a foot from the back of my truck. He told me there is a new law in Illinois that says if the receiver sticks out more than 4" it has to be removed except for when towing. If the receiver is permanent and can't be removed you must carry a red cap on the ball. I looked it up and they have been trying to pass this law for years. I remove my receiver now when I'm not towing just in case the son in law was right about this.

 

[halfmoa]

Re: New Laws for 2012

Went into effect in 2011 but otherwise you're right.

 

[BonairII]

Re: New Laws for 2012

Pulling the receiver will also prevent theft.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: New Laws for 2012

other states have also passed similar ones. I'm all in favor of it, I've had idiots back out of parking spots and 'tap' me with their drawbar. Had it not been in, there would have been zero damage. Instead, I had a couple hundred dollar plastic bumper cover to replace.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Re: New Laws for 2012

My police officer-son in law- noticed that my hitch receiver with the ball on it stuck out about a foot from the back of my truck. He told me there is a new law in Illinois that says if the receiver sticks out more than 4" it has to be removed except for when towing. If the receiver is permanent and can't be removed you must carry a red cap on the ball. I looked it up and they have been trying to pass this law for years. I remove my receiver now when I'm not towing just in case the son in law was right about this.

Can you have your SIL cite the code for this law?

 

[Thalasso]

Re: New Laws for 2012

My police officer-son in law- noticed that my hitch receiver with the ball on it stuck out about a foot from the back of my truck. He told me there is a new law in Illinois that says if the receiver sticks out more than 4" it has to be removed except for when towing. If the receiver is permanent and can't be removed you must carry a red cap on the ball. I looked it up and they have been trying to pass this law for years. I remove my receiver now when I'm not towing just in case the son in law was right about this.

Same in PA since last year.

 

[four winns 214]

Re: New Laws for 2012

These laws were probably lobbied into effect by the auto insurance industry. A lot of expensive damage easily prevented. My drawbar is always removed after unhitching from the trailer, law or no law.

 

[Philster]

Re: New Laws for 2012

The law has always been in effect, but they are making a specific law to address it because lawmakers need to justify their existence and get some press.

Nothing is allowed to extend past your bumper. No tailpipe.. wings, etc and for a carrier, etc, unless it is for hauling, etc and/or setup accordingly for its purpose (reflectors, markers, trailer lights, etc). That's the general overview. Sure, a 2x4 can stick out, but there is a procedure for doing that (secured/marked, not at night unless.... etc).

You can't legally drive a vehicle around in the US with anything extending beyond the rear bumper (unless you have to and you do it right). It's a federal law.

.

 

[halfmoa]

Re: New Laws for 2012

Can you have your SIL cite the code for this law?

Not his SIL but here ya go. 625 ILCS 5/12-614

 

[bigdee]

Re: New Laws for 2012

Since it is the law and to protect ourselves from lawsuits if some hits thier shin.....it would be wise to take it off!

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: New Laws for 2012

For those having trouble finding the wording of the law....

Sec. 12-614. Motor vehicle hitches.
(a) As used in this Section,
"Ball mount" means the portion of a two-part Motor vehicle hitch that slides into the recessed portion of a hitch receiver and that contains the connecting ball.
"Hitch receiver" means the portion of any two-part motor vehicle hitch that is secured to the frame or undercarriage of a motor vehicle.
"Motor vehicle hitch" means a one or two-part assembly that is attached to a motor vehicle for the purpose of towing a trailer behind the motor vehicle.

(b) If any portion of a motor vehicle hitch extends 4 inches or more beyond the motor vehicle's rear bumper, then the ball mount must be removed from the hitch receiver when the motor vehicle is not being used for towing.
If any portion of a motor vehicle hitch extends 4 inches or more beyond the rear bumper of the motor vehicle and the hitch is composed of a single assembly that cannot be easily removed from the motor vehicle, then the ball of the hitch must be covered with a bright red or orange cover that would alert drivers of other motor vehicles to the presence of the motor vehicle hitch.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: New Laws for 2012

Since it is the law and to protect ourselves from lawsuits if some hits thier shin.....it would be wise to take it off!

Not just that, but federal safety and crash standards. Vehicles aren't crash tested with a drawbar in place, but believe it or not, that can actually cause quite a bit of difference in how a crash happens.

 

[G-Daddy]

Re: New Laws for 2012

A few years ago a car full of illegals rammed into the back of my truck at a stop light. When I pulled forward to get off the road my drawbar pulled the front bumper off their car. The ball mount kept that car away from sheet metal on my truck. No one gave me a ticket for leaving it on and stays on all the time.

 

[The_Kid]

Re: New Laws for 2012

Nothing is allowed to extend past your bumper. No tailpipe.. wings, etc and for a carrier, etc, unless it is for hauling, etc and/or setup accordingly for its purpose (reflectors, markers, trailer lights, etc). That's the general overview. Sure, a 2x4 can stick out, but there is a procedure for doing that (secured/marked, not at night unless.... etc).

You can't legally drive a vehicle around in the US with anything extending beyond the rear bumper (unless you have to and you do it right). It's a federal law.

I'd like to know what federal law states that. I see a lot of pickup trucks driving around with the tailgate down that are in violation. In Missouri I can haul anything without a warning flag, as long as it doesn't project more than 5 feet past the rear of the vehicle. If it's more than 5 feet I need a red flag during the day and a light at night.

I remove my draw bar when I'm done towing, but then I install my tow hook setup. And it looks like I'm legal in Illinois since it doesn't have a ball on it and it's not designed to tow a trailer. If some idiot runs into me I'd prefer he hit it, and not my bumper.

 

[dlngr]

Re: New Laws for 2012

Mine comes off when I'm not towing,because 'somebody' busting a shin on it would probably be me.

 

[Augoose]

Re: New Laws for 2012

Pulling the receiver will also prevent theft.

It also keeps the wife from running into it with her shins.....I keep telling her its there but she keeps forgetting!

 

[MWG2600]

Re: New Laws for 2012

Im in Texas, i leave mine in all the time for the morons on there phone that like to bump me. Leaves a nice dent in a plastic Honda bumper!

 

[roscoe]

Re: New Laws for 2012

It also keeps the wife from running into it with her shins.....I keep telling her its there but she keeps forgetting!

My wife learned her lesson the first time.

The lesson was "STAY AWAY FROM MY TRUCK"