Shocking New York Law About Your Vehicle’s Tires

Who doesn't love a good monster truck show? The power and size of these incredible trucks is pretty amazing. Perhaps when you were a kid you got to see a truck event up close? Fast forward to your first truck and perhaps all you wanted was that tall, wide stance of a car smashing machine? As cool as that looks, what are limits for the tires you put on your truck or jeep or SUV?

Here in New York State, we see all types of weather. Sometimes we see it all in just a matter of days. It really does help to have the proper tires and tread on your vehicle. It never fails that after the first snow storm, tire shops and dealers are packed with people playing catch-up to get the tires on for the rest of the winter that is coming.

But for those who love to add a little height and width to their rigs, just how wide can you go? There are actually limits in New York State on how wide your vehicle can be. When you add bigger tires, or tires and wheels that extend outside the fender, their is a limit of just how wide you can go. The total width for anything that is not a school bus is 96 inches!

The biggest thing to watch for when you get that rig up on a lift is the height of the bumper. New York State is pretty specific about the bumpers on a vehicle.

New York does not have regulations on suspension and frame lift heights. However, cars, and SUVs must have bumpers mounted between 16 and 20 inches, while trucks have a maximum bumper height of 30 inches.