Tailgates, on or off, legal or not!

[brobeson]

I have heard that some states it is illegal to run without a tailgate on a pickup.

How would you find out state by state if is legal or not.

I live in Washington, but travel all over.

I had a 5er tailgate, but lost it. Jumped off going down a freeway, LOL. Went back to get it and could not find it!

I am looking at one of those tailgate boxes. If the state requires a tailgate, does the tailgate box pass as the tailgate?

TIA

Bob

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2001 3500, SLT+, Green, Tan leather, Duel Power Seats, HO, 6 speed, 4X6, 4. 10, Towing Package, Trailer Tow Mirrors, Camper Package, Sliding rear Window, Jacob’s E-brakes (Dodge), Electric Steps (Dodge), Clarion overhead TC/VCR, In motion satalite, Mud Flaps on all 4s (Dodge) Line-X over the rail bed liner, 20K Reese 5th wheel Hitch with Gooseneck, 30” toolbox and tailgate box. Factory ordered, Picked up on 5-15-01. WOW!

Also have a 1998. 5, 2500, SLT, Red over Driftwood, 24V, 4X4, Auto, 4. 10, Light Group, Camper Special group, Convenience Group, Travel Group, Trailer Group, Keyless entry, 5 band EQ and 6 disk changer, 15K lil' rocker 5er hitch, tool box, rail guards, fog/driving lights, wood grain dash. (truck is 4-Sale)

 

[Alan Reagan]

Not illegal in Georgia. Down here, you don't even have to have a bed on the truck. Just lights and seatbelts ("Click it or ticket"). Bumpers are not required. Of course, most trucks have them so you'll have a place to sit when you drink beer.

 

[pcorssmit]

Not neccesary here in Colorado. My brother drives around all summer with no doors on his Blazer and hasn't been hassled yet, neither have I.

Pete

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'97 2500 CC 4X4 5spd Sport
'83 K5 Blazer 350 TBI (ex 6. 2), 39. 5 TSLs, 3" lift, Dana 60/GM 14 blt, Detroits

 

[Prostock]

Illegal to run without one in PA.

------------------
Tom
1994 Ram 2500 4x2 CTD 135k miles
Stock for now.

 

[RobG]

It's just plain STUPID to make it illegal to run without a tailgate. What about those of us with truck campers, who might come visit a place, and want to unload the camper and drive around? That's sorta the whole POINT of the truck camper.



Nothing gets my blood boiling faster than a STUPID law. Another one that comes to mind is Oregon's "you can't pump your own fuel" law, which I can see getting broken when I visit there in July.



Rob

 

[Pete Peterson]

Yep, now thats a stupid law, can't pump your own fuel... ... ... . Pete

 

[BBrodin]

No problem runnin in Idaho without a tailgate.

 

[SA Law]

tailgate law

Here in the state of Texas you dont need a tailgate, but most people dont know that you cant have your tailgate down while driving unless you are carrying a load!

 

[HomerDog]

RobG--

Nice truck and Lance camper. Just bought myself a new 835. Not as nice as yours, but it'll do... ... Love the set up so far.

 

[Straight6Jeff]

I can see the point in not being allowed to pump your own gas. After all, it takes a lot of training to put the nozzle in AND spill fuel all over the bed sides these are highly skilled individuals.....

 

[Crazy Horse]

If you're pulling the tailgate off for milage you might want to do some looking into that and check with the engineers at Dodge. The truck is actually designed for the greatest effenciency in airflow with the tailgate on. I think there is some info on this subject in the in past TDR threads.

 

[brobeson]

Tail Gate

Hey Crazy Horse.



I have a 5er and need to remove the tail gate, but I want to put a tailgate box like Highway or Vbox in place of a tailgate.



So My question is, in the states that require a tailgate does the box surfice?



Thanks



Bob

 

[Crazy Horse]

Bob- I do think if I had a 5th wheel, and if I was concerned with being illegal or ticketed in any state I would look into that state's laws. I think if you look into these"State Laws" there are going to be exceptions. I drove through, for example; PA in December with my Lance camper in the bed. The tailgate wasn't on and I had no problems, nor was I concerned. There are alot of states that have laws on the books requiring all body panels be intact. Those laws are so people are not driving around without fenders or doors missing, as an example causing a threat to public safety.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I had never heard of running without a tailgate being illegal here in PA. I see pickups here and there running with the gate down trying to save gas. Never worked for me?



I run my flatbed without side or rear panels all the time. Haul all kinds of stuff strapped on. Never been hassled.



I would be concerned about running with an open gate and having an accident. I know of a woman being killed by a gate coming through her windshield after another car hit a pickup.

 

[Champane Flight]

Last time I went through Oregon,stopped at a station had nothing but good looking college girls doing the fuel thing!My wife doese'nt like the Oregon laws either!YES,Dear,be right there Dear... ... .....

 

[Crazy Horse]

Hey Champane- I liked the story about the"goog looking collage girls".

 

[CJ Johansson]

In Oregon, you can't pump your own *GAS*, but diesel is OK. They pass it off as a safety thing, class 1 flammable liquids require special training (HAH!). Diesel, because it has a flash point of greater than 25F is not a class 1 flammable liquid, so you can pump it yourself. Now, convincing the pump jockey of this is another matter.

Actually, if you read the law, one of the main reasons they don't have self-serve gas is because self service stations contribute to unemployment, particularly among young people - really! It actually says that! See: http://www.leg.state.or.us/ors/480.html scroll down to section 480. 315(14).



-cj

 

[QRTRHRS]

We're smart enough here in PA to be able to pump our own. Good thing because judging by some of the help at the burger joints, you would not want them near your truck anyway.



Now over in neighboring New Jersey, you can pump diesel but not gas. Fuel costs usually run about 5 cents cheaper too! But, the drawback on gas is the pump jocky's hussle you for change.

 

[Prostock]

<i>I had never heard of running without a tailgate being illegal here in PA. I see pickups here and there running with the gate down trying to save gas. Never worked for me?</i>



A friend of mine lost his state inspection license for 3 months for putting a sticker on a truck that had one of those nets instead of the tailgage.



Cop pulled the guy over for no tailgage, and the owner said it had just passed inspection that way earlier in the week.

 

[roycrown]

Not completely sure about the legality of running without in PA, but I have been doing so for years, and my truck has passed PA state inspections without tailgate. Have no plans to put it back on.