Did You Fail The Mass Inspection? And Why?????

Thanks man. Yeah i went back to the same place since they gave me the R, the first follow up would be free. My logic is if they failed me again on bullshit, I at least wasted like 20 mins of their time without having to pay for it. Luckily the owner was doing the inspections the second time and not the kid.

 

Went to my trusty go-to sticker guy for a sticker today and he was nowhere to be found, just he moved on to another shop. The new guy at the same shop looked at the tint and said "no can do, there are cameras now". The cops don't even bother me!

Can someone PM me their go-to shop? I rather not rip off the tint since it gets blazing hot in the summers.

 

Hmmmm... this is not good. I’ve been to 10 different places and each inspector takes a quick glance at the truck and just shakes their head and says “don’t bother trying for a sticker, you will fail.” I understand that I need to remove the tint (appointment next Wed) but the shops also said lifted trucks or trucks i
with tire poke will fail. WTF?!

One of the cooler techs said he used to pass trucks like mine all day long in the past but now they have cameras and he’s been dinged a couple times already. FML

 

Massachusetts is making me mad and I don't even live there. You poor bastards.

 

I'm so glad I moved away just as the cameras were getting going. I had one rough inspection, but it was before everyone started getting dinged I bet. Now I don't have to worry!

 

It's not all lifted trucks. There's a formula I've read on here or on the MA site to calculate the legal lift for your vehicle.

Tire poke, I believe you just need mud flaps they don't poke out past. Worst case, buy a set of Plasticolor universals.

How far over is your tint?

 

I need to do some more homework on the inspection requirements. I think all the guys I saw were just lazy so they just said no. I can't see any of these people sitting down to calculate shit.

I had mudflaps for the front but none in the rear (due to HC steel bumper). I might just throw the OEM wheels/tires back on for the inspection.

I do admit the tint is dark for my front driver/passenger and is around 20%. One shop said his meter read 8% which I think was BS.

Shenanigans that I saw at the various shops... emergency brakes failed, brake light was out.... I tested both when I got home and miraculously was fine.

 

Here's the formula, look on the suspension part: http://www.liftlaws.com/massachusetts_lift_laws.htm

The 8% could be right if your tint was 20%, I just forget what the stock % is of the glass. I have a light tint on my rare window only and had no issues.

 

Thanks for the link!!! This will be helpful.

 

This might be better, same thing but right off MA website and is a PDF

https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2017/10/19/540cmr6.pdf

 

Most glass meters around 77%, if you're running 20% you're just asking to fail or get pulled over.

 

Never in the 5 years that I had the tint was I pulled over by a cop. Maybe I was lucky.

 

2" suspension lift is the max allowed in MA for 2wd, and of course math for 4wd's. tire size doesnt matter as long as you arent on like 40's going in for a sticker, ive heard half an inch of poke is passable though

E brakes has to hold to about 1500 rpms with no forward movement for a pass.

I pass 30% but anything darker is feel sketched out, i put 50% on my factory glass to get to 30% and 25% on all other windows to make 5%.

Edit - fixed my lift info

 

2" is not the max. There are many inspectors who think it is, but that's false.
Wheel base x wheel track ÷ 2200= legal lift height.

Wheel track can be widened up to 4 inches via wheels and tires, but wheel spacers are prohibited in mass.

540 CMR: REGISTRY OF MOTOR VEHICLES (1) No motor vehicle shall be altered or modified in any way that may cause the vehicle body or chassis to come in contact with the roadway, expose the fuel tank to damage from collision, or cause the tires to come in contact with the body, chassis, or steering components under normal operation. The horizontal plane, front to rear, shall not differ more than two inches. (2) Alterations or modifications to the original braking, steering, or suspension system, which result in the impairment of the safe operation of the motor vehicle, are prohibited. All replacement parts and equipment used shall be designed and capable to perform the function or purpose for which it is intended and shallbe equal or greater in strength and durability than the original parts provided bythe original manufacturer. (3) The wheel track may be increased by the use of tires and rims for a maximum total increase of four inches beyond the original manufacturer's specification. The use of spacers to increase wheeltrack is prohibited. Fractions shall be excluded in all measurements and final calculations. 6.05: Maximum Combined Mechanical and Tire Lift (1) The maximum mechanical lift for four wheel drive motor vehicles shall be calculated by multiplying the wheel base times the wheel track, and dividing the product by a safety factor of 2200: i.e., 92" w/b x 58" w/t = 5336/2200 = 2" (maximum mechanical lift). The outside diameter of the largest tire size available from the original manufacturer as standard or optional equipment for the particular motor vehicle may also be increased up to an amount equal to maximum mechanical lift calculated. (2) The maximum combined mechanical and tire lift shall be no greater thanthe sumofthe maximum mechanical lift and increased tire size calculated for the particular vehicle. (3) Reconstructed motor vehicles shall be limited to the maximum combined lift allowed for the particular chassis used, in accordance with the applicable provisions of 540 CMR 6.05(1) and (2), i.e. a vehicle having a 65" track, 105" wheel base, and an original manufacturer's door height of 21" is allowed a maximum combined lift of four inches above the original manufacturer's door height. Accordingly, the lower edge of the door, door edge line or floor panel, as stipulated in the general requirements of 540 CMR 6.00, of any unladen body mounted on such chassis may not exceed 25" above the level surface upon which the vehicle rests. (4) In doubtful cases, or in any case where the original manufacturer's specified height is not known or available, or where a motor vehicle is assembled without using a particular body and/or chassis (i.e. homemade), the Registrar shall determine the allowable maximum height and may issue a permit authorizing the operation thereof. (5) The Registrar shall periodically provide the specifications of approved maximum altered heights. 6.06: Violations (1) Due to slight variances in production tolerances, violations must be in excess of one inchbeyond the Registrar's specifications of approved maximum altered heights. (2) The Registrar, in accordance with the provisions of M.G.L. c. 90, § 22, shall suspend the registration of any motor vehicle equipped, altered or modified in violation of 540 CMR 6.00, and shall refuse to register any motor vehicle that the Registrar has reason to believe is equipped, altered or modified in violation of 540 CMR 6.00.

 

Ah i forgot that rule differed between 4x4 and 2wd vehicles, even though i have already done my own vehicle. I did my math already for my taco and figured out i can get about a 3.65" legal mechanical lift, and what that means i can up from 30.5's to 33's no problem. IIRC there is a buffer of 1 inch so technically you can get away with 7" of lift total between tires and suspension. That math should go for any 2nd gen access cab taco

Also thanks for the tire poke info, doesnt tell me that in my manual i dont think. Funny you mentioned in the first part about inspectors thinking 2" is the max, when i went for my class, out of like 12 people there was like 5 guys who thought any lift kit at all equals a fail and they were not happy the little 19 year old was right when i showed them this formula

 

If you read the example the state put in the language it comes out to exactly 2" of legal lift, but that is just the example for the math. I think people saw 2" and thought that's what is legal.

 

I think that is exactly what is happening... pretty much all of the inspectors that I talked to said I would need to remove the lift to get a sticker.

I have this funny feeling that convincing these inpectors that they misinterpreted the language of 540 CMR for the lifts will be challenging.

 

Ask for their manual lol, i think its like section 5-55 or something ill upload a pic later

 

I got a rejection two years ago. The inspector told me I could appeal it. I didn't bother because I knew my exhaust was louder than stock, but there is a way to appeal.

 

Such a BS rule honestly, if you can put on a trd exhaust you should be able to put whatever muffler on it you want. And its completely inspector descretion really since there are no mics or anything other than “if its not stock then its a no”