are my arches big enough

Hi guys.
a little advice if I may. Ive been told that my wheel arches are illegal as they are not covering the wheels. Looking at it though its1-3cm short (pic attached) are they illegal? Its had an mot no problem, I just get paranoid when police cars driving towards me then u see in rear view mirror it doing a u turn and following u for a good 1/2 mile. ( 3 times this has happened)

Can anyone help. Also if I need extra wide arches. How wide are they? 2 INCH wider than standard doesnt help.

thanks

How does two inches wider than standard not help :doh: if yours are standard then its obviously two inches wider ffs

they look ok 2 me coppers always check defenders out cus they keep gettin nicked

Supermansam said:

Hi guys.
a little advice if I may. Ive been told that my wheel arches are illegal as they are not covering the wheels. Looking at it though its1-3cm short (pic attached) are they illegal? Its had an mot no problem, I just get paranoid when police cars driving towards me then u see in rear view mirror it doing a u turn and following u for a good 1/2 mile. ( 3 times this has happened)

Can anyone help. Also if I need extra wide arches. How wide are they? 2 INCH wider than standard doesnt help.

thanks

Click to expand...

The picture is not good, it makes it look worse at the back but looks more accurate at the front. I think they are fine.

I would be surprised if a cop could actually see the protrusion of a cm or two while driving about, they would need to stop you and inspect it really, also I would be surprised if a cop even knew it was an offence.

Do you think they drive about looking for tyres that protrude a bit?

Theres no law in the mot manual that says they cannot stick out of the arch so if it cant fail an mot its okay in my mind

Mine stick out and I've been stopped by the police, who were checking to see if it was nicked , but followed me for a couple of miles first and they didn't say anything.

I've also had an mot and it wasn't mentioned either.

So you should be fine.

I dont think mine are standard arches thats why 2inch wider than standard doesnt help.

Thanks for the other replies. I guess if I do get pulled for the arches ill play dumb and pretend I didnt know

thanks guys

get bigger arches?

Look from vertically above the tyres over the arches if you can see tread it's illegal, it is not part of the MOT.

You need to take into account the following ,
Regulation 63 of “The Road Vehicles
(Construction and Use) Regulations
1986 (SI 1986/1078)” as amended.
Provides for the fitting of wings or
mudguards to vehicles to prevent mud or
water being thrown up by the wheels or
tracks.
63(1) This regulation applies to:
(a) invalid carriages;
(b) heavy motor cars, motor cars and
motor cycles, not being agricultural motor
vehicles or pedestrian controlled vehicles;
(c) agricultural motor vehicles driven at
more than 20 mph; and
(d) trailers, unless exempted by paragraph
(4).
63(2) Every vehicle to which this regulation
applies shall be equipped with wings or
other similar fittings to catch, so far as
practicable, mud or water thrown up by the
rotation of its wheels or tracks, unless
provided for in paragraphs (3) and (5).
63(3) The requirements specified in
paragraph (2) apply, in the case of a trailer
with more than two wheels, only in respect
of the rearmost two wheels.
63(4) Those requirements do not apply in
respect of:
(a) a works truck;
(b) a living van;
(c) a water cart;
(d) an agricultural trailer drawn by a motor
vehicle which is not driven at a speed in
excess of 20 mph;
(e) an agricultural trailed appliance;
(f) an agricultural trailed appliance
conveyor;
(g) a broken down vehicle;
(h) a heavy motor car, motor car or trailer
in an unfinished condition which is
proceeding to a workshop for completion;
(i) a trailer used for or in connection with
the carriage of round timber and the rear
wheels of any heavy motor car or motor
car drawing a semi-trailer so used; or
(j) a trailer drawn by a motor vehicle the
maximum speed
63(5) Instead of complying with paragraph
2) a vehicle may comply with Community
Directive 78/549.

So on a dry day its unlikely that you would be stopped and reported, but on a wet day , and depending on the view of the officer you could well be reported for the offence , especially in the way that you have modified the vehicle from standard and have not maintained the level of "mudguarding" as originally designed to comply with construction and use regs . JMHO HTSH

If police / VOSA want to pull you....

from: Road Vehicles Construction and Use Regs 1986

63. Wings

(2) Subject to paragraphs (3) and (5), every vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be equipped with wings or other similar fittings to catch, so far as practicable, mud or water thrown up by the rotation of its wheels or tracks.

Click to expand...

Pepipoo motoring legal forum discussion on this subject

Hmm mine look like that personally never had an issue. Been pulled by coppers a few times, never mentioned anything, sailed through its MOT.

Interesting though, I removed all my mud flaps as they kept getting caught/ripped off road. Do I need em?

I will start saving then. On my list to buy along with spare wheel carrier, x eng pedal lock, materials for my dash and console, etc list is endless

i wouldnt worry to much as they dont stick out that much. Alot of people around by me have them twice as bad as that and they never seem to get pulled up.

My tyres stick out much more than that, its not an mot issue however technically it is against the law. ive been driving around for the best part of 2 years and never been stopped because of it, i really wouldnt worry.

Same as mine mate and ive not been nicked for em and ive had me 90 for years now.

You get paranoid that when a copper turns around behind you that hes going to nick you for your mud guards not being big enough? Sounds to me like your extremely paranoid about the coppers! Got something to hide?!

If you are driving around knowing that your vehicle is not definitely compliant , then its being a realist rather than paranoid