FYI Re: tractor mudflaps...

I have never run mudflaps on my tractor while hooked to a trailer. I have them, secured to the catwalk, and they have the reflective stripe (as required) across the top of the mudflap brackets. Over the past 12 years (10 as an O/O, 2 as a company driver for a company that likewise does not run mudflaps on their trucks), I've been inspected I don't know how many times...and never had any issues regarding the lack of mudflaps.

Word of warning: Missouri pulled me over for a random this week, and while he didn't write me up, he made a point to tell me that the regulations require the reflective strip across the mudflap brackets even if you don't have mudflaps hanging from the brackets. They aren't writing tickets...yet...unless you're that company I used to work for so many years ago. Apparently, after they started getting written warnings, the company owner (who thinks he's a real big shot) forged an exemption letter to put in all of the trucks. Now, they get cited.

I've been planning on reworking my rear cross-member...adding a 2-1/2" receiver, gooseneck ball, and redoing my light bar. Now, I think I'll make it a little more robust, and add an ICC bumper to the rear of the tractor to run the reflective tape across. Figure as long as I cover the inside duals, it'll be short enough not to interfere with trailers, but wide enough to be "legal" even when I don't have my mudflaps hung. Doodled a little while I was being loaded, and I actually like the new layout with the ICC bumper more than what I had been planning on doing. It'll be a hell of a lot stronger, too...overbuilt, which is just my style anyway.

Anyway, to recap, Missouri wants reflective tape on mudflap brackets on the back of the truck, whether you're hooked to a trailer or not, and without regard to whether you even have mudflaps. Seems rather silly to me, but I'm not the one with the badge.

 

I acquired another set of brackets about 5 or 6 years ago to do just that...then the river came up to record-breaking levels and we evacuated "just in case" (because despite the faster-than-predicted rise in levels, they weren't upping the predicted crest, leading me to believe they were pretty sure at that point, either a levy would be topped or otherwise rendered useless). Anyway, in the move, they were misplaced...

Oh well. Less than $60 bought me a 14' piece of 3/16" x 2-1/2" square tube. Probably use 9-1/2 to 10 feet of it for what I want to do, and the rest will eventually be used on another project.

 

Been inspected in AR, TX, IN, IL, MS, and MO...some of them on multiple occasions over the years. This was the 1st mention of needing the reflective strip with no mudflaps while pulling a trailer. I always thought it was one of those "if you have mudflaps, then you'd better have the strips, but no mudflaps means no need because there is no place to mount the strip" situations. I guess with elogs eliminating their bread & butter "form & manner" violations, the revenuers need to come up with new and different interpretations in order to continue writing violations.

 

I'll post pics. If I get the crib refinished this weekend, probably tackle the rear crossmember over the 3-day Memorial Day weekend.