Ok, this is a widely covered topic on most dub forums, and from reading a lot the consensus is that as lone as the tread is covered by the wheel arch, this is legal.

However, I've now been stopped three times in under two weeks, even though I run stretched tyres and rolled arches to get the tread under the arch. First two times I explained what I believed to be legal and both times the officers (normal officer and second time traffic officer) let me go no problems. The traffic officer took my mobile number so that he could check the law out for definite and then get back to me to let me know. (Not for prosecution or anything like that, but for my own peace of mind.) However I never got a call back... Tonight another traffic officer pulls me over first claiming you have 1 inch from the arch the wheel must be under, and that he knows because he is a traffic officer and knows everything he should about his job, and then changes his mind and instead, a conversation that he had with a vehicle examiner he was told just last week that in fact the whole wheel must be covered. He was a fair bloke, and gave me a chance to rectify the wheels and get the MOT stamp etc.

Does anyone have any links/photocopies/ any hard proof of what is legal and not legal.

Recently I have been told that the tread under the arch is the law in Germany, and does not apply here in the UK.

Basically I want something I can carry in my glovebox that states the law clearly so that I will have no more problems!

Thanks guys, and any help is greatly accepted!

Good post. This should be pinned if a definitive answer is reached!

^^ there snothing to pin really i no what u mean mate, and i would like to no for myself the law on this.

the only way you can realy do it, is doin what i did when i wantd to know about dvd screens, email the met police then print there reply so no1 can bother u..

Cool, well one of the guys on edition38 suggested posting on the police forum, so I have done that; but that sounds like an excellent idea; will write up an email and get it off to them asap.

:)

isnt it down to what the officer deems to wide, i.e. if he thinks they would hit pedestrians they will fine you? so there is no real defanition as its his own opinion?

na but in theory, a police officer mearly inforces a law they do not create it, so there should be sum sort of legal guideline..

na but in theory, a police officer mearly inforces a law they do not create it, so there should be sum sort of legal guideline..

If a policeman think's it's dangerous he can arrest you for dangerous driving. Doesnt matter whether you were driving dangerously or not apparantly.

na but in theory, a police officer mearly inforces a law they do not create it, so there should be sum sort of legal guideline..

If a policeman think's it's dangerous he can arrest you for dangerous driving. Doesnt matter whether you were driving dangerously or not apparantly.

But the difference with this is that seeing you drive dangerously is their judgement, and opinions are different. With a wide wheel it's either going to be legal or illegal I would imagine.

This is why tuck is the future

yeh i would like to know the outcome of this as i have been pulled for mine and given a vdrs but i don't want to get caught twice, plus mine shows tyre tread round the back where the bumper curves away but surely this is ok as its because of the back bumper and even some standard cars show tread at the back???????

not sure whats ok n whats not but understand the tyre tread must stay under the arch but dont these front wheels poke out futher than the arch?

^^^^^^ this was my point to the police officer

Right - I've by-passed MOT regulations as basically there was not enough information on wheels sticking out from bodywork. Legislation is however clear from VOSA for SVA testing (needed for kit-car or repaired insurance write-offs.)

I can only access a 2000 manual online, but basically; it breaks down like this, for protusions beyond the bodywork:

Section 18: External Projections:

2. There shall be no other feature on the external surface of the vehicle likely to increase the risk or

seriousness of injury to any person who could come into contact with the vehicle. Without

prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the radius of curvature of all hard parts protruding

from this external surface which can be contacted by a sphere of 100mm diameter, shall

be not less than 2.5mm.

Now, the important part: (This relates to the above passage)

The second sentence of

paragraph 2 shall not apply to -

(d) wheels, if there are no pointed or sharp features which projects beyond the

external plane of the wheel rim, no wing nuts are fitted and there are no

projections beyond the vehicle body plan form apart from tyres and wheel

discs, (including central wheel securing nuts) if the latter have a radius of

curvature of not less than 30mm and do not project by more than 30mm

beyond the vehicle body plan form ;

So in 2000 looking at this information as long as you dont have something sharp on your wheel (like James Bond spikes etc. lol) the wheel can protrude 30mm from the arch.

HOWEVER: I have then checked a DRAFT 2004 manual, which clearly states on page 109, that;

Reason for Failure:

v. A wheel:

• is fitted with a wing nut.

• projects beyond the vehicle body plan

form

• with a wheel disc or central securing nut

– projecting beyond the vehicle body

plan form and having a radius of

curvature of less than 30mm

– which projects beyond the vehicle

body plan form more than 30mm.

So it looks like any part of the wheel except a 'central securing nut' or 'wheel disc' (what it means by this I dont know, but I doubt it means the actual alloy itself) can protude up to 30mm.

Of course this is a DRAFT manual, so it may be that it does not apply, but before I can get my hands on a new manual its the best thing to go on...

The manuals can be found: 2000 and 2004 Draft SVA manuals

Without looking at a new 2008 manual it is impossible to say whether the above is still correct, but I very much doubt they would reverse the laws, and allow wheel protusion.

Its bad news, but maybe once and for all we know where we stand rather than being a grey area...

Edited 26 March, 200818 yr by veedubdude

So most people were actually under the wrong impression..

And will now pretend we never saw that post

It is a bit of a grey area I suppose, as I haven't heard of anyone actually being fined/ prosecuted yet? Maybe for the protruding tread, but not the wheels themselves.

Edited 26 March, 200818 yr by Dub James

SVA doesn't really apply to most road cars though... Plus, regulations don't change for ALL cars, it's only ones from the date of the manual, so even if those regs applied to non kit cars, it would only be those post-2000, therefore, most of us will be fine.

so basically unless your wheel comes out of the arch more thatn 30mm you are fine?? thats good for me?? what page number did you get it from cba trauling through the whole thing if you know what page its on i will print it ouut and put it in my car for when i get pulled next time , oh and i had a vdrs as stared earlier and i have just got back from the mot testing station and it says nowhere that your wheel is not aloweed to be comning out of the wheel arches just about sharp edges and a wheel isn't classes as one in the mot testing stations opinion.

I understand that, but I'm trying to look at this in terms of Mr Plod, as I'm sick of being pulled over, or every time I see a cop car thinking great here we go again... And I've had the wheels on for less than two weeks!

I went in search of road regulations and thus far this is the closest I've come to finding anything.

Going on the principal of the age of the car (which I hadnt thought about until you said that...) then pre 2004 could possibly get away with 30mm of poke...

SVA regulations apply to all road cars, however when most cars leave the factory as new they meet all required criteria, and have already been tested against current legislation.

Pages 45 and 46 of adobe acrobat for the 2000 manual!

Wasn't purposely disagreeing with you, just pointing out what I thought to be the case.

At the end of the day, wheels poking out of the arches is frowned upon by most people, which is enough to be illegal

thanks got them printed and there going in the glove box i know how you fell i have had mine less than 3 weeks and have been getting pulled over for them, its bloody annoying and yeh tobyk it is frowned upon by old people but it does look pretty nice when rim is poking out!!

Is there nto a place you can go to to find out this info..

IE the Police station? Go along and ask how to find out and what you can do to make sure you are sticking wihtin the law.. That would be the sensible thing and then get it in writing... :)

Are you joking? Every police officer and station has their own ideas on what's legal! Also, it's not a police matter.

so if the law says 30mm is the maximum the wheel can sick out, then I'm just legal haha

Are you joking? Every police officer and station has their own ideas on what's legal! Also, it's not a police matter.

Police uphold the law.. Whatever the "LAW" says is what should be upheld! As mentioned previously the police are not the law however they may try to act like this.. There own ideas are irrelevant!

Police are the ones stopping you so it is a Police matter if your breaking the law????

I agree that police have thier own opinion. I was onced stopped for having neon under my car *blush*...

I was told it was legal when I know damn well it isnt.. even the box said it isnt!!!!

So I still say that would be a good may to find out.. I find my police station very helpful