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Re: Aftermarket wheel

Posted: September 22nd, 2008, 9:46 am
by MazdaRider
true treu ok k last but not least here's the big :?:
is it street legal
cause im already on probation
n all i need is one ticket.........or someting n im gone :(
so anyone know :shrug:

Re: Aftermarket wheel

Posted: September 22nd, 2008, 4:34 pm
by xxwhiteboyjim22xx
If you live in the states its legeal considering all cars below 92 or so dont have airbags anyways so it wouldnt be fair for you. Plus if a cop gave you a ticket for having an aftermarket wheel you should probobly just punch him in the face. As far as that light goes you might be able to cheak the resistance on it with an ohm/resistance meter. Then by a resister that matches that. Sounds complicated thats why i mentioned taking out the light bulb.

Re: Aftermarket wheel

Posted: September 24th, 2008, 1:13 am
by MazdaRider
yes i aksed but i have a 94
with srs so that doenst help
but the told me at the garage
just 2 say that that how i bought the car :shrug:
hopwe that doesnt get me my last ticket wish me luck guys :|

Re: Aftermarket wheel

Posted: September 24th, 2008, 11:08 am
by Nd4SpdSe
In Canada, Ontario anyway, you are legally allowed to remove your airbad wheel and replace it with an aftermarket one. Cops cannot ticket you about it; the only sipulation to that is that you must inform your insurance company, in which you're rates will more likely go up, and the other possibility is that they may even drop you.

Re: Aftermarket wheel

Posted: September 24th, 2008, 6:43 pm
by MazdaRider
well im in the U.S.A

Re: Aftermarket wheel

Posted: September 24th, 2008, 7:10 pm
by xxwhiteboyjim22xx
My insurance company also asked if I had airbags. I didnt understand why but now it makes sense. I live in the u.s. by the way. I also know in illinois you dont have to do emissions test if your car is older then 12 years or somthing, so i highly doubt they care about a flippen steering wheel.

Re: Aftermarket wheel

Posted: September 24th, 2008, 9:04 pm
by Nd4SpdSe
Sure they would.

You pay X amount of insurance in the car because of many factors, one of them is safety. Removing the airbag is removing one of the components that adds safety to the vehicle. I good example is my Xterra, it's literally a few bucks more a month than my Mx-3 ($111 vs $105). Although making it a much newer vehicle would raise the rates compared to the Mx-3, but on the flip side it's actually much safer than the Mx-3, which in the end, actually balances out my insurance.

One thing I forgot to mention is that if you sell your car, for us anyway, you NEED to put the stock wheel with the airbag back on the vehicle, otherwise it won't pass the safety. Thinking of that, that could an issue if, like what can happen here, you get your plates pulled by a cop because it's not road legal and have to get the car re-safetied, unless you get a hot safety of course. Again, that's probably a Canadian/Ontario thing, but our laws don't differ that much and should be a good example on what to expect.

Re: Aftermarket wheel

Posted: September 24th, 2008, 9:26 pm
by xxwhiteboyjim22xx
Ok. I did my research and found the following information.

In the state of Texas it IS unlawfull to tamper with airbags and can receive a penelty up to 5,000 dollars.
Aftermarket wheels are supposed to be used for offroad use only. However I find it really hard to believe that they will do anything about it. Those are the laws. If you get injured in an accedent your insurance company will not cover you if your car was suppose to have airbags also.

Theis also apply to such states as Illinois and Wisconsin. I havent searched any other states but it could apply to the whole country. Every state is diffrent though. Just search "laws air bag removal" on google and you will pull up plenty of information.

Re: Aftermarket wheel

Posted: September 24th, 2008, 11:17 pm
by MazdaRider
well im in texas n dont want 2 pay that much 4 a dam steering wheel

Re: Aftermarket wheel

Posted: September 24th, 2008, 11:20 pm
by xxwhiteboyjim22xx
Yup I wouldnt either. What if you just tell the cop that your car dosent have airbags to begin with? Its hard to say. Ive never heard of anyone getting in trouble for a aftermarket steering wheel. Im glad i dont have air bags.

Re: Aftermarket wheel

Posted: September 24th, 2008, 11:23 pm
by MazdaRider
yea but if u look on the dash casue i car tags r on the front winndsheild
thats how they check the car theirs this bag that say srs equiped

Re: Aftermarket wheel

Posted: September 25th, 2008, 7:31 pm
by xxwhiteboyjim22xx
Dang dude. Ive heard of people getting into accedints then never getting a new airbag. You could maybe use that as an excuse? Or maybe he will just let you off with a warning. Either way i feel for you man.

Re: Aftermarket wheel

Posted: September 25th, 2008, 11:24 pm
by MazdaRider
i'd rather not try it like i said im on probation :(
n dont want to end up in jail or with a hughe fine :(

Re: Aftermarket wheel

Posted: September 25th, 2008, 11:50 pm
by Nd4SpdSe
Exactly. When people do mods and say "screw the cops/laws", than they complain about getting harassed by the cops, the tickets they have to pay/fight. Your best bet is to try to keep it legal...however...

Looking at a car as old as the Mx-3, you could get away with not having an airbag since they didn't come with them in some year, some years they were even optional (I believe). As long as you get rid of any signs of the airbag system, you should easilly be able to pull it off, as long as you don't have a passener airbag, lol. I'd look to see if it's optional for your year in your state.If you got an Mx-3 of the same year in the state w/o a drivers airbag, the only thing where'd you may get in trouble is if your insurance company finds out since it'll be listed under your VIN as an included option.

It's kinda like the autoseat belts, where all Mx-3's were mandatory to have them in the US. but of course you know that they're prone to failures. Since your northern neighbours only had them as an option, and not a popular one, many have convereted over to manual belts using OEM equipment, so they could get away with that conversion, even in a safety check, unless the mechanic really knows better.

Re: Aftermarket wheel

Posted: September 25th, 2008, 11:52 pm
by MazdaRider
i dont knowe what 2 do now