Is your exhaust loud?

[DragonUSMC]

So check this out… two things happened this morning. I get pulled over and get a TICKET for my window tint. He told me I need a more special different DoT exception card then I have. Then said my exhaust is too loud… OK well I do have a break at the O2 housing off the back of the turbo which makes it a bit louder then usual. But yeah my exhaust is a bit louder then what it should be I guess.

Anyway here is my point to all this. Apparently in Bettendorf (where I live, a bunch of rich old fuddy duddies) They have finally cracked down on Iowa State Code and Bettendorf City Code which states this

"Every motor vehicle shall at all times be equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise and annoying smoke, and no person shall use a muffler cutout, bypass or similar device upon a motor vehicle on a highway. (Ord. 12-98, 4-21-1998)"

I’ve had my exhaust checked in CA, CO, and every damn military base I’ve been on… all good, under the allowed decibel limit…. So now they are starting to ticket people in my town. Arbitrary issuance of fines, based solely on a patrolman’s opinion… I don’t know but to me that’s just fukin wrong. I don’t care if they set a noise limit… but that’s just it. SET A FUKING STANDARD, don’t just make sheit up.

I say my exhaust is equipped with a muffler in good working order, and it does prevent excessive or UNUSUAL noise. Open headers is excessive and UNUSUAL noise. I wrote a letter to the mayor asking him to define unusual car noises. Hopefully he'll write back with "you know when you turn your car on it goes cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-vaaaAAAAAAroooooooom-putta-putta-putta... etc...

[Drifte]

awesome, not really. so your tint, whats the story their? i either missed something or dont quiet understand.

[DragonUSMC]

I have a DOT exeption for my tint because "of the rocket blast i sustained on April 8th of 2004 during the night attack of the Al Asad Air base" yeah so my VA doctor got me this polorized tint for my window to help me not get head aches from glare. But its pops up at 10% tint when they check it.

Technicly it only allows me to tint the side windows to 35% but its an old form and they have newer technology now... anyway long story, i've got to get a special special one that states i can have it to 10% seeing thats what it always reads... forget that i have a letter from the Secretary of Defense saying its ok... nope i've got to have a DoT paper.

[Ricky]

wow that sucks. so if the car doesnt sound like a camery then they could ticket you? im thinking about tint adn 20% all the way around. how offen do you get pulled over for it?

[Drifte]

forget that i have a letter from the Secretary of Defense saying its ok... nope i've got to have a DoT paper.

yeah, they have some retarded ass ideals.

[JustinS]

Mine would never pass an inspection if a cop wanted to test it. It's loud. 8)

Sucks to hear you were hassled Jay!

[DustinsDuster]

my car is actually pretty damn quiet with my $15 Summit mufflers...


sucks to hear about your town though; maybe you should move up here!

[fbodyguy]

Why no sir, I don't have a loud exhaust..... j/k :)

[warchild145]

Sucks about the tint deal. I say fight away on that one. Sounds stupid on the exhaust issue to but I fear driving my car because the exhaust is so loud.

Imagine an open header 440 now plug one ear. Thats how loud my car is.

[69gt4speed]

Why no sir, I don't have a loud exhaust..... j/k :)

No it is not too loud, I've heard it several times both ways.

Dragon, excessive and unusual sounds too arbitrary, no different than the flag law and hundreds of others. It is your constitutional right to run a inline four, no different than a v8, or v twin. I'd fight them... esp if it passes db standards. See what the judge will do, try to quiet it down and bring it court date.

[logans dad]

It sucks when Harley's can run straight pipes and get away with it. I would think he would have to have some equipment to measure decibel levels.

If you go to court use the Harley thing to compare.

[ZEE]

I'd rather hear a few Harleys than the morons that go through my neighborhood rattling my windows and waking up my kids in the middle of the night with their fuckin stereos boomin. Inconsiderate a-holes! I'll quiet the pipes on my Harley when the stereos (which outnumber the Harleys) stop boomin next to me at a stoplight.

[logans dad]

Dont get me wrong, I Had a 79 900 Sportster with a springer front end when I was 18 and it had straight pipes and I loved it but they are loud compared to a lot of cars that get busted for excessive noise.

I live on C st SW just after Bowling street and I have groups of Harley's getting on it going up the hill every nice day, but being from a Harley family I love it.

[DragonUSMC]

Bikes are actually what started the loud exhaust thing. I just got a letter from the Bettendorf Chief of Police saying that

"The state and city code is set up so officers can use their discretion if the exhaust system is too loud on the motorcycle. I am glad to see that you received a warning for your exhaust system. It has become more of a issue with motorcycles than cars as they are having the stock exhaust systems replaced with louder exhaust systems. Our belief is that the stock systems on cars and motorcycles are legal. If the exhaust system is faulty or has been replaced with one to produce more noise than it is in violation of city and state code."

So basicly if its not stock they dont like it... well i've got a T-23 that doesnt have a stock exhaust... if they can find one for me, then I'll get it.

I'm continuing my conversation with him... I'll let everyone know the results. I am going to go rattle cages at the courthouse about my windows... I have the 5 top members of the VFW going with me because they dont like the treatment of the Veterans lately.

[DustinsDuster]

damn skippy jay, stick it to the man....

[Drifte]

^ freakin awesome. ya may not wanna mention you swapped a motor from japan in. (sr20 in their right?). If its turbo its already pretty quiet, hopefully you have a car, and a muffler. thats all you should need.

I was at a gas station when a harley fired up with straight pipes. hurt my dam ears. i wanted to go ninja kick his ass right off the bike.

[DragonUSMC]

^ i agree that bikes should be loud... especially with all the idiot drivers out there reading the newspaper, talking on the phone, fiddling with their GPS, eating McDonalds and trying to steer with their knee all at the same time. If a loud bike breaks their concentration to notice them then I'm all for it.

[biohazard]

That sucks Jay. I get a few looks from cops up here in Ames but none have pulled me over so far.

[ZEE]

If it hurt your ears the baffles were probably removed. on a friends Harley he wanted it louder and he took the baffles out of the aftermarket pipes. Behind him it was actually painfull because it was so loud.

[brown7]

Dont get me wrong, I Had a 79 900 Sportster with a springer front end when I was 18 and it had straight pipes and I loved it but they are loud compared to a lot of cars that get busted for excessive noise.

I live on C st SW just after Bowling street and I have groups of Harley's getting on it going up the hill every nice day, but being from a Harley family I love it.


LOL you live like a block from me and I didn't even know it. but yeah, all those asshats leaving/going to chrome horse run the hell outta their bikes.

I guess what pisses me off though jay, is that your car is QUIET. I've heard STOCK diesel trucks that are louder