I am a US Navy Meteorologist stationed on Point Mugu NAS, California.  My rig is a '91 YJ with 32" thornbirds.  Problem is I got caught on base in a traffic stop bust where they hit you with everything in the book.  What did they get me on...  "Mud flaps missing" Which the respectable officer more than likely misstated "Mud Flaps" cause what he was complaining about was the Fender Flares not being wide enough.  Now to my knowledge, in the state of California, your allowed to have 4 inches from the flare out to the tire. I informed the officer of this and he said, "thats an easy 5 - 6 inches"  Of course I measured it later to my surprise they're 3 3/4", just under the wire IF the 4 inch rule applies.  Can anyone out there help me out with this one cause if I can't fight it then I have to shell out for new Fender Flares.  (Minimum investment of about $250.00 from what I've seen so far.) This is not an easy task on an Airmans pay supporting a family!  Any help on this would be greatly appriciated as no one else has any knowledge on this subject that is at my disposal.  

Very Respectfully,

NavyAG

I am an Army Reservist and spent a short time on active duty.  I did, however, have lots of time to run into MP's.  Be advised:  The regulations on a military installation do not always mirror those in the civilian world.  Call the MP station.  Get a regulations manual that covers the operation of POV's (personally owned vehicles).  They may or may not tell you to follow state regs.

On the other hand, if you just don't want to deal with those guys to begin with, just buy 'em.  OK, Airmen/Seamen/Soldiers get paid CRAP!  Got it.  If you can't buy 'em, build 'em.  Find a local fab shop that can get some sheet metal and just build them such that they'll be within regs and still look good.  Get 'em painted and all that as well.  It really depends on if you're driving and tryin to drive in style or (like my CJ) it's just fun and the hell with what  everyone thinks!  Hope it helps.

GO ARMY!

I had a problem with the mud splashing on my passengers with the doors off so I built some flares from 1-1/4" tubing and some 18 guage sheet metal. If you can't weld you could even pop rivit the metal to the tubing. The tubing can be bent with a tube bender or heat the tube with a torch carefully and bend it around somthing heavy with the right curvature you need. They look tough and you respectable looks from real Jeepers.---GO SQUIDDS  

I have already checked out the regulations in the base instructions and in this particular case they do mirror California State Regs.  And yeah, my '91 is a GO not SHOW Jeep, couldn't be show if it wanted to... but it gets me to places where the asphalt ends and people aren't which is why I got the thing!

Thanks Flint!

P.S. Maybe next year Army will win the Army-Navy game...  

Maybe...