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Mini truck USA rules

Discussion in 'General Truck Info' started by Paul Cianciolo, Feb 21, 2019.

  1. Paul Cianciolo

    Paul Cianciolo New Member

    Hi Folks,

    I’ve done quite a bit of research on getting a mini truck into the USA that is less then 25 years old.

    I could use a little clarity.

    1. Can I get a truck shipped to me in Michigan that is less then 25 years old ?

    2. If yes, will this truck be governed to 25 mph?

    I’m not interested in getting the truck road legalized.

    I’ll have more questions once these get answered.

    Thank you
     
  2. Maximal

    Maximal Active Member

    double check but as far as i know as long as you dont care about getting it road legal, it can be any year. even brand new
     
  3. Jigs-n-fixtures

    Jigs-n-fixtures Well-Known Member

    The EPA may require that they be limited to lower speeds if they are less than 21-years old. It is part of the emissions requirements. And, the DOT has safety requirements for vehicles that are less than 21-years old. Either can get a vehicle stopped at customs.

    So, some if the vehicle can’t be certified to meet the EPA emissions standards, you can’t import it. This isn’t really usually a big issue, as the Japanese standards have always been more stringent than the US ones. And, most of the exporters can do the EPA certification. And that will get them through Customs.

    The DOT safety requirements, are where things get weirdest, because the Japanese don’t require the same light configurations, or crash testing that we do. The totally enclosed, maker specific headlight assemblies are a big issue. The right hand wheel/drive on the left side of the road headlights have low beams that point down and left. The American versions point down and right. If the truck is old enough to have standard round or rectangular headlights you can just install new bulbs, and be good. The newer ones don’t have that option.
     
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2019
  4. matt167

    matt167 Active Member

    trucks newer than 21 years old need EPA certification. Buy from an importer who offers the newer trucks with the EPA certification for off road use. This is why it's pretty much a good idea to go either 25 years old or absolutely the newest truck you can find. The 21 year old truck is exactly the same as the 25 year old truck, but a 1-15 year old truck is a lot nicer
     

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