Were rear bumpers standard equipment on 88-98?

[w/gcd72]

The only reason I'm asking this is I was hassled tonight about not having a rear bumper on my 1990 stepside. On my father's old 88 stepside, he had to order the rear bumper b/c it did not come as standard equipment according to the window sticker which we still have. I also have a "Genuine GM" license plate bracket w/lights for trucks without a factory rear bumper (thats what the sticker says on the box) that I got from a Chevrolet Dealer. The best part is, for the past 9 months I drove it without the bed, rear bumper or license plate light, and was never stopped by the police until 3 months after I put it back together. The law that the police officer said I violated says it applies if the vehicle came originally equipped with bumpers as standard equipment. I'm in college right now, and the bumper that came on the truck wasn't original nor was it in good shape (it had been rear ended), so I put that bracket on b/c it was a whole lot cheaper than a bumper. Thanks to anybody who can help me and sorry for the longwinded post. Here's the link to the law http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/cod.../ar19/ch4.html

[scotts62]

Hum that's a good question.. i have only seen the step side trucks with a roll pan or bumper, but i think that they came with a bumper.

[ChevLoRay]

I have a son-in-law who is a cop. He says that rookie cops love to see a license plate light that isn't working. If yours wasn't working, that may be the basis for the stop. As to whether or not the rear bumper was originally installed at the factory, it would depend on the equipment level/package. If the truck is a basic work truck, it may be that it did't have one and that's why it had the non-stock bumper on it. Did that bumper have the dealers' name on it? Was it one of those "cast iron"/diamond plate steel jobs? If it is illegal to not have a bumper, why are roll pans sold/installed w/o any hassle? (just a rhetorical question).

[BIGphillip79]

You wouldn't think they wouldn't have anything back ther from factory or dealer at least. Roll pans and bumpers look good, with out them looks like crap.
I do know though that alot of mini trucks like mazdas and mitsubushis and the like could be had new real cheap with out a rear bumber in the 90s. I remember seein some for like 150 bucks a month bare bones, no a/c, radio, or rear bumber. Sure GM would do the same.

[Pyrotechnic]

I remember seeing a lot full of these trucks in the mid 90's and none of them had rear bumpers. I remember my dad saying it was some way for the dealership to make more money by selling you either a factory or aftermarket bumper. True or not I don't know, and it's possible that it could have been isolated to this one dealership.

[JohnC]

I do recall it being an option. Most trucks came with bumpers, but there were some that didn't. I never recall seeing one from the factory with a roll pan though.

[ChevLoRay]

....except for the S-10 Cameo. It had a roll pan in the rear...don't remember if it was late 80's or early 90'. Since the body changed for '94, it had to be earlier....maybe even '90.

[John Gilbert]

As usual you guys have brought up a good question. I know from memory that base model pickups came without a rear bumper... Panels had a rear bumper. My '79 C10 Big 10 came with a white front bumper and no rear. The '88 I bought used in '93 came with a cheapie rear bumper that I think was From GM. I still have the same '88 today and its had a molded-in steel rollpan since '00. The '00 S-10 I bought new and still own and bought new was a base model that came with a rear bumper. I gave that bumper away in the first week I owned the truck, and its never had a rear bumper since, just a big 'ol trailer hitch. Anyways, what all of this rambling is leading up to is I don't know what year rear bumpers became standard, but they did. So, that said I think one of us should do a little research (not me, I have to mow the lawn) and enlighten us, it would be good to know... thanks.

[ChevLoRay]

You mow, dude, you mow....oh, that's supposed to be "You go, dude, you go"...

[w/gcd72]

Well thanks guys for your ideas on this. I think I'm just gonna end up going to the state police post and ask them about the law, b/c I also noticed that the law says passenger car, and the federal bumper law doesn't regulate pickups either. I believe that would be my best bet.

[Braz]

Originally Posted by w/gcd72

Well thanks guys for your ideas on this. I think I'm just gonna end up going to the state police post and ask them about the law, b/c I also noticed that the law says passenger car, and the federal bumper law doesn't regulate pickups either. I believe that would be my best bet.

That paragraph does not apply to you because it clearly states that it applies to "passenger cars." I assume your truck is registered as a truck? But you're still screwed. Here is the next paragraph from the link you gave:

IC 9-19-4-2
Trucks with declared gross weight of not more than 11,000 pounds
Sec. 2. When operated upon a highway, a motor vehicle registered as a truck with a declared gross weight of not more than eleven thousand (11,000) pounds must be equipped with bumpers of substantial construction on the extreme front and the extreme rear of the vehicle. The height of the front and rear bumpers may not exceed thirty (30) inches when measured from level pavement to the bottom of the bumper.

Did the guy actually write a ticket? If he did he had to cite the section of the law on the ticket. If he put down that passenger car section, you win. If he got the right truck section, you loose.

John
NOT a Lawyer