I have seen some aftermarket exhausts like HKS, etc. and they state that their CBEs are for off-road use only. What does that mean?

Will I get into trouble by using them on public road?

 

do they come with a test pipe? If they did then that would be why its put as off-road use only

 

That is just a disclaimer to protect them from you going after them if they were to say its 100% street legal.

 

Well depending on where you live, some places you might get pulled over for a loud exhaust. So instead of saying "Legal in some areas. Use at own risk" and that gets technical with law requirements and even strict more through disclaimers, its easier to say Off-Road Use only and leave it at that.

 

Don't worry, it's fine to use on the road. It's just a disclaimer for HKS to cover their ***.

If you're running a test pipe instead of a cat, you're liable to some sort of trouble with the police or failed inspection.

 

Our cars are for off-road use, thats what they meant

 

Actually in states like California, it is not street legal to make ANY exhaust modifications even after post-cat that alter the db level. If the exhaust is as quiet or quieter than stock it's legal, but anything louder, and doesn't even after to be above a preset db to be excessively louder, just above the stock db....so technically in some states it's "not fine" period.

 

This is true, but then again, aren't most modifications technially illegal in CA and some other states? ie. intake, IC piping, etc? That kind of sucks.

 

No not really, for any modification to be legal intake systems or exhausts must be stamped with a CARB (California Air Resources Board) exempt sticker. It means it has gone thru CA state testing to not alter the emissions control systems or if they do still with in state specs. This of which AEM has done and so has Ingen for intakes. And i swear I saw somewhere a CARB exhaust.... Then for cars with stock turbocharger systems we have just found out modifications to the intercooler system are legal. Just found new paperwork for it, hehe.

 

Man, I couldnt stand dealing with that. Here in FL, there are no emission checks or inspections. You can practically do anything. I have a friend with a '83 V8 Mudstain (Mustang, its badass but always dirty) running custom straight pipes from the block, and its loud as *****. He's never been pulled over.

 

Ya it's pretty stupid. I got State Refereed and had to go back to stock for a smog check simply becuase I had a K&N filter over the stock MAF.