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New Hampshire Just passed a law about Loud Exhaust

751 Views 9 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  sabominator
NH just passed a law (HB243) that requires testing of the exhaust to receive a ticket. Basically, it must be louder than 95 db, using an SAE-defined test (something like 20" away, 45 degrees down, at 75% rpm of full power).
HB243 ==>> RSA 266:59, III, relative to modification of motor vehicle
exhaust system, is repealed. That section has to do with modifying the exhaust to be louder than stock.
This has been passed by the House, and is being reviewed by the
Transportation committee (Senate), and it is expected to pass OK. When it
does pass, it will be retroactive to Jan 1, 2004, so anyone who has
received a ticket since then will be able to go back and fight it.

I thought I would let you all New Hampshire members know.
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Yeah this was disscussed thru SEMA...I kept an eye on this but was pissed when they passed it...Oh well I guess you gotta start learning to press the clutch in while going by the police... ;)
I work at a Nissan dealer in the Parts Department. Where I use to sell Stillen parts but now we are not because of all the problems with the SE-R/SpecV exhaust. Service has had to replace 5 aftermarket mufflers because of them being illegal.
This is not a bad law guys. Before it was completely arbitrary, and ALL non-stock exhausts were illegal. If it was any louder than stock yould get a ticker. Trust me...3 tickets later I think this new law is great. At least I know what to shoot for, and can stilll build a 3" exhaust.
jlpearl said:
This is not a bad law guys. Before it was completely arbitrary, and ALL non-stock exhausts were illegal. If it was any louder than stock yould get a ticker. Trust me...3 tickets later I think this new law is great. At least I know what to shoot for, and can stilll build a 3" exhaust.
No its not a bad law. I thought I would share it would everyone. What do you have for a Nissan? I work t Port City Nissan.
Thats cool you work at Port City; I have bought a lot of parts from you guys. I have a '95 SE-R with a bluebird DET. Its going to the paint shop tomorrow to get a fresh coat of paint, and after that i have a crabon vented hood, and a carbon fiber trunk to put on it. Ive got ground control suspension, and a bunch of other stuff. You'll probly see it there this Spring. Ill be bringing it over to show the guys that I've been getting parts from. ~josh
Mikeyb said:
NH just passed a law (HB243) that requires testing of the exhaust to receive a ticket. Basically, it must be louder than 95 db, using an SAE-defined test (something like 20" away, 45 degrees down, at 75% rpm of full power).
HB243 ==>> RSA 266:59, III, relative to modification of motor vehicle
exhaust system, is repealed. That section has to do with modifying the exhaust to be louder than stock.
This has been passed by the House, and is being reviewed by the
Transportation committee (Senate), and it is expected to pass OK. When it
does pass, it will be retroactive to Jan 1, 2004, so anyone who has
received a ticket since then will be able to go back and fight it.

I thought I would let you all New Hampshire members know.
I have an update to this, seeing as I was the one that passed this on to you. :)

I have been in contact with the supporter of the bill (Rep. Artz) and there has been a significant change to this bill. Basically, the current section RSA 266:59 III that defines there are no modifications allowed, will be repealed. Completely.

That means there will be no law as to what the exhaust can be.

A test was done to see if the SAE testing system worked showed that even some stock exhausts (particularily, air-cooled motors, VW, Porsche, etc) could not meet the 95 dB setting, so the whole testing deal was scrapped.

There was a mtg scheduled yesterday in the Senate Transportation committee to see if the approved amendment has been accepted. I'll keep you posted.
i have lived here all my life and have never gotten anything for the exhausts i have put on my cars, guess i lucked out
You can really baffle your muffler buy stuffing it with fine steel wool you get at walmart in the sand paper section, you don't to leave it in there long term cause it may rust but for road trips and stuff its a cheap alternative, there is some rust resistant wool they make for ATV's that you stuff in the exhaust to make the noise go away, but it costs more of course, you may want to get some steel wire and a treble hook at the front of the wool in case you ever need to pull the wool out, I would put a small 1inch diameter aluminized pipe through the center of the packed wool once its in the pipe, so that you'll have some air flow, and to keep the steel wool in as the exhaust likes to push it out. You can put it all out when you race or just put it in when you go on road trips, I've done it, and it really works.
it's not a law anymore, and i know people who have had tickets dismissed that were written for exhaust mods just prior to the repeal.
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