Questions for Phoenix Arizona area Guys

[MTTwister]

I'll be moving to Phoenix sometime next year, so...

1. Emission inspections:o - Do they check to see if the CAT is still in place? I'm going to hang Kennedy's 3.5" on the truck, and I've gutted the CAT - but am wondering if I could eliminate it all together, and splice the new exhaust off the CAT's inlet pipe. WHY? 'cause I already have a new downpipe with the flange, so there will be some monkeying around to do. My current preferred option is to leave the gutted CAT in place and join up the new pipes on it's tail. May not be the most 'efficient' to have the gases expanding and then contracting back into the pipe, but what the heck.

2. Tires - I need to get off my duff and replace the OEM's (w/ 45,000 mi) with some new tires. Looking at going to 265/75/16, and only need to get one more winter out of a "traction" tread. Then I'd want a tire that will hold up to AZ's hot streets. My current choices would be the Geolander's ( might be unnecessarily aggressive a tread for AZ ?), or a Firestone Transforce or Destination. < yeah, kinda shopping price, too :rolleyes: > What holds up better down there, or doesn't it really matter?

3. hmmm also - anybody running WVO - filtered with 15% unleaded? Any problems getting a steady supply? And disposing of the solids after filtering? I'm assuming that there's no problem keeping the oil up to temp down there.

Anything else that is different about running rigs in Phoenix?

Thanks!

[JeepSJ]

I'm interested as well. Just got hired by a company in Tempe and will be moving in Sept/Oct. It'll be interesting to see how they handle the whole diesel swap deal...

[Craig M]

I remember a member from Arizona mentioning opacity testing for diesels. They check clearness of exhaust emissions under full throttle if I recall the thread correctly.

[MTTwister]

Except depending upon where you go they may hold it at full throttle for 15 - 30 seconds. The best place was south of I10 and ?51st street? Somewhere on Roosevelt, I think it was. I printed that one out and saved it.. :)

JeepSJ - go to "my AZcar dot com" and try to decipher the rules. ( That might be the renewal site - but it links to the Air Quality ( yeah right) for AZ.

[Bnave95]

I'll be moving to Phoenix sometime next year, so...

1. Emission inspections:o - Do they check to see if the CAT is still in place? I'm going to hang Kennedy's 3.5" on the truck, and I've gutted the CAT - but am wondering if I could eliminate it all together, and splice the new exhaust off the CAT's inlet pipe. WHY? 'cause I already have a new downpipe with the flange, so there will be some monkeying around to do. My current preferred option is to leave the gutted CAT in place and join up the new pipes on it's tail. May not be the most 'efficient' to have the gases expanding and then contracting back into the pipe, but what the heck.

2. Tires - I need to get off my duff and replace the OEM's (w/ 45,000 mi) with some new tires. Looking at going to 265/75/16, and only need to get one more winter out of a "traction" tread. Then I'd want a tire that will hold up to AZ's hot streets. My current choices would be the Geolander's ( might be unnecessarily aggressive a tread for AZ ?), or a Firestone Transforce or Destination. < yeah, kinda shopping price, too :rolleyes: > What holds up better down there, or doesn't it really matter?

3. hmmm also - anybody running WVO - filtered with 15% unleaded? Any problems getting a steady supply? And disposing of the solids after filtering? I'm assuming that there's no problem keeping the oil up to temp down there.

Anything else that is different about running rigs in Phoenix?

Thanks!
http://www.myazcar.com/

[MTTwister]

How about a Tire related answer, then? Any experiences for pointing a guy in the "right" direction? Thanks

[JeepSJ]

Tires - tell me more about your driving habits.

Something else to add to AZ - they do randon roadside checks of diesel fuel. My last trip out there they set up a station on the side of the road and were checking the tanks of all diesel powered vehicles.

[Simzie]

Hope this post isn't to late...I have lived in Tucson for about two years now, I believe the emmision testing is the same state wide. I had removed the soot trap many years ago on my 98 GMC when I lived back east and I as well was concerned about the inspections. I have a 4" pinnicle exhaust system on my truck..to make a long story short, I have been through the inspection twice, both times they inspected the exhaust system with a mirror, both times the truck has pasted with flying colors. I really sweated it out the first time through...now I have no concern about the missing converter.hope this info is helpful...good luck and enjoy Arizona..I love it here Simzie

[MTTwister]

I spent my 'formative" years in Ridgefield.

I will probably leave the gutted Cat in place and let the expanded gasses fight their way back down into the 3.5" pipe. Decision mostly driven by the upgraded Downpipe's Flange connector.

Tires and Driving habits - Well, I have 45,000 on the OEM's. Currently don't tow, but "might" in the future. No off roading - at least not for "fun", so it's mainly around town. I thought about Michelin's (sp) and getting 70,000 - but that would take me 15 - 20 years at this rate, and the tires would rot off the rims before I wore them out.

Note - my OEM load rage "E" have a 2750 # rating on the sidewall. A good "D" range would be an improvement! Still internally debaing 255/85/16 versus 265/75/16 - but I'm gathering that the 255's won't really get me an overall improvement, so I'm focusing on the 265's ( on a stock rim).

Phoenix will be coming up next year.

[azblazor]

I'll be moving to Phoenix sometime next year, so...1. Emission inspections:o - Do they check to see if the CAT is still in place?

On 3/4 and 1 tons (and big rigs) they have you stomp the accelerator (they look to see that the truck goes up on the rev limiter) on que and they check for opacity (soot). You have to do that about 7 or 8 times. Then they pull you forward and look underneath with a mirror, they check your fuel tank cap, and they look under they hood.

Do they really know what they are looking for? Probably not in most cases IMO. I have cats though on any truck that came with them.



3. hmmm also - anybody running WVO -I'm assuming that there's no problem keeping the oil up to temp down there.

I don't/haven't yet run WVO. But we only get into the low 30's (deg F) at night, a couple times a year. Well actually just take a look at these average temps:
http://www.arizonacondo.com/Temps/temps.html
pay particular attention to the warmest ever temps, because we seem to be approaching them more frequently the last 20 years.



Anything else that is different about running rigs in Phoenix?

It's really, really hot from May til the end of October. You will really appreciate AC after spending the summer in Phoenix.