South Carolina to Ban the “Carolina Squat” This Week
South Carolina’s ban on the “Carolina Squat” goes into effect on May 9. Though the term perhaps conjures images of a lewd dance or some new-fangled way to poop in the woods, the Carolina Squat is really just a dangerous mod on trucks and SUVs whereby owners lower the rear end and raise the front. The effect resembles a motorboat at speed. Cruising across open water with a bow partially obstructing your view is one thing. Cruising the streets of the Palmetto State, crowded as they are with people and other cars, is something else entirely. Obstructed views over the nose of these vehicles have led to vehicle collisions and pedestrian deaths. Hence, the ban.
The trend is already outlawed in North Carolina and Virginia. In South Carolina, the legislation began working its way through the hands of lawmakers in the House and Senate early last year, gaining near-unanimous support from both chambers, before being put to Governor Henry McMaster last May. The language of the law states:
It shall be unlawful for any person to drive a passenger motor vehicle, including vehicles commonly referred to as pickup trucks, on the highways of this State if, by alteration of the suspension, frame, or chassis, the height of the front fender is raised or lowered four or more inches greater than the height of the rear fender. For purposes of this subsection, the height of the fender shall be a vertical measurement from and perpendicular to the ground, through the centerline of the wheel, and to the bottom of the fender. As contained in this item, “fender” means the pressed and formed part mounted over the road wheels of a motor vehicle to reduce the splashing of mud, water, or similar substances.
Another section of the law addresses any passenger vehicle “which has been elevated or lowered, yet still leveled, more than six inches by a modification, alteration, or change in the physical structure of the vehicle.” Pickup trucks are exempted from this law, however.
The ban went into effect November 12, 2023, but gave Carolina Squatters a 180-day grace period to remedy their skyward rides, with officers issuing warnings only. That grace period ends May 9, after which time violators face fines of $100 for a first offense, $200 for the second offense, and $300 plus a one-year license suspension for the third offense.
Although we generally accept the maxim that racing improves the breed, clearly, sometimes it just makes things dumber. In this case, the Carolina Squat has its origins in Baja off-road racing, where desert trucks often employ negative rake as way to help absorb bumps and hard landings in their long-travel front suspension. From there originated the “California Lean,” and it was only a matter of time before the trend spread via social media.
Famously, the Concorde supersonic jet overcame the issue of obstructed views with an articulated nose, which lowered 12.5 degrees during take-off, landing, and taxiing, to allow the pilots to see clearly. There’s been no word yet on whether some enterprising customizer has sought to circumvent the long arm of South Carolina law by installing hinges on the front end of a Tahoe, but if we hear of anything, we’ll keep you posted.
Putting aside the vision issues inherent to this mod, the suspension and steering also are adversely affected (it can be done right, but none of these bone heads are) as the suspension and steering components are getting leaned back with the truck, rather than being remounted in their proper operating orientation, so you end up with steering like a chopper bike, and independent front suspension operating not vertically but at a 15-30 degree lean, putting stresses in odd places and not properly absorbing bumps to keep traction and steering in a safe operating spectrum. Wildly dangerous across the board from vision to basic vehicle mechanical principles.
Thank God.
Would not be fun to get t-boned at window height by a jacked-up full-framed truck. Raked or not… Airbags can only do so much.
Example “ I’m roll’s down the street, smok’n indo, sipp’n on gin and juice!” and I bust a three-wheel, left hand corner in my 64! It has hydraulic or air suspension in the vehicle can replicate numerous angle scenarios, as well as side to side. But if you’re smart you drive responsible so nothing happens to you or anyone else. Don’t get me wrong, that part of the video was awesome!lol
Even an animal would think this is a stupid kind of ugly. What species would do this?
I do not know how/why this trend began–but, being 85+ years old, I recall in the 1950s when guys did this to their cars (not trucks). I had a (grown man )friend with a ’50 Ford passenger car who achieved the same stance. High school boys with their first cars followed the trend. I never heard of law being passed to stop the practice. Never heard of accidents resulting from being unable to see the vehicle ahead, either. BUT–pick-ups were not the vehicle of choice for this practice. Pick-ups had not yet become the choice of The Young Men of Texas! And there were NO pick-ups anywhere near the size of today’s pick-ups!
I live in SC and drive a street rod with a proper stance. According to this law my car is now illegal as it has a modified suspension and is more than 6″ lower than stock.
The ‘lowering’ portion of this law effectively bans most every hot rod, lowrider, or street rod. Not ok!
How do they handle bagged cars?
Wish I would have heard about this legislation while it was being voted on. Would have raised hell!
Just another example of how out of touch I am from what’s cool with the kids. Hopefully they’re not ambitious enough to read the law, or bright enough to trim and add onto the fenders to get around it. Here in Massachusetts the spec is bumper height can’t be more than three inches higher or lower than stock. I know because I got cited for it and bought the Mass. General Law book doubting it was there – but it was.
I’ve never seen that.
I must need to get out more.
Stupid, even worse than the old fad of lowering a car (usually a Honda) and putting on wide small “skateboard” wheels.
Here in the people’s Republic of Washington, we have idiot tuners who aren’t happy unless their Subaru makes more noise than a top fuel dragster at the Winternationals.
If you value your life, you stay home late at night so you don’t get killed by them street racing. A few years back, two young friends of my mechanic were killed a few miles down the highway after hitting a guard rail at 120 at 3am.
Another pet peeve is tires that extend far beyond the fenders.
Rock chips anyone.
Of course there are laws against.that, but they aren’t enforced, but oddly, a law against a car without a hood is.
I hate to sound like Nader, but sometimes people need to be protected from themselves.