Is using zip ties on your car legal?

I busted the front end of my car up. I had to get a new radiator and do a little crude body work. The radiator is screwed in at the bottom and its is stable but the screws at the top do not line up. So i decided to use some zip ties. Its stable it does not move and the car runs grate. Is it legal? I live in Texas.

I don't know if it's legal.

Unless you get pulled over by the cops and they look under the hood, who's going to know what you did?

You should be fine, maybe not safe though I am in texas, and thats whats holding my front plate on, lol.

What kind of city do you live in? Uppity? Or raggedy? That would be a factor I suppose. You could call the police station and ask, or if you get pulled over, tell them you are getting quotes to fix it.

At least you didnt use duct tape

weve been using them in drifting for years to hold bumpers and any other bits together...youll be fine until you can get everything fixed correctly.

yeah if its fixed securly in place and its not perminant its fine, just remeber radiators and their associated pipes get HOT and may MELT them!!!!

This is why turbo hoses and such have metal 'rachet' zip ties, perhaps upgrade to those if its going to be a while till its fixed.

How old is it. I just put antique plates on my car to keep from ever having to have it inspected again. You prolly got a 50% chance on gettin away with it. (Zipties) as long as they aren't holding on body panels, lights, etc.

I am worried about getting it inspected. They have to pop the hood, the hood is so F$^ed up its got a big boe, it not flesh with the body. I can still see, will that be a problem? It still locks shut.

zip ties are stronger than most bodywork fixings. as for your repairs, i couldnt say, but if it looks like a 5 yr old did it, youre deffinatly upping your chances of getting pulled over.
having zipties hold your car together isnt illeagal, but if you felt the need to ask im guessing in your case it is.

Originally posted by Bobaganoosh
How old is it. I just put antique plates on my car to keep from ever having to have it inspected again. You prolly got a 50% chance on gettin away with it. (Zipties) as long as they aren't holding on body panels, lights, etc.

Technically, you are breaking the allowance of the law intendedd for antique and classic cars. If it is considered to be a "daily driver" as the term goes, it needs regular plates. Old plates that match the year are strictly for going to and from shows and parades.

(I went through this with my .'74 'vette. But unless you get acting a fool, with an old car hot rod, I imagine that most cops will give you a pass on the plates even if you get pulled over for some typical violation. I can add that you will need a front plate also. they are keenly interested in that they can identify your car with their niffty stoplight cameras and with those new drive-by plate readers. at the airports too. and....

Oh, another thing.

Since that was a front end crash, if you use plastic ties to secure the front plate, make them snug. The laws says plates should be securely fastened to the vehicle,

And if they use such ties to secure suspects of crimes, I don't know why you can use them to secure an innocent license plate. (But you might have to save that argument for your court appearance.)

Judging by the number of cars with cracked windshields, loud mufflers and duct tape windows in North Texas I would say you are probably safe with the cops. The inspection station is a different matter entirely but just remember what my dad always used to say, "It's only illegal if you get caught."

They're used in the factory.

I am currently running new brake lines on my Jeep from the master cylinder back to the rear axle and they're all bundled together fuel, brake and vacuum lines using zip ties....from the factory.

Police or inspection agencies are not going to question their use unless they're obviously used in an obviously unsafe manor.

Like fastening your kid's baby seat or the driver's seat to the floorboards with them.

But I would recommend you really fix the problem before losing your Radiator one day....simply due to the fact that strong fasteners are used to counteract the forces of acceleration and deceleration.
A zip tie isn't made to withstand those types of forces...

Not all zip-ties are the same, use only high grade ties.

Some break down quickly from sunlight and cold

Some have special plastics in them that are not affected by the sun

Your best one are not from harbor freight.

Look for zip-ties made for the electrical industry they are made to last for years for binding electrical cables to cable trays at industrial plants.