Legal 4WD Modifications - QLD & NSW

[Wahoo]

yep no worries Brett.
cheers for all the info fellas


Daz

[Brett1907]

Looks like I'll be speaking to QT again tomorrow. I will post what I find out.

Whats the bet it differs from everything posted in these subjects so far. LOL

Brett

[Fat Chilli]

Fat Chilli, I just finished reading the relevant parts of the links you posted. Thank you for the information, but...

All the information I have found tells the same thing, that the laws changed in July last year. The fitting of body blocks will no longer be approved.

I and others on the site have found the Transport Departments to be full of incorrect, misleading and outdated information. This explains why they still have outdated info on their site.

I am not trying to put you down as I appreciate the time taken to do the research you have to find these sheets. If you come accross any other info please post it as I do want to modify my 'lux further and all the help I can get is appreciated.

Brett

Apology accepted , maybe.

Brett - Also not a put down either, but with regard to the advise from your club associates, the ones who also compete. I too am a member of several 4x4 clubs and was a founding member of a 4x4 club on the GC, I also compete regularly (time/work permitting). This; however, doesn't mean I know everything, in fact far from it. Learning all the time.
Just don't take everything stated as gospel until all avenues (i.e. Police, QT, Engineers) have been exhausted, as interpretatations and understandings vary.

On the ARB note, yeah I shouldn't have put them down given that I don't know them, but having owned number 4 of 6 totally custom ARB built 4x4's in the past I have developed a biased opinion of the overall company (not the franchisees). And yep, my 4x4 has ARB products on it, even though they were originally developed by another company - ARB Air Locker (Roberts Diff Lock).

Good luck with your BL, did you find anyone to assist?

[Brett1907]

Ok, Disengaged brain, pulled finger out of a@$e and trying again!

I WAS WRONG WRONG WRONG

All of the info given to me by 4WD shops, clubs and the QT inspectors before today was total BS.

I went into the Bundall QT Inspection centre today and had an indepth and very informative talk with one of the inspectors. I don't remember his name but he was EXTREMELY helpful, and even told me what to check in regards to the suspension I already have installed and what to look for to ensure the aftermarket tail lights I have comply with ADR's.

OK, with suspension.

I was right about that. 50mm max without approval and engineering certificate. BUT make sure they adjust your 'Load proportioning valve' once the vehicle is raised. This is what shares the breaking force between the front and rear brakes. If you lift the car the valve MUST be adjusted, however, somenewer vehicles are self adjusting. Just ask the guys doing it and if they can't answer whether it needs to be done or not, go elsewhere.

BODY LIFTS

If you get approval prior to the fitting of body blocks, and the modification AND the rest of the car pass the final inspection you can get them done. The following issues still stand though....

Can be difficult to get it approved, ARB have had an application at QT for months with no answer.

There is a national code which QLD hasn't signed yet, and the inspectors don't know what exactly will be legal/illegal once it is in place. The inspector I spoke to has heard rumours through the QT that Victoria (who have adopted the new code) are recalling vehicles with prior approval and reneging! This is unsabstatiated, but he found it disturbing.

This thread has shown just how much wrong information is out there. Even though I have been proven wrong on some of it I won't be carrying out the body lift. It is just too uncertain as to whether it will be approved (even though it is legal) and whether or not it would remain approved.

I am sorry if I offended anyone in voicing what I though to be accurate information. I didn't intend to. Thank you to everyone who posted their experience and the information they found. It has been very helpful.

Brett

[Fat Chilli]

You haven't offened anyone, at least not me I had to go through the same learning curve to discover the required info. Iif you still want some 4x4 shop options, ones I know have succesfully installed certified Body Lift, send me a PM. I know of a few, one of them is also an Engineer.

[bootyinblue]

No worries at all Brett,

I am only to help with queries regarding legislation and its imterpretation, both on here and on the side of the road. Between me and another 'unamed poster' on this site who is actually a QT Inspector glad me managed to get most of it squared away.

Perhaps the delay in the body lift approval is to do with waiting to sign the new agreement? I will did around about vehicles which have previously been approved and now be recalled for inspection. I find it hard to believe though in both a logistic and legislative sense.

[Kleyny]

i also find it very hard to believe that the approved vehicles can be recalled.
the body lift modification and lots of other modifications are outside the very narrow legislation in a sense. therefore they can only be approved by a QT Inspector. (in the legislation it says any modification can be approved by QT.)
eg Harley look alikes, cobra replicas, westfield racers, Manx buggies etc. all fall out of the legislation and need to be approved by QT only. ( to fall inside the legislation)

i hope that made sense

Brett. if ARB have not heard from the QT Engineers for months it possibly because they are asking for something out of the ordinary. (like a blanket approval for their body lift for example)
if you were to send in an application for a body lift on behalf of yourself the reply would be allot quicker.

neil

[Brett1907]

Thanks again everyone, I hope this thread will help others as well as me.

It just S$%Ts me to tears that there is so much misinformation around. And that what one inspector will appove another won't (the crushed tube inserts).

I don't think I will do a body lift at the moment, but I am still looking at the supercharger and have found someone that may be able to do the mods to my rear bar so I can recess it into the tub body. It won't affect my lighting heights, and QT told me I can put a slimline plate on the back as long as it is visible and has the correct lighting.

Brett

[bootyinblue]

Brett,

Have you priced a slim

[Charlie]

As for tyres in Qld the new code is the maximum you can modify your car and the states are free to set stricter standards, it seems Qld will never allow more than 15mm increase. Approved Bodylifts are legal unless you have airbags in which case approval is impossible.
The national code its been coming in next month for over a year in NSW, QLD don’t seem ain a hurry to move at all .

[Brett1907]

bootyinblue, I haven't priced one for years. Don't know how much they are now but will look into it when the time comes to make a definite decision. I have to talk to the guy who can do the mods. He builds sliders & bars for some of the guys in the GC4WD Club, so he knows what he is doing.

Charlie, are you sure about the airbags? The QT guy I spoke to this time was looking at my 'lux (I pointed it out to him) and said nothing about air bags preventing a body lift.

Thanks again.

Brett

[bootyinblue]

WHOA... We have got a new player in this thread

As for tyres in Qld the new code is the maximum you can modify your car and the states are free to set stricter standards, it seems Qld will never allow more than 15mm increase. Approved Bodylifts are legal unless you have airbags in which case approval is impossible.
The national code its been coming in next month for over a year in NSW, QLD don’t seem ain a hurry to move at all .

Charlie - Not sure what 'new code' you are talking about, but the current code does set minimum and maximum limits on tyre modifications which are clearly stated. I guess a body lift to be legal it has to be approved, havent seen too many unapproved lifts that are legal. And airbags such as Polyride are acceptable components if fitted prior to the lift and factored in to the application for the body lift.

Brett - Had a bit of a play around with PPQ.com and the cheapest plates I could make in a 100mm slimline format are going to set you back $395 to buy.

[Charlie]

Sorry I mean't the safety airbag that pops out of your steering wheel if you crash,these make a bodylify or bullbar illegal.
The new national code allowing 50mm bigger tyres was very well received by QLD 4WDrivers but it doesn't appear QLD transport are going to climb on board with it,as you say max 15mm increase is the law.
Regards Charlie

[Kleyny]

Sorry I mean't the safety airbag that pops out of your steering wheel if you crash,these make a bodylify or bullbar illegal.
Regards Charlie

Where did you get this info from????????
you can buy airbag compatible bullbars for allot of the 4X4s and cars on the market.
from what you are saying they are still illegal. it doesn't make sense.
if you get your body lift approved in the correct manner it can't be illegal.
i am sure that the QT engineers would consider this when looking at your application.

Brett. have already got personalised plates?
if so you maybe able to apply to get slim lines allot cheaper. (my thoughts are you have already purchased the rights to that plate and your just changing the type of plate.) but i could be wrong, it has been known in the past

Neil

[chisel]

I don't want to send this thread off on a tangent but ... obviously there are a lot of 4x4s out there with tyres that are technically illegal/unroadworthy. I'd venture to say a very high percentage of older 4x4s have bigger tyres. But, assuming you have tyres that are only mildly illegal (say 30mm increase), what are the chances that either
(a) A police officer will fine you for having an unroadworthy car just because your tyres are larger
(b) An insurance company will reject a claim based on an unroadworthy car just because tyres are larger.
Are there any other scenarios which might cause trouble?

I've heard a number of stories of people making successful insurance claims regardless of such mods (larger tyres) and I've also heard that insurance companies can't refuse a claim unless they prove the modification contributed to the accident. Of course, the larger the claim (eg. crashed into new bmw) the more likely the insurance company is to push the issue I suppose.

(Note: I run tyres that are legal - ie. less than 15mm increase).