Bigger Tyres in SA

Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 19:56
ThreadID: 27763 Views:2471 Replies:5 FollowUps:3
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Hello

Does anyone have experience with the legalities of fitting bigger than standard tyres in South Australia, is it just a case of getting the speedo recalibrated, or is it more hassle than it's worth?
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Reply By: navaraman - Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 20:05

Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 20:05
Can't legally fit bigger than 15mm more than standard diameter. Never heard of anyone actually being "pinged" for it though.

Pat
AnswerID: 137490

Reply By: Lone Wolf - Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 20:15

Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 20:15
Trouble is with legislation, is that the poor Police almost need to be Philadelphia Lawyers to work out what's wrong or right on the day.

Hell, I emailed them, and went into traffic, for the SA ruling on lights above the roof-line. No one was game to call it.

I then emailed the RAA, and the same thing..... no reply.

How can they be expected to know, unless they look for the tyre compliance plate on the car, and you almost need a degree to be able to read those...

I remember as a lad, in the Mid North of South Australia, a young Police Officer was doing me over (and I deserved it) for various defects.

After writing them out, he then went to record my engine number, but instead, recorded the firing order on a 186 Red Motor!

Poor bugger....

I think that unless they are grossly oversize, you should be fine. I have managed to eke out 15 mm., and still technically be legal.

Cheers

Wolfie
AnswerID: 137492

Follow Up By: Gerhardp1 - Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 23:45

Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 23:45
1 5 3 6 2 4

The stuff you remember.......
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FollowupID: 391205

Follow Up By: Voxson (Adelaide) - Thursday, Nov 03, 2005 at 07:44

Thursday, Nov 03, 2005 at 07:44
Funny you should say that.... I thought the same thing too...
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FollowupID: 391220

Reply By: Twigiee - Thursday, Nov 03, 2005 at 09:10

Thursday, Nov 03, 2005 at 09:10
I looked into this about 6 months ago (before moving to QLD), there was an engineer that did modified vehicle approvals at the company i used to work for, so i asked him.

He said that anything more than 1 inch larger than the original largest diameter on the plate requires an engineers approval. Also with lifting the vehicle, he said that no more than 2 inches from the original ride height, and this includes the additional height from larger tyres.

At the time i wanted to get engineers approval for 33inch tyres. basically for this to happen he (the engineer) would need to demonstrate that the larger tyres were not detrimental to the vehicles' cornering and do a basic braking test. The braking test wasn't a problem, but he thought that the only way to prevent reduction in handling would be to increase the track at the same time.

Approval seemed all too hard, but the 33's stayed on! I'm living in qld now, and i believe they are legal here...? (and i hear that 4in lift is ok too...)

Twigiee

AnswerID: 137557

Reply By: D-Jack - Thursday, Nov 03, 2005 at 17:39

Thursday, Nov 03, 2005 at 17:39
It wouldn't be the cops I'd be worried about, it would be the damned insurance companies trying to get out of a writeoff especially a single vehicle accident when the tyres were eventually found to be illegal.

D-Jack
AnswerID: 137632

Reply By: warthog - Thursday, Nov 03, 2005 at 19:03

Thursday, Nov 03, 2005 at 19:03
There was a bloke on the patrol forum who said the tyres were allowed to be 15mm larger than what is listed in the owners manual for that car, not the tyre placard. In my 2000 patrol's handbook it lists a 245/85 tyre and that technically allows a 285/75 16 to be fitted.

Don't know if this is correct, but this bloke is normally accurate.
patrol 4wd
AnswerID: 137640

Follow Up By: gbdid - Thursday, Nov 03, 2005 at 20:22

Thursday, Nov 03, 2005 at 20:22
The manufacturers specified tyre size should be on the placard attached to the vehicle. Assuming that it is 245/85/16 then the diameter of that tyre is I think 822mm, and the diameter of the 285/75/16 is 833mm. This then meets the +/-15mm difference in diameter that is allowable, but it must also be the same or better speed rating and the same or better load rating.
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FollowupID: 391326

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