Fined for no rear seats and a storage unit in a 4b!

Truckster , is it ok , to use this on other forums ?

Would be of major interest to a lot of people , and this type of thing also happens in QLD.

In WA you can get around that problem by getting a Modification permit for reduced seating capacity. All that is required is payment of the $31.00 fee and an inspection of the affected area of the vehicle. Removal of the seatbelts for the seats that have been removed would also be required. The reason a permit is needed is that you are changing the designed seating capacity, as designated on the vehicle compliance plate, from that specified by the vehicle manufacturer.

Pardon - but isn't this the responsibility of the 4WD drawer systems manufacturers to tell us? In my mind, they should make the effort to inform us in legal terms what the ramifications of installing their systems in our vehicles are in each state.

Again - there are so many accessory manufacturers out there (and I'd have to say ALL OF THEM) that make very little effort to deter you from buying one item or another depending on legality. Funny about that.

It appears to me that this issue is either a misnomer or overzealous cop

"Rule 32 of the AVSRs states that "any seat in a vehicle must be securely attached". There is no requirement that a seat must be permanently attached where removal would require more than simple hand tools."

vWhen I baught my 80 series from a Toyota dealer some seven years ago there were no third row seats installed but there was a cargo barrier behind the second row so if there were a third row they could not have been used safely as the vehicle is fitted with the tailgate system and it would have been very difficult for people to get in and out of the vehicle if not impossible

i was told bye the vic roads tester when i got my roadworthy licence it IS legal to remove seats infact all seats can be removed except the drivers seat so long as theres nothing to hit or damage your self in an accident.eg remove the seats but leave the runners in ect.
cheers

just checked with RTA NSW.They confirmed it does not affect the roadworthiness by simply removing third row of seats.
In fact they have vehicles with similiar setups. Cargo barriers are part of OHS policy.

In qld can i get a cargo barrier installed and leave the rear seats in . Do i have to take the rear seats out when i install a cargo barrier ?

Here is the link to the article re Removing seats

I have a copy permanately in the glove box.

The Australian design Rules states the compliance plate shows the maximum number of seating positions for the vehicle ie 5 ,7 , etc. Not the number of seats actually fitted. Therefore if you have all seats fitted ( ie 7 ) and you squeeze 8 in the vehicle then your in trouble. Likewise if you take two seats out and have 5 seats with 5 people seated --no problems.
It's all about a bum on a seat regardless of the number.
If and when I sell my vehicle, the drawer system and cargo barrier will come out and the two seats will go back in.

Regards

Terry

The laws will never be perfect, the problem is not the laws its the bleep police with ego problems sending themselves on power trips trying to enforce nonsense garbage that is the problem.

Haven't read all of the above posts, however, from the same discussion on another forum

1/ You just need to convince whoever that the seats have been removed TEMPORARILY, and that the storage system can be removed and the seats replaced, that covers any regulation you like.

2/ Get the rego changed from 7 seat to five seat, saves you $$$$ on rego and then completely legal

Rolande

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so before you re use it I would ask them there position

This how thay sore it then

Regards

Richard

Ahhhh Trucky....you know how to press the buttons...lol

Same old story, just another day... soon it will join the urban myth.

Nevertheless, some time ago I checked with the Transport Authorities here in SA and was advised that there isn't a problem removing the third row of seats as long as when you dispose of the vehicle your replace them.

So if your vehicle is legal in SA then other states cannot impose their laws on you.
Carrying a copy of the rules in your glovebox isnt going to do much good as if the authorities are hell bent on giving you a bluey, they will. Sure it is an inconvenience and all you have to do then is to front up in court, prove your case and collect court costs and damages. It may be worth mentioning this to whosoever is trying to book you.

This must be an isolated case and it is quite possible, as mentioned before, that the driver was giving the questioning policeman some lip.

I have yet to see the police around here being bothered by such a low rating technicality.

Vehicles drive around here with all sorts of illegal spotlights and fittings to them.
Police are interested in drink driving(ad nauseum), seatbelts, bald tyres, burn outs, speed(especially school crossings which are rated at 25kmh), roadworks and so on.

Cheers

my 2 cents worth, my new jackaroo with 7 seats and cargo barrier fitted had its roadworthy on friday - without the rear seats fitted, NO PROBLEM.

went through the vicroads rego inspection on tuesday, NO PROBLEM.

I will probably go a step further and take out the belts as well as they are in the way where they are, and look a bit obvious.

A good idea would be to make a copy of the relevant adr requirements and laminate them to keep permanently in the glove box, same as you do for an engineers report, just for mr plods information.

Have just spoke to Transport SA and thier first uestion was: is it a permamanat removal? I said, no, I am insatlallinga cargo barrier ans rear draws and without even a pause the response was: Thats fine. .not permanent so no worries.. no requirments for any inspections.certificates or anything.. so to answer a post higer up.. anything that is not Permanant can beconsidered temporary - if you get my drift.. but thats for SA. .who knows what the go with other states is.. What if I'm driving my Sa registered GU through NSW and get pulled over?? do I have to re-install my seats and remove draws to cross the border??? Can of worms anyone?????

Interestingly, in the Chrysler PT Cruiser the 65/35 split fold rear seats can be folded, tumbled forward, or removed altogether. They are fitted with lift handles and equipped with rollers for easier removal and storage. I believe this is increasingly becoming the case in many small sedans. With no documentation from the manufacturer that there are limitations on how long a vehicle can remain in its 'changed' state is this type of motor car blatantly infringe the ADRs from the moment it leaves the car yard?