Modifications to four wheel drives under threat.

Phil,
It might be a slow news week.

If I buy a Patrol and it comes with a "Nissan Bull Bar" is that illegal?
100 Series and 200 Series diesel vehicles have dual batteries as standard, is that going to be outlawed?
My 78 Series has 2 x90lt tanks the same as some Prados, another danger?
When I had a Pathfinder back in 1988 it had a rear wheel carrier as standard. A Pathfinder and a killer rear wheel carrier. :-))

Range Rovers can adjust there air suspension more than 50mm.

I know that there are other vehicle that have the same accessories but they all comply with current ADR. So unless the ADR is changed I can't see how this could happen.

Wayne

Hi Phil
Thanks for bringing this to our attention, and like many viewers here on the forum, were not aware of the changes. I would have thought that the large after market manufacturers would be doing all their best to get it stamped out, as this is their bread and butter and with the current economic situation, one would have thought that the government would be looking after the jobs of many workers employed by these after mart companies.

Again thanks for keeping us informed.

Best Regards

Stephen

I am aware that there has always been restriction in place but never enforced. The basic ones I know are,
Spot lights are to be even numbered, eg two or four not three etc and be mounted no higher than the headlights. 50mm suspension lift and 20mm body lift, roof racks are ok.
Ultimatley you are supposed to get permits for aerials, wheel carriers, bull bars, oversized tyres etc. I am aware of this because a few years ago myself and my old man built a significantly modified 1 tonner. The old boy being as meticulious as he is, went through the correct process and got permits for all the mods. He then went on to tell me how many mods on my Hilux at the time were "Technically" illegal.
It is one of those rules that has been and will always be there but continued responsible driving, behaviour and a general respect for all others will continue to leave this as a minimal priority to the respective concerned.
In the grand scheme of things, the cost of these items alone bleep all over Kevin Dudds stimulus, we are doing a great service to the country!!!!!!!!

"Its seems like mods such as rear wheel carriers, bull bars, long range fuel tanks, dual batteries, raising vehicle height by more than 50 mm, modifying engines and so on will be illegal.
"

This has been reported on other forums also that statement is FALSE.

The only thing in that list is that you would need to get the car certified for is a greater than 50mm increase (Including tyre, body & suspension lifts)

NCOP spefically states that Long range tanks are allowed.

Well did you know that currently you cannot have a roofrack that protrudes more than 50mm past the roof gutter .

I read this bit -

Where a conversion has resulted in an increase in tare mass, the modified vehicle shall be weighed at a weighbridge. Individual axle masses and total mass shall be recorded separately.
Where the original GVM of the vehicle is no longer applicable due to the modifications performed, a new GVM must be determined

Which could apply to bull bars, wheel carriers, and even drawer systems as they all add weight.

Interesting.

Many of the items you are referring to already have ADR approval.

A National Standard would be an excellent idea, but commonsense needs to prevail to allow necessary modifications, but we do need to get the heavily modified, blatantly illegal vehicles off the roads, both 2 & 4WD.

Seems like a lot of it is just common sense or already there under existing state laws and Australian Standards.
The part about taking a vehicle to the weighbridge if the modifications have affected the GVM has always been around.

Eg If you build an icecream van onto a cab chassis,its tare shalll include the weight of the van.
My 6x4 box trailer tare includes its lid weight of 32kg in its 212kg tare

Dual wheel carriers ,bullbars,winches and other mods are often fitted to govt vehicle such as police ,ambulance and fire and rescue.

Yep,slow news week.

Phil,
I guess every Police car, ambulance, SES vechicle and so on will be off the road if this happens. They all have dual batteries, draw systems, bull bars of some type, additional lights and so on.


I think someones might be pulling your leg.



Rob

I haven't double-checked but I think I saw in the 200 series lcool section that the new NCOP prohibits "modifications" to any vehicle with electronic stability control - which includes a lot of new 4x4s. Exactly what restrictions would be in place (maybe just suspension changes??) I don't know.

But it'll remain legal to "modify" the handling of a sedan enormously by attaching a huge caravan to it - without having your driving skills tested for an articulated vehicle at 110km/hr !!!!

Something not quite right about all this.

As I understand it ADRs are a Federal responsibility and relate to the design of new vehicles; modifications to vehicles don’t come under any National Authority, but is the responsibility of the Motor Vehicle Authority in each State.

Correct me if I’m wrong?

I think that this is the most important section of the NCOP so that if adopted new vehicles will not be able to be modified at all.

2.6 MODIFICATIONS TO VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ESC NOT PERMITTED
Many modern vehicles are now being equipped with a safety feature known as Electronic Stability Control (ESC). (Also known as Vehicle Stability Control or Dynamic Stability Control).
ESC provides motorists additional safety in terms of vehicle stability and handling, particularly in difficult situations where loss of control could otherwise occur. ESC uses computer technology to assist the driver in maintaining control in emergency situations – particularly when executing avoidance manoeuvres involving sudden swerving and in cases when the vehicle begins to slide and rotate sideways.
Braking is automatically applied to individual wheels, such as the outer front wheel to counter oversteer, or the inner rear wheel to counter understeer. Some ESC systems also reduce engine power until steering control is regained.
ESC is tuned by the vehicle manufacturer for the vehicle to which it is fitted taking into account a number of design parameters such as engine and transmission performance, tyre specifications, steering systems, suspension (type and performance characteristics), mass of the vehicle and weight distribution.
Therefore unless specifically permitted by the vehicle manufacturer, vehicles equipped with ESC as original equipment, cannot be modified under the Modification Codes contained in this Section of the NCOP as the current codes do not posses sufficient scope to account for all the parameters noted above.
Similarly, vehicles equipped with electronic stability control (ESC) must not have the ESC control unit disconnected or modified.
Persons wishing to modify vehicles equipped with ESC must contact their Registration Authority for further information and guidance.

Sorry i could not get this post under Phil's as it would have saved a whole lot of space on the server.
I would like to suggest that most of us go and find and read version1 of the NCOP that is in place around Aust and then compare it with V2 before we go and annoy anyone (pollies included) about the proposed changes.

So does this mean that Glass Shops will not be allowed to fit glass racks that project dangerously out the side of their vans.

Does this mean that Plumbers will not be allowed to fit Rack Supports that attach the front bumper bar and would impact on pedestrians' heads (which are allowed while remote-area travellers are banned from have rubber-mounted autotune antennas on their bullbars)

Does this roofracks will be illegal

Hi guys

I sense in many posts following up my initial post some of you don't seem to have looked at Australian National Code of Practice Version 2 and are still thinking of Version 1.

Version 2 as a draft is out for comment right now and comments close 30 April 2009.

As I said in a response to Stephen L - will jobs be affected if this gets up - absolutely? I understand that a representative of a large Aust aftermarket supplier whose name starts with A and has three letters in its name said something like "we may as well close down if this gets up".

Guys it’s a totally new ball game – please check out version 2!!!

Cheers

Phil

If I read it right it only stops NEW vehicles bieng modfied - thus dealers won't be able to sell you a NEW vehicle thats been modified.

Once you bought it - it's then second hand and you can fit what you like!

Simple really!

Cheers

B.U.L.L.S.H.I.T!!!!!

I think this thread deserves The Chicken Little Award of 09 LOL

Oh what the heck...........


Engineering certificate ???????????????????