Engineering the X-90

[Squik]

Fark... what a hassle

Had to fit front mudflaps... extend rear ones... just scraped it in under the 1.2m headlight height...recalibrate speedo before the engineer even looked at it (as of Feb next year oversized tyres will require you to carry a cert in your glovebox saying you've had yours done... police WILL be asking for it)... swerve tests... braking tests... stretch test on steering extensions... no lowering of brake brackets down the body, now MUST be longer lines all round...stress testing... blah blah blah....

As of Feb police will be advised to check anything lifted for eng certs, measure headlight heights, mudflap lengths (the OFFICIAL word is that they must reach the centre of your hubs), check flares etc in a coming blitz... and will now be 'educated' on what to look out for and will carry a checklist
Rumour has it there will be impoundings enforced

A hint for mudflaps though... for $10 at Supercheap you can buy a front and rear rubber floormat kit... just cut them up, they make excellent mudflaps and flares

[smileysmoke]

fark thanks for the info Squik. they should spend more time checking the ricers than our lil fourbys
pays to fix up a few things sooner than later.. less stress hey?

[fool_injected]

Looks like I'd better be getting a roll of conveyor belt from work
The way i see is that are not really further restriction just re-inforcing the current ones
They are not saying don't modify your truck, just do it safely

[NIK]

Wow my zuk is engineered and it was a breeze. 3 page esay on ruf but other than that I said it they wrote it down.
I still get questions about my garden edging flares!
Are you saying they will now be hecking all the things you listed?
I was un engineered for years never had a hassle as soon as I was engineered I was pulled over to check the tyre size on the report matched the size on my zuk and thats it thank you have a nice day..
How are we supose to keep up??
Nik

[alien]

keep a log book of when you were pulled over, the officer who pulled you over and the car's rego... if you find you're being pulled over "excessively" you can photocopy the log book and complain to the police about it... it might not achieve anything in particular but at least youll be wasting their time like they wasted yours =)

[Squik]

Wow my zuk is engineered and it was a breeze. 3 page esay on ruf but other than that I said it they wrote it down.
I still get questions about my garden edging flares!
Are you saying they will now be hecking all the things you listed?
I was un engineered for years never had a hassle as soon as I was engineered I was pulled over to check the tyre size on the report matched the size on my zuk and thats it thank you have a nice day..
How are we supose to keep up??
Nik

It used to be that they would pull you over if you stood out and just ask to see a eng cert number on your rego papers, now it will be a case of random pullovers or at breath testing etc of asking if (eg) you have a speedo cali' cert for your oversized tyres, measure the top of your headlights from the ground against standard same make/model specs and check mudflaps hit hub height/flares etc... if you pass all these you should be ok, but if you are over a 4" lift, they will ask you for an eng cert, if you don't have one... they will impound until an RTA engineer inspection can be done... this is the info I have managed to glean so far... still trying to find out more... hoping most of it is just rumours, but I'm getting the same info more than once

Eventually, it's rumoured, that you will not even get standard rego if your tyres are upsized and speedo not recalibrated... will be part of your pink slip, like brake testing.

[Toecutta]

Its all true!

In Canberra you can't lift a car more that 6" in total (including tyres) even with a eng cert.

I might have to start putting turbos on pulsars

[DiddyZook]

Bigger tyres engineered !!!!!!!!!!! Wow you have it so easy.

I can get everything else engineered but stockies have to go on for engineering rego etc. Engineer reckons it is bullshit too, he has previously certified Zooks with 33s and 34s but is no longer able to do so.

As he put it a bigger tyre provides a larger footprint thereby improving stability and roadholding once you lift the vehicle (still permitted) or increase the power (still permitted)

[Squik]

I actually have to put a new tyre placard on.. it's being mailed out

[saffrett]

wats with the speedo thing anyway y do u need a speedo any way there alway out even when new just use the gps

[gecko270]

You guys should move down here to the South. My neighbour (Traffic Instructor at Pol HQ) has told me that soon new regs will be comming in that we can't lift total vehicle height more than 50mm over stock. That includes tyres. What a load of bull. Anything over 50mm needs engineering. And from what I've heard that costs a bit.

[Squik]

Shit... that's harsh

I was told that the total lift in NSW, and this is INCLUDING tyres, can be no more than 6" above standard height

Speedos must be calibrated so basically, you can't speed without knowing it and your odometer is accurate. Unfortunately, and it's already started, an engineer will not even see your vehicle until you've had it done and can show a certificate. My engineer wouldn't let me have the paperwork until I faxed one through...

$900 minimum to engineer (depends on how much needs to be checked) plus $264 to recalibrate... ... then add pinkslip, blue slip, green slip and rego...

Let's just say that keeping the X-90 legal has cost us a packet this year...

[cj]

NCOP.......I've been telling people that it's coming for quite some time but nobody wants to hear it The individual States may tweak it slightly but the basics are pretty much going to be the same so get used to it.

[NIK]

So does this mean while my zuk is engineered and hasnt changed since I could be defected for things that are covered on the certificate? I have spoa with ruf on toys and Im pretty sure this would be over the height restrictions before they take into account the 33s. When I got it done there was no talk of headlight heights or recalabrating speedo. Does this mean mines illegal and if so I cant change anything as it will void the engineers certificate!
Were can we find out more about this?
Nik

[Brendan-s]

So what about all the new vehicles that come from the factory with an inaccurate speedo?

[cj]

So what about all the new vehicles that come from the factory with an inaccurate speedo?

My Engineer says that it needs to be within 4% of the true speed. The ADR's do allow for some variance but I haven't checked them to see what that amount is but at a guess I'd say 4%.

[Toecutta]

So does this mean while my zuk is engineered and hasnt changed since I could be defected for things that are covered on the certificate? I have spoa with ruf on toys and Im pretty sure this would be over the height restrictions before they take into account the 33s. When I got it done there was no talk of headlight heights or recalabrating speedo. Does this mean mines illegal and if so I cant change anything as it will void the engineers certificate!
Were can we find out more about this?
Nik

With the info I have, if you car was already done it complies to old regs and will be fine (at the moment).

Just dont do anything else to your car. If you need to update your cert it will need to compliy to the new regs.........., toyos, 33", SPOA,......... no chance................., it becomes a farm buggy.

[Toecutta]

So what about all the new vehicles that come from the factory with an inaccurate speedo?

They must have there own rules. I tried the old, I can have lights on my roof cause the new cherokee sport has them standard, route. And got nowhere.

[Dee]

So what about all the new vehicles that come from the factory with an inaccurate speedo?

My Engineer says that it needs to be within 4% of the true speed. The ADR's do allow for some variance but I haven't checked them to see what that amount is but at a guess I'd say 4%.

Well my GU went from std. rims and tyres to 33 x 12.5's. Checked it with a GPS 2 weeks ago, it is now exactly spot on. My standard zuk however reads about 4-5 kays over on the GPS at 100km/h on the speedo...

[Squik]

Unfortunately GPS readings mean diddly-squat with the RTA

You must be tested and certed, even if you *know* you are ok, and must carry that cert to say you are ok or have been recalibrated

They are actually clamping down HARD on any new eng' certs that come through. I got dragged over the coals on Saturday when I registered the X90 and put the engineers papers through. There was a discrepancy and they took my paperwork off me pending having it all checked out and I had to wait until today to find out whether I had to go over the pits...

... mind you it was the RTA's screwup (my dummy spit was NOT pretty), they had forgotten to update something and I simply followed the recommendations on THEIR website
I won as they were in the wrong
But it just goes to show they are actually looking at certs and reading/checking them, not just blindly adding the details
So... forget shortcuts... do it right the first time because if figures don't add up, they *will* knock it back!

[mnemonix]

So who do you need to see and how do you go about getting your speedo recalibrated and cert'd ?

My DD has been recalibrated on a mates dyno. We know it's accurate, but I don't have a cert to prove so?

[NIK]

Gee that sucks squik but atleast now you SHOULD be safe.
Nik

[Squik]

Gee that sucks squik but atleast now you SHOULD be safe.
Nik

ARRGH Spoke too soon...

Just as I was leaving, got a call from a head honcho re my... ahhh... complaint ... he he... must've made an impression as it's the third call I have had from various people today Wonder if the RTA security footage ever ends up on YouTube

Nice enough bloke though, he explained everything to me and they will just go over my report, make sure it's all been done correctly and I just had to email a few photos of the flares, mudflaps, bodylift blocks and steering extension (thank FARK we didn't change the crush zone)... said all is cool and he can't see a problem, just protocol.

Geezus...

[Squik]

So who do you need to see and how do you go about getting your speedo recalibrated and cert'd ?

My DD has been recalibrated on a mates dyno. We know it's accurate, but I don't have a cert to prove so?

General Auto in Lidcombe did mine...

[Squik]

WE HAVE A WINNER

Done and dusted Just got the call to say that the RTA have gone over my buildup (via the website, step by step documentation of the buildup and pics I had to submit) and it's all been approved (even the heim on the rear end!!)

Thank faaaaaaaaaaaark

[gman79au]

Squik, do you know these ppl, seem to have similar intrests don't you think?

[Squik]

He He.. I do actually! The X-90 is owned by a lady called Flic from the Shropshire Suzuki Club in the UK... the name of the Jimny owner escapes me though

Seems I'm not the only one with a Jimny/X90 fetish

[gman79au]

he calls himself andy

[ozy1]

squick what engineer did you use?

[Squik]

TIC at Kirrawee... who got the gig quite simply because of the six I rang, I was spoken to and had my questions answered without making out like I was silly for asking them... good customer services basically.

...and before anyone starts bagging them, the problem was with the RTA having incorrect information (not updating a change in procedure causing my cert to be invalid)... not with TIC, who did everything to the letter and were proven to be correct in this case