QLD Defects??

[suziguy]

hey all,
i was wondering, i have just done a ute chop on my 84 suzi, ive got 2 inch body lift, 2 inch springs, and some offset rims, If i get pulled over dose anyone no what i am going to get defected on, i am getting an engineers done for the Ute Chop.....hopefully but yeah just wanting some sorta idea,
Cheers

[Danzo]

any tyres bigger then 215x75x15 are to big. 215 is the biggest you can go legally that is. but so long as the tyres are covered by either the guard or an extra bit of rubber and dosent stick out like dogs B***s you shouldnt draw to much attention to your self.

[want33s]

It really depends on the particular copper and why he's pulled you over.
You need an engineers cert for a body lift in QLD.
Wheel offset is restricted to 25mm track width increase.. 12.5mm each wheel.
There are lots of other things they can do you for if they feel like it.
Watch your taillight spacing if going tube tray.
One of my mates got a ticket a few years ago for no water left in his washer bottle!
Having said that, if your car LOOKS legal, you should be pretty right.

[Dee]

It really depends on the particular copper and why he's pulled you over.
You need an engineers cert for a body lift in QLD.
Wheel offset is restricted to 25mm track width increase.. 12.5mm each wheel.
There are lots of other things they can do you for if they feel like it.
Watch your taillight spacing if going tube tray.
One of my mates got a ticket a few years ago for no water left in his washer bottle!
Having said that, if your car LOOKS legal, you should be pretty right.

nah, I looked into this. You don't actually speak to an engineer regarding a body lift, you fill out an application directly to queensland transport and then they have to inspect it to approve it.

[want33s]

I've spoken several times with David Yates in Kayleigh Dr M'dore.
Qld transport won't approve anything until it has been approved by an engineer.
'Approval in principle' is required before lifting body.
This is easier said than done as you have to explain why you NEED the body lift and you can't just say for clearance on larger tyres!
Has to be a proper techo reason. This is the beginning of the end of owner mods in Qld.

[Highway-Star]

This is easier said than done as you have to explain why you NEED the body lift and you can't just say for clearance on larger tyres!
Has to be a proper techo reason. This is the beginning of the end of owner mods in Qld.

I go told a little while back that someone got their bodylift passed on the fact of the engine overheating. Apparantly they managed to convince 'whoever' that the bodylift (the car was actually a Hilux) allowed more unrestricted airflow in the engine bay because the firewall at the back did not sit as low, i.e. passed out the back easier. I did hear this as second hand info.

On a 1L Sierra you might be able to get one passed if you fit a 5spd, and claim its to allow the tranmission to fit under the tunnel.

If i get pulled over dose anyone no what i am going to get defected on

Looking the wrong way at the officer?
Seriously they can defect you on anything thats not factory if they really have it in on you. Know someone you got defected for having an aftermarket Steering wheel that was ADR approved on their commodore. The fact that the tyres were illegal, and the exhaust was reasonably loud was irrelevent. Maybe a steering wheel has less paperwork...

Best thing is as Danzo and Want33's said, make your car not attract attention. Though with your ute chop that might be a little difficult now (assuming its a SWB). See they could pull you over for the ute chop, find you have it engineered, and the oficer will not leave it at that, they pulled you over, they are going to get you for something, probably the next thing they notice, the tyres...

[suziguy]

so do you reckon i will have to get a engineers for my ute chop, it says that the car was origanly released as a two seater any ways, will that matter or not???

[Danzo]

so do you reckon i will have to get a engineers for my ute chop, it says that the car was origanly released as a two seater any ways, will that matter or not???

parts of the body are structual and if they are changed then you have changed the original structural strength,
so a simple
YES
aparently if the officer really wants your "behind" they can even get you for changing the colour of your car without letting the transport dep know of the change,

[want33s]

so do you reckon i will have to get a engineers for my ute chop, it says that the car was origanly released as a two seater any ways, will that matter or not???

parts of the body are structual and if they are changed then you have changed the original structural strength,
so a simple
YES
aparently if the officer really wants your "behind" they can even get you for changing the colour of your car without letting the transport dep know of the change,

That's correct. Driving a car in full primer is also a ticketable offence.

[Danzo]

If you have already done the ute chop and you did not consult an engineer on the mod,....you might have a hard time getting one to aprove it after the work is already done. They can get pretty fussy with body mods.
so I've been told.

slightly off topic but
If you approach one and say you would like to build a permanent roof rack That is attached to the chassie so you can carry more(EXO cage) they will usually approve it as a Roof Rack??? go figure? not all of them mind you but some do

[GRPABT1]

Best thing is as Danzo and Want33's said, make your car not attract attention. Though with your ute chop that might be a little difficult now (assuming its a SWB). See they could pull you over for the ute chop, find you have it engineered, and the oficer will not leave it at that, they pulled you over, they are going to get you for something, probably the next thing they notice, the tyres...

I'm about to run this gountlet myself. I have an engineered ute chop, body lift and engine swap but recently fitted a loud exhaust, 5 inch lift and about to fit 33's

That said I'm not worried as I have been driving a bright yellow highly modified V8 for a few years and had no trouble when it is absolute cop bait. It's all about how you drive, where you drive and keeping an eye out for cops and expecially Qld Tansport cause those goons love to defect you more than cops (I got done for unsecured battery and "panel damage" even though all lights and tyre clearences etc were good when they could have done me for much worse like engine swap etc.)

[suziguy]

if you get defected on more than one thing, would you lose more points?? or would you just get the single point for having a defected vehicle??

[want33s]

Even if the copper finds 10 defects it is still only one fine.
Driving a defective vehicle. but.. they usually stop looking after 1 or 2.
IF they find more than 2 things wrong you can bet they will send you to a Transport inpsection station. You don't want that as those guys ARE experts and will put you off the road.

[v6hilux]

If it's a daily driver, then have a spare car in your yard that will pass RWC the next day, in case it happens.

I got 1 myself.

[Dee]

I've spoken several times with David Yates in Kayleigh Dr M'dore.
Qld transport won't approve anything until it has been approved by an engineer.
'Approval in principle' is required before lifting body.
This is easier said than done as you have to explain why you NEED the body lift and you can't just say for clearance on larger tyres!
Has to be a proper techo reason. This is the beginning of the end of owner mods in Qld.

david yates is the one I got the information from...
That said ive spoken to people from the board who have recently fitted a body lift and had it 'approved' and didnt need to give reasons etc...

so im not sure, yet again another grey area with the DOT...
I think they just semi-make up the rules just so the cops can give you a fine if they are feelin that way inclined at the time...

[suziguy]

Even if the copper finds 10 defects it is still only one fine.
Driving a defective vehicle. but.. they usually stop looking after 1 or 2.
IF they find more than 2 things wrong you can bet they will send you to a Transport inpsection station. You don't want that as those guys ARE experts and will put you off the road.

So when you say that the that those guys will put you off the road are you meaning like suspended lisence off the road or car off the road???

[want33s]

Even if the copper finds 10 defects it is still only one fine.
Driving a defective vehicle. but.. they usually stop looking after 1 or 2.
IF they find more than 2 things wrong you can bet they will send you to a Transport inpsection station. You don't want that as those guys ARE experts and will put you off the road.

So when you say that the that those guys will put you off the road are you meaning like suspended lisence off the road or car off the road???

If Dept Transport inspectors find your vehicle defective you are usually given 48 hours to repair the problem/s and re-present it for a clearing inspection. If the car fails second time it will be ordered off the road indefinately ..until you book and pass ANOTHER inspection.
This happened to me years ago with a Falcon so I cancelled the rego, left it sit for a few weeks and then got a dodgy RWC and reregistered it.
I'm not sure that loophole is still there though.

[suziguy]

Even if the copper finds 10 defects it is still only one fine.
Driving a defective vehicle. but.. they usually stop looking after 1 or 2.
IF they find more than 2 things wrong you can bet they will send you to a Transport inpsection station. You don't want that as those guys ARE experts and will put you off the road.

So when you say that the that those guys will put you off the road are you meaning like suspended lisence off the road or car off the road???

If Dept Transport inspectors find your vehicle defective you are usually given 48 hours to repair the problem/s and re-present it for a clearing inspection. If the car fails second time it will be ordered off the road indefinately ..until you book and pass ANOTHER inspection.
This happened to me years ago with a Falcon so I cancelled the rego, left it sit for a few weeks and then got a dodgy RWC and reregistered it.
I'm not sure that loophole is still there though.

Sorry about this mate, i know i am probably beeing really annoying and all, i am just concerned and stuff at the moment cuz i am just comming out of my 6 months of having my lisence suspended and i dont really want to go through that again just from having a defected vehicle if you know what i mean lol.

[GRPABT1]

I have been pulled over in my commoder by DOT and made to get a RWC but not front up to the DOT for an inspection.

[antt]

This happened to me years ago with a Falcon so I cancelled the rego, left it sit for a few weeks and then got a dodgy RWC and reregistered it.
I'm not sure that loophole is still there though.

this worked for a mate of mine about 12 months ago, so probably does still work