are superoir drop shackles legal on qld roads?

[ISUZUROVER]

Liam has said that the shackles arnt extended and so dont come into the specifically prohibited type of modification. They are in the "approved person" catagory - exactly the same as a V8 conversion (and even the engine conversions have specifically prohibited limits) as I understand it.

the Hilux one ( i stand corrected) is only 8mm longer than the stock shackle.

The Hilux ones at least are in the category that cannot be approved by an approved person and are a prohibited modification.

[Area54]

Is it possible to buy a superior shackle that is the same length, in it closed position, as the original shackle?

If the replacement shackle (closed position) is longer than the original shackle its fittment is specifically prohibited in Qld.

If the replacement shackle (closed position) is the same length as the original shackle you may have a hope.

The only way your will know if they are acceptable is to lodge a "Modification Application" to Queensland Transport.

This is not a standard type of modification so it can not be certified by a blue 'MOD PLATE' and must be approved by QT.

If you are going to put a case to QT try and be as comprehensive as possible and include specifications/photos that help to explain.

Yep, that's the way to go about it correctly. It's a lot of work, but I don't think the means justify the ends.

I think the reason for the extra length in the closed position was not for added height, more due to physical material size and what was possible to make the items strong.

[auto_eng]

Is there a website for these shackles?

[greg]

Is there a website for these shackles?

http://www.superiorengineering.com.au/shackles.htm

Superior 4WD Shackles are closed at 115mm and fully open at 280mm, which we can boast as giving the most drop and flex from any shackle on the market worldwide. All moving parts are fully greasable with nipples, come with polyurethane bushes, rebuilable, lockable with 4140 pins, grade 8 high tensile bolts.

How long are the Hilux Shackles? 115mm doesn't sound very long.

Edit - changed link to go straight to shackles

[bubs]

Is there a website for these shackles?

http://www.superiorengineering.com.au/shackles.htm

Superior 4WD Shackles are closed at 115mm and fully open at 280mm, which we can boast as giving the most drop and flex from any shackle on the market worldwide. All moving parts are fully greasable with nipples, come with polyurethane bushes, rebuilable, lockable with 4140 pins, grade 8 high tensile bolts.

How long are the Hilux Shackles? 115mm doesn't sound very long.

Edit - changed link to go straight to shackles

stock is 85mm centres i am almost certain of this when i cast my memory back to when i made my extendeds

[Beastmavster]

Is it possible to buy a superior shackle that is the same length, in it closed position, as the original shackle?

If the replacement shackle (closed position) is longer than the original shackle its fittment is specifically prohibited in Qld.

If the replacement shackle (closed position) is the same length as the original shackle you may have a hope.

The only way your will know if they are acceptable is to lodge a "Modification Application" to Queensland Transport.

This is not a standard type of modification so it can not be certified by a blue 'MOD PLATE' and must be approved by QT.

If you are going to put a case to QT try and be as comprehensive as possible and include specifications/photos that help to explain.

In Victoria ther ewas a long issue about the legality of these things based on the potential for someoneto drive them on the road without putting the pin back in.



With my copy of the light vehicle code of practice I cannot see exactly where there are "illegal" and "uncertifiable" but then I can't see where half the stuff that people (or in fact engineers) say that about...

Where else is this data coming from... The only source I can think of is the QLD DOT freebie distribution thing that has SFA legal weight....

[cbr]

Is there a website for these shackles?

http://www.superiorengineering.com.au/shackles.htm

Superior 4WD Shackles are closed at 115mm and fully open at 280mm, which we can boast as giving the most drop and flex from any shackle on the market worldwide. All moving parts are fully greasable with nipples, come with polyurethane bushes, rebuilable, lockable with 4140 pins, grade 8 high tensile bolts.

How long are the Hilux Shackles? 115mm doesn't sound very long.

Edit - changed link to go straight to shackles

stock is 85mm centres i am almost certain of this when i cast my memory back to when i made my extendeds

Front hilux/4runner shackles are 85mm center to center.

Chris.

[ORSM45]

i cant see the point in engineers in QLD if they are gonna be out ruled by these transport guys. they should be doing their job properly and know what can and cant be deemed a legal mod on public roads.
if you go to an engineer and try and get these shackles engineered for road use, but get knocked back by transport. they should have known that they were illegal and not taken your money.
being an electrician, if someone wanted to know what size cable youd need for a 10 Amp power point, i wouldnt say ill sell you some speaker cable. thats as bad as stealing in my opinion. taking someones money for something they didnt want.

and as for coils are more expensive than supirior shackles, at least coils can be engineered. making it not a pointless mod. id like to see the difference in price AFTER both are engineered.

[MUSS]

i cant see the point in engineers in QLD if they are gonna be out ruled by these transport guys. they should be doing their job properly and know what can and cant be deemed a legal mod on public roads.
if you go to an engineer and try and get these shackles engineered for road use, but get knocked back by transport. they should have known that they were illegal and not taken your money.
being an electrician, if someone wanted to know what size cable youd need for a 10 Amp power point, i wouldnt say ill sell you some speaker cable. thats as bad as stealing in my opinion. taking someones money for something they didnt want.

and as for coils are more expensive than supirior shackles, at least coils can be engineered. making it not a pointless mod. id like to see the difference in price AFTER both are engineered.

THATS A BLOODY VALID POINT YOUVE BORT UP MATE....... AND AS FAR AS I CAN SEE THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE BETWEEN Q.D.O.T AND ENGINEERING BLOKES.....WHAT I WANNA KNOW IS WHY IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN Q.D.O.T AND ENGINEERS? is it the fact that Q.D.O.T just coodnt be bothered tryin to certify sh1t like these superior shackles cos theres too much paper work or is it that they just dont work in conjunction with engineers when they bloody well shood be

[ORSM45]

thanks mate.
i dont get how there can be 2 types of road safety regulations people with 2 different standards to meet

[MUSS]

yeah they really have to tidy up the bloody system and espiecally the regulations applied to modifications

[Liam]

I still don't see any evidence of Climax Shackles being knocked back for engineering anywhere in Australia. I still dont see any evidence of anyone getting pinged for using them in qld. (even though there sold as being for offroad use only)

I'm going to qld in the next few weeks.
There's a few things we're discussing with QLD D.O.T
Among these products is Climax shackles.
Qld D.O.T engineering and certification (type approval) appears very likely(before some clown gafaws this, we know what were doing) This will be Climax only- if you coble something else together (even an exact copy) your totally on your own, get your own materials reports, engineering and lawyers.after
There's a few other products we're getting (legal, engineering) advice on to get evaluated. I know that we spend the bucks, every man and his dog will copy our aproach but I thinks it's a worthwhile investment in the sport.

So instead of argueing, how about working together. If this comes off you can all buy me a beer...if it deosn't the beers on me.

In the meantime, what the hell are you doing on the net when you could be building cars , enjoying the bush or giving current affairs shows their next media beat up.

[Hoonz]

[Beastmavster]

I still don't see any evidence of Climax Shackles being knocked back for engineering anywhere in Australia. I still dont see any evidence of anyone getting pinged for using them in qld. (even though there sold as being for offroad use only)

No proof of them beign approved either from what I can see....

It'll be great if you can get the Climax ones approved... then the other manufacturers have to lift their game too.

In the meantime, what the hell are you doing on the net when you could be building cars , enjoying the bush or giving current affairs shows their next media beat up.

LOL!

[MUSS]

No proof of them beign approved either from what I can see....

It'll be great if you can get the Climax ones approved... then the other manufacturers have to lift their game too.

WTF..... look i mean no offence to liam at all... but the topic i wanted to find out more bout is SUPERIOR DROP SHACKLES....NOT.... CLIMAX SHACKLES seems this thred has again ended up off the topic

suzuki viagra.... how can you say other manufacturers have to lift there game fark mate... have you not been listenin SUPERIOR DROP SHACKLES HAVE BEEN prooven..... ask FATASS75 the only down side to these shackles is the fact that they havent been approoved by Q.D.O.T yet

superior engineering dont have to lift their game at all.... maybe muck around with some more designs but lift their game????? come on as far as im concerned and have seen the superior drop shackles are better by design and quality... as ive seen a bloke bend his climax shackles while wheeling i dont know how hard he was goin but he farked em.... but again this is just my opinion

[chimpboy]

suzuki viagra.... how can you say other manufacturers have to lift there game fark mate... have you not been listenin SUPERIOR DROP SHACKLES HAVE BEEN prooven..... ask FATASS75 the only down side to these shackles is the fact that they havent been approoved by Q.D.O.T yet

I think by "lift their game" SV was referring to exactly that - lift their game ensuring that their shackles (or whatever else) are road-legal.

As many shackles as they sell now, they'd sell a heap more if they were legit on-road - which currently they are NOT.

As for the thread wandering off-topic - well, you got your answer long ago, now we're all just beating the same old topic of what's legal and what isn't to death AGAIN. Get used to it - it's a hobby around here

Jason

[Beastmavster]

suzuki viagra.... how can you say other manufacturers have to lift there game fark mate... have you not been listenin SUPERIOR DROP SHACKLES HAVE BEEN prooven..... ask FATASS75 the only down side to these shackles is the fact that they havent been approved by Q.D.O.T yet

I think by "lift their game" SV was referring to exactly that - lift their game ensuring that their shackles (or whatever else) are road-legal.

As many shackles as they sell now, they'd sell a heap more if they were legit on-road - which currently they are NOT.

As for the thread wandering off-topic - well, you got your answer long ago, now we're all just beating the same old topic of what's legal and what isn't to death AGAIN. Get used to it - it's a hobby around here

Jason

Yeah... exactly what I was saying... for all I know the Superior shackle could be superior/inferior or made out of licorice.... no matter which way they are made in QLD but ain't QLD legal......

To me that means that there's a problem.

If I'm buying a part for my registered 4by, I'd like to know that it means I can still drive the thing legally and insured wihtout buying another car to trailer it on.....

Nothing against trailer queens... Im sure they're nice people and they do the Sydney Mardi Gras proud...... My Vitara may even end up a trailer queen one day after it goes through its midlife crisis and decides to wear tassels...

However this selling stuff with a nice little label to avoid any/all obligtaion to be legal has gotta end, cos we all know it's total bs to put "offroad use only" when we know it's being sold for an onroad car. The used to tell you "this is illegal for road use" but now they just sell you your insert object here (wanky disco lights/fluffy dice (yes they are illegal in most states)/over wattage spotties/blue high beams/green driving lights/wanker wiper lights/extended shackles etc) and if it gets you in trouble then it's your problem......

Im sure 96.3% (give or take a percent) of the ppl here are probably running illegal wattage headlights (anything over 60/55 is illegal in australia on a regoed car), illegal spotties, Swampers ETC but the point is if the product is good enough then you might only be looking at another few grand in testing and approval (not really that much more when you assess development costs and all)..... at maybe $500 a pair that's perfectly reasonable to expect that to have been done.

[fatassgq]

Superior shackles have had a full comprehensive report with tech dwgs. and everything submitted to QLD D.O.T but cause they are longer than standard and people could 'forget to put the pin back in for road use' they will not be approved. Yes they are longer cause of design.

I personally feel more confident driving (road or offroad) with these then some of the other shackles I have tried and seen in action. So I don't really mind if they are not approved cause it would take me maybe 30 min to swap em over.
I sincerely wish liam and climax luck however because it would be a good thing for them. IMO though it would prove without doubt that it only takes money to get stuff approved not good design or strength of product.

[Liam]

IMO though it would prove without doubt that it only takes money to get stuff approved not good design or strength of product.

Thats the funniest thing I've heard in a long time...

[MUSS]

IMO though it would prove without doubt that it only takes money to get stuff approved not good design or strength of product.

Thats the funniest thing I've heard in a long time...

liam i dont think that fat ass75 ment that in a bad way

[auto_eng]

thanks mate.
i dont get how there can be 2 types of road safety regulations people with 2 different standards to meet

Mate you have missed the point a bit on how mods are certified in QLD. In NSW you do minor modifications within their guidelines that will require no certification, or if you want to do more significant modifications, go to an engineer on the SAE NSW signatory list. The engineer has the authority to approve or reject the modification on their own judgement.

In QLD you can't consider us engineers to be 'regulators' as we can not approve decisions independetly on our own, as far as which modifications can be approved. We have to send submissions to QT and have it approved if it is not a modification that is covered in black and white in the Code of Practice.

[4sum4]

auto_eng wrote
The engineer has the authority to approve or reject the modification on their own judgement.




Sum engineers dont like 4wds at all. There puting there name and there arse on a certificate for when you have accident and kill someone
I had trouble getting past 2 engineers with a 2" rear and 3" body lift with 35`s. so I rang the Cheif Engineer and he rang the other engineers to see whats up then he got back to me and said he will pass it with out even looking at it for $75 certificate came in the mail.

[ORSM45]

thanks mate.
i dont get how there can be 2 types of road safety regulations people with 2 different standards to meet

Mate you have missed the point a bit on how mods are certified in QLD. In NSW you do minor modifications within their guidelines that will require no certification, or if you want to do more significant modifications, go to an engineer on the SAE NSW signatory list. The engineer has the authority to approve or reject the modification on their own judgement.

In QLD you can't consider us engineers to be 'regulators' as we can not approve decisions independetly on our own, as far as which modifications can be approved. We have to send submissions to QT and have it approved if it is not a modification that is covered in black and white in the Code of Practice.

i wouldnt bother going to NSW anyway... but shouldnt you be up to date on what mods are legal? why would you approve something thats not legal?

[NICK]

let me ask this question.....


if they were 100% legal in queensland would you buy them?



if not, why bother arguing?



NICK

[Beastmavster]

let me ask this question.....


if they were 100% legal in queensland would you buy them?

NICK

No... cos I have a coily

Although it would be funny to bolt em on and get defected by Mr Plod

: D

[Rhysta]

I run superior drop shackles on the rear of my GQ. "gimiky things that unload uncontrolably and dont offer any more usable traction" that is absolute BULLSH!T !!!!!!! mine have never unloaded uncontrolably and i can now drive through ruts that i wouldn't have even thought about before because of the extra TRACTION i get. yah they do cost a bit to set up my costs so far are

$499 Shackles
$160 custom shock mounts top and bottom.
$240 rancho 5000's
$380 3" wheel spacers

this cost is alot less than other suspension set ups i have seen which dont work any better

now i have to lift my tray a little because the compressed wheel is hitting it so hard that it stops the other side from dropping fully.
in the photo under my name the shackles are only open half way because i didnt have spacers on at the time and i am still running standard length shocks on the front.

i have no complaints with them

G'Day mate..

Just noticed in this thread u got a Leaf GQ Ute. Ive been looking around and lifts etc for the GQ and have been reading up on these shackles.

Just had a few questions to ask if you dont mind?

Firstly, do these shackles lift the car at all? If so about how many inches did u gain? You said that your only running them on the nack, did u fit longer shackles to the front aswell or kept the stock ones on? Reason for asking this is I was curious about teh back being higher then the front.

Other mods you have listed are Rancho 5000's, did these lift your car at all or did u stick with standard length?

And to sum it up what was your need to run custom shock mounts? and how much lift have you gained all up, including what size rubber you are running?

Reason for asking these questions is im looking at getting my GQ up 6" via a 2" Body Lift + 2" suspension lift and 2" shackle lift, and am just decided on if I should spend out the cash for Climax or Superior Shackles.

Also if you have any other things that you beleive would be helpfull id really apprieciate it.

Cheers

Rhys