Outer Limits 4x4 Board

tuffgu42 wrote:Well i got a major defect for having 35s on my gu ute, back to 33's now for the roady, but the mechanic is saying its still to high, its got a sagged three in lift, , i went on the vic roads site and it says something about 1/3 off the standard height? can someone tell me what is the maxium i'm allowed> or a messurement from the ground to the guard etc. thanks heaps,

BadMav wrote:...have been reading all your queries regarding suspension lift in QLD. I too have a lifted Patrol (Maverick), 5inch plus 2 inch body and 36 inch centipedes. Luckily I don't have to travel far to work but am getting worried with the crack down on modified fourbees by the everpresent DOT.

I have spoken directly with the department's modification officer in Brisbane and he basicallly read word for word out of the code of practice but with his spin on it.

The current code of practice states for suspension height increase (or decrease) that the travel in bump or rebound mode may not be decreased by more than a third. This means that when lowering your car, the 'bump' or 'up' travel cannot be decreased by more than a third. Of course that doesn't concern us 4x4 enthusiasts though so here's the impotant bit, the 'rebound' travel is the distance the shock absorber travels down from standard ride height to it's stop. So of course when you lift the vehicle, this distance decreases. The same principal can be used for ifs/irs setups.

The hard part is finding out what this distance is especially when vehicles are old and sagged or previously modified from showroom condition. The guy at DOT couldn't tell me either and said that it's generally accepted that 50mm is the general rule of thumb... but I can't live with that. It's gotta be black or white when it comes to defect notices. Unfortunately I don't know the rebound travel measurement on a standard patrol or maverick as I bought mine already modified, it even passed the roadworthy. The guy who did that didn't know either so he just passed it.

Tyres are another story he (the DOT guy) went on to say that yes, the maxmum increase for tyre size is 15mm taller than the largest size tyre on the vehicles tyre placard, measured at standing height on the car fully loaded. I know I'll never get the 36's approved but there is light at the end of the tunnel. They are looking at relaxing the rule for 4wd's so as to allow a 50mm increase in overall height, (WOW I can run 32's then, awesome).

All the posts about body lifts are correct. Yes you do have to apply in writing with all details of how you are to do it, what material the blocks are made of, bolts, adjustments to steering and or brake lines etc etc.
Then you have to get it inpected. Make sure your car is 110% roadworthy, these guys will find anything to put your car off the road. A mate of mine put his over for the blocks and they picked the flasher was slightly too fast
the code of practice goes on to state, it is up to the owner of the vehicle to make sure that the vehicle complies. So, if the the rebound travel is say 6 inches, yes one third is only 2 inches and that's all you can legally raise the vehicle.But let's say it was 12 inches, you could raise the vehicle 4 and so on.

It does raise the question though, what if you put longer shocks in? Your rebound travel is dramitacally increased. Besides that the department doesn't have the figures to compare against therefore cannot say that you have decreased the bumpstop rebound travel by more than a third... because they don't know what it actually is. Really how can they fine you and say that the car is unroadworthy when they really don't know if it is according to the legislation?

Gotta try and use their rules back against them. I read in a forum elsewhere that a DOT guy who is fourbee mad, got his hilux with shock hoops and landcruiser shocks (reversed), all approved. Although he is still only running 2inch spring and 2inch body.

I guess if you can do all the measurements and show all the figures on paper and prove it with photos etc, you could fight them with their own ammo.

BadMav wrote:This is how it goes...

BadMav wrote:...have been reading all your queries regarding suspension lift in QLD. I too have a lifted Patrol (Maverick), 5inch plus 2 inch body and 36 inch centipedes. Luckily I don't have to travel far to work but am getting worried with the crack down on modified fourbees by the everpresent DOT.

I have spoken directly with the department's modification officer in Brisbane and he basicallly read word for word out of the code of practice but with his spin on it.

The current code of practice states for suspension height increase (or decrease) that the travel in bump or rebound mode may not be decreased by more than a third. This means that when lowering your car, the 'bump' or 'up' travel cannot be decreased by more than a third. Of course that doesn't concern us 4x4 enthusiasts though so here's the impotant bit, the 'rebound' travel is the distance the shock absorber travels down from standard ride height to it's stop. So of course when you lift the vehicle, this distance decreases. The same principal can be used for ifs/irs setups.

The hard part is finding out what this distance is especially when vehicles are old and sagged or previously modified from showroom condition. The guy at DOT couldn't tell me either and said that it's generally accepted that 50mm is the general rule of thumb... but I can't live with that. It's gotta be black or white when it comes to defect notices. Unfortunately I don't know the rebound travel measurement on a standard patrol or maverick as I bought mine already modified, it even passed the roadworthy. The guy who did that didn't know either so he just passed it.

Tyres are another story he (the DOT guy) went on to say that yes, the maxmum increase for tyre size is 15mm taller than the largest size tyre on the vehicles tyre placard, measured at standing height on the car fully loaded. I know I'll never get the 36's approved but there is light at the end of the tunnel. They are looking at relaxing the rule for 4wd's so as to allow a 50mm increase in overall height, (WOW I can run 32's then, awesome).

All the posts about body lifts are correct. Yes you do have to apply in writing with all details of how you are to do it, what material the blocks are made of, bolts, adjustments to steering and or brake lines etc etc.
Then you have to get it inpected. Make sure your car is 110% roadworthy, these guys will find anything to put your car off the road. A mate of mine put his over for the blocks and they picked the flasher was slightly too fast
the code of practice goes on to state, it is up to the owner of the vehicle to make sure that the vehicle complies. So, if the the rebound travel is say 6 inches, yes one third is only 2 inches and that's all you can legally raise the vehicle.But let's say it was 12 inches, you could raise the vehicle 4 and so on.

It does raise the question though, what if you put longer shocks in? Your rebound travel is dramitacally increased. Besides that the department doesn't have the figures to compare against therefore cannot say that you have decreased the bumpstop rebound travel by more than a third... because they don't know what it actually is. Really how can they fine you and say that the car is unroadworthy when they really don't know if it is according to the legislation?

Gotta try and use their rules back against them. I read in a forum elsewhere that a DOT guy who is fourbee mad, got his hilux with shock hoops and landcruiser shocks (reversed), all approved. Although he is still only running 2inch spring and 2inch body.

I guess if you can do all the measurements and show all the figures on paper and prove it with photos etc, you could fight them with their own ammo.

Sorry that it's so long but there is some good info there.

Rowen