hi all. i was just having a look at some of the press release's of the minister of main roads in n.s.w. this one is a beauty. i wonder what is going to happen to anyone who has done up there rear suspension,or has put air bags on there rear axles,or a anti sway bar and a better set of shockers. does this make everyone a hoon
And I bet there's a fee to have the vehicle checked and passed for registration. NSW is so greedy when it comes to penalising motorists. This looks like another way to raise revenue. Does it go to road maintance and new infrastructure? I'm guessing not. Cheers Chris
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
hmmm!!! N.S.W. again, if there may be a quid in it you can bet that mob is right there sniffing around, I suggest we cut them loose and let them drift across to new zealand
I can see the need to have all vehicle mods falling outside the manufacturers specs to be certified by a structural and/or design engineer. Some of the mods getting around are so under spec that when involved in an accident they literally fly apart. One aspect of modifying the suspension which is always a concern is the head light alignment, another is when you change the steering geometry the handling of the vehicle becomes an unknown factor especially in the hands of kids who have little or no concept of vehicle handling when driving a stock standard vehicle, it all spells disaster
I wonder why people do after market mods to vehicle suspensions , a manufacturer has spent millions on designing a safe and road worthy vehicle then along comes some pimply faced kid with a pocket full of dollars a loud muffler and a tank full of imagination who thinks he can improve the handling and safety of the unit by changing the suspension specs . Road drivers in fast late model vehicles see the Bathurst 500 and watch the Fords and the Holden battle it out failing on every account to comprehend that the only thing Ford or Holden about those vehicles is the name badge, not considering for one moment the $4 million spent on the frame to carry the non standard power plant and the army of engineers who dismantle and put it back together before each event.
As for us older dare devils before we start down this after market path of modifying what we have purchased we need to consider have we purchased the right vehicle for the intended purpose, if we have done the home work before we jump in then I don't see the need to go further .
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Pets are welcome but children must be leashed at all times
you are of course, as usual, quite correct but it is not only the youngsters that get the geometry of a road going vehicle incorrect
when we of the older persuasion jump in behind our bohemoths and barrel off down the road with our penthouse on behind have we taken into account our "misallignment" of head lights, and our "geometry" of our vehicle, the answer is of course not, most dont even clean their glasses
many that I have seen have definately not, what about the extra 200 kilos hauling down on our rsend which completly throws the manufacturers design standard way out the window, and the little feller behind the wheel who can barely see over the bullbar
most of us learnt to drive in an old holden then moved on to a flash little corrola or similar then jump into what ammounts to a full war capable on road bulldozer when our driving skills are at there lowest, I've seen people step out of these road trains who are barely capable of standing, neverlone the reflexes that are still coping with the roundabout back in the last city two hours ago
we should have distinct licenses for four wheel drives and for when we tow as it is just so much different to "standard" driving as to make the two completely different animals indeed and yet we allow people to just jump behind the wheel of a two ton puddle jumper and hook another two tons behind that again on a standard car license with no previous experience or instruction
I think this is just as dangerous as the pimply faced kid who's bumper is dragging on the ground with his "doof doof's" at full pelt and the rocket launcher exhaust cruising for chicks up and down main street, who's he going to kill at 50 kph, they dont ever leave town, they are just "easy targets" for our boys in blue
hi wombat. what i was trying to say, in the original post. if this bloke is going to change the regulations in n.s.w. ( without any consultation ) 15cm or ( 6"in the old measurements.) is not much to raise the rear of your vechile. ( ie ) my brother in law has a ford f150 4x4, he carrys most of his tools, and a motorbike. he also has a 400 litres lpg gas tank, all in the back of the ute. he found that he had to raise the rear suspension,so when he connected his newlands 21 ft caravan,the weight on his tow ball was correct. now if he uncouples his van,and say his gas tank is only quarter full. and he takes the motorbike out. the r.t.a.inspectores will ground his vechile ( if you are registered in another state,they withdraw the privilege,of driving on there roads ) if they catch him driving in n.s.w.
I hear what you are saying mate . In your B- L 's case 400 lt = 400 kg + say 300 ball weight for the van + motor bike say another 200 kg= 900kg + tools ?, now if the F150 can't handle that and stay within the manufacturers head light tolerance then certainly there is a need to have an engineer look at the suspension and may be beef up the springs rather than jack it up with after market kits . As you would appreciate once you increase the height the C of G changes making the vehicle that bit more unstable in corners or while braking hard . In some cases the mods can make the handling not unlike that of Franklins shopping trolley developing a mind of it's own
On the newer of the soft tailed 4x4's they have a driver controlled headlight adjuster to compensate for the headlight height when loaded . On the upper market models the load compensator comes in once the vehicle is loaded and levels the vehicle back to normal specs.
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Pets are welcome but children must be leashed at all times
Well all these state borders are a huge problem. I purchased my campervan from NSW, which had an after market bench seat for extra passengers in the back, seat belted, and two stickers from the manufacturer and ther licenced installer from the Discover Conversion.
Had to get an inspection here in SA prior to registration at our friendly (NOT) government garage. It did not pass because an SA Engineers report required. So 3 trips down to that garage and $450.00 later, the 'engineer' who was only a mechanic by qualification (I asked) passed the modification with 'bells, ribbons and whistles'. Then the garage inspection fee, then the registration & 3rd party insurance fees. I have to rewrite the history books, because ole Ned Kelly is still alive and kicking. Oh ! vehicle also has legal eastern states window tint. Is illegal in SA, so hence the extra return visit to the inspection station to prove it had been removed.
Is the last time I purchase an interstate vehicle to register in SA. Until all Australia becomes the same country.
Hi Ken.....I just got an email from 4WD Action...saying about the new laws in NSW...
I feel certain modifications should be allowed...but turning a 4x4 into a monster truck....so you can go rock hopping....shouldnt be allowed to be registered, for on road use.... A mate said to me today........you know they trying to ban vehicles with bullbars in the Adelaide city area...I cant see it happening....imagine what it be like removing the bar and then replacing it ...if your going through the City on way up north?....I'm getting a bullbar installed on my pajero ...on monday...
Oh **** now all you fellas will have a comment on what I want to do, thinking of the Kia Sportage as a tow vehicle behind the Daydreamer , but looking for an old one with a used up donk, so I can drop in a diesel, As I make my own and its a certainty that the cost will rise , Any suggestions as to the motor,??????
They have never amended their rule book since Don Dunstan was in charge. When I lived there they had one inspection station that did interstate vehicles and it was way over the southern side near the beach, I lived at Smithfield Plains and full back pack and water bottle away . After making the trip they lifted the lid on my Kombi checked the engine number and signed the papers then back to Smithfield to pay the rego at the police station . Has anything changed in 40 Years?
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Pets are welcome but children must be leashed at all times
I doubt it, if Dunstan was still alive he would still be a Poof.....
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Don't take life too seriously.... No one gets out alive
KIA Sorento CRDi EX ( Ebony black) with 5 hex chrome plated tire air valve covers, Coramal Sunsheild, Elcheapo GPS, First Aid Kit, full KIA toolkit & Yellow lenses on the Foglights......
