Car height in NSW

[Tezzax5]

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http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/newsevents/do ... rhoons.pdf

NSW MINISTER FOR ROADS
MICHAEL DALEY MP
NEWS RELEASE
TOUGH NEW RULES FOR CAR HOONS
Thursday 16 July 2009
Minister for Roads Michael Daley today announced that car hoons who raise or lower their cars’ suspension will have to meet tough new rules.
Mr Daley said car owners would be limited to raising or lowering their suspension by no more than 5 centimetres from August 1 2009, and all modifications would need engineering approval.
“These changes mean every driver who modifies the suspension on their car must have it approved to make sure it’s safe to be on our roads,” he said.
“At the moment, vehicles can be raised or lowered by up to 5 centimetres without approval, and by up to 15 centimetres with authorised engineering approval.
“I don’t want to see young hoons putting their lives or the lives of others at risk, just because they think their car looks better 15 centimetres closer to the ground.
“These hoons may think their car looks cool, but as far as I’m concerned anything more than a 5 centimetre change in a car’s suspension is dangerous and doesn’t belong on our roads.
“Raising or lowering a vehicle’s height can put the driver, passengers, and other road users at risk.
“It can affect handling, braking and safety features such as electronic stability control.
“It can also change the position of vital impact-absorbing sections of a car, designed to reduce the severity of a crash.
“Raising a vehicle’s suspension can also reduce the driver’s ability to see pedestrians and cyclists, and higher headlights can startle other road users,” Mr Daley said.
Mr Daley said any vehicle being raised or lowered would require certification stating the modifications conform to safety standard requirements.
“The changes also mean any modifications must meet specific requirements such as the vehicle having at least 10 centimetres ground clearance.
“Vehicles raised above the 5 centimetre limit will only be granted conditional registration for use under specified conditions like competing in an off road competition,” Mr Daley said.
Contact: Carissa Simons (0417 348 659)

[Alex]

Vehicles raised above the 5 centimetre limit will only be granted conditional registration for use under specified conditions like competing in an off road competition

I support this move, some 4wd's out there are dangerously high especially compared to us in our mx5's

[GP]

Sounds fair enough

[Charlie Brown]

Looks like I've been classified as a HOON It's not April 1st is it?

Yet another example of this governments inability to get the facts right before lashing out with yet another set of rules to control a minority of road users.
I would hazard a guess that 30% of registered MX5's will now need an engineering certificate.

[Sailor]

TRouble is,
If you lower your MX5 by even 40mm, you'll need to have the work approved.
It won't be because you would be below the min ride height of 100mm
NC3 rides at 118mm.

[bruce]

Retrospective? If not, you could claim your car was lowered prior to the introduction of the new law.

[Tezzax5]

The reason i posted this

eg:- Me (qld rego)+ tein SS slightly lowered (legal height) but no certificate.
Does this mean if i get pulled over in NSW that technically i can get a defect because of no certificate ?

What about Tein's set at standard height? Modded?

What about Victorian cars visiting NSW?

I agree about the silly high 4WD's needing to be pulled into line but jeepers i see a storm brewing south of the border for a lot of car modifier's.

[Sailor]

Retrospective? If not, you could claim your car was lowered prior to the introduction of the new law.

Once upon a time, when I could still fit into 32" trousers with stovepipe legs,
a regular piece of equipment carried by police was a roller that measured 4" IIRC on a long handle that would be pushed under all points of your car to check ride height.
I can see this gadget making a comeback on the back of this legislation, and whether your car was lowered yesterday, or 10 years ago, it will need to meet the minimum ride height.

AFAIK, no engineer will pass a car that doesn't....You should see the Clubman's when they get checked....then see them a day after registration.

I can see sales of adjustable coilovers going through the roof.

[Charlie Brown]

I can see sales of adjustable coilovers going through the roof.

Trouble is that coil overs are illegal and they state that when you buy them. Just don't get caught or hang onto your OEM parts to do a refit.

[Sailor]

Yep,
You'll need to have the coilovers engineered, then adjust them annually to pass registration.

[Old Dude]

I did hear a rumour that as far as Modifications were concerned they were trying to bring all of the States in line with their requirements, so that for example if you fitted a roll bar in QLD and got the appropriate plates and certificates that it would be legal in VIC if you moved there( not that you would leave the beautiful weather in QLD )

If the rumour is true does is there apossibility that this law could be passed for other states as well

Cheers
Old Dude

[de Bounce]

From memory, in WA you had to have a permit for every mod including rims, exhaust, etc.
They stopped it in the late 70s

Is this a little dajevu

[matt9111]

Hmm...that sounds pretty annoying.

Don't knock the high 4WD's I used to own one, you can usually see pretty well out of them, I never ran over an MX5 or other small car lol. The problem is its not the cars height that's the problem, its the person behind the wheel. It sucks that every1 has to suffer because of idiots

Cheers

Matty

[NMX516]

50mm is a fair old drop for a 5 though. I don't think there would be too many getting around at that height. For example, the Tein SS's "out of the box" height for MX5's give the car the 100mm ground clearance, by lowering the car by 25 - 30mm.

[Speedyblue]

Cops still use the little 4 inch wheel to check heights. I think as long as you aren't under the 100mm there won't be a problem, unless the copper really wants to push it. So, my last car was a 98 Range rover, which had factory airbags. There was at least 100mm of travel between at rest height, and the highest setting, and the heights would automatically change at different speeds. Once you go over 100, it'd drop by 50mm or so. Some people think these new rules may be there to stop mini-trucks and air bagging. Because after all, it is very dangerous if you change the height while the car is moving...

I see this as public servants trying to justify their jobs... They aren't really doing anything, so they come up with hair-brained schemes to keep themselves employes.