My Line got defected today...scared as! What will happen?

[superspit]

Hi Skliner's, happy new year and..............er, anyways....

I'm a tad worried about the 'red tape' I'm about to go through.

Corner of Stud and Burwood Hwy get pulled over. Usuall stuff, drivers liscence, breatho...all good. Popped the bonnet...all good.

I asked the officer politely what the problem was and he said that he was concerned with how low my zorst was (it's a Fujitsubo 'Power Getter' that I got with the car). it was apparantly 85mm to the ground, where it should be 100mm plus off the ground.

Policemen then said that I have coil-over suspension (HKS Hypermax2, again, got with the car) and that this is for 'racing cars' and may not be legal. (He was very friendly but didn't appear to be 100% sure, from what I could tell.)

Anyways.....yellow sticker (that fell off in the first 10 minutes, seriously) and paperwork was given to me stating that I must go to RTA and have the clearance

checked (which policeman said "should be OK if I got the exhaust tucked up a little" (good advice).

The other note was to have my suspension inspected for 'legallity' (???)

He ticked the 'MINOR' box and ticked the 'NO ROADWORTY REQUIRED' box aswell on the notice and explained to me that it wasn't necessary for a RWC as the car was the best Skline he had ever seen... (Geee, thanks!!)

I got 7 days to do something......or else.....???

Guys.....I'm worried like hell!! The zorst I can fix quite quickly (tuck it up a bit to get the proper clearance), but I can't afford to put the original suspension in.

If I have to, I'm affraid that I'll have to lose the car.

Am I worrying for nothing.....does Mr policeman have a point about anything other than original suspension on these cars?(I thought all R33 Sklines have 'coil-over'?)

What happens at the RTA, procedure wise?

Help, I'm melting!!!

Thanks in advance again guys.

Mark. :Oops:

[HKS34R]

Only problem with aftermarket suspension is if the spring rates are not suitable for your car. I doubt this would be the reason in your case. The reason for the defect would be because the coilovers are not factory and you have no engineering certificate for them, not because they are not suitable for road use.

Simply get the whole car engineered (cost me about $550 incl. GST). Save you further hassles down the road too!!

In regards to the 7 days, the police are pretty lenient with this (i.e can't do it cos of work etc), just as long as you see them and arrange an extension.

[78vbsle]

check out one of the engineers below, they should be able to help you with your problem.

VICTORIA

Dynex International Braeside (03) 9580 3024  

John Lyons Tawonga (03) 5754 4953  

Ken McHarg Mirboo (03) 5664 8278  

Protech Developments Carrum Downs (03) 9775 0133  

Archie Robertson Bayswater (03) 9729 9776  

Matward Engineering Bendigo (03) 5443 8459  

Auto Team Consultants Wantirna South 0402 407 839  

Peter Turner Consulting Merbein/Wentworth (03) 5025 2453  

Bisitechniks Wendouree (03) 5339 6777  

Vehicle Systems Engineering Ringwood East (03) 9870 0121

or check out this link

http://carpoint.ninemsn.com.au/Tig/Minisit...pointau&id=6659

[superspit]

Thanks for that...(no doubt I'll be using these numbers in the future!).

I suppose I'm really after the initial procedures I must now undertake, and how the RTA handle these things????

[GTRgeoff]

I've just searched through the VicRoads Vehicle Assessment Signatory Scheme (VASS) package and there is no reference to aftermarket suspension or rates other then strength and longevity in a safety sense. After a brief search online in the Vic Vehicle Standards Information I can find nothing that suggests a replacement suspension component is a modification and is no different to buying similar components from Pedders etc. Even ADR do not appear to indicate limits on spring rates.

Non - Factory components do not immediately need to be engineered, otherwise all the spares places would go bust.

[MerlinTheHapyPig]

not sure if you'll need to change suspension to stock, i think you'll be ok.

but if not I will be back in melbourne in a week and i might be able to give you a hand changing the suspension over (if you have the standard ones or can borrow them). it's a pretty easy job (3 bolts per corner) - you could probably do it yourself with fairly basic set of tools.

[superspit]

I've just searched through the VicRoads Vehicle Assessment Signatory Scheme (VASS) package and there is no reference to aftermarket suspension or rates other then strength and longevity in a safety sense. After a brief search online in the Vic Vehicle Standards Information I can find nothing that suggests a replacement suspension component is a modification and is no different to buying similar components from Pedders etc. Even ADR do not appear to indicate limits on spring rates.

 

Non - Factory components do not immediately need to be engineered, otherwise all the spares places would go bust.

well....ok then....thanks for the confidence boost, honestly.

I will let u know how things 'pan'....and your logic seems inarguable on 'spare parts places'!!

Thankyou friend.

[HKS34R]

Non - Factory components do not immediately need to be engineered, otherwise all the spares places would go bust.

If the part was not produced for the car from the factory, it is considered a modification and must be engineered. For example, replacing a broken fuel pump with a similar Nissan pump is not considered a modification if it was built for that car, whereas putting a Bosch pump in instead is classed as a modification. Hence buying a part from a spares place is okay.

Even factory options can be defected if your car was not built with it from the factory. i.e a optional sports exhaust. It is bulls***t, but I have seen it happen. Even had a friend defected for the H-pattern not being on his shifter.

My advice, if it didn't come from the factory like that, legal or not, get it engineered to save some tight arsed cop taking your hard earned cash!!

[Roy]

That cant ve true...where do you draw the line. Say i jhad a brand new HSV and i decided to run different tyres to std, different brake pads, hell deifferent direct replacement rotors, or after 3 years the rust hole in the exhaust means i get a new Genie instead oif Walker muffler?!?!

Then take my car, brakes were stuffed so i upgraded, better quality / performance then std and cheaper. Leaking shock so i replace with Bilsteins, but if i used a crappy Monroee gas shock id be in the clear?!?

Im going to join a political party, seriously i hate my job, so looking for a change:)

[lwells]

You can "self-engineer" a range of modifications (well, at least you can in NSW). In otherwords its fine to make certain changes without approaching an engineer.

LW.

[Wazz]

the 100mm that is he talking about by law is a structural point of the car..

from wat i know an exhaust isnt a structural point of the car

Wazz

[AzzurrA]

wazz, its ANY point of the car.. nothing, other than the wheels/tyres is allowed to be less than 100mm from the road. I got defected about a month back for having one corner of my front bar, which is lower than everything else, 95mm from the ground instead of 100...

and even then, the law 100mm anyway. I tried arguing with them about it and they said that the 100mm has to be measured with an extra 300kg in the car (or 4 passengers) so basically it has to be a fair bit OVER 100mm or they'll still do you

[GTRgeoff]

According to VSI 8 Para 3.3 an allowed modification can be:

"Equipment or accessories equivalent in quality, performance and safety to those fitted to the vehicle ...."

If the suspension components are in good condition and there is no evidence of impending failure, then the cop would have to be an engineer and have to provide evidence of his testing/calculations and credentials to make this judgement.

Don't read into the "performance" aspect the wrong way. It is a measure of ability to perform the basic function as required by the OEM component, not the measure we immediately think of.

Height is 100mm within 1m each side of the axles with the vehicle in loaded config (GVM).

[MerlinTheHapyPig]

are your coilovers height adjustable? u may just be able to dial them up and get enough ground clearance without making any changes to exhaust.

[HypeR33]

I got a yellow for being too low. Front bar was only 80mm off the ground instead of the required 100mm. I have JIC suspension that is hard as hell (but handles great). It failed the first time I took it over the pits because the inspector was worried about the pillar gauges, and that there was no suspension travel.

Anyway...after I raised it so the front bar was the required 100mm off the ground, took it over the pits again. No mention of the suspension at all (even though still bloody hard) and the exhaust scraped the pit wall all the way along. They didn't worry about that at all. Only thing they measured was front bar height. Not sure if its different in the East, but I wouldn't worry about the suspension. Not sure bout the exhaust but the inspector didn't seem to mind it scraping (obviously lower than the front bar which he measured to exactly 100mm). Wouldn't worry too much about it.

[CerealKiller]

the 100mm that is he talking about by law is a structural point of the car..  

from wat i know an exhaust isnt a structural point of the car  

Wazz

That's in Japan not here.

[pentae]

At least the cop wasnt a bastard

[superspit]

A BIG thankyou to all these responses, if i was a good looking chick I'd be goin' the gobble onya's.!! (oh heck...even if I was an ugly one!!)

This is quickly what happened today.........

Went to TruFit exhaust, got the lowest part of my zorst 'tucked-up' about 15-20mm (just to be safe).$25.

Went to Pedders and got a suspension safety check done....technician loved my set-up and ticked all the boxes right and hand noted that "this car's suspension has been fitted correctly and is deemed, in 'my' proffessional opinion, to be safe......" ...$14

Went to VRoads, the little 100mm wheel was passed under the car unimpeded, handed over the Pedders report (very well presented for $14!!) to Mr.VRoad.

Yellow (bull5hit) sticker removed in a spritely manner (all gummy residue also removed),

formal paperwork completed and I'm pulling away in my tight ride, smiling and relieved.

Thanks Merlin for your offer of physical help....you're ace.

anyways....Up the 'irons...I mean Skliner's!!

SSMark.

[Sumo]

Its always good to see people over coming problems without it costing them a mint.

Must suck to live in a capital city too with all the coppers against you

Cheers

Sumo

[LiQuid IcE]

Corner of Stud and Burwood Hwy get pulled over.

Sounds Like Knox shopping centre??? Bad bad bad bad bad area for imports. I take a detour even if it adds 10 minutes. It's worth it. He's watching you.