The Law For Modification

[viet_boi]

Recently been looking up rules and laws for modification and recived email from Police about what you can do and what you cant do to your car.

Might be helpful for some of you guys in your modifications.

Suspension:

Lowering - a good gauge of legality is to measure from the centre of the wheel to the bottom of the wheel arch. You are able to lower the car to 1/3 of that distance.

*OR - from the bottom of the reflective surface in your headlight to the ground - this can be no less then 500mm legally. 100mm is the lowest that any part of the vehicle can be from the ground.

Springs - Cut springs and compressed springs are illegal. As for airbag suspension, there is currently not enough information on it, however, with the appropriate documentation submitted they MAY be approved.

Body Kits - As you would all realise, body kits are pretty harmless so they see nothing wrong with them. Wide body Kits came into the conversation - If you were to think about a wide body kit then you would need to talk to someone at the technical centre to establish if it is legal or not.

Rollcage - After long discussions we found out that full roll cages are NOT permitted, however, 1/2 Rolla cages in 2 door vehicle are ok.

Door Handles - You do not need locks nor handles on the outside of the vehicle but you are required to keep the interior handles on the inside.

Tinting - 35% tint transmittance is the legal limit. Coloured tinting is currently illegal and will not pass the test until companies can prove that the vehicle occupant can distinguish traffic light colours. Reflective tinting can not have a reflectance value of more then 10%.

Stickers/Decals - Anything in the viewing path is illegal. As for your windscreen, anything where the wiper blades do not touch is legal.

INTERIOR:

Seats - Non-reclinable seats in a two-door can be used if the vehicle is registered as a two seater. You are able to change the drivers seat to a non-reclinable but the law requires that you leave the passenger seat as a reclining one. *back seat passengers need to be able to get out in the case of an accident*

Belts - For your own safety is it a necessity that your mounting points are CORRECT! If they are incorrect then they will do more harm then good.

Steering Wheels - Wheels with airbags need to be compatible with the steering column, otherwise MOST aftermarket steering wheels are fine as long as they are not too small.

Gear Knobs - It is ok to change your gear shift knob providing they are not dangerous. You can also change the length of the shaft providing you are still able to change gears properly.

Iluminated Gauges (Dash) - As long as there is a distinct difference between the background colour and the numbers AND it is not distracting then it is fine.

'A' Pillar Gauge Mounting - Proving that they are not in the 'head impact' area then they are legal. There is a formula to establish the head impact area, you may need to enquir about this with the Dept. of Transport.

Gauges on Dash (aftermarket tachos etc) - As long as visibility is clear then they are approved.

Screens/ Monitors - Nothing is allowed to be visible whilst driving nor stationary by the driver, however, if the vehicle is stationary and turned OFF then it is ok.

Undercar Neons - Legal now.

Headlights - Forward facing lights have to be white. The test is to hold a piece of white paper directly in front of the headlight and as long as the light is a clear white then they are legal. Anything else is considered illegal.

Fog Lights - *if they are standard with the vehicle * Australian Design Rules (ADR) says that you CAN drive with your fog lights on BUT the Road Traffic Code says that you can NOT drive with your fog lights on.

Licence Plate Light - They are required to be white.

Euro Tail lights (Lexus style) - They are legal providing that each colour is identified correctly. The reflectors also need to be in their correct spot.

Exhaust - They need to meet the required noise levels. As for the question of 'what is the noise level?' there is no set limit, basically, if it's too noisy then it's illegal. This one leaves things pretty open due to the fact that no one is going to think their exhaust is 'too noisy', next topic of external waist gates shares the same issue.

External Waist Gates (BOV) - They are not illegal, they just can not be too loud. *Same issue as above*

POD Filters - As long as the filter does not interfere with the air flow meter then there are no issues with them.

Front Mounted Intercoolers - No problem with them.

Braded Brake Hoses - Goodrich were ADR tested and passed the 'whipping' test with a 50mil plastic sleeve on the outside. Braded hoses tend to not pass the whipping test due to being unable to withstand the constant flexibility required during the extensive test, that is why Goodrich came up with the idea to have the 50mil plastic sleeve to help compensate.

Camshafts - If the vehicles computer can handle the aftermarket Cam without being upgraded then it is ok. Aftermarket performance Cams have a pretty distinguished sound to them and if a cop can recognise it then they will give you a yellow sticker.

NOS - In other states it is ok to have the NOS kit in your vehicle providing the lines are disconnected. In WA it is illegal to even have the kit in your car.

Short Shift Kits - Are allowed providing it doesn't interfere with changing gears properly.

Brakes - simple, they need to be left alone! If you are thinking of upgrading them then get in touch with a technical inspector about them first.

Correct me if I'm wrong but this is what i got. :lol:

John

[Pulp]

Cool!

Couple thinkgs, it says that PODs and FMICs are no problem. But I thought that you needed permits for these?

[mitchy_]

yes you need permits..

BOV's are illegal if they make noise, and vent atmospherically.

there *is* a set dB for exhaust's too, however the value eludes me at this time.

a pillar gauges must also not stick out on either side of the a pillar, ie block view other than what the a pillar does.

changing shift knobs requires the new knob, or somewhere around the shifter to display a shift pattern, in the event of emergancy and someone has to drive your car, due to the range of shift patterns.

with neons, they have to be hidden from view, and not able to reflect off any chromed surfaces, they are also to be all of one colour, and not to flash. and linking it with the car lighting, your not allowed to have red lights displayed at the front of your car, so technically that rules out red neons. now to link it with emergancy vehicles, red/blue lights fall under police/ambulance lights, and now western power vehicles with orange lights are emergancy vehinces too(99% sure) so technically that rules out red/blue/orange, and then you are not allowed to display white light at the rear other than the reverse lights, so techincally again white, red, blue and orange are ruled out as colours for neons.

braided brake lines need to have a plastic/some form of shield on them in the event they split (i think you said that, but im just re-itterating.)

and i think thats just about all the updates for your list.

[viet_boi]

Thanks

[thrtytwo]

tinting is different for different windows isnt it ? could you elaborate slightly as to the rear windows ?

[Josh]

I didn't think an external wastegate was a BOV?? External Wastegate is on the exhaust manifold... BOV on the intake.. I assume they said you also need a cat(If unleaded..)

Good info tho

[DRIFTT]

DPI now use the Federal Draft for National Code of Practice for Light Vehicle Construction and Modification (NCOP) as a guide line.

http://www.dotars.gov.au/transreg/vsb/vsb_ncop.aspx

http://www.dotars.gov.au/transreg/vsb/vsb_..._downloads.aspx

[lukits01]

So turbo upgrades are fine?

what about ECU and boost controllers?

and fuel system upgrades like external fuel pumps, fuel pressure regulators, injectors, etc?

[MacGuyver]

Can anyone clear up the legalities associated with carbon fibre bonnets? I've heard so many things different about them; can have them if your car is made pre 1995, can have them if you don't have vents in them (fire reasons) and if you do have vents you need to have them blocked. Any truth to these? As with exhausts, I always thought that it wasn't allowed to be louder than 90 decibels at 4900 rpm?

"I eated the purple berries... they taste like burning!"

[noise]

some good info.

But I am certian some is wrong as others have pointed out.

I personally thought a BOV's that vent into the atmosphere were 100% illegal. Something about exhaust requirements?

[Josh]

Yeh - Its same with oil catch tanks that vent to the atmosphere without a filter - Same sorta thing as not running a cat in your exhaust i spose - or even having a screamer pipe..

I think with carbon fibre bonnets they have to be ADR approved - was reading it somewhere else - I don't think anyone has tested one yet...

[mitchy_]

cf bonnets cant have open, rear facing vents, and scoops need to conform to some size regulations (cant block view, etc)

tinting is a strict 35% on ALL windows, excluding the front, which may have 35% in the top 10% of the window.

or if using reflective tint, the above applies but at 10%, and no coloured tint.

and pretty much anything that vents from your engine(bov, wastegate, catch cans, etc) must exit through a cat-ed, muffled, exhaust

[StageZilla]

cf bonnets cant have open, rear facing vents, and scoops need to conform to some size regulations (cant block view, etc)

tinting is a strict 35% on ALL windows, excluding the front, which may have 35% in the top 10% of the window.

or if using reflective tint, the above applies but at 10%, and no coloured tint.

and pretty much anything that vents from your engine(bov, wastegate, catch cans, etc) must exit through a cat-ed, muffled, exhaust

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

im pretty sure the rear seat windows can be as dark as u want, and only the front 2 windows and back screen need to be the 35% limit.

like a panel van or wagon can paint there rear windows (except rear glass) black if they want.

[MacGuyver]

I thought atmospheric BOV's were illegal as well just from a noise perspective. Does this also apply for plumb back BOV's as well? As for boost controllers (mechanical or electrical) I've heard that they could be illegal as they can alter your cars emmissions, thus making them fail the emmissions requirements. True or false?

And another thing, how wide is too wide when it comes to tyres? I've read somewhere that anything wider than 7" was illegal. I've got 9" on the rear and 8" at the front, ok or shonky? They don't stick out from the body of the car at all, and they don't rub on any part of the car while travelling or turning either.

"I eated the purple berries... they taste like burning!"

[mitchy_]

StageZilla - this is where the aw is a bit silly... as far as ive been told from a few people a the pits/police officers, you CANNOT have less than 35% grade tinton your windows, however you can have the rear passenger/rear window painted over/stickered, etc it just cant be tinted..

and from one source i heard this was only legal if you had 2 side mirrors, ie one on either side, as some cars only have a driver side mirror...

MacGuyver - the law states your rim width may be a maximum of 7" wide, unless wider was a factory option. ie..

if your car has 5" wide rims, largest option was 5", you can put 7" wide on it.

if it came with 5", largest option was 8", you can put 8" on it.

if it came with 9", largest option was 9", you can put 9" on it.

ruling over these tho, the rim/tyre must not extend past the side of the car, so if you have 5" on it, but 7" sticks out, you need to either change the rim offset, or put a smaller rim on it.

and, both rims/tyres must be the SAME SIZE, unless it came with different size/widths from factory, ie porsches with wider rears, etc.

as far as i know, all skylines had same size wheels front and back from factory BUT if you get an engineer's signoff + permit to say the rims are legal, you are fine.

also what you wrote about bov's is true, and boost controllers is true aswell, they arent *illegal* with a engineer's signoff + permit to stipulate they dont f**k up your emissions

[N I B]

I had no problem over the pits with 10inch rims on my wifes R32 GTR or twin Atmo BOVs .pods ,and even the catch can so i guess its the inspector on the day to a large extent.

[StageZilla]

I had no problem over the pits with 10inch rims on my wifes R32 GTR or twin Atmo BOVs .pods ,and even the catch can so i guess its the inspector on the day to a large extent.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

the system sucks, its so unpredictable. could get screwed over by cops or they let ya go, and then the pits r exactly the same B)

[DanR33]

They leave alot of grey areas in the rule books so they can make them up as they go.

I am originally from Sydney so I think rules are a little different.

In NSW the largest rim size u could use was 1 inch wider and taller than the largest spec on your tyre plackard. My R33 had a tyre plackard for 18 x 9 so in theory I couldve went 19 x 10.

Lowering was 100mm and they had a thing they rolled under your car to test this. I know this because I got a defect with my E30 BMW 325is that was 40mm off the ground hehe. Airbags in NSW are legal so long as they do not lower the vehicle more than the 100mm rule. My mate has a hilux bagged and they atually made him deflate the bags all the way that even with 20's make his car sit on the ground. Let see them put the roller under that!

Tint rules only apply to the front two windows in NSW and i asume here aswell. So long as you have both side mirrors functional. Because if you had a ute they only have two side windows and if you have a load in the back then you cant use the rear mirror. Try using this on a cop if they pull you up.

[HypeR33]

I am pretty sure that for WA rims are not supposed to larger/wider than 2 inches from that stamped on the tyre plackard. So if it was stamped with 16 x 7, then you could go up to 18 x 9, but not sure really how strict they apply those rules.

...I think the standard noise level limit for exhaust is something like 92db or 98db...but there are guys out there with a lot louder, like mine is 102db and I got a mod permit for it, and there are others louder so dont know how strick they are on this.

They are however very strict on ride height. Lowest part of the body must be at least 100mm off the deck, and/or headlights minimum 500mm off the deck, whichever comes first.

In terms of other mods there seems to be big grey areas too. I have a atmo BOV that passed, the inspector just said I need a permit for it, so I got it added to the list...easy as that, where as others have said that they are illegal.

[N I B]

Noise is a funny one,How can they sticker us for noise when they let Harley Davidsons get away with it?