Have your say and be realistic .

[dads tractor]

Thanks for the support guys now I feel its time too have a discussion on individual points and submit with a vote and where you are from and some guide lines in everday aussie so that everyone knows the laws .

lets start with tyres : Current regs for each state ; what is sensible ;what is a compromise with what suspension height ;and how can we prove its safe ? See its getting a bit complicated already.

[Gecko17]

IMO... If a vehicle can be modified, in a safe and functional manner, then I can't see what the problem is. Most of the problems that occur are when the engineering isn't looked at fully or complied with.

I run 35in tires on my GU patrol incorporated with a 3in lift. I have also changed diff ratios and castor correction bushes etc.

If I was to go bigger than this, then I would ensure that anything that needed to be added, removed, was. Every modification has pros and cons. As long as safety is at the forefront, I don't see how or why it is such a huge concern if the safety is there, confirmed by engineering.

[warner01]

yea but remember its not always our cars that is the reason. eg if youve lifted your 4x4 and put big wheels on when/if your involved in a crash you will be safe but you will be driving over the other car. the point is its gota be safe for both you and the cars around you.
In saying that it would be nice to be able to run bigger tires and more lift... If i could afford it that is...... :-D

[macca]

I have often thought about the other car situation. On the road there allways is something bigger, heavier, wider etc. My work vans have a flat front, no comparison to a Lamborghini. A mini would drive over one of them.

[BigRAWesty]

I'd love to see 3" lift and 2" tyre diameter the minimum change.

[Gecko17]

yea but remember its not always our cars that is the reason. eg if you've lifted your 4x4 and put big wheels on when/if your involved in a crash you will be safe but you will be driving over the other car. the point is its gotta be safe for both you and the cars around you.
In saying that it would be nice to be able to run bigger tires and more lift... If i could afford it that is...... :-D

This has always been one of the big considerations when legislation like this goes through. That and the impact (no pun intended) that vehicle modifications will have on pedestrians, eg, forward protruding bullbars as they can deflect a pedestrian under the vehicle rather than up and over the bonnet. As Warner01 has said, it has to be safe for both sides... unfortunately, this will never be the case until there is only one model of vehicle on the road. It boils down to a simple case of physics... A fully loaded, standard, larger 4wd that collides with a compact, Japanese sedan will always fare better that the latter.

As usual, there is evidence to the contrary that negates a lot of the arguments against modifications, such as when submissions are made re the fact that modded 4wds are more dangerous, in a crash, than a conventional vehicle. What about a truck v a normal car? Then there is the argument that there are more 4wds on the road now. Simply because, rightly or wrongly, they are seen to offer a greater degree of safety.

This is a subject in which I can go on and on about as I used to have to police this nonsense. There are so many arguments for and against and at the end of the day, the governing body will go with the legislation that will create the least outcry, or worse, fly in the face of all logic.

The best thing we can do, as lovers of 4wd as well as concerned motorists, is to have a collective voice on this matter. The squeaky wheel gets the oil.

[warner01]

quite right Hilghlander so squeak squeak