Vehicle Engineers reports, 4WD Modification rules, whats allowed, what not...

[NissanGQ4.2]

a few years back if you removed your rear seats to do a lap from Melb it was illegal in Sth Aust
They may have relaxed the rules knowing this mod was only temporary ,
but it reduced your patrol to a two seater.
Question would fitting drawers need a cert as youre reducing the factory seating capacity.
Only for insurance purposes

Just click on the removing seats +

https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/regi...eplacing-seats

[lhurley]

Those of you that have had their cars engineered, have you had any issue with the authorities (police, department of transport, insurance) in regards to the mods?

Eg been pulled over by some cop trying to fill his ticket book and you say here's my mod plate see you later.

[the evil twin]

Those of you that have had their cars engineered, have you had any issue with the authorities (police, department of transport, insurance) in regards to the mods?

Eg been pulled over by some cop trying to fill his ticket book and you say here's my mod plate see you later.

Nope, never had to resort to a Mod Plate discussion with Plod or Mermaids.

I found that even with plated Mods many Insurers won't take you as a client (and I am the lowest possible risk category).
As an example RAC and about 3 or 4 other hi profile advertisers said no thanks to my Chevy Mods but Allianz and Shannons didn't bat an eye about the Mods or the waaay higher agreed value expectations

[TuffTD42]

Those of you that have had their cars engineered, have you had any issue with the authorities (police, department of transport, insurance) in regards to the mods?

Eg been pulled over by some cop trying to fill his ticket book and you say here's my mod plate see you later.

Never been hassled by coppers. Once in my old GQ 6" lift & 35's I was towing the wife's horse float that was unregoed & went past the HWY patrol parked on the side of the road. His camera picked up that the float was unregoed & chased me down the road. The only thing he said about the rig was to put some flares on the back to cover the tyres. I kindly explained to him that I had just finished the quarter chop & had the rubber flexi flares on order. All he said was ok get done ASAP.

Regards to insurance A few won't insure you but a lot will. Club4x4 is who I will be insuring with next time & they ask the question: Is your vehicle road worthy in it's registered state. As mine is engineered it complies so no hassle.

I had been to QLD quite a few times & S.A. in the ol GQ & never got hassled once. Just came back from The Sunshine coast & Brisbane after 2 weeks in the GU & again never got hassled. I kept hearing stories about interstaters getting defected etc & was worried the 1st few times out of state. I know If I moved back to the Sunshine coast the Gu would have to be lowered & smaller tyres fitted to comply. I think this is an issue which needs to be looked at. I don't understand how my vehicle is roadworthy in NSW but not on QLD roads. The engineering certs should be made national not state accepted.

[NissanGQ4.2]

I think this is an issue which needs to be looked at. I don't understand how my vehicle is roadworthy in NSW but not on QLD roads. The engineering certs should be made national not state accepted.

Spot on there, but can't see a national ever happening. Wasn't all the talk over VSI50 a few years back to bring it all into a national standard? where is it now, all dead and buried.

[TuffTD42]

Spot on there, but can't see a national ever happening. Wasn't all the talk over VSI50 a few years back to bring it all into a national standard? where is it now, all dead and buried.

That's it Todd. I'm not 100% what is going on, but I hear talk that the laws are in limbo & are being sorted to be executed soon. But that is all here say.

[mudski]

That's it Todd. I'm not 100% what is going on, but I hear talk that the laws are in limbo & are being sorted to be executed soon. But that is all here say.

I think this quote from one of the links sums it up pretty good...

"However, we all know that national uniformity is a pipedream in this eight-nation federation, because State and Territory bureaucrats have to justify their existence by drafting individual laws. With vehicle compliance rules for registered vehicles being the domain of State and Territory regulators, they have the right to call up VSBs, ADRs and other Federal instruments as they see fit. This is why a vehicle can be ‘roadworthy’ in one jurisdiction and ‘unroadworthy’ in another!"

[Cuppa]

Just click on the removing seats +

https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/regi...eplacing-seats

Thanks, I found the info reassuring. I must admit that I had thought maybe having changed from the 2.5 seating - bench seat + single driver seat (plate says seating for 3) in my Dx Ute to 2 bucket seats from an ST should have had an engineers certificate which I didn’t have. However that VicRoads link makes it clear that what I’ve done requires no engineers certificate, making me 100% legal. Yay!

Mind you my previous reasoning for not seeking certification was the fact that I believed that in any accident situation that it would need to be proved that the seat change had been a contributing factor to have been of any consequence, & just could not imagine any situation in which that could have been the case - but it’s good to know that the legal situation ‘agrees’ with me.

When re-insuring the car with Club 4x4 recently, they stated clearly that so long as the vehicle is roadworthy & legal in the state it’s registered in they cover me. Nevertheless I informed them of the plated GVM upgrade, & they politely acknowledged it, but they didn’t need it specified on the insurance certificate as Shannons had previously.

Follow up: After posting the above I read on that VicRoads web site page:

“ If the modification has changed the seating description of the vehicle, or a VASS Approval Certificate is required, then you must visit VicRoads Customer Service Centre with:

• evidence of identity
• the vehicle
• a VASS Approval Certificate, if required.

So as I had nothing better to do, I drove across town to VicRoads office & patiently sat in their queue.
When my turn came I told the VicRoads staff member what I had done & my reason for coming in.
I was directed to bring my car to the inspection bay, whereupon the staff member stuck her head into the vehicle & said “Yep, that’s two seats”
I then asked if I would be provided with some evidence that I had advised VicRoads of the change of seating as the compliance plate says seating for 3.
“We can’t change a compliance plate” she said, & further agreed that the number of seats is not shown on the Registration certificate so the change would not be recorded there. “So it was a bit of a waste of time bringing it in?” I said. She smiled & shrugged her shoulders.
So I have no evidence that I have advised VicRoads of the change. Considering they say that they MUST be advised this seems rather odd to me.

Anyone had a similar experience? I was expecting I would at least be provided with a written confirmation of having advised them (for insurance purposes).

[Hodge]

Question. GVM upgrading, do they scale front and rear separately or is it a overall weight of the vehicle ? Obviously front will get loaded more due to the engine being there ...

[NissanGQ4.2]

Question. GVM upgrading, do they scale front and rear separately or is it a overall weight of the vehicle ? Obviously front will get loaded more due to the engine being there ...

Front, Rear and overall if I read it correctly

http://www.outbacktravelaustralia.co...ses-march-2015

About the only thing I miss about working at a public weighbridge is all the modified street rods and four wheel drives needing 2 know there axle weights, some really nice rods came through