**NSW IMPORTANT** - Suspension rule change starting soon

[Bandit]

It has been alluded to in a couple of threads and I have posted a link to the document before - but starting on August 1, a new rule affects lowering cars in NSW.

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/ ... y-2009.pdf

For the purposes of registerting a vehicle in NSW, lowering or raising suspension is now classified as a 'major modification' - effectively meaning that engineer certification is required for the car to be roadworthy.

This is a major, major change and likely to affect a lot of cars!

The suspension industry and enthusaist groups are up in arms about it - but the rule is about to commence. The impacts of the rule on police enforcement and insurance companies are yet to be tested.

The RTA has recently advised that the rule is RETROSPECTIVE - so affects vehicles already raised/lowered. This is big stuff.

The rule ends with:

"The registered operator of a vehicle found to have been raised or lowered without the certificates required by this VSI No. 50 or whose records have not been amended accordingly during an RTA inspection or on-road police inspection may be issued with a defect notice or have its registration suspended or cancelled."

[SIR-VRX]

Also to add to that, there is a 50MM maximum lowering. Even if it is engineered, which any lowering must be now anyway.

[jamez707]

ill say again...who loves Queensland....sorry NSW thats ruff

[SIR-VRX]

Don't jinx us James!!! There is talk of an attempt to make this federal later on (2010 or so)

[tadz0rz]

i just gotta say, thats gotta suck.

In addition to the above, altering the position of a vehicle’s
bumpers means its point of contact with other vehicles may be above or below their bumpers,
crumple zones and locally strengthened sections, thereby exposing their occupants to an increased
risk of injury in the event of them crashing with a raised or lowered vehicle.

Thats just dumb, lowering your car by 3cm aint gunna mean squat if your in an accident. Its like if your ferarri got hit by a hummer. the hummer is going to go straight over you regardless of how low your car is. + everyone is known to throw big 22, 24" rims on hummers. No chance, regardless of your car being lowered or not.

I feel bad for you'se...

[Dummer]

That just shows how little you know Tadz

The most likely crash you'll be in is with another car, and that's what they design it for and I have to say the points they raise are rather valid and not something I'd considered before.

Also to quote:

This VSI applies to vehicles modified or presented to an AUVIS after 31 July 2009.

So it only applies to newly modded cars or those presenting from August onwards for BLUE slips. I would highly suggest photocopying the receipt from when you got the car lowered (or bought the springs) and keeping it in the glovebox. That way when Officer Plod is being a dickhead you can shove it in his face, rather than have to take it to court and fight it.

The way I can see these laws going is that King Springs will probably provide certificates to say that the springs are ok, but if you import your own springs of a different brand from overseas you'll have to see an Automotive Engineer, which really is f***ing stupid!

But hey we only have this to blame on the commodore dickheads that think their heap of s*** looks "fully sic" dumped on its ass with chopped springs or the Hilux idiots who think it's cool to do dumb shit with the rear leafs because their 'mini-truck' looks fully sick (if only someone pointed out to them it's a s*** house commercial ute).

[Rina2009]

what if it was done at the car yard i have no record of this only on receipt bye buying the car. and it just on the quote paper...

[Dummer]

If it's on the original papers for buying the car you should be right, if not go back to the dealer and ask them to provide a letter to say it was lowered when purchased on this date using these springs, blah blah blah...

[3mPty]

what if you got the car lowered from the dealer itself???because some of us,our cars are lowered by the dealer when we bought it...

[LZY_EYE]

It should be classified on the invoice your dealer gave you. If not, go back to them and get some sort of written evidence.

The cops are going to go on a field day with this when it comes in... need to be prepared

[Rina2009]

crazy thing is some of there undercover cars are lowered as well

[Dummer]

The cops are going to go on a field day with this when it comes in... need to be prepared

Maybe not straight away but yes they will in due course have a field day on it. I also suspect they will be pulling over any lowered car to try and defect you on something as that way it makes you have to go and get it engineered before you can get a blue-slip to clear the defect notice.

[LZY_EYE]

crazy thing is some of there undercover cars are lowered as well

Along with all the highway patrol cars... I wonder if they will have to be engineered.... they also have 10% tint on them.

[3mPty]

thanks lzy_eye

[bye2u]

i really like to know how they are going to enforce this new law..