Thread: Number plate location alternatives

Probably the angle rule was introduced after the vehicle was approved as meeting design requirement (in 1983?). Rules are almost never made retrospective, and existing production is mostly grandfathered in. So I doubt there will be a recall, but there would seem to be a distinct possibility of canaries for wider than standard spares on the back door (or carriers that move the wheel further out.

On that subject, wheel carriers or wider wheels that obscure the tail light when the door is open are not only illegal but dangerous.

Does the wheel carrier have to swing in front of the tail light to be illegal? Surely it would be okay if the tail light was still visible to a vehicle approaching from the rear.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Does the wheel carrier have to swing in front of the tail light to be illegal? Surely it would be okay if the tail light was still visible to a vehicle approaching from the rear.

That is right. The wheel on door is clear of the light when the door is open, but a carrier usually puts the wheel further out, and if the pivot point is further out it would be very, very easy for the setup to block the tail light, especially if the tyre is wider than standard.

For a defender more important not to block the reflector at the bottom right as defender taillights don’t have reflectors built in

I don't see how I would have a problem with the wheel carrier itself, since when closed the wheel is still in almost exactly the same position as it was with the standard door mount.

However I do concede the number plate is partly blocked by the wheel when viewed from about a 45% angle, although I didn't actually measure the angle, but guessed.

When opened, the wheel swings with the door, so it would still be in about the same position as if the wheel was mounted directly to the door, and the vehicle was approved for sale in Australia like that.

So I'm not losing any sleep over it.

I think the wheel obscuring the lights when open is a bit of a mute point unless you are going to drive around like that.

If you are parked, and with your vehicle (since the door is open) I cannot imagine the police issuing a fine. Anymore than them issuing a fine because you leaned a surfboard up against the back of the car and thereby obscuring the lights.

As promised - here are a couple of photos of new mount from Rijidij. Murray was great to deal with.

Had to run a new cable from the drivers side spliced into the running lights for the license plate light.

Next the ladder goes back on and need to plug the holes left by the plate/light (or get creative with that real estate - perhaps a big Times Up Tony sticker ). Any suggestions what works well for plugged without being an eye sore on a white car? Was thinking rivets

Originally Posted by Wallyb

I think the wheel obscuring the lights when open is a bit of a mute point unless you are going to drive around like that.

If you are parked, and with your vehicle (since the door is open) I cannot imagine the police issuing a fine. Anymore than them issuing a fine because you leaned a surfboard up against the back of the car and thereby obscuring the lights.

It is neither a mute point nor a moot point - it is a legal and safety point. The reason it is not legal to have the light blocked while the door is open is to try and reduce the number of people killed when a car runs into the parked vehicle while someone is unloading or loading. Nothing to do with driving round like that. And while police probably would not issue a fine (depends on your attitude a bit!), they should, and would be in their rights, to put an unroadworthy sticker on the vehicle.