50mm suspension or body lifts now legal

[TerryO]

Not sure if this has been reported here previously or not but recently the various Federal and state government departments who sanction vehicle modifications agreed on allowing 50 mm suspension or body lifts to vehicles with ESC without getting an engineers report.

Must admit I am surprised about allowing 50 mm body lifts. If correct then a D3/4 with this mod more than likely would be able to run 33" plus tyres easily.

Here's the link. ... 4WD lift kits now legal (http://www.caravancampingsales.com.au/editorial/news/2016/4wd-lift-kits-now-legal-55696)

[Redback]

Not sure if this has been reported here previously or not but recently the various Federal and state government departments who sanction vehicle modifications agreed on allowing 50 mm suspension or body lifts to vehicles with ESC without getting an engineers report.

Must admit I am surprised about allowing 50 mm body lifts. If correct then a D3/4 with this mod more than likely would be able to run 33" plus tyres easily.

Here's the link. ... 4WD lift kits now legal (http://www.caravancampingsales.com.au/editorial/news/2016/4wd-lift-kits-now-legal-55696)

You might be able too, but it won't be legal.

[TerryO]

Actually it can be legal, it is a lot easier to get a engineers certificate for larger tyres than it used to be for a body lift on a vehicle with ESC.

[DiscoMick]

So, the confirmation of the 50mm suspension lift basically confirms the existing situation that suspension lifts of up to 50mm don't need an engineer's certificate, doesn't it?
Agree I'm surprised they also approved 50mm body lifts. I would have thought having a higher body on standard suspension would have significantly increased body roll.
Interesting.

[TerryO]

The body lift is what surprised me as well Mick, but it is owners of 4x4's with air suspension like late model Disco and Rangies that stand to gain the most from this if they want to modify seriously their vehicles for off road use, because they can raise or lower their vehicles while on road so as not to break the law, unlike raised coil or leaf sprung vehicles.

Maybe this is some more info for the Defender v Disco thread? ... ;)

[RVR110]

Maybe this is some more info for the Defender v Disco thread? ... ;)I doubt that many Defender owners would be interested in a body lift. If you want to find another pot to stir then you'll need to find a better one than this.

[TerryO]

I doubt that many Defender owners would be interested in a body lift. If you want to find another pot to stir then you'll need to find a better one than this.

Actually sorry but you have missed the whole point, this story from a LR perspective relates to vehicles with air suspension and ESC, correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think a Defender has ESC?

[Mick_Marsh]

Here you go, Terry. Why don't you ask these guys. They seem to have it in hand.
What size tyres can I upgrade to with my BT-50 | 4x4Earth (http://4x4earth.com/forum/index.php'threads/what-size-tyres-can-i-upgrade-to-with-my-bt-50.29690/)

[DiscoMick]

Actually, I don't personally see any need for me to raise our Defender at all, suspension or body, but that's another topic I guess.

[RVR110]

Actually sorry but you have missed the whole point, this story from a LR perspective relates to vehicles with air suspension and ESC, correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think a Defender has ESC?ESC - it's called DSC in a Defender - comes standard in some models such as station wagons, but not in others. For those that don't have it as standard is it was available as a $2,850 option.

Anyway, you've missed my point... please read DiscoMick's post as he summarized it quite nicely.

In a Defender you're always at off road height and you don't need any inflatable devices to achieve it ;)

[frantic]

Here you go, Terry. Why don't you ask these guys. They seem to have it in hand.
What size tyres can I upgrade to with my BT-50 | 4x4Earth (http://4x4earth.com/forum/index.php'threads/what-size-tyres-can-i-upgrade-to-with-my-bt-50.29690/)

They couldn't even agree on legal tyre sizes.
Let's have fun and do the same :D
My guesstimate is 34.5in on a defender in NSW and 32 for a D3/4. This is before engineering cert.
Now one strange thing was one post mentioned Model continuity for compliance , I wonder if defenders could claim back to series3 ?

[Slunnie]

Although thats in relation to suspension/body lift. What are the regulations WRT body lifts and SRS airbags?

[Redback]

Actually it can be legal, it is a lot easier to get a engineers certificate for larger tyres than it used to be for a body lift on a vehicle with ESC.


My point was, can you have both, what is the max height you can go, cause with a 50mm body lift COMBINED with the SLS, won't that take the lift over the max allowed if you add bigger tyres, do they factor in the ESC into the equation.

You have a max height you can go, even with an engineers cert, you can't go over that.

EDIT; sorry I meant SLS

[DiscoMick]

I assumed that if the vehicle came from the factory with air suspension and could be lifted that wouldn't be included in the 50mm rule, so you could lift 50mm beyond that. Is that right?

Sent from my GT-P5210 using AULRO mobile app

[ozscott]

ESC - it's called DSC in a Defender - comes standard in some models such as station wagons, but not in others. For those that don't have it as standard is it was available as a $2,850 option.

Anyway, you've missed my point... please read DiscoMick's post as he summarized it quite nicely.

In a Defender you're always at off road height and you don't need any inflatable devices to achieve it ;)
What Defender model in Australia had dynamic stability control?...i have never heard of it.

Cheers

[Redback]

I assumed that if the vehicle came from the factory with air suspension and could be lifted that wouldn't be included in the 50mm rule, so you could lift 50mm beyond that. Is that right?

Sent from my GT-P5210 using AULRO mobile app

Don't know Mick, I was hoping someone else might know:D

[Redback]

What Defender model in Australia had dynamic stability control?...i have never heard of it.

Cheers

From 2015, European Defender are now equiped with DSC.


DEFENDER2.NET - View topic - Stability Control on the "new" Defender (http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic17724.html?view=next)

[strangy]

The body lift is what surprised me as well Mick, but it is owners of 4x4's with air suspension like late model Disco and Rangies that stand to gain the most from this if they want to modify seriously their vehicles for off road use, because they can raise or lower their vehicles while on road so as not to break the law, unlike raised coil or leaf sprung vehicles. Maybe this is some more info for the Defender v Disco thread? ... ;)

Yes interesting stuff.
You could easily fit the body spacers when doing work on the turbo, engine, steering rack...what else requires body off?

[Tote]

From 2015, European Defender are now equiped with DSC.


DEFENDER2.NET - View topic - Stability Control on the "new" Defender (http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic17724.html?view=next)

The 2015 Australian spec sheet lists Anti-lock Braking System, Electronic Traction Control and Dynamic Stability Control, code 020BB, as standard on the 90 and 110 wagon and a $2580.00 option on 130cc and hpcu

Regards,
Tote

[ozscott]

Thanks guys. That is very interesting. Cheers

[TerryO]

Yes interesting stuff.
You could easily fit the body spacers when doing work on the turbo, engine, steering rack...what else requires body off?


That is what I was thinking, wait for a mechanical excuse for the body to come off and do the spacer thing at the same time. ... ;)

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And Baz and Ozscott as for is the air suspended off road height of + 50 mm being counted? How could it be? If its not raised then how does it count? Otherwise they could say the extended mode which is way over 50 mm makes the D3/4 and various Rangie models all illegal even when at standard height.

As for Defender stability control, how ironic that the only time they fit it is in its final year.

[loneranger]

We've got DSC on our MY15 90. Compared to my MY14 110 its a PIA. I kind of find it surplus to requirements as on a 90 it kicks in if you go over speed cushions to quick and get the rear tyres airborne :D

[Redback]

That is what I was thinking, wait for a mechanical excuse for the body to come off and do the spacer thing at the same time. ... ;)

----

And Baz and Ozscott as for is the air suspended off road height of + 50 mm being counted? How could it be? If its not raised then how does it count? Otherwise they could say the extended mode which is way over 50 mm makes the D3/4 and various Rangie models all illegal even when at standard height.

As for Defender stability control, how ironic that the only time they fit it is in its final year.

Because the RMS are pains in the arse like that and can be very pedantic about these things, they might count it as part of the lift, which would then rule out bigger tyres, but as I don't know, I can't say, which is why I'm only asking to see if anyone knows.

Personally I wouldn't do it.

[DiscoMick]

I thought the whole issue was how much lift was allowed in addition to that fitted standard by the manufacturer.
So, logically, on an air-suspended vehicle I assume it would be a maximum of 50mm above what the manufacturer built.
Otherwise, if it was based on standard height, but a vehicle could be lifted 50mm using the original air suspension, and the limit was still 50 mm, then why would anyone want to lift it further? (Not sure if that is very clear, hope you get my meaning).

[TerryO]

I thought the whole issue was how much lift was allowed in addition to that fitted standard by the manufacturer.
So, logically, on an air-suspended vehicle I assume it would be a maximum of 50mm above what the manufacturer built.
Otherwise, if it was based on standard height, but a vehicle could be lifted 50mm using the original air suspension, and the limit was still 50 mm, then why would anyone want to lift it further? (Not sure if that is very clear, hope you get my meaning).


Nope! ... ;)