ADR compliant accessories V vehicle inspection

[Nomad9]

Hi Forumites,
I bought a D3 from the ACT, brought it over to WA and over the last three months I've been ftting some goodies as time and funds allow. I fitted the usual stuff nothing to exotic, bull bar, dual rear wheel carrier, snorkle and a long range tank.
I did toy with idea of getting the vehicle over the pits before I fitted the accessories but I was under the impression that as long as I bought all ADR compliant bits I would be right.
At the inspection yesterday I was pinged for three issues one was the departure angle with the long range tank fitted, the second was no reflectors visible with both wheels fitted and finally no reversing lights visible from the rear and the angle that you are supposed to be able to see them.
Reflectors was easy popped over to the local spares shop and bought 4 stick on ones, not sure how long these will last when they are subjected to the harsh reality of gravel roads. The LED lights on the Kaymar bar look very nice, good quality etc etc. I was of the belief that the LED lights had reflectors built into them, this is not the case as I found out.
Reversing light, not as easy but fixable, just have to attach a light to one of the carriers and wire this into the reversing light loom.
Departure angle not so easy, the difference between success and failure was about ten millimeters. I put some rubber inserts during the instalation between the tank and the chassis to try and reduce the stresses on the tank caused by the chassis flexing that sometimes happens and also to try and reduce the vibration effects as well. Maybe I shouldn't have done this, seemed like a good idea at the time, I didn't realise that the tanks were made so close to the limits of the ADR spec.
The examiner was what I regarded as fair, on this occasion he passed the vehicle, I didn't have the second carrier arm fitted so one reversing light was still visible thankfully.
This is more of an information thing than anything else, the problems I have are fixable but at the same time embarrasing, turning up with what you belive to be ADR compliant accessories only to find out they require other bits. :D

[BigJon]

Reflectors and lights I can understand, I have never heard of a departure angle issue. Did you put the tow bar in and show how bad the departure angle is then??

[Scouse]

I have never heard of a departure angle issue. I came across this problem when getting a car registered in 1995. I'd made a 120 litre fuel tank for it but when the examiner put his straight edge from the underside of the rear tyre up to the body, it stuck out about 5mm too far.
He mentioned to me that it wasn't right but still passed the car.

[rmp]

Excellent info, thanks.

Questions

1. How on earth did he know what the dept angle was meant to be? I know that the Brown Davis tank follows the lines of the spare wheel exactly. Agree re towbar. Also to pass roadworthy it would need only to exceed the angle stated in the regs not necessarily the manufacturer's original. For example I think the min ground clearance is 165mm so if you lower your car that's fine as long as that's not exceeded. There are breakover angle minima too. So I don't see why that would be a problem.

2. Kaymar state their bar is ADR compliant so I'd contact them and tell them about it. I think it's also the lights not the reflectors but I've only looked at the Vic regs.

As a general rule the people that design and especially fit accessories either don't know or don't care about roadworthy requirements and take a "she'll be right" attitude. Tyre places are the worst.

[Nomad9]

Forumites,
In regard to the departure angle he measured from the centre of the rear wheel where the rubber meets the road to the first point of contact when aimed at the tow hitch, you are right with "the plough" installed the depature angle is significantly reduced and the tank ***** it in, with the tow hitch removed the tank drops below the departure angle by about 5 mm. There isn't a difinitive angle out of a book as such, it's the first point of contact when the vehicle is either dropping or climbing, the bottom of the bumper bar (or the tow hitch) should be the first point of contact not a component such as the fuel tank. He was telling me about a lot of issues about vehicles that go onto gas where the gas tank is put under the vehicle, a lot of owners have to get the tow hitch assembley fitted to make the vehicle compliant, crazy stuff but that's how it works.
With regard to Kaymer I'm sure I'll get a better response than what I got from ARB in regard to being able to get the headlights out to change a globe with the bull bar installed. Again another basic design issue.
By the way, when I mentioned about fitting the Mitchell Bros hitch conversion which raises the tow hitch above the rear bar this then makes my vehicle in theory non compliant again. The tow hitch may have all the certification it needs as a single entity the same as all the other bits but when fitted in conjunction with all the other bits the "vehicle" becomes non compliant if you get a really pedantic inspector. At worst I suspect I would have to remove the rubber inserts I put between the tank and the chassis rail.
Glad the info was of some help.

[CaverD3]

You could bolt a length of galvanised angle to the bottom of the hitch. Placing it between the bolt heads and the hitch. That would make it comliant again?

[Graeme]

... what I got from ARB in regard to being able to get the headlights out to change a globe with the bull bar installed. Again another basic design issue.
OT, but what sort of a problem is there in removing the headlights with the ARB bar installed?

[CaverD3]

It can be done. You need to remove the lights and the undo the srews and remove the plastic bit on the back of the lights. You can now slide it betwen the bars.
I'll try to dig out some photos. (on old PC I think)

[Graeme]

Thanks CaverD3. I'm looking at getting an ABR bar for the D4 (assuming ARB decide to make one) so D3 pictures might not be of much use to me. Mainly I was hoping the bar didn't have to be removed to get let the lights out.

[p38arover]

I'm surprised you have to remove the lights to change a bulb on any modern vehicle.

[Jamo]

It's pretty simple though, Ron. You just disconnect the electrical connector, pull up on two locking bars and out comes the cluster. (except if you have an ARB bar)

[p38arover]

It's pretty simple though, Ron. You just disconnect the electrical connector, pull up on two locking bars and out comes the cluster. (except if you have an ARB bar)

Ahh!

[Graeme]

On a D4, 5 seconds to remove the grill and another 10 seconds to remove a headlight cluster if you take your time.

[Nomad9]

CaverD3,
I tried to remove my lights last week without success, I didn't know you had to remove a "plastic bit", I asked at a guy at ARB and he said it was a bit of a "whoops" factor, allegedly takes about an hour and a half with special tools. If I've got this wrong fine I stand corrected. Would be great if you could find the photos. I'm away tomorrow I'll have a look when I get back, nothing broken I was trying to see if it was possible, I couldn't get the lights out of my last D3 maybe ARB have changed the design now, thats unless you've always had to remove the "plastic bit".
Merry Xmas guys and a Happy New Year.

[CaverD3]

Hope this helps:

Plastic bit still on:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/771.jpg

With the plastic bit removed, you can see screw holes:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/772.jpg

You can see the bits removed:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/829.jpg

same with plastic bit off:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/828.jpg

Will slide between bars; put a towel betweeen the lense and bar to stop it getting scratched.

[discojools]

I had to change a globe on my D3 with ARB bar a year or two ago. If it wasn't for the bar it would be dead easy. I remember thinking at the time **** I can't get the light cluster out!! However I managed to change the globe with light cluster loose but not removed from the car. It didn't take that long (half and hour maybe) and I didn't need any special tools.
Definitely a "whoops" for ARB though! Maybe it'll be fixed on the D4 bar.