Thread: driving around with full set of bonnet tools is it ok

Originally Posted by jet

! have the complete perentie army bonnet tools inc wood cutting pick digging implement is this legal i was dropping the wife at the airport had a few strange looks.
Was thinking of putting a lock on them just encase.

Just never know these days .

Technically, No they are not legal. Tools on the bonnet break the ADR about pedestrian safety in event of an accident (couldn't be bothered looking up the rule right now)

That said, I have also not heard of anyone having to remove them to get a roadworthy. Which speaks volumes for what roadworthies are worth and what the people who do them actually know about what they are doing.

I've just taken all the fittings off the bonnet apart from the windscreen brackets. I'd rather have them off than have an unlucky pedestrian die by impaling their head on one of the mounts.

The holes are still there, so for long off road trips, I'll put them back on, but for around town they'll be staying off.

Obviously you should take them off your bonnet.

Well the words Technically Legal really puzzle me its ok for the military to drive around for the last 50 odd years with tools on the bonnet skewering pedestrians,but civilians can,t have the tools on their Perenties.I have owned series 2a and 3 army landys my first in 1968 and have always had the tools on the bonnet .The tools are just about to go onto my new Perentie . Cheers Bushy.

G'day Jet.
The bonnet mounted tools are one of a handful of issues that could cause grief to a Perentie owner if the powers that be decided to apply all adrs and guidelines to them.
Recently, a ahem 'Well meaning' individual sought 'clarification' of these discrepencies with everyone from the Army, AFM, Federal Road safety authorities and numerous state Road authorities. He didn't appear to get too far at the time, but throw enough crap around and someone will start checking.
IIRC; SA, ACT, NT and now some places in WA require the removal of the tools and mounts to 'comply'.
Now, LRA released the Tanami 110 with the same tool mounts. One would assume that a major manufacturer would be compliant??

I am working on a couple of solutions for Perentie owners that would mean retention of their tool mounts and recovery points without modification or removal.

Originally Posted by Bush Animal

Well the words Technically Legal really puzzle me its ok for the military to drive around for the last 50 odd years with tools on the bonnet skewering pedestrians,but civilians can,t have the tools on their Perenties.I have owned series 2a and 3 army landys my first in 1968 and have always had the tools on the bonnet .The tools are just about to go onto my new Perentie . Cheers Bushy.

That is because the Military had an exemption from complying with the relevant ADR.
The same reason why they were not fitted with door locks and ignition keys even though the ADRs of the time required them.
Same reason why they were allowed to have the lengthways seats in the back without seatbelts.

So again, By the letter of the Law; No, it is not legal to have tools on the bonnet, and if a pedestrian gets injured by them, you better hope your insurance company covers you when they sue you.

Just have a look at the brackets on the front of the bonnet. Those posts are perfect for puncturing someone skull if they fall on the bonnet.

Mildly off topic;
I drove from Sydney, through Vic, caught the ferry and drove around Tas for three weeks last year, no wories except amusingly I was asked to remove the axe from the bonnet for the trip back to the mainland and hide it somewhere inside, as those of gentle demeanor might be concerned about such a weapon on display...
I was also questioned much more intensively about if I was carrying firearms than when I took my County for some reason. Heh.

Any bonnet, roof or bullbar mounted potential missile is a very bad idea IMO, including fuel and gas bottles on the roof. Common sense says apart from being exceedingly dangerous, no insurance would cover these items flying off and injuring someone. I would be very concerned about tools on the bonnet. Looking cool isn't worth the risk. ...My shovel, axe and hi lift jack all fit easily and are all stored safely under the back seat of the Defender.

I met a bloke once who thought having a full sized vice and anvil bolted to his bullbar...and a fuel canister and gas bottle mounted behind the bulbar was ok!

If the tools are a problem, then the tool holders would fall under the same category. I would leave them be, good enough for the army, good enough for the rest of us.




Erich