Thread: Importing your own tyres.

Any actual proof or evidence of this Dave? Which standards for example are essential for compliance here?

Personally I think that is nonsense. My car was imported (and therefore so were the tyres), and I had to meet very limited ADR's and tyres weren't one of them.

ETA: I actually have BFG KM1's both UK and local supply at hand. I will comapre them in the morning.

Tyres are supposed to be covered by inspection. Australia recognises US and EEC safety standards IIRC, some others too I think, but the memory fails. Japan maybe.

This is going back about 13yrs but I worked at a place that got a lot of Jap import cars through the shop. I remember them telling us that one of the things they had to do was change the tyres on all the cars as they did not comply. However there were always ads in the Trading Post for selling tyres off Jap imports.

I've seen the same as noted by Utemad above - Japanese tyres have had to be replaced which seems stupid noting just how many cars come from Japan.

And how many businesses survive selling secondhand Jap imported tyres. My (semi)trailers all used to be shod with S/H imports, they were cheaper than retreads and more reliable. The only difference with Australian counterparts seemed to be the 14 ply rating opposed to the local offerings of 16 ply.

Originally Posted by V8Ian

And how many businesses survive selling secondhand Jap imported tyres. My (semi)trailers all used to be shod with S/H imports, they were cheaper than retreads and more reliable. The only difference with Australian counterparts seemed to be the 14 ply rating opposed to the local offerings of 16 ply.

and how many businesses survive selling bigger than 2" suspension lift kits, or bigger than 2" diamater increase tyres than standard etc etc, all of which are also illegal and will void warranty. just because you can buy it from a shop doesn't mean its ok to use or even legal.
aust tyres must be DOT approved, and the closest is the USA DOT. jap import tyres aren't DOT approved unless they are desisgnated for USA or Aus market originally.
as mentioned, use at your own risk. this has been covered before in another tyre thread

Originally Posted by Rosscoe68

and how many businesses survive selling bigger than 2" suspension lift kits, or bigger than 2" diamater increase tyres than standard etc etc, all of which are also illegal and will void warranty. just because you can buy it from a shop doesn't mean its ok to use or even legal.
aust tyres must be DOT approved, and the closest is the USA DOT. jap import tyres aren't DOT approved unless they are desisgnated for USA or Aus market originally.
as mentioned, use at your own risk. this has been covered before in another tyre thread

Rosscoe, I think the difference is that many of the secondhand tyre sellers deal in them exclusively. Some Jap tyres must be DoT/ADR approved. IIRC at least some of the many S/H imports that I bought had a moulded section in the sidewall stating that they met the DoT standards. I do recall that studded tyres were not legal in Oz.

Heres the ADR which summates the basic info including markings that indicate if a tyre is acceptable or not.

http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ComLaw/Legislation/LegislativeInstrumentCompilation1.nsf/0/8AF3CC77DF5BB811CA257375001BC7B5/$file/ADR2302comp1FINAL.pdf

esentially

Euro UNECE standards are in and anything with the euro E is deemed as tested

however buried in the gobbldegook it seems (to me at least) that the new standard supplements but doesnt replace the old standard soooo...

anything that is ISO 900whicheverone it was for tyres OR accepted equivelent standard (SAE for the yanks, DIN for ze Germans and JIS for the japs) compliant should still be acceptable.

Nutshelling it...

IF you wanted to buy say a BFG AT2 from the states that probabley wouldnt cause a problem for day to day use that tyre we know has passed all the standards required and is stamped acordingly

IF you wanted to buy the Steel spiked super extra grippy soft rubber with a void space bigger than the one between a pollies brain cells.. Id probabley suggest thats not such a hot idea UNLESS it was for competition rubber in which case you need to take it up with the regulatory authority for the comp you're in.

My advice is to get the supplier to cite which standard the tyres were tested too and see if it has TRAA approval or meets UNECE 30 standards if it hits either of them you're covered.