Thread: Dangerous modifications. What’s your mind set?

Originally Posted by Tombie

They also required figment of key locks and ignition.

Go figure on that last portion!

Ahh that's a safety precaution.....so that any ol jo blo can't fire er up, and go run down some pedestrian crossing the street without their govt issued cotton wool suit...and be poked to death by the lifting points on bull bar!

Originally Posted by Gordie

.... can we just find the middle ground!

Fair enough, BUT!

1/. if the designer of the bar in question read the comment as derogatory, then he's read an emotional aspect into the comments that any self respecting designer would never do.
Constructive criticism is a crucial part of any design environment.
The designer in question here assumes his design is up to scratch .. why? ... because he's studying engineering? That in itself doesn't make anyone immune to criticism, nor openmindedness.
If he'd taken the time to check out the regulatory specs for designing his bar, he'd have obviously noted the need to refrain from any forward leaning aspects of the bar.

FWIW: I never felt that the comments came across as an attack, as they were clearly impressed with the quality of the workmanship. What was in question is the design element, and mounting type.

2/. in the case of the council taking down the treehouse. How many kids does it take to fall and die, or get seriously injured to make it OK to leave it as is .. cos it's good enough. If the treehouse was built with any thought towards safety, we wouldn't be living in a 'nanny state'.
Kids are not smart. No one is smart, until they've experienced enough to know better. You are told that something is not safe, and if you ignore it then you are doomed to suffer the consequences of that action. Kids just don't care. What parent would build a treehouse that has minimal to no safety for their kids? .. and we're reduced to complain when someone pulls them up on it. Maybe it would have been more appropriate for the council to have steel star pickets cemented into the ground just under the treehouse?
When I built my kids cubby(not tree) house, I made a point to try to eliminate as many points of concern for injuries. eg. I used plastic sheet strip on the inside edge of the door so that they wouldn't jam their fingers in there. Perspex windows(even tho I had the perfect glass pieces for it) .. etc.

3/. yes, a series vehicle is about as dangerous as can be had, and that's what instigated the nanny state in the first place. The powers that be felt compelled to regulate the industry .. and why we now have ADRs that are far more restrictive then they used to be.
Imagine if the car industry were actually responsible back in the day, and designed cars to have been as safe as they are now, without being forced to comply with regulations. Almost certainly we wouldn't have as many ADRs as we currently do.
The point being that if manufacturers, designers, engineers, or the general public acted a bit more responsibly, there would be no need for a nanny state mindset.

4/. if I sound like a safety nazi in any way, then the intent of this reply has been misunderstood. in no way am I a safety nazi .. but some things just make sense. to help explain this point, when I looked for a D1, I made it a point to take as much time as necessary to get one without ABS and airbags. Dragged on for a few months due to those two specific points, but finally got there.
Sometimes I may have to do stoopid things(as I've done) like use a chainsaw one handed(no option at the time), or do a quick spot of welding without a mask(yep, paid dearly for that one) .. and so on .. so I'm the last person you'd judge as a 'nanny'
But I won't do something 'socially irresponsible'(ie. that affects the safety of others!) or get angry when some criticism is direct my way if I do so.

I get what you are saying Arthur. I am just pleased I grew up in an era when kids could be kids, injuries and all. PS, the tree house is in a private back yard, only came to councils attention because the precious neighbours complained that their privacy was breached.

Originally Posted by Gordie

I get what you are saying Arthur. I am just pleased I grew up in an era when kids could be kids, injuries and all. PS, the tree house is in a private back yard, only came to councils attention because the precious neighbours complained that their privacy was breached.

When i was a kid my old man let me build my own treehouse.
"You know where the tools are" sort of attitude.

Turned out a pretty damn good tree house if memory serves.

And im not gunna lie to you guys. I let my kids build tree houses too! I let my kids do backwards somersaults off the no net trampoline.

MY KIDS LOVE IT but its risky i know. But i loved it when i was a kid...... So conflicted.

When i was a tradesman i treated everything i did as if i had an apprentice watching me. Just my way of being on check all the time.
As a parent i guess i dont do this....... Perhaps i should i dont know. I dont want to limit my kids fun and growth just because i fear them getting hurt.
Getting hurt is part of growing up i thought.

Yet again just me chiming in....

Originally Posted by Gordie

Wow...going by your other h & s views, I am amazed. I have come off a bike at about 40kph, and at the time had all protective gear on, jacket, Kevlar pants, gloves, helmet....I only suffered broken ribs...the aggresive surface of the road I was on, would have given me some pretty bad scrapes.....am really glad I had that gear on and even on a stinkin hot day, won't go in just t shirt.

I`m enjoying this thread by all yes we can get a bit passionate on a few thing`s

I do agree the workmanship in that build is first class and love it but yes it does concern me safety and legality wise .

Tombie is very aware of my my opinion on this very subject ppe and motor bikes and im coming from first hand experience many moons ago when one was young and dumb.

All i will ad is when ever i get on the bike it is gear up and if not i`m in the car instead

Keep it respectful and mature guy`s and as stated on several occasions no personal attack`s

Originally Posted by Tombie

This ones interesting - as I am informed that to register them for civilian use in WA they required either the points removed/bar removed or a fabricated set up fitted to round it all off before they could be registered.

They also required figment of key locks and ignition.

Go figure on that last portion!

Well, whilst we are on the WA theme, they also do not allow rear seats, even in Series 2 '59 shorties.

I've been watching Eevo and Incisor going hammer and tong at each other...is there a moderator who can nip humour in the bud...to much laughing hurts.

I've bought stuff off a vendor on here, unrated, but made with the same materials and an exact copy of another manufacturer who does rate their gear. It's a critical component in off road activities, and in hind sight I find some some clubs won't accept you unless this bit is rated. Hmm...

I avoid airbag and ABS vehicles. If I ever become really worried I'll get multi link seat belts and some light head protection.

I only carry third party property because my vehicles don't cost much.

I'm not in favour of macho stuff on vehicles - the bull bar that will mow down a herd - suspension systems so soft that the wheels are on the ground but the drivers door is parallel to the road, and they can't stay in their lane. I'm also not a fan of the 'destroy the track/good bush' brigade. I'm not against those machines and the great tech, but go to an off road park.

Forums where you can test your ideas and show your builds, getting useful input on the way are much better than walking off and doing it hidden. However, you have to be sensitive to consensus that says "don't", but that consensus also has to prove it's bona fides and is not just giving offhand 'opinion'.

If I do make something I try to get informed - but even then experts disagree. Bull bars, as I understand, at least those as OEM, are supposed to match the profile of the vehicle. Other professionals have shown that, for four wheel drivese, maybe an upright bar catching hip and thigh is better than being knee capped by a shaped bar. Older airbag systems sometimes don't go off when the tree comes dead centre of the front because there's no central sensor - solution, no cans and very stiff front bar to transmit the force to the rails - maybe more modern airbag systems have this covered - otherwise choice of go off in no so critical instances or not go off at all when critical. Sometimes there are no certified improved products specifically for your vehicle so you have to design your own solution, my interest being mainly around the Tdi300 which has a couple of horror ancillaries.

Wow this thread is moving fast...

Regarding motor bikes - I'm the same as Tombie - around town minimal PPE for the reasons stated - yes, I've come off a pushbike at 50KPH and was scraped up pretty bad, but happy to take that risk. Out of town, full kit.

I drive a 101 at speeds up to 110KPH - in fact quite a bit quicker coming dowm the Pentland hills once (think I overtook Mick in his that day). 😇 You can't be risk averse and do that. 😆.

I had several tree houses as a kid - quite high and not much in the way of rails either. Council did want to knock one down once - the tree was on the side of the road they were widening and it was on the hit list but me and my friend from up the road convinced them to leave it. Also had an underground cubby too we dug over many months. Those were the days. 😊

As far as cars go, I've done plenty of not quite legal stuff over the years including fitting a steering column from a Corolla to my old Torana so all the switches were on the stalks. This involved modifing the mounting and the shaft where the flex joint was. On that vehicle it was just a slip joint with a bolt through one side accross a flat section - shaft was shortened, turned down and the flat cut with a grinder before fitting. Worked great for years. Not legal, not a perfect solution but I was happy enough with it.

Also almost completed an electric power steering conversion in the Series 3 - no details will be put up here as I think if you need to ask you probably shouldn't be doing it. I may get this engineered yet, not sure - it's a straight bolt in with no mods to the vehicle. Have had shafts professionally splined for this one though.

Also have a power steering conversion to do on the 101 as the steering box in mine is shagged and this will be easier and stronger. Doubtful that will get engineered. Maybe it also has a brake booster out of a D1 in it as well - But I bet no Cop or Insurance assessor would know what was supposed to be in there and it looks for all the world like it's been there forever. Easy conversion, improves brakes no end.