All MN Tritons need engineers' approval for suspension?

[ultimate]

Hi Guys,

This may be a little bit of a rant but I had an interesting conversation today with a local engineer and the RTA regarding modifying the MN Triton. I'm not sure if anyone is familiar with this but the MN has ESC (Electronic Stability Control) and in Australia, there are special rules regarding the modification of vehicles with ESC. As the laws read atm, you cannot modify the suspension or tyres on a vehicle fitted with ESC. In fact this law basically prohibits you from changing the brand of tyre without an engineer’s certificate. Everything has to be exactly to the manufacturers specifications. Ridiculous I know, but it really highlights how difficult manufactures and Government authorities are making it for aftermarket companies and enthusiast alike.
So where does this leave us? Well basically until the laws are changed, you cannot even fit a 50mm lift to your vehicle (fitted with ESC) without getting it engineered. But wait, it gets even better. If you have already fitted a kit, or don’t get a new kit engineered, you leave yourself open for a lawsuit in the event of an accident. As your vehicle won’t be ‘legally’ modified, insurance may be void, and you may find yourself having to prove that the modification was not the cause of the accident. A near impossible task, and a pointless one at that. I think nearly everybody, knows that OE components are manufactured to a compromise due to cost, and that basically any aftermarket suspension is an improvement in safety, handling and performance compared to the original. Even with tyres, no way will the OE brand compete with aftermarket 4WD tyres designed for the hard driving we love.
My only hope is that the AAAA (Australia Automotive Aftermarket Association) is successful in fighting these laws and they are changed sooner rather than later.

[boycee]

cheers for the info. Glad I have the ML.

[4wd26]

I thought that was coming (in the future) not a current ruling?

Mind you I'm in QLD so who knows whats going on interstate.

[amalinze]

I'm sure we had a thred that mentioned this a while back. Not the title of the thred but mentioned within one somewhere.

[ultimate]

Yeah it's hard to keep up. the best thing to do is to ring your states' Motor transport authority. I Know the RTA in NSW has a technical enquireies hotline which you can call and ask about anything relating to vehicle modification. The guys there tell you exactly how it is.

[Steane]

Yep, heard about this before and it has been touched on in another thread. With ESC being mandatory in Vic by 2011 (I think its only Vic at this stage, may be wrong) on passenger cars, and Mits having intro'd it on the MN, it can be expected that the other makes will follow and soon all 4WD utes (and most if not all 4WD's of any sort), at least the higher spec variants, will have ESC, and suspension/tyre mods and changes will be illegal.

Sucks for owners who want to improve their vehicles on and off-road ability. I could never go back to a Triton with stock shocks, stock ride height and stock tyres - its a much better bus with a few changes.

Will be interesting to see if the rules will be amended, as in a year or two there will likely be huge implications for the 4wd aftermarket industry.

boycee, hang onto that ML

[mjc85]

Almost makes it pointless to purchase a 4wd as they are merely a offroad capable machine in standard form.

[Blue]

well then, Mitsu just lost me as a future customer... Although by the time this lease is up my options might be pretty limited - Great Wall anyone...???

[sam]

I to had been told that this was to be the case and also don't expect any changes to the law in the immediate future and that was another reason we decided to go for a runout ML.

I honestly believe the aftermarket industry will have to get together and show that a modified vehicle eg; MN Triton would be safer with better handling as ultimate did with the Hi Lux and a concerted effort made to change the law.

As we ALL know government are extremely slow to move unless it to ban something or restrick access to somewhere or something so I believe it will take a big effort by everyone concerned.

[bendoon]

Hi all triton owners out there. New to this so hope this works. Been looking on Internet about this subject and found some info. The way i read it you can change your tyre size by no more than -+15mm diameter and raise your vehicle by -+50mm from wheel centre to wheel arch. If you raise your vehicle the max hieght you can get is 57.5mm. Here is a link for more info (http://www.australianimages.com.au/pdf/ ... hicles.pdf). Most states seem to be the same and this is in relation to esc. My new triton is on order so i very interested in this topic (MN GLXR with diff lock)

Hope this info is corect & helpfull

[Greedy]

I remember posting about this topic awhile ago. I had read something to the effect that suspension mods were illegal on cars with ESC and traction control but I still can't remeber where I read it.

[sierra]

I wonder if any other states, apart from NSW, require an engineer's certificate and vehicle inspection for any change in ride height apart from the piddly 7.5mm allowed from +15mm tyres?

[Homer]

I thought this new incoming law was defeated?

I seem to remember reading it here in a thread?

Anyway, I thought it was speeding that killed everyone on the roads

[Blue]

Not the speeding itself Homer, the lack of revenue raised prior to the accy - that's what kills ya...

[sierra]

In thought this new incoming law was defeated?
I seem to remember reading it here in a thread?
Anyway, I thought it was speeding that killed everyone on the roads

The only concession is that it's not retrospective.

This VSI applies to vehicles modified or presented to an AUVIS after 31 July 2009.

[boostedbmw]

The 200 series Landcruiser has the same issues with ADR i beleive.

[amalinze]

I thought this new incoming law was defeated?

I seem to remember reading it here in a thread?

Anyway, I thought it was speeding that killed everyone on the roads

That was the law regarding all vehicles that was over turned. The law regarding ESC (stability control) i do believe is in and has been for a while. I read somewhere any mod made to the running gear of a vehicle with stability control must be engineered or it may screw with all the electronics trying to keep the vehicle on the road.

[sam]

I thought this new incoming law was defeated?

I seem to remember reading it here in a thread?

Anyway, I thought it was speeding that killed everyone on the roads

That was the law regarding all vehicles that was over turned. The law regarding ESC (stability control) i do believe is in and has been for a while. I read somewhere any mod made to the running gear of a vehicle with stability control must be engineered or it may screw with all the electronics trying to keep the vehicle on the road at this stage.

If that is the case I'm wondering how many engineers would be willing to sign off on a modded vehicle fitted with ESC if there is no way to tell if the modds will affect the electronics ability to keep the thing on the road

I still think all this could be a load of rubbish as when 4wd's first appeared with ABS I remember being told that you couldn't put bigger tyres on or susp lift as it would affect the ABS hope this turns out the same

[bendoon]

I think that the after market suppliers of lift kits will do the engineering for us so they can sell there product. That will make the lift kits a approved mod for that vehicle. All we will have to do is to get the vehicle blue plated (QLD). That's what you do for seat mod's & etc. Here in Qld there are workshops that have trained person to inspect approved mod's. Hope this is the way they will go with this.

[al coholic]

Ultimate, Is there a possibility of you guys working with an engineer to develop and then sell a fully engineered suspension kit off the shelf or does each individual vehicle have to be looked at by an engineer once the new suspension is fitted???

[bendoon]

al coholic see you are thinking the same thing as me with this problem.

[ag9111]

In NSW each vehicle has to be looked at individual as to what other mods are on the vehicle. They may even get the vehicle to be weighed to check the GVM. They engineer the vehicle from ground up.

[ultimate]

Yeah he's right. Each vehicle has to be engineered in NSW after the kit is installed. It's just like with of our 4" kits for the Hilux. The vehicles have to undergo a braking and handling test, and everything is checked. Including other mods to the vehicle. We have had a couple of jobs fail the engineers certificate due to illegal tyre sizes being fitted. A lot of people try to dodge getting an engineer’s certificate and think the police won't notice or won't know enough to fine them for the modification. The only problem with that is, if your involved in a large accident, it's the same engineers that pass off on the vehicles that the police get to identify any causes of the accident.

In other states like Queensland though, You should be able to have a set kit engineered prior to fitment and you just lodge the paperwork to get it approved. I believe that’s the case with Rod’s body lift.

[4wd26]

I would need to have a troll through a few other forums to confirm.

BUT in the case of the 200 series ARB (and a few others) were able to come up with a GMV upgrade (only available on brand new - non complianced vehicles) the GVM upgrade includes suspension.
Thats in QLD.

Be interesting to know what owners of pajeros etc have been doing regarding this issue. To my knowledge its never been talked about on the Pajero forum, even though MATT technology has been present in the Pajero for nearly 10 years.

[ultimate]

Yeah it's interesting. The laws been in effect for a while but not many people know about it. Even the local tyre shop guy had never heard anything of it. but when he rang the RTA technical line, they advised him that yes the law is in effect. Which means he has possibly broken the law countless times. Really I don't think it will last. But we can never tell what these pollies will do next.