Maximum legal lift and tyre/wheel sizes in Oz

Gidday Hunter

Hunter said:
I agree completely with ratbag. I rang all the road authorities and read all the laws, no matter how far you read into it the forester is a soft roader and therefore has a 15mm increase in OD limit. The option of wearing a mil or two off of your tyres is sketchy as they will go off the measurements of the stamped tyre size new.
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Quite. That's my experience over a life time ...

Of course, the other problem is with one's comprehensive insurer. Any modification outside the ADRs will void one's cover. End of story. If you run into (say) a Maserati or a Roller, the resulting repair bill could cripple you, or result in bankruptcy. Not really a good outcome from being "just over the legal whatever" ...

If one breaches a law resulting in the death or injury of another, this is a prima facie case that you have committed a serious criminal offence. I don't think that is worth risking, ever. Besides one's legal duty, one has an ethical duty not to engage in such behaviour that may put another's health or life at risk. Also end of story ...
 
Saw a road registered 1965 Baja VW in Brisbane this arvo.
A very neat car.
I had a yarn to the owner while he had the bonnett up filling the tank - as we veewee owners are prone to do...
The Key mods:
  • 1800cc SCAT twin carb engine imported from the US;
  • torsion bars rotated to provide a suspension lift; and
  • LARGER tyres - the rear looked like they were off some type of 'nisota'...
Anyway, road registered, and he has agreed value insurance.
This is pretty much what I always 'dreamed' of doing to my Beetle. :lildevil:
Seems like the rules are a bit more relaxed for older vehicles.
 
Which is not to say that I don't agree with Ratbag's last post.
Forgot to ask this bloke (well in his 60s so not a young hoon - perhaps just an old one ... :cool: ) if the mods had an engineering certificate.
 
I thought i would add some information to this for the maximum legal tyre size.

The following size's are the maximum tyre size limits in Australia (legally). also note that the SF stock tyre size slightly larger then the SG, while the SH (215/65r16 685.9mm) is larger again being 16.9mm larger then the SF

SF
stock size: 205/70r15 outer diameter 668mm
increase sizes:
215/70r15 outer diamter 682mm
225/60r16 outer diamter 676mm

SG
stock size: 215/60r16 outer diameter 664mm
increase size:
225/60r16 outer diamter 676mm

i am unsure on the SH foresters
 
4.3. Passenger Vehicles (other than Omnibuses)
4.3.1. PASSENGER CAR (MA)
A passenger vehicle, not being an off-road passenger vehicle or a forward-control passenger vehicle, having up to 9 seating positions, including that of the driver.
4.3.2. FORWARD-CONTROL PASSENGER VEHICLE (MB)
A passenger vehicle, not being an off-road passenger vehicle, having up to 9 seating positions, including that of the driver, and in which the centre of the steering wheel is in the forward quarter of the vehicle’s ‘Total Length.‘
4.3.3. OFF-ROAD PASSENGER VEHICLE (MC)
A passenger vehicle having up to 9 seating positions, including that of the driver and being designed with special features for off-road operation. A vehicle with special features for off-road operation is a vehicle that:
(a) Unless otherwise ‘Approved‘ has 4 wheel drive; and
(b) has at least 4 of the following 5 characteristics calculated when the vehicle is at its ‘Unladen Mass‘ on a level surface, with the front wheels parallel to the vehicle’s longitudinal centreline, and the tyres inflated to the ‘Manufacturer‘s’ recommended pressure:
(i) ‘Approach Angle‘ of not less than 28 degrees;
(ii) ‘Breakover Angle‘ of not less than 14 degrees;
(iii) ‘Departure Angle‘ of not less than 20 degrees;
(iv) ‘Running Clearance‘ of not less than 200 mm;
(v) ‘Front Axle Clearance‘, ‘Rear Axle Clearance‘ or ‘Suspension Clearance‘ of not less than 175 mm each.

Alternatively, a vehicle that meets the definition of CATEGORY G - OFF-ROAD VEHICLES under Consolidated Resolution on the Construction of Vehicles (R.E.3) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and is in category M1.
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Just found this on https://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2012C00326/Html/Text#_Toc326158540

According to this, some Subaru are off-road passenger vehicles (Compliance plate says Cat MC) therefore the 50mm tyre rules should be OK to applied.
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Have read more in the link which Ratbag provided, I was wrong about this.

Cheers,
 
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taza said:
With lifting Subaru's. Legally 2" or 50mm is all that is allowed whether it be spacer blocks, raised springs, tyres or any other form of lifting a car.
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From my understanding, this is still the case.

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
Am I correct in saying the safe legal limits (so you are not in trouble with the law or insurance companies) are:

- 50mm on suspension lifts (blocks or raised springs or combination)
- 15mm on tyre diameter (from whatever the base tyre of your model was)

Again, I think if you stick to these you will not have any issues with road-worthiness.

I've asked some questions in the past, but they were more to stir the pot than anything else. The lawyers rule this game and that's the way it will be.

More genuine questions I would have is for example:
- Say I bought a Foz SG9 base model (designation "X")
- Comes with 215/60R16 steel wheels
- Can I upgrade to 17in on 215/55R17 as offered in the XT?
- Can I consider the biggest diameter of the 2 (R17) to go 15mm larger on my offroad tyres?

Pedro.
 
Gidday Pedro

pezimm said:
Am I correct in saying the safe legal limits (so you are not in trouble with the law or insurance companies) are:

- 50mm on suspension lifts (blocks or raised springs or combination)
- 15mm on tyre diameter (from whatever the base tyre of your model was)

Again, I think if you stick to these you will not have any issues with road-worthiness.
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That's my understanding. Again, I would always check with the motor registration department in your state and your insurer before doing anything expensive that you might have to undo ...


I've asked some questions in the past, but they were more to stir the pot than anything else. The lawyers rule this game and that's the way it will be.

More genuine questions I would have is for example:
- Say I bought a Foz SG9 base model (designation "X")
- Comes with 215/60R16 steel wheels
- Can I upgrade to 17in on 215/55R17 as offered in the XT?
- Can I consider the biggest diameter of the 2 (R17) to go 15mm larger on my offroad tyres?

Pedro.
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You are allowed to fit 15 mm oversize from the largest size that came on your specific make and model (N/A and turbos are different models).

If you want to use turbo wheel/tyre size (if outside the 15 mm allowable for your model), then you have to upgrade all the suspension, drive train, etc components as well - a very expensive exercise ... :(.

The other avenue is getting an engineering certificate, but that whole process is not going to be cheap either.

Basically, governments have set out to stop the sort of often highly unsafe modifications us older hoon boys did to cars in our youth.
IMNSHO, they are right to do so.
 
pezimm said:
Am I correct in saying the safe legal limits (so you are not in trouble with the law or insurance companies) are:

- 50mm on suspension lifts (blocks or raised springs or combination)
- 15mm on tyre diameter (from whatever the base tyre of your model was)

Again, I think if you stick to these you will not have any issues with road-worthiness.

I've asked some questions in the past, but they were more to stir the pot than anything else. The lawyers rule this game and that's the way it will be.

More genuine questions I would have is for example:
- Say I bought a Foz SG9 base model (designation "X")
- Comes with 215/60R16 steel wheels
- Can I upgrade to 17in on 215/55R17 as offered in the XT?
- Can I consider the biggest diameter of the 2 (R17) to go 15mm larger on my offroad tyres?

Pedro.
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I believe that 50mm is maximum lift (including 15mm from tyre diameter). I am trying to contact the engineer to get the certificate for what I want (already lifted 50mm and extra 40mm diameter from the tyre, going from 215/60r16 to 215/70r16).

I will let you guys know what happens.

Cheers,
 
tuckerbag said:
I believe that 50mm is maximum lift (including 15mm from tyre diameter)
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Thats my understanding too...a TOTAL lift of 50mm

I believe to fit tyres larger than the 15mm oversize offered as an option you only need to upgrade the brakes to those from the up-spec XT. I may be wrong however as it seems the rules are being rewritten as fast as we can read em lol :rolleyes:
 
^I have re-read the VSB14 and I believe you are correct, Nachaluva...

See attached link to the relevant VSB14 section (LS), read item 4.11 from page 28... As far as the VSB14 is concerned, even if your Subaru is classed MC, it is still a softroader subject to normal car rules, so a TOTAL lift of 50mm is approved without certification.

This lift can be obtained by a combination of smaller suspension/tyre lifts provided:
- Tyre diameter has not increased more than 15mm
- The total lift is equal or less than 50mm

The link is here

Cheers,
Pedro.
 
NachaLuva said:
Thats my understanding too...a TOTAL lift of 50mm

I believe to fit tyres larger than the 15mm oversize offered as an option you only need to upgrade the brakes to those from the up-spec XT. I may be wrong however as it seems the rules are being rewritten as fast as we can read em lol :rolleyes:
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I asked my engineer tyres greater than the 15mm limit while having my H6 conversion certified. Technically, yes, they can. But i was told In no uncertain terms "No, and no one else is Victoria will certify them either". Extra unsprung weight, greater forces acting on the wheel bearings, overall gearing ratio change, decreased braking efficiency, increased centre of gravity...

Braking and hanlding test they can account for some of those things. But increased wear/forces on suspension components and bearings they cannot account for. Just too risky for them to approve.
 
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^ I have heard of that too Venom. I notice that when I go from stock size subaru tyres on 16" rims to my larger, heavier offroad tyres on my 15's that my Forester drives like a different car.
Very slow to accelerate, braking takes more effort at the peddle, grip onroad is a huge issue, gearing is noticeably higher, cornering is where it is noticed the most though. The general lack of traction, grip and feeling of the steering is quite worrying in my vehicle. It's a compromise I am willing to take though.
 
Venom said:
I asked my engineer tyres greater than the 15mm limit while having my H6 conversion certified. Technically, yes, they can. But i was told In no uncertain terms "No, and no one else is Victoria will certify them either"
...
Just too risky for them to approve.
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Yep, they "can" but "won't". Wouldnt surprise me if someone finds an engineer willing to give it a bash though, so to speak :iconwink:
 
^ I honestly thought about it... Made enquiries and tried looking further into it. Gave up when it felt like it was a "secret society" sort of club. The criteria to let you in are not clear neither is the list of requirements.

I'm affraid that - to an extend - we have to live with this money grabbing exercise so these guys can pay their massive trade insurace premiums for the sake of the 2-3 idiots that push it too far and cause accidents and get them sued for signing something off.

Pedro.
 
You ought to see the Professional Indemnity Insurance premiums even for accountants, Pedro.

Even as a sole practitioner running my business from my own office, it cost me around $30,000+ p.a. fixed costs just to be in business (including my PI insurance of around $2,000 p.a. then) ... AND that was 15 years ago!
 
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