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The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) has welcomed news that New South Wales will now allow off-roaders to be raised up to 75mm without certification from an engineer.

But the association has lamented the fact that the NSW rules are slightly different to those in Victoria, adding to the patchwork of regulations that cause confusion and expense across the country.

Victoria and NSW are the only two states that have gazetted alterations to the limits imposed by the national code on vehicle modifications.

“This is a big win for common-sense regulation,” said AAAA chief executive Stuart Charity.

Under the new regulations, NSW four-wheel-drive (4WD) owners will be able to “lift” their vehicles by a total of 75mm, comprising a maximum of 50mm in the suspension and 25mm in the wheel/tyre combination without the need to obtain a certificate of roadworthiness from a certified automotive engineer.

Mitsubishi Triton

Lift off: New rules in NSW means that owners of 4WDs will be able to lift their vehicles up to 75mm – 50mm in the suspension, 25mm in the wheels and tyre combination – without the need for a engineers certificate.

NSW and Victoria are the only two states which have varied their regulations away from the national code, which limits “lifts” and lowering to a maximum of 50mm. Minimum ground clearance must be 100mm.

Mr Charity welcomed the new rule in NSW, but he called for harmonisation of the various rules, noting that the new NSW rule is not identical to the rule now in force in Victoria.

“While this rule will bring NSW closely into line with Victoria, differences will remain in the technical detail and the types of vehicles that can apply the new regulations,” he said.

“These state variations in interpretation of the Australian national code are ridiculous.”

Toyota Hilux

Toyota Hilux

Mr Charity said that what makes a 4WD safe and fit for purpose in one state should not make it illegal in another state.

“Why should there be differences in the interpretation of the national code because people live in different post codes?”

Mr Charity said the new NSW regulations were just the first step and would be a boon for many thousands of 4WD owners in NSW, but now there was a bigger task to tackle.

“Now we want to see harmonisation of these regulations,” he said.

“That will save money and time for those 4WD owners, the specialist aftermarket industry and the regulators by eliminating confusion and red tape.”

Toyota Hilux

Toyota Hilux

The AAAA has been arguing for greater freedom in the modifications allowed on vehicles on behalf of many of its members, who make or fit aftermarket suspension.

Up until recently, any modification had to be approved by a certified automotive engineer because no one could prove conclusively that any modification would not interfere with the electronic stability control system.

To prove that ESC systems would not be negated or made unreliable by suspension modifications, the AAAA paid for tests to be done by an official testing garage in the US, where a Jeep Wrangler and a 300 Series Toyota LandCruiser were raised and a Toyota Camry and a Holden Commodore were lowered.

Nissan Navara

Nissan Navara

The tests showed that the ESC systems still worked within their parameters when suspensions were modified.

Mr Charity said the national code, which limits suspension changes to 50mm, was causing confusion because vehicle owners would buy their suspension parts at one supplier and their wheels and tyres at another supplier and neither would know what the other was doing.

Now, under the NSW rules, suspension changes are limited to 50mm and wheel/tyre changes are limited to 25mm.

The latest changes were made after consultation with, and input from, the AAAA’s Australian 4WD Industry Council. The council includes leading companies and AAAA members like Airbag Man, ARB, Australian Ultimate Suspension, Exclusive Tyres and King Springs.

By Ian Porter

Mitsubishi Triton

Mitsubishi Triton

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