New RTA rules for vehicle modifications

[petergoudie]

The RTA is currently in the process of changing the scheme for engineers to assess vehicle modifications and to issue Penalty Unit offences to both owners for modifying a vehicle & engineers for not assessing them properly.

Currently on the RTA website is a draft of the proposed regulations (4 pages & 12 pages only). If you can’t find them use the RTA search function and enter the title of the regulation listed below.

These changes affect all of you and it is your interest to comment by 27 January this month.

With the greatest respect to you all, direct your questions preferably in writing to the RTA CEO or Minister for Roads or the contact person on the RTA invitation for comment rather than sending them to me or spending a lot of time discussing it on the forum because there is not much time left.

Repeated below is a few excerpts of the draft regulations more relevant to vehicle modifiers.

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Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Amendment (Certification of Vehicles) Regulation 2011

The object of this Regulation is to establish a new system for the safety certification of certain registerable vehicles. In particular, the Regulation makes provision for the following:

(a) the licensing of certifiers who are to certify that such vehicles comply with the applicable vehicle standards,
(b) a requirement that a person who modifies a vehicle must ensure the modifications comply with the applicable vehicle standards,
(c) a requirement that the registered operator of a significantly modified vehicle is to have the vehicle certified as complying with the applicable vehicle standards.

55A Modifications to registered vehicles

(1) A person must not modify a registered vehicle in a manner that results in the vehicle failing to comply with the applicable vehicle standards for the vehicle.
Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.

(2) A person who significantly modifies (within the meaning of Part 5B) a registered vehicle must:

(a) ensure that the modification complies with any requirements specified by the Authority by order published in the Gazette that are applicable to the modification concerned, and
(b) for the period of 3 years following the modification, keep any records made or obtained by the person in relation to the modification, including but not limited to the following:
(i) receipts or other proof of purchase of parts or accessories used in the modification of the vehicle,
(ii) records of test methods, and the results of tests, used to determine whether the modified vehicle complies with any applicable vehicle standards, and
(c) produce any such record for a modification made in the preceding 3 years for inspection by the Authority or an authorised person when required so to do by the Authority or an authorised person.
Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.

(3) In this clause: modification of a vehicle includes the addition of components to the vehicle.



76AL Meaning of “significantly modified vehicle”

(1) For the purposes of this Part, a vehicle has been significantly modified if the vehicle has been modified, or components have been added to or removed from the vehicle, in a manner that:
(a) alters the performance characteristics of the vehicle such that those performance characteristics are not as intended by the vehicle’s manufacturer, or
(b) affects the vehicle’s occupant safety systems, or
(c) affects the safe handling of the vehicle, or
(d) is specified by the Authority, by order published in the Gazette, as a modification or class of modifications for the purposes of this paragraph.

(2) However, a vehicle has not been significantly modified for the purposes of this Division if the modification of, addition of components to or removal of components from, the vehicle:
(a) was the replacement of components with identical or equivalent components for the purposes of maintenance or repair, or
(b) was the fitting of optional parts or components by the vehicle’s manufacturer or the manufacturer’s agent, or
(c) is a modification or class of modifications specified by the Authority, by order published in the Gazette for the purposes of this paragraph.

[RONA]

How do they plan for people to keep receipts for second hand parts etc like R33 brakes on a Cressida etc, most change hands privately which would require the person requesting a written receipt which would be a pain in the arse.

[petergoudie]

Such brake modifcations now require testing on a race track or similar private property. Expect to pay say $4k to $30K for a proper test depending on the year of the vehicle and as such its in your interest to ask for a receipt.

[cri_ag]

you have to be joking? fuck this state.

[RONA]

So basically they are making it economically unviable to modify any car yay.

[foamy]

I didn't read it in that paragraph, but how exactly do they plan on fining an engineer? How hard is it for the owner to switch back to their screamer pipe? How is that the engineers fault if they sign off on the vehicle passing emissions?

[JustenGT8]

Or everyone will just do it illegally totally defeating the purpose of this ignorant approach. If they instigated a sensible level of engineering requirement then the 80:20 rule would apply with most doing the right thing.....make the penalties for those with genuinely dangerous cars real and a deterrant and why wouldn't you go thru the proper process. Nanny state measures never work and will back fire for sure.

My car was engineered to the letter of the rule book at the time and the cost of proper engineering (while not insignificant) was less than most of the actual mods. Some fucktard buearucrats really need some real work to keep them gainfully occupied

[ed]

Such brake modifcations now require testing on a race track or similar private property. Expect to pay say $4k to $30K for a proper test depending on the year of the vehicle and as such its in your interest to ask for a receipt.

?? wtf, is this comment based in fact? just seems absurd

here, the TÜV check brakes every year by rolling the car up on dyno rollers (equiv) and do quite complex dynamic testing. all for the anual rego check.

not sure what they would do with a whole new brake assembly, but ive been told the most expensive part of testing/profing my car for TÜV will be the emissions, which runs in at around €700.

seriously, what does a $4-30k race track brake test prove.

[petergoudie]

The RTA is clamping down and testing in a public place is no longer allowed which you can understand somewhat because if your'e testing a brake system you don't want to injure anyone or run into house or something. Also, some of the tests require speeds up to 160km/h and others a series of tests at 100km/h (again,depending on what ADRs apply.)

Eastern creek costs $8.800 + gst per day plus you are required to hire an ambulance where speeds greater than 100km/h are involved and even for the 100km/h test a burnishing procedure is required at 120km/h. Nevertheless, Eastern Creek is from memory not suitable to perform a brake test because it has a downhill slope and the test track is required to be 'substantly flat'. Test racks have to be found elsewhere.

[cri_ag]

this is absurd, do you have a link for the rta document? i tried there search function, but like the organization, it is useless. maybe they should spend our money making it more user friendly instead of this.

[foamy]

Why would tests require speeds of 160km/h?
Does the RTA think we are out there in our backyards making our own calipers, rotors and braided lines? 99% of brake conversions use existing vehicles brakes which have already been tested. As long as everything is connected properly with the proper sized master cylinder etc, what more testing needs to be done?

What exactly are they clamping down on anyway? How would it be any different from a mechanic testing the brakes after just replacing some pads and rotors? Will this eventually mean any on road testing will have to be done in a paddock/track because the RTA needs to account for the lowest common denominator?

[RONA]

So to justify these changes they have significant data to show the amount of accidents/fatalities which have been caused by shonkily engineered vehicles........

[lenjiman]

What a crock of shit....

[egamirrorim]

The RTA is clamping down and testing in a public place is no longer allowed which you can understand somewhat because if your'e testing a brake system you don't want to injure anyone or run into house or something. Also, some of the tests require speeds up to 160km/h and others a series of tests at 100km/h (again,depending on what ADRs apply.)

Eastern creek costs $8.800 + gst per day plus you are required to hire an ambulance where speeds greater than 100km/h are involved and even for the 100km/h test a burnishing procedure is required at 120km/h. Nevertheless, Eastern Creek is from memory not suitable to perform a brake test because it has a downhill slope and the test track is required to be 'substantly flat'. Test racks have to be found elsewhere.

Can you link to where you've gotten this information? It seems outlandish and therefore hard to believe....

Although if it were true I can see that appropriate venues for testing will suddenly have scheduled days for a bunch of people to get their brakes tested in order to lower cost...

[RAAAH23]

Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Amendment (Certification of Vehicles) Regulation 2011

The above document has been removed from the RTA website.