Are these RTA legal?

[clubagreenie]

Been there done that too.

You'll have to try harder to beat me at the maiming game

[oldcorollas]

If there is to be any "ploughing" due to dodgy parts, can it please be into a bunch of cyclists instead?

i guess you don't value your health much? or that of anyone else?
(perhaps you should leave that for other forums....)

[af300e]

Wasn't serious OC, just a little humour in the vein of the thread, ie. mowing down pedestrians, coronor, judge etc. Edited.

Back on topic however, there are certain modifications that can be performed without engineer's cert (springs, sway bars etc). Perhaps it's not even wise to perform these sort of alterations without a certificate?

[oldcorollas]

noted sorry

hmm, i've wondered what the legal standpoint is on "owner certified" mods. i guess it is assumed that you buy parts specifically for the car etc (ie from known workshop that has indemnity etc), and fit them according to directions.. but...

are there things within theowner certified that would significantly contribute to accident? i spose stupid springs/shock combos would...

[GasedT18]

According to my engineer, as long as they didn't contribute to the accident then you'd be fine.
He quite frequently inspects damaged cars for insurance companies and gives them a report detailing whether the or not the 'mods' on the car contributed to the accident.
If the mods did contribute, and they weren't legally approved, then the guy is up shit creek.
But if the mods didn't contribute, then (from what he tells me) the guy is still covered for insurance.

I'd read your insurance policy more closely. If you don't specify exactly how your car deviates from compliance when you take out insurance I think you will find your insurance company inspectors looking for ways to void your policy if crunch comes to crunch.

D

[GasedT18]

ed_jza80, those brackets look impressive. Even with the needlessly sharp/non radiused inside edge - I doubt if there would be crack propagation potential but it would have been no big deal to leave a fillet there. The only other thing is that all of the bolts should have non-threaded area in contact with the hole and be a close fit. The washer of course needs to be rated too - a mild steel washer might squeeze out and relax over time if the torque loads are high enough.

I've worked on one project for a Melb company providing a very big weighbridge to a mining company in NW of WA, The load cells (weight sensors) were in the order of six inch square high tensile steel sections about 18" long (don't recall which one/code), 4 of em. The first loaded truck caused one beam to take on the characteristics of a banana. The machinist got it wrong - didn't even recognise the odd one was a non magnet alloy. The beam tested ok under light loads. Very expensive stuff up. What stuff looks like is not what it may seem - that's why stuff is tested to standards.

[CrUZida]

I'd read your insurance policy more closely. If you don't specify exactly how your car deviates from compliance when you take out insurance I think you will find your insurance company inspectors looking for ways to void your policy if crunch comes to crunch.

D

Thats what I originally thought, but the way my engineer was talking they only void your insurance if the unapproved mod contributed to the accident.

ie if someone slams into the back of your car then they aren't going to void your insurance because you had an FMIC and a turbo upgrade.

But, it could well depend on the company.

[o_man_ra23]

Springs, swaybars etc all still need to be ADR approved. So manufacturing quality of the parts *should* be fine. Also aftermarket providers give a fitment catalogue for a reason. Some of us modifiers find it hard to find our cars in those catalogues, so we use something we know fits. This is a grey area, and I am not sure what the legislation says about doing stuff like that, and would like to know.

[clubagreenie]

Even with the needlessly sharp/non radiused inside edge

Needlessly needed for clearance

The only other thing is that all of the bolts should have non-threaded area in contact with the hole and be a close fit.

The screws that hold the brackets to the original mounts are 8.8's, are a close fit inside the hole in the bracket, just looks like it's clear because of the hole in the wsher, which is the correct size and grade for the screw.

[o_man_ra23]

Bolts are defined as headed fasteners having external threads that meet an exacting, uniform bolt thread specification (such as M, MJ, UN, UNR, and UNJ) such that they can accept a nontapered nut. Screws are defined as headed, externally-threaded fasteners that do not meet the above definition of bolts.

CAG, how do you call those screws??

[clubagreenie]

Previous discussions, engineering books and charts label headed fasteners that are threaded to the underside of the head as screw, hex headed more specifically as machine screws.

[The Real Roadrunner]

americanisation maybe?

[rms]

CAG, how do you call those screws??

"Having "credible" sources such as Machinery's Handbook, ASME, ISO, and military specification sheets misusing and arbitrarily misdefining the words "

Who the hell is D Euler ? 'credible' ???????

[clubagreenie]

I've never found a definitive source, but socket "screws" are threaded to the head for example. I just use the most often referred to term. After working purchasing these things for years and often asking for what you want but ending up with something else, asking for a bolt if you have a plain section or screw if it's completely threaded results in getting what I want.