Wheel spacers illegal in Victoria

[Domus]

Hi everyone,
I understand that all wheel spacers (bolt on & slip on) are illegal in Victoria, according to Vicroads. Just wondered if anyone had any tricks to get around this? It's hard to find lower + offset wheels in the bolt pattern for a 7th gen Celica.

[Bazda]

You looking for spacers front or rear?

[CrUZida]

Wheel spacers are illegal in all states of Australia unless they are factory fitted.
There are no tricks to getting around this.

[Bazda]

If its a FWD there is away to getting around the rears.
We make kits for Corollas for this and no one would ever know.

But there is no way to getting around the fronts unless you got new drive flanges made with a bigger offset.

[Domus]

I've already got spacers, Bazda, (15mm bolt-on) and just found out they're probably gonna void my insurance if I put them on.

Thanks for the confirmation, CrUZida.

Does it seem weird to anyone else that it's fine and legal to have any old workshop modify wheels and potentially weaken their structural integrity by widening them, but putting on solid, sturdy, bolt-on hub-centric wheel spacers is a big no-no?

[CrUZida]

If a wheel shop modifies your wheels the warranty/liability is on them, not you.
That said, there are Australian Standards governing what can be modified, and there are very few places that will do it to alloy rims. Steel ones are not an issue, but not many people will mod alloy rims.

[Domus]

If its a FWD there is away to getting around the rears.
We make kits for Corollas for this and no one would ever know.

Didn't see this before I posted again. It is for the rear I'm mainly interested in, yes. I assume big $$ is involved, though?

[the_random_hero]

I've already got spacers, Bazda, (15mm bolt-on) and just found out they're probably gonna void my insurance if I put them on.

Thanks for the confirmation, CrUZida.

Does it seem weird to anyone else that it's fine and legal to have any old workshop modify wheels and potentially weaken their structural integrity by widening them, but putting on solid, sturdy, bolt-on hub-centric wheel spacers is a big no-no?

Pretty sure it's not unless they are getting rebarrelled - at least in QLD anyway. Interested in how somebody can 'get away' with it - I thought it was pretty damn clear spacers are in no ways to be fitted (unless factory, like 370Z's).

[andrew_mx83]

do a brake conversion with a rotor that has more hub thickness and a caliper to suit... one of my cars has +3mm each side, the other goes in or out about 1mm i cant remember

depends how much you are trying to gain i guess. i dont remember the laws exactly but it has to be a permanent fixture of either the car or the wheel to be legal or something to that effect

[Draven]

"get away with" often means "won't be noticed".

As andrew said, unless you're making pretty serious structural changes, the rotor hub is the only easy way to get some extra/less offset .... usually easier/cheaper to search out wheels that fit

[thechuckster]

You could:
- fit longer wheel studs
- do brake upgrade to go disk-over-hub
- fit spacer underneath disk and spacer on caliper mounts to match
- always do up the wheel nuts with a torque wrench to 70 ft/lb then again to specs noted by wheel/nut manufacturer

Unless you drive like an arsehat and/or you dress the car up to fuly hektic specs, the likelihood of you being pinged for the spacers is nil. If you are in a serious prang that requires the DoT/Police to mechanically inspect the car's brakes, you're probably dead or unlikely to be able to drive again making your insurance concern somewhat moot. If you've managed to kill someone, then you've got bigger issues to worry about (bankruptcy, court action and remembering not to bite/gag).

[andrew_mx83]

i was gonna suggest under-disc spacers, they would pass a roadside inspection but not an accident inspection... which is what i figure the OP is looking for.

it is nice knowing the car you are driving is 110% legal, no possible headaches if there is a serious accident.

[celupra]

what pcd is a 7th gen celica and what look are you going for? im sure you could find suitable wheels

[Bazda]

Nope, costs under $200

[Domus]

Hi guys, thanks for all your responses! Loving this forum so far.
My main concern was insurance, even third party being voided (if I was in a collision with some $250,000 car, and mine was found to have wheel spacers ... would I be totally screwed, even if not actually my fault?). The brakes with fatter rotors idea sounds good for a future project.

Celupra, the pcd is 5x100, with 54.1 centre bore. I'm sure there are wheels around with more than +30 offset, but I have specific taste unfortunately.