lvvta driveshaft cert

[new2zukes]

hi all have just gone to get my cert for the safari and I have made the driveshaft hoop out of 5mm x 50mm flat steel which is what is written on the lvvta website but the cert guy is now wanting me to remake with 6mm steel. is there anywhere on the lvvta website that backs up what the cert guy is saying? he also decided the front winch bar which comes out factory on all Nissan safaris with a winch had to many sharp spots.......hahaha there was also a comment about the heat wrap I used on the dump pipe he said I quote "exhaust has shade cloth around it" it was quite a shock to me what he wrote down.
then the WOF guy failed me on more rust and lights that have apparently appeared while the truck has been sitting still since the last WOF check he did only one month ago. gee its been a weird day.

[Ashohman]

Whos doing the cert?

[suzookyman]

Haha, you have got to be kidding! come down to whg and get a second opinion mate.
I smell a rat..

[suzookyman]

Hey rowdy, why do you need a hoop anyway?

[Crash bandicoot]

metal stretches when bent,

5mm stretched into a hoop will make it below requirement. that is why he has asked you to remake it in thicker steel.

Rule of thumb for LVVTA i have found is over engineer everything... they can't complain then and to look on it more leniently when the view the vehicle as a whole.

[Checkerhead]

Choose your battles bro. Remaking a drive shaft hoop is fairly simple.

[mudlva]

Choose your battles bro. Remaking a drive shaft hoop is fairly simple.

Second this statement. Play their game bud as if he gets tough you will end up having no cert at all. There is nothing saying they have to give you a cert and if he says hes not happy theres not a lot you could do

[BlakeNZ]

if the guy can't tell the difference between exhaust wrap and shade cloth…. what hope is there???

[tomsoffroad]

Id struggle to believe the 50x5 would shrink that much. Run your verniers over it bro. If its 5mm its 5mm! I make all my hoops out of 50x5 msf, no issues.

Playing the game is all good but they are their rules which are clearly written. If he does not know what hes doing then complain

[new2zukes]

sweet as thanks all for the advice, I will just ask about the driveshaft hoop tomorrow if he insists on 6mm then I wont argue. the guy is paul white from nortran. I would like to go to whangarei to get the cert but its the time off work and the distance of travel with no WOF and rego. what I want to know is the actual specs for body mounting driveshaft hoops, I have used 50x5 angle bolted threw the body with 3 m12 bolts onto a 5mm x50mm sandwich plate. then 2 bits of 5mm x 50mm angle with 2 bolts which hang down and is welded to the hoop itself. I thought I was overkilling it by doing this but obviously not.

[Checkerhead]

Sounds like you are doing it just fine. I did my mates Safari much like you have described.

When I say choose your battles, I don't mean roll over and take what ever he says. I just mean that there will likely be harder stuff to change, fight him on the things you see as important. But don't sweat the small stuff.

[doddzee]

I worked with Paul closely for a few years when I was coach building in Kerikeri on the Heavy Vehicle Certification side. Always found him knowledgeable and approachable.

Id suggest you go back to him and ask him and have a chat about the areas in question. LVVTA certifiers have no real discretion, if its not as per the book, an amendment or directive from the committee then they cannot certify it without approval from the committee in Wellington. Even if it seems ridiculous or against common sense sometimes their hands are tied.

[CLUMZ1]

3" spring/2" body on my GQ and just passed cert with no drive shaft loop...

[suzolla]

metal stretches when bent,

5mm stretched into a hoop will make it below requirement. that is why he has asked you to remake it in thicker steel.

Yes the out side of the curve will stretch but the inside will compress about the neutral axis when bending flat, doesn't quite work the same for round.

The standard actually says that the hoop should be made from 50 x 5mm flat bar so you should not have to change it.

Cheers
Tim

[tomsoffroad]

3" spring/2" body on my GQ and just passed cert with no drive shaft loop...

You dont need a loop unless you increase engine output or modify the driveshaft

[new2zukes]

Well after a call to wellington lvvta they called and sorted out with the cert guy and he rang back today saying the driveshaft loop had to have some more bolts but not be made from 6mm so thats a result. Still laughing about the shade cloth though haha.