LVV Certification for suspension and body lifts

[Denby]

WoF news September 2007 Issue 11
Raised suspension
You may have noticed a growing trend to raise vehicles. This is sometimes done by fitting a suspension or body lift kit.
These types of modifications must be LVV certified.
These modifications may affect the stability of a vehicle by changing the centre of gravity, or they may impact on the steering system. Steering and suspension geometry can also be adversely affected if a vehicle is raised significantly.
Increased tyre size can also raise a vehicle. If the tyres are outside the limits specified in the VIRM, they must be LVV certified.

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/publications/wof-news/issue-11.html

Bugger... I thought a small lift wouldn't require dealing with bureaucracy if done in a professional manner.

I have a 50mm spring (and shock) lift from Old Man Emu and 50mm of body spacers from Low Range Offroad (complete with NZ made extended brake lines) and have just discovered that my Jimny is no longer fully legal (even though it has been through 3 or 4 testing station WOFs with the taller coil spring).

It isn't like it is any more unstable than when it was manufactured, most real 4x4s ex factory are never as stable as a normal car (let alone a Porsche or Ferrari).

So who in Auckland can members recommend to sign off suspension and body lifts (at realistic prices) ?

[muddyhilux]

yeh it sucks but they are getting real tuff,i use a guy named mark stokes,0274522276,lil hard to get hold of but he really knos his stuff and doesnt pick on one type of vechile over anuther,but itll cost ya out 300-500 to cert,no mattter how much uve moddid ur vechile so do anything else ya wana do before goin for cert otherwise ull just have to pay again

[Windsock]

...and don't forget to check the fine print of any insurance policys regarding declaration of modifications. Insurance is great until they decide to look closely at any vehcile they've insured being involved in any accident. If they find any undeclared mods... welll... s**t happens, better to sort out the crap before it even gets a chance to get airborne!

Just a bit of advice too. Ask what sort of vehicles the certifier has experience with. Hod rodders and speed machine certifiers are not overly understanding of 4WDs and all the little charactirstics they may have never encountered before. A drive is part of the deal for a certifier and if he gets into a vehcile and it feels unstable to someone used to being seated 6 - 12 inches off the ground...

[haynzy]

...and don't forget to check the fine print of any insurance policys regarding declaration of modifications. Insurance is great until they decide to look closely at any vehcile they've insured being involved in any accident. If they find any undeclared mods... welll... s**t happens, better to sort out the crap before it even gets a chance to get airborne!

Just a bit of advice too. Ask what sort of vehicles the certifier has experience with. Hod rodders and speed machine certifiers are not overly understanding of 4WDs and all the little charactirstics they may have never encountered before. A drive is part of the deal for a certifier and if he gets into a vehcile and it feels unstable to someone used to being seated 6 - 12 inches off the ground...

the cert guy I use builds hotrods for a living and he has been really good, looks at from a practical point of view. Any modification that changes the centre of gravity should be certed is his stance.

[J_Dub]

yeh it sucks but they are getting real tuff,i use a guy named mark stokes,0274522276,lil hard to get hold of but he really knos his stuff and doesnt pick on one type of vechile over anuther,but itll cost ya out 300-500 to cert,no mattter how much uve moddid ur vechile so do anything else ya wana do before goin for cert otherwise ull just have to pay again

yea mark stokes has a good rep, decent guy, knows his stuff, he certifies everything from minor mods to full ground up rebuilds hotrods etc

[lexlux]

heres another guy he does alot of 4 x4 & racecar certz neil fraser 0800423789 hes in beachhaven rd over the shore .

[Heath]

heres another guy he does alot of 4 x4 & racecar certz neil fraser 0800423789 hes in beachhaven rd over the shore .

He did my lux with body lift , suspension lift, bigger wheels/tyres, seatbelts, steering shaft extention thingee, recert of engine (3.8v6). strange thing was all the stuff I did was fine the stuff done and certed before required touching up. Brakes were my biggest hassle. Cost me about 400 bucks.

get good pads, run your tyres a little lower pressure than normal and clean the brakes before you go (drum rears suck at the best of times so do it right and put new pads in before (and swirl the drums / disks too).

Heath

[Shilo]

Got John Brett (09 4153146) to do my 50mm lift. He met me on a Saturday at the Mt Wellington VINZ which was closest to me and had no problems at all with his service. Cost $450.

[nstacey]

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=8848 talks about the same article

The consensus at the end of this thread, Suspension lift ok, Bodylifts need certifying

[BJ71]

You might all want to check the following link for the LTNZ correction to "WoF news September 2007 Issue 11"

http://www.nzfwda.org.nz/news/21


This doesn't clear the way for wholesale mod but does at least put some level of common sense in the whole issue


Cheers

Tony Jack
SZ PRO NZFWDA

[Denby]

Thanks to nstacey for the links to the pervious thread & BJ71 for the link to the LTSA reply on the NZFWDA web site (I will be printing a copy of it and the WOF news issue 11 for future reference / defence).

And also thanks to Peter Vahry to getting into LTSA's ear to get some sort of clarification (even though it was never communicated in Issue 12 or 13 of the WOF news).

From the clarification letter;

After some discussion with the writer of the article the correct wording in the second paragraph should have read, "These types of modifications may require LVV certification and reference should be made to section 9-1 of the VIRM for guidance"

Maybe I shouldn't worry about the minor modifications and just put my toy through for another testing station WOF and see if they have any issues. After all, they haven't had any issues with professionally made longer coils and shocks over the last couple of years.

[wjw]

Most certifiers require a failed WOF sheet before they do the cert, it means less work for them.

[BEAUTGQ]

thats funny damn testing station people pick up all kinds of petty things at the best of times i steer clear if i can help it haha

[lneil]

Just had the 'scud in for a cert and the certifier confirmed that the ambiguous wording "may require" is the problem. He has no problem with up to 50mm body-lift, and one of the local VTNZ stations works to the same rule unless there is obviously an issue with the lift.

[nivaman]

I think it's where ya take ya truck, have a two inch lift on the Niva that hasn't been picked up yet.

[CRAZYBUSTARD]

i have 50 mill lift in jeep testing station said ok long as i cleaned it first

[amateur]

Geez i wish i didn't live in Tauranga i put a 50mm bodylift in and theres only one guy that will give me a wof but he wont give me a wof because i cant put my back bumper on due to the spare tyre been so big. but heaps of other places will give me a wof if it didnt have the bodylift.

[3VILC]

Geez i wish i didn't live in Tauranga i put a 50mm bodylift in and theres only one guy that will give me a wof but he wont give me a wof because i cant put my back bumper on due to the spare tyre been so big. but heaps of other places will give me a wof if it didnt have the bodylift.

Strange, I have 60mm suspension and 35mm body lift, 33" tyres, and no rear bumper yet and no mudflaps or flares
Passed fine last time. Depends where you go I suppose, a testing station would prolly throw the book at it

[nivaman]

Geez i wish i didn't live in Tauranga i put a 50mm bodylift in and theres only one guy that will give me a wof but he wont give me a wof because i cant put my back bumper on due to the spare tyre been so big. but heaps of other places will give me a wof if it didnt have the bodylift.

Strange, I have 60mm suspension and 35mm body lift, 33" tyres, and no rear bumper yet and no mudflaps or flares
Passed fine last time. Depends where you go I suppose, a testing station would prolly throw the book at it

More than likely .

[1KZSURF]

Im not sure if the law has changed anytime recently but i just tryed getting my warrent the other day and i was told that i need cert for putting 2" springs in there rear and upgrading from 29" tyres to 31" aswell as extended mudguard apparently they need to hang half way down the rear tyres which just look stupid, ive been thru a wof with the springs in but i think since ive changed from road to mud tyres the aggro look must be a give away, can anyone clarify this?

[Dirtydog]

with the springs you can say that you have just put heavy duty springs in it, and as for the tyres certification goes off rim size, they dont accually write down what size tyres are on it.

[Smurf]

with the springs you can say that you have just put heavy duty springs in it, and as for the tyres certification goes off rim size, they dont accually write down what size tyres are on it.

tyre size may not be on the cert plate but it is recorded in the system.

[Mehrts]

Tyres are required to be certed if there is an increase of more than 15% rolling distance/diameter from the original factory size.

[tgaguy1]

Tyres are required to be certed if there is an increase of more than 15% rolling distance/diameter from the original factory size.

Isn't it 5% bigger than the largest tyre option for that model truck? i.e landcruisers had a factory option for 750x16 tyres (approx 32") so you would require cert for any tyes greater than 5% circumference than that size tyre regardless if yours came with that size fitted from factory.

[1KZSURF]

yeah ive only gone from 29's to 31's which isnt very much and from a 15x7 rim to a 15x8.

im goin for a wof on wednesday and will let u know what the verdict is.

the mudguard rule is pretty stupid, i want more mud over the truck not less lol

[00falcon]

I hate the inconsistent wof system...

I have a 2.5" lift (8 control arms, 4 springs, misc brackets to keep things straight)

And I too only failed on my mud flaps... front and rear...
(Front mud flaps...?)

Certification here we come... just so the wof guys can't pass our fail it, depending on there mood...(I mean there interpretation of the rules)

[tweake]

yeah ive only gone from 29's to 31's .......

31's are factory fitted to surfs anyway. so i have no idea why anyone would have a problem with it.

[1KZSURF]

31's are factory fitted to surfs anyway. so i have no idea why anyone would have a problem with it

.[/quote]


Thats a good point, if they fail me for it ill try sweet talk my way around it, maybe show some leg haha

[Dirtydog]

I hate the inconsistent wof system...

I have a 2.5" lift (8 control arms, 4 springs, misc brackets to keep things straight)

And I too only failed on my mud flaps... front and rear...
(Front mud flaps...?)

Certification here we come... just so the wof guys can't pass our fail it, depending on there mood...(I mean there interpretation of the rules)

Far out man ya know what ya mean, my terrano went in for a couple of wof's with a body lift, 2 inch suspension and 33's, and they only failed it for the exhaust leaking, and 2 stone chips in the windscreen.

needless to say they picked it up after i put in some subs and good speakers.

[DieselBoy]

I dread the day my Bro in-law isn't around to do my Wof's.

I could see the fight over the Defender with the modified interior and removal of 6 seating positions, the big tyres which are 33.3" diameter, but only 3% bigger than standard and the aftermarket coil perches, which are a direct bolt on replacement part for the factory fitted item.

Then there's the rule about exterior projections, which my winch and tow hook could be an issue, and also my Jerry can and water tank mounts on the rear.

I also think they have changed the rules regarding tyres and how far they sit out side the guards. It used to be ok to have side wall protruding provided the tread was covered, now everything must be inside the edge of the guard or flare.

Hate the inconsistency you guys are talking about.