different width wheels and flat bottom steering wheels?

[Troy711]

ehh, i was under the impression that these were against vehicle safety guidelines..? but both are standard on the E series HSVs..?

[hkmonaro68]

They had different width size on HSV Coupe 4

[mattman]

Think the different widths are only a problem when on the same axle...

[1991_Vn2nV]

Think the different widths are only a problem when on the same axle...

^^ Yeah agreed...

However I also thought flat bottomed steering wheels were illegal...

Just joins a list of cars that have illegal parts. WRX with the bonnet scoop here in SA, Honda Odyssey etc. with the blue parker lights...

[Troy711]

i guess if its factory its ok..?

[1991_Vn2nV]

i guess if its factory its ok..?

Must be...

I know they have stretched the laws for imported vehicles... such as Skylines etc., they only need to meet window tint requirements from Japan (20 grade all round) instead of our more strict regulations...

I mean they cant very well defect a high production australian built car can they?

[andyman]

i guess if its factory its ok..?

yea i think thats it basically, factory fitment is legal but you wouldn't think they would be able to sell anything against the law

[392RWkwSS]

flat bottom tillers cant be illegal. audi's s4 and rs4 have em. and now hsv has got them. i dont see why they would be illegal?

[brohawk]

i have a flat bottom steering wheel and if anything it makes it easier to drive turning is great and more comfortable to rest your hand on

[naf33n]

all the parts are engineered for the car. rexy's had to be tested for the bonnet scoop and make sure it will not hurt anyone in an accident. honda odyssy's parkers look blue but they put out a white beam making them legal. car makers go through alot of shit to get all these parts through.

[NORTI]

yep they have to adhere to the laws still, but usually they make a way around as said above, still within the law

They have to check the beam of light from the number plate light even to make sure it complies



D.

[klaw81]

Must be...

I know they have stretched the laws for imported vehicles... such as Skylines etc., they only need to meet window tint requirements from Japan (20 grade all round) instead of our more strict regulations...

I mean they cant very well defect a high production australian built car can they?

They don't stretch the rules much for imports. All grey imports have to be substantially modified before being registered in Australia. This can include new seat belts, added side intrusion bars, new wheels & tyres, altered rear view and side mirrors and windscreen glass. Cars that have been heavily modified in Japan need to be returned to stock before being registered. That's why they're still expensive (relative to NZ, for instance).

Car manufacturers can have certain aspects "deemed to comply" with ADRs by undertaking extensive testing. This sort of thing costs car makers and importers of foreign new cars a lot of money, because Australian rules are very tough. We often don't get certain versions of cars in Oz becuase it would be too expensive to comply them.

There's definitely no problem with anything fitted to a factory Commodore - the guys at Holden would know the rule book inside out, and they wouldn't be permitted to release a car without passing all ADR's first.

[1991_Vn2nV]

They don't stretch the rules much for imports. All grey imports have to be substantially modified before being registered in Australia. This can include new seat belts, added side intrusion bars, new wheels & tyres, altered rear view and side mirrors and windscreen glass. Cars that have been heavily modified in Japan need to be returned to stock before being registered. That's why they're still expensive (relative to NZ, for instance).

Car manufacturers can have certain aspects "deemed to comply" with ADRs by undertaking extensive testing. This sort of thing costs car makers and importers of foreign new cars a lot of money, because Australian rules are very tough. We often don't get certain versions of cars in Oz becuase it would be too expensive to comply them.

There's definitely no problem with anything fitted to a factory Commodore - the guys at Holden would know the rule book inside out, and they wouldn't be permitted to release a car without passing all ADR's first.

What I said was correct. Cars imported from Japan must comply with the following guidelines regarding tint and windows:
• Japanese Industrial Standard JIS R 3211-1979 Safety Glasses for Road Vehicles

Cars imported from Britian must comply with the following guidelines regarding tint and windows:
• British Standard BS 857:1967 Specification for Safety Glass for Land Transport
• British Standard BS 5282:1975 Road Vehicle Safety Glass
• British Standard BS AU178:1980 Road Vehicle Safety Glass

Cars imported from America must comply with these guidelines regarding tint and windows:
• American National Standard ANSI Z26.1-1980 Safety Code for Safety Glazing Materials for Glazing Motor Vehicles Operating on Land Highway.

However this does not mean they can be whatever they like. They must still stick to strict regulations and guidelines, however some things such as windows can be to the regulations from that country, rather than our own strict regulations.

[1991_Vn2nV]

I think this clears the question up regarding the steering wheel:

Passenger cars and derivatives manufactured on or after 1st January, 1971 have been fitted with steering wheels and steering columns which are designed to minimise injuries to the driver in vehicle collisions. The only steering wheel that may be used is the one recommended by the vehicle manufacturer as an approved part.
Transport SA will consider the fitting of a non standard steering wheel provided an engineering report, prepared by a Chartered Professional Engineer is presented which is able to demonstrate that the replacement steering wheel meets the requirements of applicable ADRs for that vehicle.

Therefore, if its Factory, its ok! It can be anything the manufacturer wants it to be.

[klaw81]

What I said was correct. Cars imported from Japan must comply with the following guidelines regarding tint and windows:
• Japanese Industrial Standard JIS R 3211-1979 Safety Glasses for Road Vehicles

I'm not arguing with you...you're almost certainly correct. I just wanted to point out that there are an awful lot of things that DO have to be changed, and sometimes (depending on the model and factory spec) this includes glass.

There's very little flexibility in our ADR's, but in some cases the guidelines of another country are "deemed to comply."

[1991_Vn2nV]

I'm not arguing with you...you're almost certainly correct. I just wanted to point out that there are an awful lot of things that DO have to be changed, and sometimes (depending on the model and factory spec) this includes glass.

There's very little flexibility in our ADR's, but in some cases the guidelines of another country are "deemed to comply."

Ah ok cool When it comes to SA guidelines especially where the MAXIMUM window tint allowable for front windows is 70 grade or 70% its pretty damn harsh. Rear windows are 35%. But alot of Japanese cars etc. are well over the front window limit stock... Our window tint laws especially astound me... They make no sense in my opinion.

[Scotty_Doesn't_Know]

Our window tint laws especially astound me... They make no sense in my opinion.

There is a lot to be said for being able to see the occupants of a car. Makes things like kidnapping, talking on mobile when driving (not hands free), un-restrained passengers (it really pisses me off when I see kids in the back seats moving around freely, what the fark are parents thinking?!) and any other illegal activity easy to spot. Also, believe it or not having tinted windows actually does reduce visibilty, the darker it is, the harder it is for the driver to have 100% situational awareness. For example, do you see ANY race cars (other than rally cars because theirs are ALWAYS solo runs) with tinted windows?

As far as I know, it's for reasons such as this that we have window tint laws.

[1991_Vn2nV]

True.. but what about things like Window Sox etc.. those things to block out the sun for babies etc. in cars.

Cant see in or out AT ALL yet they are legal...

[Scotty_Doesn't_Know]

True.. but what about things like Window Sox etc.. those things to block out the sun for babies etc. in cars.

Cant see in or out AT ALL yet they are legal...

Not on the front windows they're not...

[1991_Vn2nV]

Not on the front windows they're not...

Still on the back windows though, which beats any 35 grade tint

[Troy711]

Also, believe it or not having tinted windows actually does reduce visibilty, the darker it is, the harder it is for the driver to have 100% situational awareness.

this is true, i have 20% tint all round on my windows and it is the biggest pain to see out of at night. i should have not been stupid and just got 35

[Wombat]

Flat bottom steering wheels are fine, provided they aren't a stupid design...

My six foot-three son needs the smaller diameter flat-bottomed Autotechnica wheel in his Corolla twin-cam, otherwise he'd never fit his legs under the wheel, as the standard wheel was dragging on his legs constantly...definately not "safe".

Plenty of things which were deemed "illegal" become "legal" after more and more factory cars come fitted with them. One that springs to mind instantly is extractors...not all that many years ago in Queensland it used to be illegal to fit them to a road car, but then after many cars such as European imports and Brock Commodores started coming out with them, the authorities made them "OK", and everyone started fitting them.
I even recall having tinted headlight covers fitted to my 1980 VC Commodore in 1984, after seeing press photo's of the new Brock Commodore fitted with them. I was pulled over just once, and fortunately had the magazine with me (amongst a few others I was taking to a friends house), and pointed it out to the cop. He let me go with a hefty "be careful" warning.

[1991_Vn2nV]

Flat bottom steering wheels are fine, provided they aren't a stupid design...

My six foot-three son needs the smaller diameter flat-bottomed Autotechnica wheel in his Corolla twin-cam, otherwise he'd never fit his legs under the wheel, as the standard wheel was dragging on his legs constantly...definately not "safe".

Plenty of things which were deemed "illegal" become "legal" after more and more factory cars come fitted with them. One that springs to mind instantly is extractors...not all that many years ago in Queensland it used to be illegal to fit them to a road car, but then after many cars such as European imports and Brock Commodores started coming out with them, the authorities made them "OK", and everyone started fitting them.
I even recall having tinted headlight covers fitted to my 1980 VC Commodore in 1984, after seeing press photo's of the new Brock Commodore fitted with them. I was pulled over just once, and fortunately had the magazine with me (amongst a few others I was taking to a friends house), and pointed it out to the cop. He let me go with a hefty "be careful" warning.

Flat bottom or not, Autotechnica wheels are illegal as they are not ADR approved. Isotta and Momo are the 2 brands with ADR approved wheels but interestingly enough, the flat bottom wheels are not ADR approved in their ranges... So as far as flat bottomed wheels go there are no legal aftermarket ones available.

[maxy0987]

but once you turn the wheel your legs would get in the way anyway, flat bottom of not, the diameters of the sides would get in the way. Doesn't have any logical sense for the 'he needs room' argument.

[Rombles]

Maybe he doesn't drive around corners?