VE SS lowered Suspension dramas

[Ian Johnston]

Repco service centres are not only Vic. We have them in SA as well.

 

[PaulRM]

okay Christmas delayed my repair work but i finally found a place that could perform a wheel alignment (got turned down by 3 places in total for too low and wheels too big)
Kudos to JAXQuickfit in Preston did the job for $99

tyres no longer scrub on the left side and the scrubbing on the right side has been reduced a great deal. loaded the car right up under braking and turning over bumps and it just touches, perhaps i will inspect it with a dremel... it does sound dodgy but sounds cheaper than putting SL's in...

will bump again once i have had a poke around

If you do it with a Dremel and there is a malfunction of something during a crash (or you malfunction with the Dremel and make an oops) or if you are in an accident and the insurance company does an investigation and finds it, they may fight you about paying out on it, also, if your car is under warranty still (no idea what year yours is) and something happens it may void your warranty (can anyone verify?).

Like Big-Al said, because you've put larger wheels on (3"-4" above standard) and then the shortened shocks, you have created a double shortening effect in clearance between your tyre and then the liner underneath the wheel arches, the only way to fully resolve the rub/scrape will be to either decrease your wheel size to either 20"-21" or alternatively increase the spring size (if you're running SSSL maybe switch to SSL or even just SL) and more importantly have it measured and checked by a professional and all your issues should be solved without having to attack your car with the Dremel and risk having an unfortunate incident

Kind regards,
Paul

 

[Sean880]

okay Christmas delayed my repair work but i finally found a place that could perform a wheel alignment (got turned down by 3 places in total for too low and wheels too big)
Kudos to JAXQuickfit in Preston did the job for $99

tyres no longer scrub on the left side and the scrubbing on the right side has been reduced a great deal. loaded the car right up under braking and turning over bumps and it just touches, perhaps i will inspect it with a dremel... it does sound dodgy but sounds cheaper than putting SL's in...

will bump again once i have had a poke around

From my reading of the VIC regulations, that tyre/rim combination on a VE is illegal in Victoria (as it is also in some other States under their own regs) which means your car is unroadworthy regardless of whether you fix the tyres fouling other parts of the vehicle in full suspension travel and steering movement. This means that your comprehensive insurance cover is prejudiced should you have an accident . Furthermore should the police pull you up and issue you with a defect notice you will be off the road until you change the wheels and tyres and have the car inspected. As of now you have a double roadworthy issue because you still have the tyres fouling the body work and/or other components on the car.

The tyres on the wheels you have are oversize in running diiameter and are commonly fitted because a 25 profile tyre that would be needed on a 22 rim is either not available or would not meet the minimum tyre load requirements. So the tyre dealers fit the 245- 30 - 22 tyres (rather than a 245 -25 -22 tyre which would not be oversize in diameter.)
This 245 30 22 tyre is about 708 mm in diameter compared with the largest optional tyre fitted to the car -- 245 -35 -20 at approx 680 mm. The standard 18 inch tyre fitted to the SS is 245 45 18 and 678mm in diameter. The 19 inch tyres fitted to the SSVs are 245 40 19 and 679 mm in diameter.

One reason you are having clearance problems is because the tyre is too big in diameter. (In fact it is virtually the same diameter as a whopping 295 25 22 tyre.)

Victorian requirements are that any replacement wheel/tyre combination must not result in the overall tyre diameter exceeding - by more than 15 mm - the diameter of the largest tyre fitted to the model by the manufacturer . It is also a requirement that neither the wheel nor tyre foul any part of the vehicle in any position of suspension travel or steering movement. But do not take my word for it read up on it yourself (and take note of the introduction section) and check with the authorities.

http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/NR/r...mber8Guidetomodificationsformotorvehicles.pdf
Vehicle standards information : VicRoads

Under VIC law you are not permitted to operate a modified registered vehicle on the road unless the mods are specifically approved by the authorities OR unless the mods have been carried out under and comply with the published guidelines. Your 22 inch tyres sure don't.

Furthermore, under the terms of standard comprehensive insurance policies, suspension and wheel/tyre changes constitute modifications which must, as a condition of the policy, be declared to the insurance company. If you have not done that with both the the suspension and wheel/tyre mods then your comprehensive insurance cover is prejudiced. But then it already is because you are driving around with tyres that are too big and do not comply with the VIC guidelines and are not otherwise approved. So your car is unroadworthy and cannot be legally driven on the road. The insurance company sure would have an interest in that.

Good luck driving around in an unroadworthy car with a dubious comprehensive insurance cover. But then you can easily fix it by fitting 20 inch wheels and 245 35 20 tyres and you will be OK as long as your suspension mods comply (and you declare all the vehicle mods to your insurer).

 

[Chris_]

From my reading of the VIC regulations, that tyre/rim combination on a VE is illegal in Victoria (as it is also in some other States under their own regs) which means your car is unroadworthy regardless of whether you fix the tyres fouling other parts of the vehicle in full suspension travel and steering movement. This means that your comprehensive insurance cover is prejudiced should you have an accident . Furthermore should the police pull you up and issue you with a defect notice you will be off the road until you change the wheels and tyres and have the car inspected. As of now you have a double roadworthy issue because you still have the tyres fouling the body work and/or other components on the car.

The tyres on the wheels you have are oversize in running diiameter and are commonly fitted because a 25 profile tyre that would be needed on a 22 rim is either not available or would not meet the minimum tyre load requirements. So the tyre dealers fit the 245- 30 - 22 tyres (rather than a 245 -25 -22 tyre which would not be oversize in diameter.)
This 245 30 22 tyre is about 708 mm in diameter compared with the largest optional tyre fitted to the car -- 245 -35 -20 at approx 680 mm. The standard 18 inch tyre fitted to the SS is 245 45 18 and 678mm in diameter. The 19 inch tyres fitted to the SSVs are 245 40 19 and 679 mm in diameter.

One reason you are having clearance problems is because the tyre is too big in diameter. (In fact it is virtually the same diameter as a whopping 295 25 22 tyre.)

Victorian requirements are that any replacement wheel/tyre combination must not result in the overall tyre diameter exceeding - by more than 15 mm - the diameter of the largest tyre fitted to the model by the manufacturer . It is also a requirement that neither the wheel nor tyre foul any part of the vehicle in any position of suspension travel or steering movement. But do not take my word for it read up on it yourself (and take note of the introduction section) and check with the authorities.

http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/NR/r...mber8Guidetomodificationsformotorvehicles.pdf
Vehicle standards information : VicRoads

Under VIC law you are not permitted to operate a modified registered vehicle on the road unless the mods are specifically approved by the authorities OR unless the mods have been carried out under and comply with the published guidelines. Your 22 inch tyres sure don't.

Furthermore, under the terms of standard comprehensive insurance policies, suspension and wheel/tyre changes constitute modifications which must, as a condition of the policy, be declared to the insurance company. If you have not done that with both the the suspension and wheel/tyre mods then your comprehensive insurance cover is prejudiced. But then it already is because you are driving around with tyres that are too big and do not comply with the VIC guidelines and are not otherwise approved. So your car is unroadworthy and cannot be legally driven on the road. The insurance company sure would have an interest in that.

Good luck driving around in an unroadworthy car with a dubious comprehensive insurance cover. But then you can easily fix it by fitting 20 inch wheels and 245 35 20 tyres and you will be OK as long as your suspension mods comply (and you declare all the vehicle mods to your insurer).

tl;dr
but im sure your lecture was full of great points

 

[Big-Al]

But it's cool to be unroadworthy when you're on your P's. Got that fully sick sub woofa in the boot bro?

 

[greenacc]

Do we even know what it's rubbing on yet ?

 

[Benboy]

Suggest that you might need an Engineer's Report on your modifications as I understand it, any modifications to suspensions of vehicles fitted with ESC (Stability Control). Sorry pal, but I reckon your car is highly illegal and unroadworthy. Ask you Mum, listen to what she says. Mums always know best. Good luck.