Hot off the press today, we’ve just received information that the Minister for Transport and Main Roads in Queensland has confirmed changes to Queensland’s lift laws, apparently first introduced by the Newman Government in 2012. What this means for 4X4 owners in Queensland, is that once the laws are revised next month, they will be able to ‘self certify’ (lift without modification plate or engineers approval) to a maximum of a 75mm lift (50mm suspension + 25mm tyre height increase).
The statement released today states, “Next month we will be changing sections of the Queensland Code of Practice, which governs vehicle lift rules,” Mr Bailey said.
“These changes, which follow consultation between my department and industry, will raise the maximum lift certifiable in Queensland from 125mm to 150mm.
“Importantly, this will make Queensland’s maximum lift, with certification, consistent with the National Code Practice and other states.
“For vehicles with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), vehicle owners will be able to raise their vehicles up to 75mm (incorporating a maximum of 50mm suspension and 25mm tyre increase) without certification.*
“Queensland already allows such a lift for non-ESC equipped vehicles.
“The move to 75mm without certification, for ESC vehicles will ensure consistency with the rules in NSW and Victoria.”
At this time, no date has been given for the changes to take effect, except that it will be released in October this year.
Industry group, 4WD Queensland has however asked a rather valid question of the Minister, “Whilst 4WD Queensland welcomes this direction in the revised codes, we still need to ask why there’s a significant Queensland Police Service crack down on vehicles which meet these limits now, when the minister confirmed in Parliament this week there was confusion in the current TMR guidelines, and these new codes were slated to be released 2 weeks after Operation Lift.”
This then further begs the question, if this change was already on the cards, why was “Operation Lift” even rolled out, and even more curious, those who were issued with defect notices for ESC equipped vehicles with a 75mm lift, are they still valid and do the fines need to be paid? We’ve sought comment from the Minister on this, and will write an update when / if we receive a response.
The official statement from the Minister can be found here.
*(emphasis added by mr4x4.com.au)
5 comments
We still need see a more available method of certifying of ESC equiped vehicles in Australia for owners wishing to go beyond the 75mm lift up to say 100mm combined suspension and tyres. At present transport and main roads in Qld still require a certification test by Bosch in Vic as do some other states. This service was only ment for the manufacturing industry not for actual vehicle owners and is way too expensive. More of the ESC testing or simulation (like the munufactures use) along with tuning of the ESC services need to be made avalable to the general public at resonable pricing. One problem may be is the Qld Tmr are in a membership under Bosch’s tech group and Bosch probably want to keep their Golden egg control or its just too hard for the Tmr and their ego’s.
I have no problem paying to get certified as long as its obtainable and reasonable. If the ESC can be tuned to improve the handling of 3.6m high truck then it can be tuned for to suit a 4wd and it would most definatly save lives. My old 4wd at 50mm suffered heaps of damage underneath, bent underbody protection, cracked fuel tank (undert the protection) bent sills and a cracket rear bumper. I’d preffer to have more height in the next car to reduce the wear and tear. I dont hoon but i do travel.
You were already aloud 75mm in vic or was this the labor &the Greens deal to come into force after November Election
The National Code of Pratice dosen’t allow for any ESC lift above 50mm (updated from AAAA testing) unless tested. The federal government RIS document of 2008 (138 pages) never once considered suspension modification testing by the public. It recomended only one ESC testing facility for manufactures in mind. In several instances in the document the AAAA were noted as not agreeing with serveral points and it looks like none of their points wear agreed too at all. Most of the document leads to the government saving some $139 million a year with very little outlay. Even the report from The Monash? University used ESC simulation for their part in the report. This was done before this was past as law under the NCOP. The AAAA and public modifications were never concidered when they designed these standards.
So the headline is now
ESC vehicles.
So my good old workute.
A 4X4. 2005 RA Rodeo?
A list for all Vehicle heights for all 4×4’s could be a good thing to keep in the glovebox for the next trip.
I have an oversized tyres fitted for load rating plus an extra spring leaf plus air bags.
So where do I legally sit?
It isn’t over raised to look at.
But my new MU-X looks lower with a legal 40 mm ARB lift.
A list of all makes and models with max axle to guard height.
Where is this measurement on a Ute tray?
Hi mate,
Any update on this?
Are the laws still scheduled to change in October?
Thanks