Maximum LEGAL SR tyre and wheel sizes NSW
Posted: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 8:48 +0000
I know this topic has been flogged to death. I have spent upwards of 20hrs now searching for the answers using the search function and I am only slightly closer to having any clue about this issue. I really hope that this thread becomes the definitive thread on the subject, and that is helps others in the same predicament.
I definitely do not consider myself to be a law abiding citizen. However, I do consider myself to be unlucky enough to get done over by an insurance company should I ever have an at fault accident ( none yet touch wood). It has been stated before that there are 4X4 friendly insurers and that most insurers have no clue about all this stuff or that "if you were to be denied a claim based on a small increase in tyre size you would be the first one", but this does not make any difference whatsoever. I am untrusting enough of insurers (and of corporations in general) to believe that if there are ANY loopholes they will take them. I have also heard it said that anything is fine so long as the insurer doesn't deem the modification to be the cause of or related to the cause of the accident (of course the onus would be on you to prove it wasn't the cause, and this could become a near impossible task altogether).
I am in NSW and am only interested in NSW laws. As far as I can tell there has been a lot of discussion over the last few months about all this new VSI50 stuff. The only resolution I can see that has been made is that some "body" somewhere has decided that it needs more thought and they're going to sit down with some wiser people than them and try to work out something that is fair and safe for all motorists. However, this is not the issue and likely a long way off.
Currently, unless you have an engineer's certificate (that some of us may not wish to pay for [how much are they BTW?]), there are a set of laws that have been in place since 2003 that pertain to what exact modifications a person can make to their tyre and wheel size without notifying the RTA.
The document I refer to is found here. http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&sourc ... Q4CfTRLcng
OR here http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/ ... 9_rev4.pdf
According to my research (which in all liklihood is wrong) the document to which one must refer to for manufacturer's allowable sizes is the tyre placard located usually on the door pillar /sill and not the car manual or on an internet forum somewhere. There is information around on the forums that suggests that one can include a TRD sticker on their sill with it's larger specs and this should allow some more flexibility in what is legal. This was suggested because one source stated that wheel/tyre size could be based on the largest size of that production model. However, I have found no legal documents that state this to be the case (but I would love to, because this really does open up a lot more options).
To sum it up, In NSW there must not be increases further than the following:
25mm greater in wheel track - defined as the distance between the centreline of the rims.
26mm greater in wheel width.
15mm over the outside diameter of the largest wheel and tyre combination specified by the vehicle.
The wheels must be contained within the bodywork of the vehicle including flares.
The wheel musn't foul any part of the body or suspension in all operating conditions (WTF does that mean?)
The tyres must fit the wheels.
The tyre load rating must equal or better the manufacturer's specification.
It is suggested that the tyre's speed rating equal or better the manufacturer's specification. However, it is stated in the VSI 9 document that you may fit tyres with a speed rating lower than specified so long as the speed rating is above N - 140km/hr.
Okay, that is the law (or rather the guidlines setout by the body which deems your car to be roadworthy or not).
With this information in mind, and the following, can someone please throw suggestions at me for which tyres and rim combinations will be legal.
Most of my driving is city (I live on the Mid North Coast so perhaps it's not city but town rather). However, I often drive (that is probably around 100km per fortnight) on unsurfaced roads, unused fire trails, potholed roads, corrugated roads and various other terrains. I would like the ability to drive more off road and would also like to do some touring type distances (maybe including desert stuff) around the country in the coming years. I am an active caver, canyoner, hiker etc. and travel distance regularly to get to places to do these activities.
I am also somewhat tight on fuel economy and whilst I'm surely not going to miss the extra $500 per year it may cost to fill the ute by having a larger tyre size, I don't wish to be paying for extra fuel if it's unnecessary for the types of driving I do.
Perhaps a good place to start would be the wheels.
Given that wheel track cannot be increased more than 25mm and tyre width no more than 26mm, what width and offset is going to keep me legal? I like the look of wider tyres and as I said in the title I am looking for maximum legal.
Which suitable tyres are going to fit these rims? Should I go for LT AT?
I definitely do not consider myself to be a law abiding citizen. However, I do consider myself to be unlucky enough to get done over by an insurance company should I ever have an at fault accident ( none yet touch wood). It has been stated before that there are 4X4 friendly insurers and that most insurers have no clue about all this stuff or that "if you were to be denied a claim based on a small increase in tyre size you would be the first one", but this does not make any difference whatsoever. I am untrusting enough of insurers (and of corporations in general) to believe that if there are ANY loopholes they will take them. I have also heard it said that anything is fine so long as the insurer doesn't deem the modification to be the cause of or related to the cause of the accident (of course the onus would be on you to prove it wasn't the cause, and this could become a near impossible task altogether).
I am in NSW and am only interested in NSW laws. As far as I can tell there has been a lot of discussion over the last few months about all this new VSI50 stuff. The only resolution I can see that has been made is that some "body" somewhere has decided that it needs more thought and they're going to sit down with some wiser people than them and try to work out something that is fair and safe for all motorists. However, this is not the issue and likely a long way off.
Currently, unless you have an engineer's certificate (that some of us may not wish to pay for [how much are they BTW?]), there are a set of laws that have been in place since 2003 that pertain to what exact modifications a person can make to their tyre and wheel size without notifying the RTA.
The document I refer to is found here. http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&sourc ... Q4CfTRLcng
OR here http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/ ... 9_rev4.pdf
According to my research (which in all liklihood is wrong) the document to which one must refer to for manufacturer's allowable sizes is the tyre placard located usually on the door pillar /sill and not the car manual or on an internet forum somewhere. There is information around on the forums that suggests that one can include a TRD sticker on their sill with it's larger specs and this should allow some more flexibility in what is legal. This was suggested because one source stated that wheel/tyre size could be based on the largest size of that production model. However, I have found no legal documents that state this to be the case (but I would love to, because this really does open up a lot more options).
To sum it up, In NSW there must not be increases further than the following:
25mm greater in wheel track - defined as the distance between the centreline of the rims.
26mm greater in wheel width.
15mm over the outside diameter of the largest wheel and tyre combination specified by the vehicle.
The wheels must be contained within the bodywork of the vehicle including flares.
The wheel musn't foul any part of the body or suspension in all operating conditions (WTF does that mean?)
The tyres must fit the wheels.
The tyre load rating must equal or better the manufacturer's specification.
It is suggested that the tyre's speed rating equal or better the manufacturer's specification. However, it is stated in the VSI 9 document that you may fit tyres with a speed rating lower than specified so long as the speed rating is above N - 140km/hr.
Okay, that is the law (or rather the guidlines setout by the body which deems your car to be roadworthy or not).
With this information in mind, and the following, can someone please throw suggestions at me for which tyres and rim combinations will be legal.
Most of my driving is city (I live on the Mid North Coast so perhaps it's not city but town rather). However, I often drive (that is probably around 100km per fortnight) on unsurfaced roads, unused fire trails, potholed roads, corrugated roads and various other terrains. I would like the ability to drive more off road and would also like to do some touring type distances (maybe including desert stuff) around the country in the coming years. I am an active caver, canyoner, hiker etc. and travel distance regularly to get to places to do these activities.
I am also somewhat tight on fuel economy and whilst I'm surely not going to miss the extra $500 per year it may cost to fill the ute by having a larger tyre size, I don't wish to be paying for extra fuel if it's unnecessary for the types of driving I do.
Perhaps a good place to start would be the wheels.
Given that wheel track cannot be increased more than 25mm and tyre width no more than 26mm, what width and offset is going to keep me legal? I like the look of wider tyres and as I said in the title I am looking for maximum legal.
Which suitable tyres are going to fit these rims? Should I go for LT AT?