4WD Action has put out email notices today alerting everyone to the re-introduction of VSI-150.
A couple things of concern that Ill share with you all from that email notice -
The biggest issue is that of vehicle ride height. Under VSI50, vehicles with a combined ride height more than 75mm above standard will only be eligible for ‘conditional registration’. The document isn’t clear on what this means, but you can be certain conditional registration will force you to justify why you ‘need’ to be driving your 4WD every single time you get behind the wheel. There is a way around this – VSI50 states that if you are a member of an affiliated 4WD club, and have completed a driver training course, then you’ll be allowed full registration.
I thought compulsory unionism was dead in Australia. I thought this was a free country.
What we’re witnessing is un-reasonable and un-Australian.
VSI50 forces you to pay membership fees and join a 4WD club, simply so you can have full registration on your sensibly modified 4WD. What if you don’t want to be a member of a club? What if you can’t find a club to join? What if you’re stretched enough as it is and don’t want to pay anymore bills?
If VSI50 becomes official legislation, 4WD NSW & ACT will have ultimate say over when and where you can drive your 4WD!
Conditional registration is a scary thing if it gets through.....regardless of the way it is imposed/enforced. In regards to our model hilux's this 75mm rule means anyone with a 2" suspension lift and 31" tyres is legit...anyone with anything else needs to prove to their traffice authority WHY they need the extra mods and will have to be a club member with extra liscencing to drive.
Im not against people having to do a 4x4 driving course.......actually it would be a pretty responsible thing to do if driving a fourby since they handle differently to the typical motor vehicle and would benefit alot of "newbies".
But being forced into a club when you might not have the time or costs to do so is rediculous.
he second issue of concern with the revised VSI50 document, is a blanket ban of all tyre diameter increases of more than 50mm. That means than generally speaking, anything larger than a 31in tyre on a dual-cab ute, or a 33in tyre on a full-sized wagon, will be absolutely illegal.
Bloody Joke!
There’ll be no option to ever have a bigger set of tyres put through engineering tests to be deemed safe. VSB14, which is the guideline document VSI50 has been created from talks about a maximum headlight lift of 150mm over standard. We believe that’s fair – what we don’t support is the fact that the proposed VSI50 plan limits the way in which you’re allowed to achieve that 6in headlight height raise. Sure, a lot of us will be happy with a vehicle running a 2in lift and 2in over standard diameter tyres, but what if you did want to take it to the next level and run 35in tyres?
If you wanted to spend the time and money on brake and suspension upgrades to ensure your 4WD could run 35in tyre safely - why should you be denied that?
Exactly...if you do the mods and keep things safe, why shouldnt you be allowed to drive it?
150mm total I think personally is a responsible height limit restriction to enforce....if need be throw in a driving training course to prove you know how to drive your fourby and thats it.
What is the real agenda behind all of this?