It's back!!! Copied over from 4WD Action forum-
" VSB14 - National Code of Practice
G'day all, no doubt you've heard the rumblings about VSB 14 - NCOP for Light Vehicle Modifications and the rumour that NSW may be introducing it into official legislation at the end of September. I want to start a central thread where we can discuss this issue and where I can relay back information as it comes to hand.
First off, a bit of background info. The NCOP has been developed as a set of guidelines from which each state or territory uses as a framework to develop their own legislation. It's up to each state or territory's governing body to decide whether they'll adopt the NCOP, in part or in full. Briefly, here's where each state stands;
NSW: Right now, the RTA hasn’t accepted the Code of Practice in its entirety. It’s not even a done deal that it will be accepted at all, but it’s looking very likely that it will. It’s also likely that there will be some changes to parts of the Code of Practice but that it will mimic VSB14 closely.
QLD: It’s all but a done deal that QLD Transport will be implementing VSB14, which will actually loosen some modification laws for QLDers. When this is set to happen, however, is anyone’s guess – the best indication that QLD Transport could give us is the second half of 2011, and a lot closer to the end than the beginning of it. It is likely to be identical to the VSB14 document published on infrastructure.gov.au.
NT: In the Northern Territory, VSB 14 is used as the guiding document in the formation of NT Roads’ Vehicle Standards. However, it’s unlikely that VSB 14 will be brought in as actual legislation any time soon, as there are significant discrepancies between its contents and the Standards that NT Roads use. For instance, 4WDs with up to a 100mm suspension lift don’t require engineering in the NT as per the eastern states.
WA: Western Australia has fully implemented VSB14 in its entirety – this means that Transport W.A. refer to this document and its current contents in determining the legality of modifications.
SA: Implementation of VSB14 is on the cards for South Australia, however like other states there are matters of contention to sort out before it’s passed into official use. Unfortunately, it’s anyone’s guess as to when that will actually happen.
VIC: Victoria currently operates under Vehicle Standards Information (VSI) 8 – Guide to Modifications for Motor Vehicles. This was first implemented in 2003, and whilst it is similar in many areas to VSB14, there are points of difference which require reconciling before it is officially implemented.
TAS: Transport Tasmania uses VSB14 as its governing documentation relating to light vehicle modifications, and has fully implemented it into practice.
ACT: The ACT Road Transport Authority has used VSB14 as its guiding regulations since its initial implementation in 2006. Like WA and TAS, it accepts the NCOP’s guidelines and framework for vehicle modifications in its entirety.
You can access VSB14 here:
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/ ... _ncop.aspx
In a nutshell, VSB14 affects 4WDers in the following ways. Vehicles will be permitted to be raised a total of 150mm above standard, which represents a combined lift stemming from raised suspension, body lifts and tyres. Vehicles more than 50mm above standard will require engineering - this means anyone with a 2in lifted 4WD on 2in-over-standard-diameter tyres. Bodylifts will be limited to 50mm max. Tyres are the worrying part - a blanket ban on anything bigger than 50mm over standard. That means 33s on a Patrol or Cruiser, 31s on a dual-cab ute, etc. Even fitment of a long-range or auxiliary fuel tank will technically require signing off by an engineer.
So what can we do about it?
Right now I'm waiting on an official response from the RTA and I will be pushing for this today. As soon as I get it I'll post here. I will also be putting the same enquiry across to QLD, SA and VIC transport authorities. What's really worrying is that none of the authorities are showing their cards - right now they're not telling anyone what parts of VSB14 they will and won't adopt. That's not right. For all we know, they could be planning to ban any sort of modification full stop.
We believe that vehicles should be engineerable if they're built SAFE - regardless of tyre or suspension size, or any other modification. If you wanted to spend the money building a wagon on big rubber and suspension the correct way, so that it passed all engineering safety tests, why shouldn't you be allowed to? What we don't like, is the fact that the NCOP imposes blanket bans that rule out any possibility of such modifications.
That's our stance on the matter - we want to know what yours is. What's your opinion?
Make sure to keep checking back in this thread because I'll put up any information I get in here. "
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Brendan Seymour - Associate Editor
4WD Action
72 Rangie; 351, C4, 37s, gearing, GQ diffs, Air Lockers, chopped
91 4Runner; 33in ATs, 4in lift, low blinker fluid warning light
by TeRD on Sat, 23 Oct 2010 8:43 +0000 
I think this is a bit pre-emptive from 4wd action and Andrew Stoner. I have been informed that we should see the new draft early next week. The RTA won't drop VSI 50. But they are in the process of making it fairer for everybody.
