Coilover Legalities

[ShanO`]

Gday All,

I am currently considering buying a set of coilovers (Tein SuperStreets) for my skyline but I am a bit unsure of a few things.

The main thing I am am concerned about is the legality of coilovers.

Obviously apart from the ability to lower you car below the legal limit, is there anything else which can cause them to be illegal?

Do the need to be of a certain shock design?

Do they need to be ADR approved?

I am in Queensland if it makes any difference...

Any help will be appreciated...

Cheers

ShanO`

[Green_s13]

as far as i know they are illegal for a few reason, i think one is ADR but the other is they dont have spots to hold the brake lines, in saying that there are plenty of cars that have them and dont get pulled up for it, so just make sure the car isn't too low and you should be ok

[Sydneykid]

Let me rephrase that..............

Skylines have coil overs standard, the coil springs go OVER the shocks absorbers.

So coil overs are NOT and NEVER will be illegal.

Citroens have had in cabin height adjustment for over 40 years, so that can hardly be illegal.

Mercedes had and still do have height adjustment via aribags.

Plenty of late 70's Jap cars had in cabin adjustable shocks, so that can hardly be illegal.

What then is illegal? It is spelt out in the ADR's, too low (100 mm minimum) and less than 2/3rds of the original suspension travel.

Simplistically, if your R32/33/34 is lower than 355 mm at the front and 345 mm at the rear then it pretty much guaranteed to be illegal.

Back to the original answer, for less money you can buy a much better shock absorber than a Tein.

Cheers

[Taleb Tyres]

Not sure about QLD but in NSW you need to have them engineered to have no worries, reason is say you get defected for ride hieght, all you do is go home and raise the car, clear it, then drop it again.

First thing a cop asked me when i raised my bonnet?"Your suspension engineered?"

(Apparently the engineer must measure the car at the lowest 100mm ground clearance, then destroy any residual thread on the coil over that would cause it to go lower).

[Duncan]

there's nothing inherantly illegal about coilovers. most cars including skylines come with coilovers from the factory.

Gary....ouch.

[Taleb Tyres]

oops my bad, i was talking about the full adjustables

[Sydneykid]

there's nothing inherantly illegal about coilovers. most cars including skylines come with coilovers from the factory.

Gary....ouch.

Sorry, Matt was having a bad day, I have edited appropriately

Cheers