Roadworthy Requirements?

[HELLFIRE!]

Later this year I will be registering my 260Z 2 Seater and would like to ask you lot if you know what is and isn't required when getting a roadworthy cert.

 

For example:

 

Do I need a rear bumper (seriously it would do sweet FA in a crash anyway)

 

Do the Hazard lights have to work?

 

Can I mod the front bumper?

 

Etc Etc

 

I'm sure there will be some obvious things that they will be very pedantic about (Do the brakes work) whilst others will be seemingly ignored.

 

So go ahead post stuff that you have encountered when getting a roadworthy, even if you think it's obvious. The more info the better. Oh and I'm in vic and the engine is Unmodified.

 

 

 

 

[RBZ 260]

i can prob list the things SA rules to get a car through roadworthy.

though we dont have it annualy but only if car is interstate or been accident damaged or defected.

but reading some of the post from other states they look very similar issues.

 

things they look:

 

o yeah hazzards have to work.

so as any other outside lights including number plate light.

 

other bits u may want to check

 

Horn

 

Rear demister

 

Front demister

 

Park lights

 

seatbelts

 

rust

 

tinted windows (if they darker than 35 for sides and backs and darker than 70 in the front doors (very strict in SA for this)

 

on new cars bumper is required in SA apperently its not required on some older cars but its up to the inspector (inspection done by transport authorities not by a nominated mechanic etc..)

 

tyres, size and wear.

 

all suspension gear including ride height and fouling on other components ie tyre clearances at full lock

 

any oil/fuel/coolant leaks will immediately fail the inspection

 

other than that they check the pollution gear and engine operation (no oil burners or backfiring engines)

 

exhaust noise

 

brake efficiency (they stick it on a brake dyno) also handbrake has to be operational.

 

sometimes they will request wheel alignment to be done prior the inspection and a report to be submitted to them.

 

after all that they take it for a test drive.

 

its a full on inspection down here in SA but thank god you only do it once unless u get your car defected than all over again.

 

depending on the state some of these arent applicable but big % is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Zedman240®]

Basically, if it's in your car, it has to work. So if you have a hazard light switch, they have to work. Some early 240's never had hazard lights or rear dimisters but they passed. Depends on the year also. With your hazards, have you got both flasher cans installed? And do you have the switch in the console? Just curious..With the bumper, as long as its safe ie; no sharp objects sticking out it should be ok. Dazzed would be a good person to ask? From what I've experienced, it all comes down to the individual roadworthy guy; take it to another one and he will find something new each time. Take it to one you know..

[modular9]

I dont have a rear bumper and it was passed in NSW and QLD ( Mid lastyear ) without it. Apparently it is not needed because of the fact that impact testing was NOT done on the rear of the zed ( this is for a 77 260 2+2 at least that is what the RWC guy told me). Dont know about the front but cutting out the center part in front of the radiator would look hot !

 

The RWC guy had more of a problem with the gap between hatch and body being 2 mm wider on one side. He let me go as long as i promised to reseat the hinges . Which were a proverbial. Dont know what this would have affected from a safety point of view.

[Zeddophile]

From what I've experienced, it all comes down to the individual roadworthy guy; take it to another one and he will find something new each time. Take it to one you know..

 

Spot on - Victorias roadworthy standards are at best grey on many areas, and can be quite open to individual interpretation.

[HELLFIRE!]

Thank you for your replies.

 

How do they test a rear demister? There is a switch and I think it's connected (Haven't actually tried it) but if the hatch glass isn't fogged up then how do you know if it works. I know the heater works and I can select windscreen so thats ok.

 

With the rear bumper I think I will just give the RTA an anonymous call to see what they have to say.

 

Rust?,...Check

 

Horn works

 

Not sure about the tint issue, she dose have some and it is pretty dark.

 

I will need to fit a standard exhaust as she is currently running Extractors into 2.5 inch tubing with two hot dogs, all in all a bit noisy/polluting.

 

I guess I will have to contact a few more locals to see who they suggest in both mechanic and RTA depot (I have a choice between Cobram and Shepparton)

 

 

[JP]

Yeh, just give your local road authority a call.

 

I called up vicroads a while ago to confirm no rear bumper was required. The girl said it is not mentioned anywhere in their guidelines, therefore not required however to be careful that other protrusions (such as exhaust) to not extend too far beyond the end of the car (which is now shorter due to no bumper)

[zedevan]

i'm pretty sure the rear demister doesn't have to work. i'm not sure if there's a year where this changed but mines a 76 and it doesn't really work and it wasn't an issue, how would they test it anyway? i think its to much effort for them.  The front one on the other hand has to work.

 

i'm pretty sure my tint is darker than what rbz260 said, so mayb the laws are different in melb for that.

 

some guys are happy with rust as long as its not structrual. meanwhile one guy i took mine to at one stage didn't like the rust on my outter door skins, but a couple of months earlier he was happy passing my brothers 80's celica which had rust in the A piller...so that doesn't make  complete sense, and as zeddophile said its all up to interpretation! i took it to another mechanic and he was happy with the doors (so was the place that did the roadworthy when i bought it)

 

The only other thing i'm aware of is your factory light switches and indicators dont have to work - as long as there is some way for you to turn on all the lights on the dash its ok! although one mechanic orginally didn't think this was the case.  Also my car doesn't have hazzard lights and this wasn't an issue - although i would like to have them...

 

if it doesn't look like there ever was a rear bumper i think you shouldn't have an issue at all, but even if it does it probably will be fine as there are other cars in vic without one on.

 

One mechanic said i needed new seatbelts, another was happy with them. and i can't think of anything else right now.  All in all you're probably best off to take ur car to a mechanic and see what he says.  If you ask them before they look at ur car if they are happy for you to take up to a month to fix all the issues they are often happy enough to do so (instead of only giving you a week)

[Glen]

The only other thing i'm aware of is your factory light switches and indicators dont have to work - as long as there is some way for you to turn on all the lights on the dash its ok!

 

Thats news, i just got my RWC and my left indicator didnt work if you pushed it 1 mm to far. I had to fix that as he explained every thing on the car has to work like the day it rolled out of the factory. Also if it hasnt been reged for some time like mine (14years) expect them to go over it with a comb.

[RBZ 260]

yeah you guys get it bit easier as u can take it to the same guy over and over. and its up to their discretion what they let through. like someone said they picked on the door skin rust but not the A pillar by the same guy. hmm he must have hated datsuns and loved toyotas LOL.

 

Though in SA we less fortunate. they go through it with detail. and we get it doen through RTA and their inspectors rotate on regular basis so you cannot get chummy with one to let you through. than again we only have to do it once to get it through and if u leave it as it is u wont have any troubles again. but who does that.

 

one way the check the rear demister is they turn the light on on high beam and tell you to flick the rear demister on. doing this draws extra current from battery and dims the lights slightly. other way you can check if the engine is runing it will load it bit more when demister is on and the revs will slightly change.

 

as for tint yeah its national guidline and it filtered through NSW and Vic to our state. as before we had 35 allowed on the front not anymore.

 

i still think even you guys have it checked annualy by a nominated workshop its bit easier than going once thouroughly with RTA inspectors.

 

inspections aint cheap,long waiting periods (2 month plus)  and u almost certain to fail once. ive seen cars with 6 defect labels attached to the windscreen. its beyond me how that happend.

 

 

 

 

[pauly_adams]

hey my 1977 2+2 just passed roadworthy i has no hazard lights so i removed the switch and my rear dimister doest work either and it passed with flying colours also in in nsw it also passed a blue slip (whent over the pits full inspection) in the same setup and they said nothing

 

cheers pauly

[Zeddophile]

How do they test a rear demister? There is a switch and I think it's connected (Haven't actually tried it) but if the hatch glass isn't fogged up then how do you know if it works. I know the heater works and I can select windscreen so thats ok.

 

Generally rear demisters aren't worried about much, as long as your heater blows hot air onto the windscreen your demisting requirements are met.

 

some guys are happy with rust as long as its not structrual. meanwhile one guy i took mine to at one stage didn't like the rust on my outter door skins, but a couple of months earlier he was happy passing my brothers 80's celica which had rust in the A piller...so that doesn't make  complete sense, and as zeddophile said its all up to interpretation! i took it to another mechanic and he was happy with the doors (so was the place that did the roadworthy when i bought it)

 

The VSI relating to rust definitely states structural rust is unacceptable, but panels etc should be permissible, providing they are still in reasonable overall shape (not pedestrian slashers) and not allowing fume access.  Floors/roof/pillars are all part of the main bodyshell, and as such count as structural, and the rear quarters on a zed could be argued to be structural in that the way they are attached stiffens the rear of the body.  Door SKINS (not frames) shouldn't be a cause for a fail, likewise bonnet etc.

 

The only other thing i'm aware of is your factory light switches and indicators dont have to work - as long as there is some way for you to turn on all the lights on the dash its ok! although one mechanic orginally didn't think this was the case.  Also my car doesn't have hazzard lights and this wasn't an issue - although i would like to have them...

 

I wouldn't agree with the first part of that - I'd have to read that particular VSI before making a final decision, but most testers wouldn't be too happy about it.  Hazards are required to work if fitted, from memory.

 

I will need to fit a standard exhaust as she is currently running Extractors into 2.5 inch tubing with two hot dogs, all in all a bit noisy/polluting.

 

I'd just see about whether they fail it first, and if they do, then do something about it.  May not be a problem in the end, and if it is, it will give them something obvious and easy to fail it on - some guys like to at least get one or two things that need to be fixed, so they can write it on the RWC and it shows they have looked at the car properly.

 

The other problem you may have is that sometimes country testers are very tight on their interpretations, and fail things that would pass otherwise.  Get it inspected when you're ready, and see.

[Glen]

I will need to fit a standard exhaust as she is currently running Extractors into 2.5 inch tubing with two hot dogs, all in all a bit noisy/polluting.

 

I'd just see about whether they fail it first, and if they do, then do something about it.  May not be a problem in the end, and if it is, it will give them something obvious and easy to fail it on - some guys like to at least get one or two things that need to be fixed, so they can write it on the RWC and it shows they have looked at the car properly.

 

The other problem you may have is that sometimes country testers are very tight on their interpretations, and fail things that would pass otherwise.  Get it inspected when you're ready, and see.

 

i agree, my exhaust passed and the whole neighbour hood can hear me.

[zedevan]

yeah i found it weird they said you could replace ur indicators with switches on the dash as i couldn't see them working anywhere near as well (but some car they had on topgear one time had these?)

 

I had my headlight switch transfered to a switch that was just hanging from the dash and they were happy with that.

[HELLFIRE!]

^ currently my high beam switch is a toggle setup thats mounted below the stereo. I think this was done because the flick on/off function on the indicator stalk had failed. I have another entire stalk to replace it but the connectors are slightly different, this will be another job for my father the retired electrical engineer.