Traditionally, lowering your car has been an easy way to help improve its handling, with a lowered center of gravity aiding its road-holding ability.
- Lowering your vehicle is legal, but there are limits
- If your vehicle is too low, it could be damaged or impounded
- Penalties may apply for unqualified driving
However, there are many different laws across the country that regulate what you can and cannot do when attempting to lower your vehicle.
This story won’t cover every minute detail for every state and territory, so if you’re planning to lower your vehicle but you’re not sure what the local regulations are, remember Consult the relevant literature for your jurisdiction and/or consult a mechanic or vehicle certifier to find out what you can and cannot do to achieve ideal results. .
A common measurement when lowering a vehicle is 100mm. That is what the Australian Design Code (ADR 43) states is the acceptable level of clearance.
Special “any point across the vehicle’s width within one meter in front of and behind any axle.” There must be a distance of 100 mm between the vehicle and the surface. However, wheels and fenders are not counted for this measurement.
Police in Queensland are moving forward in their approach to this measurement. The Queensland Police Service has a measuring wheel that can determine whether a car has less than 100mm of ground clearance and recommends that if you are unsure whether your car is too low, “a block of wood simply cut to 100mm and run underneath your vehicle. Vehicles at home would be a simple alternative.”
Further reading should include the National Code of Practice for Light Vehicle Manufacturing and Modification (NCOP), published by the Australian Government’s Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts publish.
That document includes direct, changeable sets of instructions for modifying the vehicle.
According to the Department’s website: “The National Code of Practice for the Construction and Modification of Light Vehicles (VSB 14) has been prepared by members of the Australian Motor Vehicle Certification Board Working Party with consultation. consultation with industry, user groups, government agencies and individuals interested in light vehicle modification and/or the manufacture of individually constructed light vehicles (ICVs).
Citation of VSB 14, Section LS – Suspension and Steering – states that “basic modifications that do not require certification” include lowering the vehicle, provided that “the total change in vehicle height due to all All modifications made shall not exceed 50mm”.
Furthermore, the following are fine and do not require certification: “Lower and raise the suspension (no more than 1/3 of the original suspension travel provided the initial vehicle height is not increased or decreased too much 50mm).”
So why do people lower their cars? It could be to improve the driving experience, enhance the vehicle’s appearance, or both. Some people will also argue that a lower car is more economical and fuel-efficient, and while that may have some merit, it won’t fly with the cops if the plumbing Your exhaust sends sparks along the way.
Lowered suspension systems typically provide a firmer or firmer ride, meaning a more rigid experience for those in the car, but the upside is a firmer ride and improved dynamics. Good in corners.
by Victoria Vehicle Standards information succinctly summarizes: “Reducing or increasing the ride height of a vehicle by changing the suspension changes the suspension travel. For example, lowering a vehicle by installing shorter springs will reduce the ability of the suspension to move in the ‘tucked’ or upward direction. Likewise, raising a vehicle by installing longer springs will reduce the amount of travel available in the downward or ‘falling’ direction.”
It’s worth pointing out that if you have a brand new car or one that’s still under warranty, you should check the fine print in the documentation, as a modification such as a lowered suspension could void the warranty. your warranty.
As you would expect, sportier cars are more likely to be lowered, but there is the modification scene where people will lower their ute or SUV to get a certain stance and they can This can be done by installing lowering springs (which are shorter suspension springs that help lower the ride height) or replacing the suspension entirely with a different type of setup – perhaps a coilover or maybe an airbag suspension setup.
There are other ways to do it. Some vehicles may be equipped with lowering blocks and some tuners with leaf spring equipped vehicles may choose to reduce the number of leaves in the suspension. However, a ute with three leaf springs instead of five will be less able to carry heavier loads but will look lower if there is a load in the tray.
Other unconventional ways of lowering a car include ‘cutting’ the car’s suspension springs – but that’s both dangerous and error-prone.
However, in reality, there are regulations about how well you can build your car.
Some jurisdictions state that you are legally allowed to adjust your vehicle’s ride height by +/- 50mm (1.9685 inches), which may explain why the reduced height is marketed so much. Most car springs when you buy them are “two-inch lowering springs”.
Another example, in NSW The Light Vehicle Modification Guidelines state that it is legal to adjust a vehicle’s ride height, as long as you do so within certain parameters: “Change the vehicle’s ride height by more than one The manufacturer’s three suspension systems will move in the direction of changing vehicle ride height.
The instructions further state that you do not require a certification (signed by a person recognized as a licensed certifier under the TfNSW Vehicle Safety and Compliance Certification Scheme [VSCCS]), for the following cases:
- Suspension modifications with parts or components that meet or exceed the vehicle manufacturer’s original specifications
- Install upgraded roll bars (sway bars), shock absorbers, springs, struts or factory options for that specific year make and model
However, there are some larger jobs that will require certifier approval, including:
- Conversion from coil spring to leaf spring
- Any modifications to suspension configuration
- Fitting a suspension system of a different design, for example from a different make and model (for example from coil spring to leaf spring)
- Fabrication of suspension mounting points
There is a general rule across the country when it comes to legal vehicle height – which is a minimum ground clearance of 100mm. If you have a car that is lowered to drive but only has 90mm of ground clearance, you could be at fault and/or fined.
For airbag suspension system, Victoria states that it is “acceptable” as long as it has been certified (VASS Certificate of Approval) and as long as: “the steering height of an individual wheel or axle cannot be changed while the vehicle is in motion dynamic; at least two-thirds of the original suspension travel in either direction is retained at all selectable ride heights while the vehicle is in motion; The vehicle’s initial position is maintained at all selectable driving heights while the vehicle is in motion.
Cars with airbags must also meet a running distance of 100mm when moving “and when parked”.
As mentioned, there are more specifics about lowering rules and laws depending on where you live. If you intend to dump your vehicle, make sure you do so legally and responsibly.
Not intended as legal advice. Check with the relevant roads authority in your state or territory.
