Will it pass??

[hbmonkeyman 0]

Hey guy's i've installed some lowering springs in my car on stock height shocks and they do sit captive.. as long as only one side's jacked up. Apparently these are supposed to be as low as you can legally go without shortened shocks but when both front wheels are off the ground the springs are very loose but when it's only jacked up on one side they're solid as anything, the rears seem to be fine.

Just wondering if this will pass a COF?

Any help is appreciated

Cheers

Sam

Edited October 15, 2008 by S.J.T.C

[joshnz 2]

Last time I WOFed the old 320 it didn't pass when the inspector could move them with his hands, when it was on the hoist.

Fully depends on where you go, but at the end of the day, to be safe get it done properly so they don't move and you will pass fine.

[CamB 48]

Probably not - the reason they'll be captive when you jack only one side is because of the swaybar.

[hbmonkeyman 0]

Yeah true i think i'll get them checked over by a friend of a friend who's a Mechanic. I don't really trust them anyway lol me and my brother installed them in the dark with a torch haha it's just that i'm completely broke at the moment so i can't even afford a wheel alignment... or the petrol to get my car to the workshop

[Apex 693]

Unfortunately as stated, no it won’t.

I have had a car fail at VTNZ because like Josh the inspector could move the springs, I questioned him stating that I had just spent a considerable amount of money (well at the time it was) on shortened shocks and springs.

Never went back to VTNZ and gave my $50 to the guy up the road instead.

Edited October 15, 2008 by Apex

[hbmonkeyman 0]

Bah ahwell guess i'll just have to enjoy the couple months i have left 'till the WOF's due lol

[greenday-rulz21 5]

I take mine to Jerry Clayton to get a WOF. They are soo much more forgiving and actually appreciate a nice example of a car unlike other places.

The guy at VTNZ *Nearly* failed me because in his opinion the front clear corner indicator didn't glow orange bright enough when indicating. WTF??

[Apex 693]

Cable ties

[hbmonkeyman 0]

I take mine to Jerry Clayton to get a WOF. They are soo much more forgiving and actually appreciate a nice example of a car unlike other places.

The guy at VTNZ *Nearly* failed me because in his opinion the front clear corner indicator didn't glow orange bright enough when indicating. WTF??

Haha cheers i might give it a go. Though i'm a little worried about the fact that my car isn't a nice example of anything. In fact it's about the exact opposite lol it's more like a roadworthy paddock basher

[OLLIE 26]

you won't pass unless you are very lucky.

I have a set of standard springs somewhere i think, if you would like them, pm me. easy enough to swap in for a wof.

[CamB 48]

Cable ties won't cut it unless you get lucky (and they don't notice them).

I've had another look at the regulations. I don't reckon they're right about "wiggling" it. The permitted changes are:

the springs or shock absorbers are direct replacements, and

• replacement springs fi t and maintain contact with un-modifi ed OE seats throughout full

suspension travel, and

• replacement springs are self-retaining in their seats at full extension, without the use of

non-standard devices such as wire-ties, straps, or external spring locators, and

• replacement springs have not been heated or cut, and

• springs and spring seats are not height adjustable (unless OE), and

• replacement shock absorbers fi t un-modifi ed OE mountings, and

• suspension maintains suffi cient travel for safe operation when fully laden, and

• suspension components maintain suffi cient clearance from unmodifi ed bumpstops when

fully laden, and

• a minimum of 100 mm ground clearance exists below any part of the vehicle structure, or any

steering, braking, or suspension component1, and

• the normal relationship between front and rear suspension height is not unduly aff ected.

Doesn't say it has to be tight - just that it has to maintain contact and self retaining.

Unfortunately arguing with a WOF guy is almost always futile...

[hbmonkeyman 0]

Thanks for the help guys, luckily i kept the stock springs so i'll probably just end up switching them back in for the WOF. Just dreading it coz it was such a hassle getting the lowering springs in..

But i won't have to worry about that for atleast a couple of months lol

[Old_Skool_Bmw 0]

Thanks for the help guys, luckily i kept the stock springs so i'll probably just end up switching them back in for the WOF. Just dreading it coz it was such a hassle getting the lowering springs in..

But i won't have to worry about that for atleast a couple of months lol

If you're car isn't up to WOF standard then it doesn't matter when the WOF is due.. if you get pulled up then you may get pinged for the springs being too low.

In my opinion it's far cheeper to get everything legal first, than to start driving the car around when you're not 100% sure.

Laurence

[jjs 60]

Thanks for the help guys, luckily i kept the stock springs so i'll probably just end up switching them back in for the WOF. Just dreading it coz it was such a hassle getting the lowering springs in..

But i won't have to worry about that for atleast a couple of months lol

Remember that this is a public forum and what you are planning to do is highly illegal.

[Graham m5 0]

What you all fail to speak about is that if you have an accident and either you have not told your insurance company you have modified your vehicle or it was not up to wof standard with loose springs etc firstly the insurance company will not pay out and you can be sued very heavily in court, also if you read all the requirements for the virm, a vehicle inspector can reject ANY VEHICLE IF THEY FEEL IT HAS BEEN MODIFIED FROM OE ( STANDARD) WITHOUT AN LVV IN THE OPINION OF THE INSPECTOR IT IS UN SAFE, loose springs are unsafe and as Laurence correctly points out it is better to get the car all legal in the first place

[SIR E30 68]

Hey mate. I am not a nazi wanker but what I'm about to say may make me appear that way.

If your dealing with a part of your car that holds you to the road and keeps you safe, ie wheels suspension steering brakes tyres etc you need do do things properly. DO IT ONCE AND DO IT RIGHT. Do you value the lives of your passengers? (I know this is extreme)

I congratulate you for at least not cutting your springs...

SO go to your local suspension shop, get your shocks shortened or buy some new ones. Get them installed professionaly if you cant do it yourself. Get a wheel alignment. ENJOY DRIVING YOUR CAR SAFELY!!! If money is a problem learn how to save like the rest of us, dont go cutting corners on something that may end up cutting your life short. People like you are the ones that create trouble with the police and stop the rest of us trying to enjoy our cars without being unfairly targeted!

Rant over...

[bravo 34]

I'm all for finding ways of cutting costs (corners?), but I have to agree. The only reason we have to jump through so many hoops to keep our cars legal, and get so much flak from joe public is because a minority of modders choose to mod unsafely and make muppets of themselves doing skids in front of news cameras.

Please, please, please either get slightly higher springs that are captive, or shorten your shocks, or go back to stock.

[Apex 693]

Remember that this is a public forum and what you are planning to do is highly illegal.

Highly illegal is manufacturing P in your garage while raping 12 year olds… Having slightly loose springs is just dodgy..

I ran around for years with slightly loose springs in my car, there is no way in hell they could have come a drift and yet they were deemed un road worthy. Funny thing is I had spent 1,500 on new suspension only to fail on a slightly loose spring yet you can get a warrant with shocks that are completely knackered and bushes that are nonexistent .

[CamB 48]

you can get a warrant with shocks that are completely knackered

This bothers me quite a lot too.

I think we need to be clear here - I don't see a problem with springs that are very slightly loose (but impossible to remove from their seated position) when completely unloaded.

I do see a problem with springs that are miles away from being captive. That is asking for trouble, and not just WOF trouble.

[hbmonkeyman 0]

Haha ok first thing. The springs aren't much lower than stock so if i get pulled over i doubt i'd get flagged for being too low. It looks about the same height as a stock Motorsport E30. Second. The springs are definately not loose enough to move whilst the car is on the road, even during hard cornering. Third. I do have trouble saving, it's the fact that i'm in highschool with an on/off job - mostly off - So all my money usually ends up inside my fuel tank so i can get to school and back everyday. Only reason i could afford the springs was because i was on holiday so i was able to work everyday to earn a little more money. Sadly i'm back at school (and in the midst of exams ) so it's back to the measly $20 a week.

But thanks for all the advice guys i do intend on making it legal soon, i'll probably just end up putting the stock fronts back in. But i'm definately gonna have it checked by a specialist first. Though it doesn't really matter at the moment as the engine has the coolant leak that needs fixing before it'll go anywhere. I'll probably just end up making my dad pay for all the work on the suspension (seeing as he's the one that won't let me drive a dodgy car). Just means i'll be working for him over the next holidays...

[hbmonkeyman 0]

Highly illegal is manufacturing P in your garage while raping 12 year olds… Having slightly loose springs is just dodgy..

I ran around for years with slightly loose springs in my car, there is no way in hell they could have come a drift and yet they were deemed un road worthy. Funny thing is I had spent 1,500 on new suspension only to fail on a slightly loose spring yet you can get a warrant with shocks that are completely knackered and bushes that are nonexistent .

Agreed. When i got my car the shocks were REALLY bad. The car would sway from side to side when ever i went faster than 70kph yet it had no problem getting a warrant..

I've replaced them with some KYB gas shocks now but man it was scary on the motorway before that lol especially when you're in the lane next to the barrier

Edited October 15, 2008 by S.J.T.C

[SIR E30 68]

Good to see your at least making an effort to be legal. Sorry for blowing up..

Your lucky, I didnt have a car when I was at school, but I see you have 2 e30's! My suggestion is sell one and use that money on the other one!

Cheers

[hbmonkeyman 0]

Good to see your at least making an effort to be legal. Sorry for blowing up..

Your lucky, I didnt have a car when I was at school, but I see you have 2 e30's! My suggestion is sell one and use that money on the other one!

Cheers

Haha i would sell the 318i but it's just been so useful as a parts car since my brother blew the head gasket and made a mess of the entire engine while trying to fix it again. I think the only thing that has any worth on the entire car is the tyres which are almost brand new (They didn't get much use before the headgasket blew). I'd probably have to pay someone to get it off the section lol i've pretty much just used it to make my 320i look like something i might have actually paid money for, rather than just towing it off a mate's front lawn, replacing the battery and getting it registered in my name (Which is what i did ) haha i think it was his parts car to begin with but he sold his other E30 so had no use for it. Only took a few weeks and a small amount of money (and a little DIY) to get it a WOF.

I should probably take the other E30 off my "Ride" thing but just haven't got around to it..