Wow , someone opened a can of worms huh??
Who realisitically thinks that fitting a HOMEGROWN 6" lift and whacking a set of 37's on your 80 Series ISNT a recipe for disaster?? IF these things are done properly, AND they are certified as SAFE then sure. Unfortunatley, we probably all know at least one person who thinks " well Stuff it. I'm not paying to have this engineered. I'll worry about it if I get a Canary from the Cops".
Would I do it?? No. I personally am happy with my ManHood and dont need to overtly display my compensation for all to see. At least not for my daily drive.
HOWEVER, if you are building a Comp Truck, to use in an appropriate controlled environment of competition, then I say Go For It!! I have a few friends who build Comp trucks with Mad Lifts and tyres that look like they belong on one of those Dump Trucks you see in a mine!! But guess what? They dont drive it to work every day. They dont run it down the freeway on the 37"s wallowing around all over the place, with the freeway handleing of an aircraft carrier and sounding like a swarm of attacking Hornets! Some of them have them engineered, and the others Tow them to comps. Thats called being responsible. It is unfortunetly the irresponsible that cause this kind of knee jerk, poorly thought out legislation to even grow legs in the first place. there must be a mechanism by which people who feel they need this type of Penis-extention (for what ever reason) can get is certified as safe. Have they worked the brakes? Gearing? Speedo calibrated? etc etc etc? does it indeed handle like a boat? rather than just ban it and increase revenue from fines, they must put appropriate measures in place to inspect and certify.
There is a time and a place for big lifts and big tyres (Perhaps a diffrent topic all together........). If WE (the 4x4ing public) were sensible about it, this wouldnt be a problem, and politicians wouldn't be trying to play "Fun Police". Ya dont need 37" to drive to work or pick the kids up from school. The Anti-4x4 lobby of killjoys, greenines and ludites are already powerful enough. I must agree that the propensity for people to whack on 35's and go "tear up some tracks" is making it increasingly difficult for those of us who cant afford to run road tyres and off road tyres, to access some of the closer "recreational" tracks to keep our skills up nad ensure that when we go away once or twice a year on the bigger trips that we are a little more practiced and SAFER for all. The wheel ruts are getting so deep some places in Toolangi at the moments even 35's and 4" lift wont be enough soon. It seems this area in used as a psudo Competiton track on a Sunday arvo to "Test" one's Manhood out by seeing who can go furthest and deepest. And then when you roll it over, I or my collegues come save your ass. More than once, drivers are more worried about their trucks than themselves or their passengers wellbeing? Go figure.
There is talk recently that scrub rails are gonna get the flick under a new interpretation by VicRoads of the current Roadworthy guidelines. Lets hope not.
There are all sorts of things that are scary on the road: 18 year olds in skylines and Supras' , Old (I mean REALLY old) people driving any car, so close to the steering wheel because it lets them see further, at 30-40 kph under the speed limit. MLC's (Mid-Life Crisis) with their SS comodores and FPV Falcons who think their 20 years driving experience makes them Mark Webber or Craig Lowndes. And to some people its 10 foot high Landcruisers and Patrols. unfortunely , its seen as ok to bash 4x4 owners, but not old people, young people (unless they are wearing a hoodie, then its ok
) and middle aged people who drive fast road cars like idiots. I've been to all of these popele in my professional capacity. And I've been to 4x4 drivers. some in stock trucks, some modified.
If we (4x4 owners in general, and most of us ARE already) are a little sensible we might just take the target off our own backs. The problem is, the truely irresponsible ones dont care about other people. Darren is right in that you dont need to be a hard core lift-o-maniac to be irresponsbile either. People who chop up tracks with massive tyre or make a new track "just because" are equally to blame. they are stuffing it up for those of us who are responsible users
