Wheel legality issues/engineer certification

[Captiva_Blue]

This is for all of you out there with EG civics..

I'm agonising over whether or not to purchase a set of 16x7inch rims for my 1994 EG VTi Hatch. My main hang-up is whether they will be legal and roadworthy as this is the main condition that has to abided by with my insurer (Just Cars) so that they won't void my policy should I have a crash (god forbid).

My question is what width rims are all of you running on your EGs at the moment and are there any issues with the legality of them or any issues with your insurer. Also have any of you managed to get 7inch or wider rims certified by an engineer on your car. Don't tell me to just swap them over to stockies if I have a prang coz I don't want to do this dodgy...:)

[Limbo]

as i understand it depends on which stte your in. The police will not hassel you so long as the rims do not stick out of the arches and the size is not more than 2 sizes larger than what your car came out with. I believe that will mean 16" as EGs came with 14"s.

Your insurance generally will let you get away with it but you might have an increased premium. I think some though won't let you have any mags if your under 25. Depends on your insurance company

[VTC-8OY]

16's man, thats nuffin theyre baby wheels. i got 20's on my civic lol

[mj3610]

its the rolling diameter by law, if ur rolling diameter is greater than stok then u gotta get ur speedo recalibrated and thats prob ur eng cert??? the 2" rule is a dummy rule used by cops cause they dont know ur stok rolling diameter and cant measure ur current one so they just say 2" and defect u...
its rediculous IMO
insurance-wise i dunno why dont u callem up?

[Captiva_Blue]

Its not the diameter that I have a problem with, its the width of the wheels that will be a problem as it only came stock with 5.5inch wide wheels. If there was an optional 6 or 6.5 inch wide wheel from the factory, I would be sweet but as far as I can tell, the widest available on any EG chassis including the Del Sol was a 5.5inch.

PS: Have called insurance company, their stipulation was that if the rims are "legal and roadworthy", they will insure them. I'm trying to find out if 16x7s will be legal and roadworthy. Im in NSW btw.

[EK Civic R]

Check with RTA tech office...
I'm sure they will have the answer.. the number is on the website

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/contactus/phonecontacts/index.html

[Captiva_Blue]

They don't have the answer, I've called them up three times and gotten three different answers... bout as useless as **** on a bull.

[VTi-R Civic]

They don't have the answer, I've called them up three times and gotten three different answers... bout as useless as **** on a bull.

Typical of what happens when you ask the RTA. :rolleyes: Talk to an engineer or get a printed copy of the rules and interpret them yourself and you have a better chance of getting a factual and correct answer.

[fadz]

mate if you hav a accident god forbid and you got 17z or anyfn bigger on , change em bak to your stockz ,ur insurance policy wont be void then.
few mates have went down that pathway.
so dont tell uyr insurance company bout your wheelz ;)

[mj3610]

^^^ yeah they just wont be covered by insurance so if they get buckled or something in the accident then...

[destrukshn]

your allowed.. to go 15mm bigger or smaller in ROLLING DIAMETER.
so including rims and tyres.. as long as your within that limit. you shall be fine.
so you can go for 17's with 35 profile rubber.. or was it 30 profile.. one of those for em to be legal. so 16's with.. 50 series should be fine.
and 1 inch wider.

[mattski]

your allowed.. to go 15mm bigger or smaller in ROLLING DIAMETER.
so including rims and tyres.. as long as your within that limit. you shall be fine.
so you can go for 17's with 35 profile rubber.. or was it 30 profile.. one of those for em to be legal. so 16's with.. 50 series should be fine.
and 1 inch wider.

Thanks for the tip! atleast I have reassurance now, even tho my loan got knocked back!

[incoming]

They don't have the answer, I've called them up three times and gotten three different answers... bout as useless as **** on a bull.

what i would do.... go to RTA vehicle inspection bay
ask them to print u a copy of documents stating the legal size of rims and leave a copy of print out in ur car..

that way u have proof to the cops its legit..

ive gone about it this way and had no hassles from cops

[gambate]

what i would do.... go to RTA vehicle inspection bay
ask them to print u a copy of documents stating the legal size of rims and leave a copy of print out in ur car..

that way u have proof to the cops its legit..

ive gone about it this way and had no hassles from cops



Do you mind scanning it and post it up?

[VTI-00H]

champ the best thing for you to do is to ask ur insurance company how big the rims can be and how wide befor voiding ur insurance.

They will have to give you an answer, because in the insurance world, if there is no definition or actual statement as to how something should be then they cannot decline ur claim (knock on wood) as they have nothing in their pds backing them up, they have no argument!!!

trust me and ring them

[bennjamin]

champ the best thing for you to do is to ask ur insurance company how big the rims can be and how wide befor voiding ur insurance.

They will have to give you an answer, because in the insurance world, if there is no definition or actual statement as to how something should be then they cannot decline ur claim (knock on wood) as they have nothing in their pds backing them up, they have no argument!!!

trust me and ring them

Dont know where you came from Damjian but golly that is some good advice :)

At the end of the day its always best to spend the time calling the "rule makers" to get a 100% answer rather than ask on a public forum.:thumbsup:

[iamhappy46]

Only problem is that insurance companies are always trying to no pay out, so they will only tell you that it must be RTA legal. You could probbably try and tell them it came stock with 16's and they would believe you... until you make a claim!! Then: VOID

I know of one 'friend', that went to the extent of having a new tyre placard printed up and fitted with a factory 16" tyre option that allowed his 19's to be legal.

HOT TIP: Carry a tyre phamphlet/brochure(preferably your brand) around which shows the factory wheel/tyre combo rolling diameter and the aftermarket combo diameter. I got one a Hankook brochure which clearly shows my 215/35R18 have a 1mm increase on my factory 205/55R15's, no hassles with cops!!

[Captiva_Blue]

Dont know where you came from Damjian but golly that is some good advice :)

At the end of the day its always best to spend the time calling the "rule makers" to get a 100% answer rather than ask on a public forum.:thumbsup:

If you all actually read my previous posts... I've called up my insurance company and they've told me that they will insure any wheels as long as they are "legal and roadworthy." They will not give me any information beyond that as to what "legal and roadworthy" might be. I have also called up the RTA (tech advice line) a total of three times and gotten three different answers to my question. I have also attempted to call up a number of engineers on the list of RTA approved signatories and gotten nothing but abuse for attempting to use them as public information services and a bunch of answering machines. Hence, I attempted to get some information from this public forum and for all the replies, no one has yet answered the question I asked...

The question was.. what size (width most importantly) rims are people running on their EGs at the moment, what does your insurance company say about them and has anyone managed to get rims 7 inches wide or larger certified by an engineer as legal...?

Please help..

Another bit added to the question..anyone with a genuine import EG Civic SiR (not an SiR replica or a Breeze with SiR badges:)), what was the largest OEM rim size available (diameter and width), and for Del Sol owners, same question as above... same chassis.. might be able to get it engineered that way.

[iamhappy46]

Captiva Blue: Call your local Honda Dealership and see if they can shed any light on factory options for EG's. Pretend you wanna buy a set of their factory option rims(to maintain future re-sale value, etc etc) and find out what size they offer.

Of course, if you are going to get them engineered, any diameter/width should be OK as long as you have enough clearance from chassi/suspension components.

[2ds]

If you all actually read my previous posts... I've called up my insurance company and they've told me that they will insure any wheels as long as they are "legal and roadworthy." They will not give me any information beyond that as to what "legal and roadworthy" might be. I have also called up the RTA (tech advice line) a total of three times and gotten three different answers to my question. I have also attempted to call up a number of engineers on the list of RTA approved signatories and gotten nothing but abuse for attempting to use them as public information services and a bunch of answering machines. Hence, I attempted to get some information from this public forum and for all the replies, no one has yet answered the question I asked...

The question was.. what size (width most importantly) rims are people running on their EGs at the moment, what does your insurance company say about them and has anyone managed to get rims 7 inches wide or larger certified by an engineer as legal...?

Please help..

Another bit added to the question..anyone with a genuine import EG Civic SiR (not an SiR replica or a Breeze with SiR badges:)), what was the largest OEM rim size available (diameter and width), and for Del Sol owners, same question as above... same chassis.. might be able to get it engineered that way.

In vic you can go 2 inches higher and 1 wider. I've got a del sol and they come with 14x5.5 (same as eg civiv as far as I know)

I believe to go to 7 inches wide you will have to get your guards rolled/flared/whatever and get an engineers cert saying they don't stick out the side. also you will probably have to remove your inner plastic wheel guardy things to prevent rubbing (i think).

Vicroads, etc are bloody useless, I know more than one cop who hates dealing with them because they can't give them the same answer twice...

This is not legal advice the best piece of advice I can give you is to see an engineer and get him to certify you, that way you can sue him if it's illegal =)

-2ds