High lifted Delica - import inspection problems?

[chancho]

Hi,

I have searched the forum for an answer but could not find one - sorry if i am rehashing a topic that has already been solved several times previously...

If i try to import a delica that has been raised significantly will i have problems at the landing inspection? It is otherwise safe, sound and clean. But pretty high.

Thanks to anyone who can enlighten..

[FalcoColumbarius]

You might get some bearing on the topic from perusing such casual topics in General Discussion as this one:
http://www.delica.ca/forum/i-hate-wating-7510-15.html

I suspect you have already gone through the pages of the "Purchasing & Importing" section of the forum index. Be sure you get to the sub forums.

One thing you must remember about our search engine is that it assumes that everyone that posts and searches knows how to spell ~ and that there is only one kind of English. So... if you want to find fuel stats or something and you accidentally enter "feul" or "deisel" then it won't guess for you like Google would, nor will it filter. If you enter the word "filter": Not only will you get every thread that contains the word "filter", whether it be oil, air, fuel, search engine &c., but you will have to wade through every post within those threads ~ so you need to develop a "skip though" technique. It is actually not a bad search engine when you learn to speak it's language & understand it's idiosyncrasies ~ that is why it's on the list for upgrades & replacements.

Falco.

[jessef]

If the suspension has been highly modified, a good and honest inspector will not pass it. They will tell you to remove the suspension lift and have it inspected in it's stock form.

Suspension components are an important part of the OOP inspection checklist.

Bushings, balljoints, tierods, cv axles/boots, hubs, shocks, etc... Should be checked for play and/or wear.

With that said, you can always find an inspector somewhere that will pass anything.

Look at all the highly modified vehicles on the road today.

Not disuading you at all. Just make sure all of the suspension parts are in good and/or new shape.

Suspension lifts tens to accelerate suspension component wear and tear much faster than stock.

[thedjjack]

If the suspension has been highly modified, a good and honest inspector will not pass it. They will tell you to remove the suspension lift and have it inspected in it's stock form.

A good and honest inspector will pass it if it is legal! Make sure it is legal.

I have modified other 4x4s big time. Anything over 10cm up or down requires an inspection (ie buy a stock truck change it more then 10cm and you need to inspect it)

Basically look for the rules, but remember they treat the Delica as a passenger vehicle and those heights you must follow:

Bumper heights
Wheels cannot hang out past the fenders or fender flares
mud flaps on back if more then half the tire showing
no welding on steering components
welding on chassis should have a certified welder certificate

Talk to who is going to inspect it, then make sure you meet the legal requirements. Also, it is a good idea to list the modifications out with photos and then have the inspect sign that they pass those modifications. Basically lift will get attention and the police can have you go for an inspection any time. If you list the modifications and have it signed then it may help show you did not lower it change tires pass inspection and then lift it again.

Search inspection or vi on BC 4x4 will have some links to the manuals.

[chancho]

OK - thanks for the advice. I will probably avoid the highly modified version that i was considering just in case. It looks like it definitely would have needed some welding (just going by photos) and even without checking the regulations i am pretty certain it is high enough to raise unwanted eyebrows.

[EnviroImports.com]

I have personally brought in 2 lifted L400's 6" lift and 8" lift, Both with proper lift kits, about an aditional 5G added to the cost as its VERY complicated to cover everything properly, Brian Kangas who is the top dog in motor vehicle inspections here in the Capital city came down and personally gave them a once over , That was a nervous moment but they were FULLY legal and passed
issues you MAY come across is Bumper height, front and back, headlight height from the ground up, and mud flaps must come to the center of the tire front and back, Legal is legal, its not a popularity contest .
if your lift was a full kit, then the steering should be allready adjusted, Ive never seen a L400 lift that required any welding on the frame,
and if you do have to do any , my welder is Certified for welding frames, Streaching trucks, and is one of the few in town that will do frame mods and yes they do have to get an ultrasound and a certificate, but thats pretty quick and painless.
if you find the van of your dreams, then do a little questioning and get some photos of the lift components , bumper height doesent mean you need to drop your bumpers, it means you have have a drop down bar if you go seriously high, but with mine lifted 8 " &6" I passed inspection done by a motor vehicle inspector, NOT just a garage!!

[William]

Bumpers:

The centerline of the bumper must fall within 380 to 560 mm above ground for cars and the lowest part must be 750 mm high or less for trucks weighing 4500 kg or less. The width of the bumper must be at least equal to the track width of the vehicle, and the horizontal surface must be at least 100 mm in width.

Lamp Height:

Lamp Minimum Height Maximum Height Headlights 56 cm 1.37 m Stop, Tail and Reflector 38 cm 1.83 m
Driving Lights 40 cm 1.06 m
Fog Lights 30 cm below headlamps Level with headlamps Daytime Running Lights 30 cm 2.11 m

( This I am not 100% on ) If it is registered as a passenger vehicle then it falls under a completely different set of rules vs a truck. That's something to look at as well depending on your province.

[Green1]

The centerline of the bumper must fall within 380 to 560 mm above ground for cars and the lowest part must be 750 mm high or less for trucks weighing 4500 kg or less.

The delica, and all vans, mini-vans, and SUVs, are trucks and not cars (in fact that is the whole reason the mini-van was created, to bypass safety regulations designated for cars only)

( This I am not 100% on ) If it is registered as a passenger vehicle then it falls under a completely different set of rules vs a truck. That's something to look at as well depending on your province.

Has nothing to do with how it's registered, the vehicle IS a truck, I could try to register a truck as a moped, it wouldn't change what it is. ALL mini-vans, and ALL SUVs are trucks by definition and must meet all requirements for "light trucks" (or as per the manual you quote, "trucks less weighing 4500kg or less") (for proof of this, look at domestic mini-vans and SUVs, they didn't have centre high mount stop lamps until 1997 despite them being legally mandated on passenger cars starting in 1990. Any inspector trying to hold your JDM to different standards than domestic mini-vans or SUVs doesn't know what he's talking about.)

[jessef]

This one for example at auction right now would be too much.

I would think it's 50/50 getting that to pass legit.

It's running 35" swampers with an additional 10" lift.

Add the inches up and the bumpers are too high to pass.

With that said, there are always ways around the inspection system and that's why you see rigs like this on our streets.

[Green1]

With that said, there are always ways around the inspection system and that's why you see rigs like this on our streets.

most of the rigs you see running around lifted way up like that take advantage of the fact that once a vehicle is on the road it NEVER needs inspecting again (unless you piss off some cop... and being RHD is enough for some of 'em!) and add the lift after inspection (assuming the vehicle ever needed an inspection in the first place, as domestic vehicles never do unless they change provinces)

[jessef]

most of the rigs you see running around lifted way up like that take advantage of the fact that once a vehicle is on the road it NEVER needs inspecting again

Very much not the case here in BC.

Here in BC, a rig like that or any of the thousands of very massively lifted Jeep's and Toyota's get RE-inspected often.

I know of 4 guys that get at least 4-6 re-inspection notices a year.

They deal with it because they want their rigs that way.

I have friends in Vancouver city police and interior RCMP.

They give out inspection notices frequently to vehicles that are ridiculously jacked up and noticeably illegal in one way or another.

[mararmeisto]

Legality for inspection aside, I would think having a modified vehicle such as these would be a bit of nightmare for maintenance/repairs because practically everything under the floorboards is unique: suspension, steering, driveshaft, wheels, tires, etc. None of it standard (compared to the other L400s coming over), all of it expensive.

That being said, as jfarsang pointed out, there ARE those willing to endure the extra costs (or potential extra costs) that accompany owning these kinds of vehicles. I would just hate to see someone import something like the 'Skilled Monster' and then not have it able to pass inspection. As Green1 pointed out, it's sometimes easier to modify it here than bring it in that way. I suspect cost might be a factor though: anyone determine what the 'Skilled Monster' is listed at or what the asking price is?

[jessef]

The Skilled Monster is on auction.