96 Hilux - To Stock, or Not To Stock...

[Quantico773]

Hi Guys,

I've been reading the forums for a while now, and finally purchased my own 1996 Hilux dual cab.

I am having troubles getting roadworthy cert in order to register it under my name in Queensland.

I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice. current mods are as follows:

• Recaro aftermarket bucket seats in the front, no mod plate.
  
• Raised 6 inches in total - 2" on springs, 2" on shackles, 2" on body.
  
• Wheels are 33" - 70% tarmac, also have 4 x 33" mud/sand, and 4 x original stock cheese cutters.
  

So with these current mods, I know the seats need a mod plate, but they don't fit my big butt anyway, so I have to replace them. If I replace them with stock seats again, do I have to get that mod plated? I guess as long as I do it right and safely with high tensile bolts it should be ok.

I know the height modification is illegal, and stupid (have to climb in, almost need ropes :). I am going to lower it 2" on the shackles, since this is the easiest place to lower I believe. So 4" should be ok.

The tyres are over legal size, but they don't extend beyond the wheel arch. The terrain I need the vehicle for is rough and requires at least 33" all terrain/mud/sand of some sort, so how do Aussie Queenslanders, or country folk, get around the rules when they ABSOLUTELY REQUIRE tyres of this calibre? It doesn't make sense to me that anything 1.5 inches over stock tyre size is illegal.

Apparently there is a place you can contact and send photos of your mods and description as to what the mods are, and they will potentially give you a letter you keep with the car for the entire lifetime of the car and that says the mods are ok, but I cannot seem to find WHAT mods would be ok, or the contact info for such a department.

I also have to run fuel line as breather hose from the rear and front diff to the front of the vehicle, and tie it off as I go with zip-ties, and then put some breather valve on the hose at the end so as to not let crap into the diff.

Apart from that I have been told to put 1:100 parts 2 stroke oil:diesel fuel, this makes the engine run smoother, but may give off a little smoke, apparently it's a good thing to do, works out to be like 250-500ml per tank.

I have the car manual, and am really looking forward to doing some 4x4 tracks, but the bloody thing has been sitting there for months because I just cannot work out exactly what I need to do to get it on the road. All these obstacles that are probably quite easy to overcome, but as a beginner to all this, I need some advice to get me off the ground.

The guys at Queensland Transport are less than helpful and are never giving consistent information. They tell me that because it is unregistered, I need a one day CTP from an insurer, for about $60, then I need to go to Queensland Transport to get another certificate, another $30, THEN I need to take it to the roadworthy, another $70 - $100 and assuming it passes that I THEN need to bring it down to the Queensland Transport again and get it registered with all the papers, and they need to "RANDOMLY" check vehicles even though they have already passed roadworthy cert. This is what the guy told me on the phone, they "randomly select vehicles to check when registering, but yours will definately be checked, even though it is random just like a random breath test, but yours will definately be selected for the random check..." ... hmm ok then.

I'm in South East Queensland if that helps at all.

Cheers

Quantico773

[Quantico773]

*bump*

Come on guys, surely someone has some advice for me?

Appreciate any experience anyone has.

Cheers - Quantico