Low Volume Vehicle Certification

NZ Police get a RED CARD for RED STICKERS

johnbrett — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 05:24:28 +0000

The NZ Police have been found out making up their own rules- and have had to cancel a number of Pink and Green Stickers, and related offence notices.
A customer (who shall be nameless) was given a Pink Sticker because his car was below 100 mm gound clearance, even though it was Certified, and was at the ride height on the LVV Cert plate.

When the Police Officer was contacted, he advised that they had been told to issue offence notices if the ground clearance was less than 100, regardless of the LVV Plate ride heights.
The Police even wrote a piece in the advice column “NZ Performance Car” magazine explaining their policy.

The Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association contacted the NZ Police and explained the situation, and now the Police have changed their policy, and we expect a retraction in the next issue of the “NZ Performance Car” magazine. The customer who first complained has had his offence notices and Pink Sticker cancelled.

Top marks to the NZ Police out on the road for having to deal with some of the garbage cars out there, and dealing with the attitude they sometimes get. Lets hope that they get some better training on the rules!

If anybody else thinks that they have been wrongly ticketed when their car is LVV Certified, they should contact the Police, and if that doesn’t work, contact the LVVTA

Examples of modified vehicles

johnbrett — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 03:43:21 +0000

Here are some examples of vehicles which we have NOT Certified recently!!

The Low Volume Vehicle Certification system (and of course the NZ Police) are why we DO NOT see vehicles like this on New Zealand roads

Enjoy

Road Test requirements for LVV Certification

johnbrett — Sun, 23 May 2010 12:06:57 +0000

A stringent Road Test procedure is required for modified vehicles with changed wheels and tyres, modified suspension such as coil-overs, brake modifications, engine changes or any other modifications which may affect the on-road performance.

Part of the road test is the cyclic brake test, which requires the Certifier to perform three or five hard stops from 100kph to zero within two minutes, on a typical, uneven road surface.
Problems which can occur during the Brake Test are
1 Brake Fade, where the brakes or brake linings are inadequate for the performance or the weight of the vehicle,
2 Brake imbalance, where front and rear brakes are not matched, and wheel lockup is happening before optimum braking is achieved,
3 Wheel bounce and chatter, where the suspension is unable to keep the tyres in contact with the road surface to achieve good braking,
4 Dangerous effects on the steering, where the vehicle becomes unstable, or is hard to keep on course during braking.
5 Malfunction of ABS, EBD, Brake assist, and Stabililty Control systems.

The car being tested here is a 1988 Nissan Silvia, fitted with a SR20DET motor with drivetrain, front intercooler, S14 brakes and 5 stud hubs, adjustable platform struts, adjustable caster bars (front) Adjustable camber arms and adjustable toe arms (rear) and competition seats. It has been set up as a drift car, but it is an excellent handling car for road use.

Motor-home warning

johnbrett — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:42:46 +0000

Burstner, Adria, Arrantea and similar European makes of motor homes may NOT be legal for New Zealand roads.

Burtner Camper- non compliant for NZ

The Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association has decided that seat structures made of wood or fibreglass DO NOT MEET THE LOW VOLUME VEHICLE STANDARD 185-00.
Even if the vehicle has been approved for use in Great Britain or other EU Country, it may not meet the requirments for New Zealand.

If the vehicle is a HEAVY VEHICLE, (over 3500kg GVM) this ruling does not apply.
If the vehicle has a “Whole of Vehicle” Compliance document or plate, this ruling will be avoided, since the Low Volume Vehicle process is avoided.

Here are examples of Camper Van seat construction:

This is the seat structure in a Burtner Motorhome, the MDF seat structure is sunstantial, and fixed to the steel Seat Belt Anchorage frame. The water-tank is also mounted into this structure.

This is a side-berth in a Toyota Hiace Camper Van. The weakness of this is obvious- the frame is only fixed down with small woodscrews to the false floor. This is NOT SUITABLE for a seat, a seat-belt SHOULD NOT be fitted in this vehicle.

If a Camper Van or Motor Home has to go through the New Zealand Low Volume Vehicle system, it will need :

1 A Seating position with a seatbelt for each sleeping berth- (e.g. If 4 berth, this means two seats ADDITIONAL to the two front row seats.)

2 Evidence that the Seat-Belt Anchorages have been tested to the required standards.

3 Seats made from wood, plywood, MDF, Fibreglass etc REPLACED OR FRAMED OUT in steel.

Low Volume Vehicle Seatbelt Anchorage Standard
Low Volume Vehicle Seat Standard

Hypercars

johnbrett — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:36:24 +0000

Hypercars DSN390

Custom designed for the purest racing experience, DSN390 delivers unrivaled performance, guaranteed excitement with the auditory aggression of a kiwi grown V8′.

Hypercars NZ’s DSN390 offers all the adrenalin rush of a sports motorbike but with your passenger beside you. For track or road, custom built to your specifications

This incredible vehicle is being built right here in New Zealand, and will be Certified as a Low Volume Vehicle

Hypercars

Disability adaptions 2

johnbrett — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 03:13:15 +0000

Disability Seat

Sometimes the problem is simply access to the vehicle. Adaptations are available which :

Let the seat swivel to the side, to make access easier.
Let the seat swivel to the side, and then extend and lower out of the vehicle.
Let the seat swivel to the side, extend and lower out of the vehicle, then extend wheels and detach, making a little wheel chair.

The issues for Certification involve- security of the seat when driving, security of the seatbelt anchorage, if it is on the seat, and interior impact, especially for the occupants of the seat behind. In the picture, the removable seat has projecting handles which would be dangerous to a person nin the seat behind. In this case, the handles fold down, and have padded covers.

Certified by John Brett Technology Ltd. 0800LOWVOLUME (0800 569865)

Disability Adaptions

johnbrett — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 02:10:34 +0000

As there are many types of vehicles, so there are many types of disability.

hand control

This picture shows a Monarch Hand Control, which can be fittted to most types of vehicle. It is supplied by Mobility for Independance 09 445 8401

Many disabled people are perfectly capable of driving, but need to be assessed by an Occupational Therapist. Other disabled people may not drive, but require a modified vehicle to provide access, either in a wheelchair, or just with the aid of a seat which swivels, or extends out of the vehicle, or even becomes a detachable wheelchair.
The Vehicle Modifications require Certification to ensure that the safety of the vehicle occupants, and the safety of other road users is ensured.

Docking Stations

This picture shows the docking stations, which can accomodate either standard seats, or wheelchairs.

Wheelchair Hoist

This picture shows a side-mounted wheelchair hoist.

The vehicle shown as an example is based on a a Volkswagen Caravelle, constructed by Van Extras in Auckland.

Certification by John Brett Technology Ltd. 0800 LOWVOLUME (0800 569865)

Motor Homes, Caravans

johnbrett — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:21:04 +0000

Hi-top Caravan

Most motor caravans and motorhomes need LVV Certification, or Heavy Vehicle Certification if the GVM is over 3500kg.

The Toyota Hiace pictured needs certification because it has had a roof-chop, and a fibreglass hi-top fitted. The Certifying Engineer has to be satisfied that the structural integrity of the vehicle is not compromised by the modification.

Caravan Seatbelt Anchorage

Seats and seatbelts- There needs to be a seat, and seatbelt for every sleeping berth in a motor-home. A typical Van chassis might have 4 berths, but only two front seasts. This means that two additional seating positions will have to be provided.

Side-facing lap-belts are legal, but not a good option, because of the poor protection that they provide. The picture above shows a typical Seatbelt Anchorage frame for two occupants with 3 point lap and diagonal belts. This structure is concealed by the caravan furnishings.

Note that rear facing seats also need to be able to restrain occupants in a frontal collision, so a suitable back and headrest is required.

Caravans heavier than 3500kg require Certification by a HV Engineer, and we can provide that Certification also.

By John Brett Technology Ltd ph 0800 LOWVOLUME (0800 569865)

Classic Nissan

johnbrett — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 22:56:23 +0000

The rear wheel drive Nissans are absolute classics in their own right, and a gold-mine for anyone wanting to build a fast, reliable, good-handling car, either for road, track or drifting.

Nissan RB25DET

Nissan SR20DET

There are the six cylinder cars- Skyline, Laurel and Cefiro, and the four cylinder cars – Sylvia, 200SX, 180 SX, all available with and without turbo.
The sixes (the RB’s) come on 2 litre 2.5 litre, 2.6 litre (the Godzilla) and 3 litre (Aussie Nissans and Holdens) It is possible to build a RB30DET by taking an aussie 3 litre block and fitting an RB25DET head. It is common to fir bigger turbos, and some phenomenal power outputs can be achieved.
The fours (SR’s) are no slouches either- conversions of a DE to a DET by fitting a turbo are common, as is fitting bigger turbos.

The suspensions on all of these cars is basically sound from the get-go, and respond well to fitment of adjustable platform struts (coil-overs), adjustable camber arms, caster bars, etc.

The braking systems can generally be interchanged- the bigger brakes come with 5 stud hubs.

Front Intercoolers are commonly fitted, and often holes cut in the inner guards for Intercooler ducts.
There is a problem with later, “frontal impact” cars- no LVV Certifier can test the crash performance of a car, so cannot approve anything that affects frontal impact. We heard of a man who bought an intercooler kit from Japan, and followed the instructions to modify the front siderails to make it fit. He ended up having to have the whole front of his car re-built with new side-rails. If your car is fitted with airbags, or is later than about 1997, check FIRST with your LVV Certifier

John Brett Technology Ltd. Ph 0800 LOWVOLUME (0800 569865)

Electric Rav 4

johnbrett — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:21:05 +0000

RAV4 EV under construction

We have Certified a number of Electric Vehicles. The vehicle shown runs on an AC motor, with lithium Ion batteries. Other vehicles run on DC motors and lead Acid Batteries.

When Lead Acid batteries are used, ventilation is required to ensure that the hydrogen gas given off cannot be ignited, or fill the inside of the car. Litjium Ion batteries do not have this problem.

Weight is a major consideration, the LVVTA advise that the GVM of the vehicle cannot be exceeded, which can limit the number of batteries used, or require seating positions to be removed. A good vehicle to convert is a commercial vehicle which will have a much higher GVM for load carrying, ths will allow a greater weight of batteries to be carried.

Vacuum brakes pose a challenge- one solution is to fit an electric vacuum pump.

Power Steering is another challenge- there are electric steering systems in some vehicles, and there are electric power steering pumps also.

Good news is that Electric Vehicles are exemted from Road User charges, which makes a huge saving in runing costs, (along with the saving in fuel of course)

To ensure that you avoid any LVV Certification problems, talk to John at an early stage

John Brett Technology Ltd. 0800 LOW VOLUME (0800 569865)