Ok. so after some of the previous comments, I felt I needed to do a bit of digging, that digging led all the way back to discussing this with the vehicle safety standards people in govt. My original thought was what exactly is the vehicle category code, that led me to this website page (for my vehicle, 2015 XLT PX2) and you can clearly see a designation of "NA"
http://rvcs-prodweb.dot.gov.au/perl/432 ... 083317.cmd
and a description of the designations
https://www.nhvr.gov.au/files/201511-02 ... tables.pdf
Now after doing a bit of a search I couldn't find a designation for "NA" so I went back to vehicle standards and after a week of emails I finally got someone in gumbyment who was prepared to put in some effort and got the following response this morning.
Good Morning Michael,
Now that I have some more content as to the nature of your questions I can help you some more.
A motor vehicle has to comply with the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 before it can be supplied to the market by a manufacturer. The Ford Ranger is an approved vehicle type under that act. As Jo originally said it is classified under NA vehicle category which is for light commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass. A description of vehicle categories can be found in section 4 of Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule – Definitions and Vehicle Categories) 2005.
For other information on the Australian Design Rules (ADR), please click here.
On that second link you will see the ADR Applicability Summaries, there is one for N category vehicles which will tell you what ADRs apply to your vehicle type.
With regards to finding out what category your vehicle is, it is printed on your Identification Plate which is located on the left hand B pillar.
The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator is just that, the heavy vehicle regulator and does not regulate light vehicles (vehicles under 4.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass). They are not part of this Department and do not issue identification plate approvals to new vehicle types. As far as I know, they also do not deal with vehicle modifications yet, even heavy vehicles, but that may have changed recently.
Have you seen Vehicle Standards Bulletin 14 (VSB 14)? If not please click here. VSB 14 is used by the state and territories to regulate modifications on production vehicles once they have been supplied to the market. They use engineering signatories to provide certification to these modifications. These engineering signatories along with the technical standards section of whichever state you are in will be able to advise you which way to go with the modifications you are intending to perform.
I trust this information will assist you.
Regards,
**** ******
Acting Assistant Director | New Vehicle Certification
Vehicle Safety Standards | Surface Transport Policy
Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development
GPO Box 594, Canberra ACT 2601
t 02 6274 ****
****************@infrastructure.gov.au | w http://www.infrastructure.gov.au
So the designation NA says the vehicle is classed as Light Commercial Vehicle under 3.5 tonnes. Not MC or MA.
Also under NCOP it is in sub category NA24.5.5. LIGHT GOODS VEHICLE (NA)
A goods vehicle with a ‘Gross Vehicle Mass‘ not exceeding 3.5 tonnes.
Under the ADR Applicability Summary found HERE ADR 24/00, 24/01 and 24/02 apply to NA vehicles. However they have now been superseded by ADR 42/05 20/02/2006.LIGHT GOODS VEHICLE (NA)
Sub-category
NA1* up to 2.7 tonnes GVM.
NA2* over 2.7 tonnes GVM
ADR 42/05 can be found HERE and the area that specifically applies is section 25.
At this point I have been unable to find a copy of the TRAA online, they have a latest listing you can buy for 2017. If someone has one for reference that would be excellent.25.1. Tyres and rims recommended for passenger cars must be listed in the Tyre and Rim Standards Manual published by either the Tyre and Rim Association of Australia, the (US) Tyre and Rim Association Inc. Year Book, the Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association Year Book, the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS-D4202) “Dimensions of Tyres” and (JIS-D4218) “Contours of Rims”, or the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation (E.T.R.T.O.) Data Book.
There is also the NCOP that has not been fully adopted by all states to consider. It comes under VSB14 found HERE
In NSW The Vehicle Standards Information Guidelines don't even reference which vehicles it applies to so it may not consider NA as a light vehicle, lets assume for a moment it does. VSI 6 can be found HERE and it states..
It then goes on to reference VSI 9 which can be found HEREBe aware that while some of the listed modifications apply to specific vehicle types (eg items 49 to 52 apply specifically to motorcycles), the significant modifications shown in the tables may apply to all vehicle types.
Basically it states the following..
So back to my original statement, 25mm per side offset as I originally believed is incorrect, SU22TU was correct in his details, essentially in NSW you can only increase your Rim offset by 12.5mm so your max legal offset unless you narrow your diff width will be +42.5mmSometimes the range of wheels listed by the manufacturer may appear to be limited. While it is recommended that you only fit these wheels, the RTA does not oppose the fitting of wheels outside the range providing they are safe for the vehicle.
An important requirement for all replacement wheels is that the wheel track must not be increased by more than 25mm beyond the maximum specified by the vehicle manufacturer for that vehicle.
Where non original axle or suspension components are fitted, the offset of the wheel in relation to the axle or stub axle assembly used shall not be increased by more than 12.5mm each side of the vehicle based on the specifications of the axle components used.
If an axle assembly is shortened then the track width limit is taken as the axle manufacturers original track dimension, less the amount the assembly has been narrowed, plus 25mm.
The vehicle classification makes no change to the NCOP requirements in NSW.
This will either clear it all up or raise a million more questions
