Line Lockers - are they legal?

[Ed]

Hi,

Just wondering if brake line lockers are street legal?
I cant find anywhere in NSW code of practice that says they are not.

Anybody know for sure?

Cheers

Ed

[Dr_Terry]

Hi Ed.

I think the only ruling on line lockers, is the law that says ANY modifications to the braking system, that are not factory need an Engineers Certificate.

So, if it's OK with the Engineer, then it's OK with RTA.

Dr Terry.

[mcl1959]

Line lockers are not legal in Vic - neither are adjustable proportioning valves. ( which is what a line locker does to an extreme)

Ken

[Dave_EH]

Ed, I wouldn't have picked you for the burnout type...  or have I made the wrong assumption

[Ed]

hmm.
I will definitely call an engineer today.

I have heard some ppl say OK, and some say not OK.

at the end of it, I gues it comes down to what the signatory perceives as OK.

I do seem to recall something about adjustable proportioning valves being unacceptable.

DaveEH,
I dont want to do burnouts, just use one as a hill holder as the packet suggests.  
the only reason it's got a V8 is for towing heh heh.

Cheers

Ed

[Ed]

spoke to the engineer who advised against it..

so NO they arent street legal.

Which leaves me in a precarious postion as to whether to fit it up later or not... probably not as any insurance would be immediately void.

Cheers

Ed

[FC-V8]

Ed
         If you had installed a chev V8 you wouldn't have  needed a line locker to do burn outs.
Glenn

[Ed]

Ed
         If you had installed a chev V8 you wouldn't have  needed a line locker to do burn outs.
Glenn

I was installing the line locker to slow me down Glenn!

[FC-V8]

Ed
       Are you sure it wasn't a hand held type remote switch that your wife could flick on when she thought you were getting a bit too sideways or out of control.
If so put my wife down for one as well.
Glenn

[TorqueFC]

what are line lockers and what do they do???

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

They are a little solenoid that were originally designed to "lock" the brakes on when staging at the drags, you stall up your car and flick the release on the last amber.
The more popular use is to cut the fluid to the back brakes for better burnout performance.

[TorqueFC]

ah yes. we found a cheaper solution on the vn bom-a-dore......remove the rear pads:)

[TorqueFC]

come on ed, we need some updates on the wagon......we know you have some...c'mon just a few

[Ed]

ok.. a small project update...

I'm allowed to hijack my own thread on Line locks.. I guess.

wiring... it's a messy job, almost all done, few more jobs. 2 speed wipers, audio system.

install line lock - this job has now been shelved.

bumper bars - need to paint them up, as the chrome is pitted and I havent got the $$ to fix the pitting and chrome them.

sound deadening - installing lots of this.

trimming - do what I can here.

the engineer is coming over this weekend hopefully for a look to tell me if he likes it or not.  Spoke to him today, he told me "you must have forgotten to take your pills" lol  in addition every second word was F%$&.. I like this guy already..ermm.

on top of this, he told me his computer was F%&$'ed and to understand one you must be a C@ckhead  

I need an opinion.. should i trust this guy?

he seems to be of the belief an FE/FC is made of tinfoil and needs some good bracing and he wasnt terribly fond of Hadfield stuff..

.. to make me more nervous he sings highly of V6 conversions, 253's as a sensible V8 conversion, and then asks.. is your 308 standard??  "yes" I told him " stock as a rock".

... I really do need a second opinion of this bloke..

further on in to the phone conversation, i could tell he was at ease as now the F word was being heavily used as the adjective it is (not).

I am a little concerned he will just bill me out consultancy dollars and tell me to re-do things.

a 3rd opinion now sought.....
I gotta meet this guy, maybe it was a rough morning after a nite watching the football....
so this is progress



Cheers
Ed

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

Sounds like you need a new engineer, first impressions are usually right and if you don't feel comfortable with this guy you should look elsewhere.
Everyone loves to take swipes at Hadfield, while he does seem to have "people" issues, just think where a lot of projects would be without his gear.

as to the Bumper Bars, have you tried to rejuvenate them yourself? I thought mine would need a rechrome, but after a minute or two on the bench grinder buffing wheel the section I did came up pretty good. There were still imperfections, but good enough for me. If you watch Mythbusters (Foxtel, SBS) they did a segment on Cola Myths and the Cola/Aluminium Foil on chrome was proven true. The shitty bumper they tried it on came up way better than the "chrome polish" used on the other half.

[Dave_EH]

Ed,
I used to think Engineers must be very capable sort of people with a great understanding of motor vehcile modifications etc, however I have a mate who does Mechanical Engineering at Uni and he tells me you only need 1 year of experience in motor vehicles to be able to approve mods.

He hasn't graduated yet, but has almost finished building a Datsun 1600 with an RB20 Turbo (185KW) and has just used a common sense approach to all the safety things - he's quite confident it will all pass.

Surely there are many, many people out there with these qualifications with at least one of them having a passing interest in Holden cars?

If at first you don't succeed, try and try again (a new engineer not a new mod!)

Good luck
Dave

[zulu]

Good luck with it Ed, I am enjoying the progress pics, hope it's not like NSW rego, i.e. if it is knocked back you have to redo it to the satisfaction of the same engineer.
Gary

[Ed]

Hi guys,

Stinky,

havent yet seen mythbusters, im usually away from the TV (TV gets about 30mins turn on time only every day at our house) , im guessing you soak the chrome in Cola and the acidity cleans it up? much like the cola and tooth experiment?

I've decided to paint these bumpers, buffing couldnt rescue the rear bar, the front bar is probably saveable... these are cream jobs which can be done once the car is actually on the road, and I have time to do things like go to swap meets.

Dave,

I hear you mate, the certifying engineeer just has to like what they see, what one says is Ok another may say not OK.

Ive thought about using this guy and at the end of the day, his only concern was the chassis used to brace up the car.

I can easily add to this structure or weld it up rather than use bolts.  is that hassle?  yes and no. yes it's a pain, no because the car will be stronger.

Zulu,

Glad you like the progress pics and so forth, i enjoy having something to show for my time and effort and equally having an appreciative audience!


Will see if the engineer turns up tomorrow and will post some progress.

Cheers

Ed

[NO NAME]

gee its a bit late to weld in a chassis but if you do it would be interesting to see what happens with the engineer.
I think the bolt up kit requires welding to the leaf spring hangers.
maybe you could make a replica of the hadfeild kit wich is no longer affordable unless you get a second handy.
I thought it was 100% necassary to fit some rails with a v8 conversion.
dont forget the kit has extra bits that go at the front and attach too the subframe.
hope you get on the road soon, the car is looking real cool.
give the engineer a carton of beer as he enters the gate and put on a good smile, make him happy and then get into some conversation, now you have to come up with things to say that you think he might agree with, get him into a pattern of agreeing with you.
try to keep control of the conversation and now start to ease in things like (some engineers are wankers and just go overboard, mate there dickheads)) park the car over a big puddle of mud, get some big dogs in your yard.
hope this helps

[Ed]

HI Leon,

the car definitely has a 3/4 chassis.  a Hadfield kit.

the biggest irony is...

the only part of the project I farmed out was the fitment of the kit!!!

spoke to the engineer on saturday and unfortunately he couldnt make it, so will meet him this coming sat.

he sounds OK, will have the beer fridge charged

Cheers

Ed