Have you ever seen a decked out 4×4 and immediately knew there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that it was road legal?

It has become more common to see fourbies fully kitted out with the latest 4WD accessories and tech on the streets of Perth.

After all, nothing is more exciting than picking up your new rig from the dealership and heading straight to your local 4×4 accessories supplier to deck it out.

From insanely high lift kits to bigger tyres, overloaded roof racks, bullbars, and more, the list is endless.

Although some of these upgrades may increase your performance off-road, allow for extra storage or simply enhance your on-road appeal, you could also end up getting yellow stickered by the coppers. 

Driving with an illegal vehicle can lead to a number of very serious risks, as well as incur some hefty fines and a whole lot of wasted time going over the pits. No one likes going over the pits.

To help ensure your 4×4 is road legal and meets the demands of your lifestyle, here’s a list of common 4WD accessories and their limitations.

What’s the legal height for suspension lift kits?

What’s the first 4×4 modification most enthusiasts gravitate towards? Suspension lift kits. Whether it’s tackling some of WA’s most hectic off-road tracks on the weekend, a family adventure or simply towering over other motorists on-road. The legal height at which you can lift your vehicle varies from state to state and is usually combined with the size of your tyres.

When this article was written, in Western Australia, the legal road height you can lift your vehicle is 50mm from larger tyres and 25mm suspension lift without any engineering.

What’s the legal tyre size in WA?

What comes after having the highest suspension? The biggest tyres of course. All 4x4s are equipped with standard tyres designed by the manufacturer to abide by local laws and regulations. If you’re unsure on what these specifications are you can generally find a sticker on the inside of the driver’s door.

In most cases, you can fit your vehicle with larger tyres than what is stated on the sticker, just bear in mind that it still has to comply with local regulations. In Western Australia, there are limitations for both the width and height, vehicles can only increase the tyre size by 50mm in diameter. 

Tip: Increasing your tyres to this size will increase the overall height of your vehicle and therefore limiting your suspension to a total of 1 inch.

What are the legal limitations of roof racks?

The maximum legal roof rack length in Western Australia is 2.5m. It is also illegal to stick out any more than 150mm past the sides of the vehicle. 

Need help with choosing a roof rack?

Overloaded and overweight

Whether you’re hauling a heavy payload (caravan, boat or camper van) or stacked the roof rack with an entire Jenga set, every 4WD will have its own overall weight limitations. It’s the total combined weight of towing capacity, as well as the gross combination of mass. If your vehicle is over the combined limit, it’s no longer road legal. 

Any 4×4 modifications installed on the vehicle, such as extra fuel tanks, roof racks, storage, bull bars, essential camping equipment or passengers will contribute to the overall weight. Being overweight can also cause the chassis to crack, which has become a more common issue due to overloading and incorrect placement of weight. 

Wheel track — say no to spacers.

The amount of space between the tyres and the body of the vehicle is known as wheel track. Wheel spacers are installed to allow for larger wheels to fit, however, you’ll want to stay away from this type of modification entirely, as they are illegal for on-road use.

Have additional lighting

Installing additional driving lights can be done without the need for an inspection providing they are designed and securely fitted in a way that reduces the likelihood of injury to a person, does not impair the driver’s view of the road and the light emitted does not cause discomfort to the driver or other motorists through devices or reflecting off surfaces. 

Additional driving lights should remain switched off when high beam headlights are not in operation and automatically switch off when high beam headlights are either turned off or the headlamps are dipped. 

Again, when this article was written the legal limit for additional driving lights in Western Australia for vehicles on the road is four. BTY if you can’t get enough light out of four additional lights then one of two things is going on.

1. You’ve chosen an inferior brand of light that isn’t up to the job.
2. You need to get new glasses (:

Find out more information on additional lights.

Legal minor 4×4 modifications that do not require an inspection

Thinking about installing new 4×4 accessories but are unsure on what you can upgrade without the need for an inspection? Here’s what you can do.

• Towbars
• Tyre size and aspect ratio
• Additional lights
• Roof racks
• Mesh stone shields for windscreens and lamps
• Mud spats and pebble guards

Upgrade your 4×4 and stay road legal with Coastals

Whether you’re a seasoned outdoor adventurer or you’ve just picked up your new rig, Coastals is here to help make sure you get the upgrades you need while abiding by WA road and vehicle laws. Getting a yellow sticker or having an insurance claim declined due to you’re vehicle being un road worthy is the last thing you need to happen. 

If you’re unsure about a recent 4×4 accessory purchase or looking for some new toys, you can always contact the experts at Coastals, who are more than happy to inspect your vehicle, provide expert advice, and supply and install 4×4 accessories from all your favourite brands.