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I supported Toymods
Banned User
Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Increasing track width
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Mon, 15 March 2004 07:44
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I received official word today that in Queensland you are only able to legally increase your track width by a maximum of 25mm over all. And there is no way around this apart from specifying your car as being fully custom built.
This came through engineers from the Queensland Transport Department.
I only really posted this for future reference.
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Registered:
November 2002
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Re: Increasing track width
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Mon, 15 March 2004 07:48
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Cool1,
The rule is the same in WA too.
I take it that this is for a standard original axle under your car.
Where do you stand if you fit (for example) say a (wider) Hilux axle to your Celica, and say flare the guards to cover the rubber ?
As a complete Hilux axle, you have not changed the track of that axle, just fitted it in standard form to your car ?
Just thinking out loud.
Cheers,
Mitch.
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I supported Toymods
Banned User
Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Increasing track width
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Mon, 15 March 2004 07:53
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Well thats the exact reason I asked. I told them about my diff, but its ok cause its only 10mm wider over all. However I was thinking about using RA40 struts with MS65 hubs which increases the width by exactly 30mm.
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Increasing track width
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Mon, 15 March 2004 22:55
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I spoke to an engineer about this a while ago, and if you fit a whole new axle to your car you have to stay within 25mm of the track width of the car that axle came from. If you have a wider Hilux axle, you need the wider Hilux track as well to stay legal. The rule exists in an attempt to keep wheel bearing loads within spec.
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Location:
Ipswich
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Increasing track width
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Mon, 15 March 2004 23:42
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Hmm, interesting. How does this affect the front then? For instance in Cool1's case, using RA40 struts and MS65 hubs, would you have to stay within 25mm of the TA22? Or RA40? Or MS65?
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Location:
Terrigal
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Increasing track width
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Tue, 16 March 2004 00:17
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I'm only thinking out loud here but if its the load on the bearings they are worried about, maybe it'd be the car the hub came from?
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Location:
Ipswich
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Increasing track width
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Tue, 16 March 2004 00:23
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That would be my initial thinking as well. However, that would not make sense either as if you put hubs from a big car onto a little car (like MS65 vs TA22, although in that case the difference isn't a lot), then to stay with the track of the MS65 you would have to use HUGE offset wheels which would add more load to the bearings...
I'd be more inclined to think it would have to stay within measurements taken from the actual hub itself... So as to not add any unnecessary load on the actual bearings?
Also with axles (diffs), how does shortening of the diff affect this? Surely if you put a shortened Hilux diff into say a Celica you wouldn't have to stay with the original track of the Hilux?
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Location:
Terrigal
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Increasing track width
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Tue, 16 March 2004 00:38
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Hmm this is something i'm going to have to find more info on. As I am planning on putting a F series MKII corona rear end in the Celica, and using different offset wheels to bring it back closer to the original track of the Celica. But this may prove illegal.
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Location:
Ipswich
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Increasing track width
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Tue, 16 March 2004 00:40
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Same here. The track width on my Corolla is already way more than 25mm due to longer control arms... And if I have to drop my front strut setup and reuse the original ones because of track width I won't be so happy...
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Increasing track width
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Tue, 16 March 2004 00:54
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I'm using a MkII diff as well and my plan is to keep the MkII track width and modify the guards if necessary to fit the wheels. I see the extra width as a bonus! 
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Location:
Ipswich
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Increasing track width
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Tue, 16 March 2004 01:02
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Norbie: You'd want to increase the track width on the front too though, having wider track on the rear can be rather evil as far as handling goes...
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Location:
Terrigal
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Increasing track width
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Tue, 16 March 2004 01:04
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Yeah I really wanted to try and get away without modifying the guards.
Does having a wider track on the front than rear cause evil handling problems?
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Location:
Ipswich
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Increasing track width
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Tue, 16 March 2004 01:12
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Idealy the track width front/rear shouldn't be too different, it's better to have it slightly wider on the front (for RWD cars anyway, not sure about FWD cars). As far as I can tell most RWD cars seem to have them slightly wider on the front.
Having wider track on the rear makes the rear roll stiffness heavier and makes the car understeer more. I suppose you could counter it by putting a bigger swaybar on the front... Maybe?
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Increasing track width
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Tue, 16 March 2004 01:49
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I already have a wider front track thanks to my MA61 hub conversion. The MkII axle should balance it all out nicely.
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Location:
Madrid - Spain
Registered:
August 2002
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Re: Increasing track width
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Wed, 17 March 2004 02:44
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Having a think about it, changing the track width wont change the bearing loads at all in a live axle. Shure it will on an independant or floating hub setup, but not for a standard type live axle.
Demuire is on the right track though. Making the rear track wider than the front will reduce the stability somewhat, how much I don't really know.
My 2 cents worth anyway.
oh and the Mk2 diff is about 1.5 inches wider (3/4 each side) than a RA28 diff. It's gonna be tight under my guards 
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