Qld Car Laws - How loud can your car be (legally)  

HI_PSI_VL

I thougt the legal level was 87db, well I remember seeing that on highway patrol last week.

Joyrid3r

there are a few factors. such as age, engine capacity etc....I'm sure it's on the net somewhere but I CBF looking

nofxhardcore

Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act says:

136D Stationary noise levels—cars, car derivatives,
motorbikes and motortrikes
‘The stationary noise level of a car, car derivative, motorbike
or motortrike must not be more than—
(a) for a car or car derivative built after 1982—90dB(A); or
(b) for another car or car derivative—96dB(A); or
© for a motorbike or motortrike built after February
1985—94 dB(A); or
(d) for another motorbike or motortrike—100 dB(A).

aristo

my supra is like 128DB on idle, so i'd hate to think what it is when i'm driving..

nofxhardcore

So you drive without an exhaust?

Because these regulations relate to 90 db when the car is revved to (typically) around 4-4500rpm...so for your car to be 128db on idle seems a bit far fetched...

stockmy00

Max of 90dB at 4000rpm for post 1982 vehicles.

Fact is most Aftermarket exhausts are above that though.

clutch-monkey

a carrera cup car is like 110db down the straight at QR..

nofxhardcore

I'm not 100% sure but I think it depends on what your revs goes to. IIRC it's a percentage that they go by to tell what you have to rev it to for the reading.

But you're right, pretty much anything over a stock exhaust is going to be illegal.

GTRwilson

HAHAHA.

TTS

Jerryme

I read somewhere it's tested at 0.5-0.55m from the exhaust at a 45 degree angle. Never had it done so I wouldn't know. Fairly certain the patrol is louder then 90db

wolfman101

Why aren't all Harley riders booked by every cop they see?

GHOSTY

Can guarentee you it's like not..

My RB25 with straight pipe was 126db at 3,000rpm and idled at 104db

GHOSTY

Someone will get shot?

ca_sil80

any exhaust system that is larger then stock is illegal, they just turn a blind eye to it as long as its not over the db level

xxxxgold

Depending on the type of vehicle and when it was manufactured, ADR 83/00 may apply which prohibits exhausts that exceed the stock dB limit by more than 5dB. This only applies for relatively new vehicles (the oldest vehicles that 83/00 may apply to were manufactured post Jan 2005.

Because they have been given ADR approval, they are exempt from complying with the Safety Standards Regulation (QLD) in regards to noise limits.



That's a common perception, unfortunately it's incorrect.

wolfman101

Ummm...
is there a reason for this?

Mr.B

Money + corporate image.

xxxxgold

It's not just HD, plenty of other vehicles are given approval despite non compliance.The 100mm clearance rule is an example that a number of imported vehicles do not comply with but were still approved.

Paullus

This may be of use: http://www.ntc.gov.au/docview.aspx?documentid=1392

It's been a while since I've looked into this and can't remember what override what, but the above doc should be useful.

Cheers

wolfman101

Interesting.
I wonder what the logic behind that is.

"Sorry, that's against the law...unless you are these guys or these guys".

aristo

3.5 inch twin straights, but we did use the DB meter thing on a iphone to see, and we put it like right on the tips so dunno probs sketchy as fuck, but it's bullshit loud on idle.

who would do a proper DB reading?

xxxxgold

I probably should have clarified my statement.

When I say that HD's are exempt from the VSS noise limits, I mean that if they were approved at 2dB over the limit for instance, you cannot be defected/fined for this. If however you decide to modify your exhaust and it is then 10dB over the noise level when it was approved, you can obviously incur the wrath of the judicial system.

I don't know much about Harley's so I was only guessing that they have obtained special approval. The limits in regards to motorcycles are 100dB pre Feb 85 and 94dB after that date. 100dB is insanely loud, I'd suggest it's unlikely that there are many, if any Harley's that exceed that figure from the factory. Even 94dB is very loud. It may well be that at least some, and possibly all HD's comply with the relevant ADR's without the need to seek special approval.

wolfman101

My question is in relation to why some manufacturers are allowed to produce vehicles that emit noise levels that are deemed unacceptable to others.
Any vehicle can be made quieter can't it? Why not have a universal limit?

clutch-monkey

yup rover mini's are lower than 100mm for eg

haha should see what people mock up to scrape by on lakeside lol

xxxxgold

I know next to nothing about exhausts (besides the legal side of things obviously) so I don't know if it's possible to quieten any vehicle to acceptable levels and whether modifying the exhaust will have any adverse effects, you would no doubt know more on the subject than me!

If it is a relatively simple matter to reduce a bike (or any) exhaust from 97dB to 94dB for instance, I'd agree that it would seem unlikely that special approval would (should?) be granted at the higher dB limit.

alpharx7

to my understanding there are no "Queensland" car laws that relate to your vehicles Db limit

there are however federal laws, called Australian Design Rules that cover this subject.

alpharx7

from what i seem to remember, with the so called 100mm rule, there were variations to the rule based on the wheel base of the vehicle, and thats why shorter wheelbased vehicles such as the mini were allowed to be under 100mm.

nofxhardcore

If you read the first page you will find that there is "Queensland" laws that relate to noise levels.

It seems ridiculous that there isn't a universal decibel limit for all vehicles since we all use the same roads but that's typical of our governments I guess. My S13 was defected for being too loud, and recorded 95db from memory and it was an extremely loud car. The silencer only took off 1db so they do very little.

KammdUP

i thought it was 95dB
i know stock vl's are at like 88dB or somthing when revved and my mates with an exhaust was on about 104dB
most cars with any kind of exhaust exceed it, i know an s2k with a spoon exhaust will crack 130dB

clutch-monkey

yeah i know VW R32's are apparently higher here then in europe too iirc.
also what's the go with cars with hydraulics to raise them like the LP670 and stuff? because DAMN they're low otherwise