STICK ON FLARES  –  The legalities for Australian 4WD vehicles

Occasionally we receive inquiries about our flares such as:

- Are flares illegal ?
- Can I just stick the flares on with 3M tape ?
- Are the flares too wide to pass a pit inspection ?

Below is a link to the document named the "Vehicle Standards Bulletin 14" which is the national code of practice for light vehicle construction and modification (LH Body & Chassis) and authorised vehicle inspection centres must ensure that all inspected vehicles comply with these regulations.

The relevant part of this document regarding flares is 'Section 4.3.3 Mudguard Flares'.

"Flared extensions may be added to original mudguards. There is no restriction on their design or size, however, the new section must be securely fixed, the ends tapered back to follow the body line of the vehicle and the exposed edges must have a radius of at least 5mm".

So the answers to the above questions ?

- Are flares illegal ?
- No. "Flared extensions may be added to original guards"

- Can I just stick the flares on with 3M tape ?
- No. "the new section must be securely fixed"

- Are the flares too wide to pass a pit inspection ?
- No. "There is no restriction on their design or size"

Another important aspect to consider is your vehicle insurance. If a stick on flare comes off while driving and causes an accident, insurance companies will be quick to use this as an excuse not to pay up by referring to vehicle modification regulations.

Kut Snake flares bolt on and comply with VSB14 regulations.
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