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Technical bulletins

1 Heavy vehicle repair thresholds

This technical bulletin replaces and incorporates Memo 30 and 63.

Except as otherwise noted, any heavy vehicle that has been structurally damaged and requires repair also requires HV specialist certification.

Any heavy vehicle requiring repairs (including one that has been assessed by an insurer as requiring repairs) after an accident requires heavy vehicle specialist certification if repairs involve:

  • structure (chassis), or
  • brakes, or
  • suspension, or
  • steering, or
  • any certifiable component (eg towing connection, load anchorage, etc.).
Note 1

The cab is a structural member and is included in this requirement. Heavy vehicle specialist certification is required where the cab structure has been damaged or where any part of the frontal impact protection system, seat mounting, seatbelt anchorage, cab mounts and latches and any other critical load path may have been compromised.

Note 2

Where the damage includes systems or components not normally certified by the HVSC, that certifier should use the skills of others but the HVSC takes ultimate responsibility for the repairs.

Note 3

Where critical suspension components such as axles, hubs, stubs, etc. are reused, they become part of the certification and the certifier must be satisfied that they have not been subject to forces which would preclude such reuse.

Water or fire damage

Any heavy vehicle that has been identified as water or fire damaged (whether written off by the insurer or not) requires the HVSC to carry out a comprehensive inspection of all areas and systems to ensure no structural damage has occurred from corrosion or heat and all critical safety systems (eg brakes, air bags, seatbelt pre-tensioners, etc.) operate safely.

Note 4

Table 9-1-1 in the VIRM: Light vehicle repair certification is a useful guide for acceptable repair of water-damaged vehicles.

Note 5

All repairs on heavy vehicle structures and certifiable components require the same levels of certification as there is not a different threshold of damage for in-service or ‘written off.

Repairs that do not require heavy vehicle specialist certification

The following repairs to heavy vehicles do not require HV specialist inspection and certification, ie an LT400.

  • Replacement of bolted components, except for components that specifically require specialist inspection and certification (eg log bolster attachments, drawbars and drawbeams, etc.).
  • Repairs to the first failures of chassis cross-members that are not one of the following:
    • the first or last cross-member of the chassis;
    • cross-members that are fitted within 500mm from engine or transmission mounts or suspension supports (e.g. spring hanger);
    • cross-members that are fitted or support a:
      • driveshaft centre bearing, or
      • ball-race turntable, or
      • tow coupling, or
      • fifth-wheel, or
      • king pin, or
      • bolster attachment, or
      • hoist, hydraulic cylinder of a tipping body, or any other devices that may place a concentrated load on the chassis.
  • Repairs to coaming rails that do not support certified load anchorage points, including stock crate J-hooks.
  • Tow-eyes fitted to a vehicle for recovery purposes.
  • Repairs to a component of a freight or bus monocoque body (ie not a truck’s driver/passenger cab) if the component is not part of the structural framework. (eg unstressed body panels)
Note 6

The vehicle inspector may reject the component during the CoF inspection if the welding that has been carried out as part of the repair is of poor quality, established by means of visual inspection.

Page amended 9 April 2018 (see amendment details)

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