Hydraulic suspension - legal in the uk?

[Johnny blaze]

My friend and I are having a fight over who is right or not.

We would like to know if it is legal to drive a car with that hydraulic suspension (the ones that bounces and can lift one wheel)... on a uk road.

We are talking about the pimp type cars in those hip-hop videos, not the hydraulic ones on a citroen.

When we say drive we mean drive (not bounce) down the road, so im asking if it is legal to have this suspension fitted, drive normally and only bounce on private land.

Will it pass the MOT? if not how comes the hydraulic system in the citroen can pass the MOT?

Thanks for your help (dont worry about answering the last Citroen / MOT question, if you cant be asked).

[stanleyman]

So long as the car complies with the construction and use regulations and any modifications do not interfere with normal driving then I don't see a problem. However, I do recall that modifications need to be declared and the vehicle may need to be tested for compliance like a kit car for example.

Vehicles like the Citroen are designed and built that way to comply with the regulations that specify certain safety requirements in the event of hydraulic failure and would be type tested. The ability to lift one wheel and bounce may not be considered a safety aspect but then again, if properly built, designed, tested and passed for compliance, it may not be considered detrimental to safety either!

[Johnny blaze]

STANLYMAN: thanks for your response, Im with you, I dont see anything wrong either. I agree with you that the vehicle may need to be independent tested as it is a big Mod.

Thanks for your help.

Any other suggestions from anyone on how to get the definitve answer on this?

[spaced]

the modification would have to be disclosed to your insurers, this increasing the insurance cost. Unless you are thinking of putting this on an american car, dont bother, it will look pants!

[Cockney_si]

I've seen this done to an old Vauxhall Cavalier and although the boot was chock full of batteries to run the whole thing it was quite road legal.

[bigbubba]

Most, if not all lowriders that use this suspension set up use pneumatic suspension and not hydraulic. The only cars to use hydraulic suspension are cars like Citroen, Land Rovers, Bentley's and the like.

Hydraulic is used for comfort, where as pneumatics are used to do the stuff you describe, like lift 1 or 2 wheels and bounce, this is because the air has more give and can sustain the impact of the bounces, where as it is physically impossible to compress a liquid so the force of such a large impact would create stress further down the suspension system such as the hoses, and they would fail.

And to answer your question, it is not illegal as I have it and it sails through its MOT and I have had Policemen bemused at the set up but without consequence!

[Eels]

One of Subaru's older Legacy models had hydraulic suspension which allowed you to raise the car an inch or so for greater clearance when driving in deep snow, these were around in the UK.

[dannyl123456]

yes you can i know because they are on my escort rs turbo project and yes it will pass its mot