[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 110 (Thursday, June 8, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 30196-30199]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13932]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Part 571

[Docket No. 92-59; Notice 2]
RIN 2127-AE58


Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Brake Hoses and Motor 
Vehicle Brake Fluids

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This rule amends Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards No. 
106, Brake hoses, and No. 116, Motor vehicle brake fluids to specify a 
new referee material to be used in the compatibility testing of brake 
hoses and brake fluids. Referee material is used to test specimens of 
brake hose and fluid for compliance with the standards' requirements. 
This action is necessary because the present referee material, RM-66-
03, will become commercially unavailable. The intended effect of this 
rule is to ensure the continued availability of the referee material 
used to test brake hoses and fluids.
DATES: Effective Date: This final rule is effective July 10, 1995. The 
incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the 
regulations is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of 
July 10, 1995.

    Petitions for Reconsideration: Any petition for reconsideration of 
this final [[Page 30197]] rule must be received by NHTSA not later than 
July 10, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Petitions for reconsideration should refer to the docket and 
notice numbers set forth at the beginning of this rule and be submitted 
to the following: Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, D.C. 20590. It is 
requested, but not required, that 10 copies of any petition be 
submitted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Richard Carter, Office of Vehicle 
Safety Standards, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 
Seventh Street, SW Washington, D.C. 20590. Mr. Carter's telephone 
number is: (202) 366-5274.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards No. 
106, Brake hoses, and No. 116, Motor vehicle brake fluids, specify 
performance requirements for brake hoses and motor vehicle brake fluid. 
Included in the performance requirements for Standard No. 106 is a 
brake fluid compatibility test, and included in Standard No. 116 are 
compatibility and chemical stability tests. The procedures for the 
compatibility and chemical stability tests currently reference the 
referee material brake fluid specified by the Society of Automotive 
Engineers (SAE) in J1703. SAE develops, blends, packages, and 
distributes referee material fluids for use by NHTSA and others for 
these tests.
    Brake fluid compatibility is considered an important factor in 
establishing brake hose life and strength characteristics. Standard No. 
106's compatibility test measures hydraulic brake hose compatibility 
with brake fluid. The brake hose that is being tested is filled with 
the SAE Compatibility Fluid for a specified number of hours at 
specified temperatures, and then is subjected to constriction and burst 
strength tests. The current compatibility fluid--RM-66-03 Compatibility 
Fluid (i.e., ``RM-66-03'')--is referenced in the test procedures for 
the standard's brake fluid compatibility test.
    Standard No. 116's compatibility requirements determine the 
compatibility of brake fluid used in motor vehicles with a referee 
material. The SAE compatibility fluid that is used in these tests as a 
referee material should be representative of the fluids found in a 
braking system in service. The tests measure the compatibility of 
fluids of different chemical bases by checking whether there are 
undesirable chemical interactions resulting from the mixture of fluids. 
Section S6.10 determines the compatibility of a brake fluid with other 
brake fluids. This section currently references RM-66-03 compatibility 
fluid as the referee material used in the test procedure.
    The current compatibility fluid, RM-66-03, is a blend of four 
proprietary, commercial brake fluids: Dow HD50-4, Delco Supreme II, Dow 
455, and Olin HDS-79. However, because one of these fluids is no longer 
available and a second one will soon be removed from the market, this 
compatibility fluid is no longer being produced. Existing quantities of 
the compatibility fluid have been exhausted. The SAE has already 
replaced RM-66-03 with a new referee material, RM-66-04.

Rulemaking Petition and Proposal

    On December 27, 1991, SAE petitioned the agency to amend portions 
of Standard No. 106 and Standard No. 116 to specify the RM-66-04 
referee material in place of the then used, but soon to be outdated, 
RM-66-03 compatibility fluid. The RM-66-04 material was developed 
specifically for the SAE J1703 Motor Vehicle Brake Fluid standard. It 
consists of four American, one Asian and one European fluid, blended 
equally by volume.
    NHTSA proposed amending Standard Nos. 106 and 116 to specify the 
use of RM-66-04 referee material in place of RM-66-03. 57 FR 49162, 
October 30, 1992. The agency tentatively concluded that the new 
compatibility fluid should be specified in the standard since it will 
be commercially available and the current fluid would not. The agency 
further believed that the new referee material would be more 
representative of fluids that will be in service. The agency noted that 
the International Standards Organization (ISO) is also proposing to use 
RM-66-04, and that use of the same material would be consistent with 
international harmonization.
    The agency also proposed that the change to the RM-66-04 
compatibility fluid be effective on January 1, 1995, but that optional 
use of RM-66-04 would be permitted 30 days after publication of a final 
rule. The effective date is discussed further in the ``Effective date'' 
section.

Comments on the NPRM

    In response to the NPRM, the agency received comments from 
Chrysler, Ford and General Motors. All three commenters supported the 
wording of the proposed regulatory text. Ford supported the proposed 
effective date of the amendment and the proposal to permit optional 
compliance.

Agency Decision

    Since all comments supported its proposals, NHTSA adopts the 
proposals as final. Accordingly, the agency amends S5.3.9 and S6.7.1(a) 
of Standard No. 106, and S6.5.4.1 through S6.5.4.3, S6.10.1 through 
S6.10.3(a), and S7.2 of Standard No. 116. In addition, this final rule 
incorporates by reference Appendix B of SAE Standard J1703 JAN 1995, 
``Motor Vehicle Brake Fluid.'' This incorporation by reference was 
approved by the Director of the Federal Register in accordance with 5 
U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies may be obtained from the 
Society of Automotive Engineers, 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 
15096. Copies may be inspected at the NHTSA Docket Room, 400 Seventh 
Street, S.W., Room 5109, Washington, D.C. 20590. (Docket hours are 9:30 
a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday), or at the Office of the Federal 
Register, 800 North Capitol St., N.W., Suite 700, Washington, D.C.
    No adverse impact on safety is anticipated from the use of the new 
referee material in the test procedures of Standards No. 106 and 116. 
On the contrary, since the RM-66-03 compatibility fluid is no longer 
commercially available, ascertaining whether hoses and fluids comply 
with criteria related to compatibility and boiling points will be 
difficult. Amending the standards to allow the use of RM-66-04 
compatibility fluid in place of RM-66-03 ensures that a compatibility 
fluid representative of today's brake fluids is readily available for 
the compliance tests of those standards.

Effective Date

    There is good cause for the effective date for this rule. The 
agency believes an expedited effective date is appropriate since the 
RM-66-03 material is no longer being produced. Since RM-66-03 is no 
longer available, manufacturers should be permitted the option of using 
the new RM-66-04 compatibility fluid almost immediately. This rule 
permits manufacturers to use the RM-66-04 compatibility fluid 30 days 
after publication of this rule.

Rulemaking Analyses and Notice

1. Executive Order 12866 and DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures
    This final rule was not reviewed under E.O. 12866, ``Regulatory 
Planning and Review.'' NHTSA has considered the impact of this 
rulemaking action under the Department of Transportation's regulatory 
policies and procedures. The agency believes that a [[Page 30198]] full 
regulatory evaluation is not required because the rule will have only 
minimal economic impacts. The rule will only have a minimal cost impact 
on manufacturers and users of brake fluids because one referee material 
will merely replace another referee material. No change is expected in 
the cost of the new referee material. RM-66-03 fluid was sold at $8.00 
per quart. The agency anticipates that RM-66-04 fluid will be sold at 
the same price.

2. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    In accordance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act, NHTSA has 
evaluated the effects of this action on small entities. Based upon this 
evaluation, I certify that the final rule would not have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. Accordingly, 
no regulatory flexibility analysis has been prepared. The final rule 
only specifies that manufacturers of brake fluid are to substitute one 
type of referee material for another type of referee material. 
Therefore, there should be no cost impacts that would affect the 
purchase price of brake hoses or brake fluid. Thus, neither 
manufacturers of motor vehicles, nor small businesses, small 
organizations, and small governmental units which purchase motor 
vehicles, would be significantly affected by the amendment.

3. National Environmental Policy Act

    The agency has also considered the environmental implications of 
this final rule in accordance with the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 and determined that the final rule would not significantly 
affect the human environment.

4. Executive Order 12612 (Federalism)

    This final rule has been analyzed in accordance with the principles 
and criteria contained in Executive Order 12612. It has been determined 
that the final rule does not have sufficient Federalism implications to 
warrant the preparation of a Federalism Assessment. No state laws would 
be affected.

5. Civil Justice Reform

    This final rule would not have any retroactive effect. Under 49 
U.S.C. section 30103, whenever a Federal motor vehicle safety standard 
is in effect, a state may not adopt or maintain a safety standard 
applicable to the same aspect of performance which is not identical to 
the Federal standard, except to the extent that the state requirement 
imposes a higher level of performance and applies only to vehicles 
procured for the State's use. 49 U.S.C. section 30161 sets forth a 
procedure for judicial review of final rules establishing, amending or 
revoking Federal motor vehicle safety standards. That section does not 
require submission of a petition for reconsideration or other 
administrative proceedings before parties may file suit in court.
List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 571

    Imports, Incorporation by reference, Motor vehicle safety, Motor 
vehicles, Rubber and rubber products, Tires.

PART 571--[AMENDED]

    In consideration of the foregoing, 49 CFR Part 571 is amended as 
follows.
    1. The authority citation for Part 571 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 30117, and 30166; 
delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50.


Sec. 571.189  [Amended]

    2. In Section 571.106, S5.3.9 and paragraph (a) of S6.7.1 are 
revised to read as follows:
* * * * *
    S5.3.9  Brake fluid compatibility, constriction, and burst 
strength. Except for brake hose assemblies designed for use with 
mineral or petroleum-based brake fluids, a hydraulic brake hose 
assembly shall meet the constriction requirement of S5.3.1 after having 
been subjected to a temperature of 200  deg.F for 70 hours while filled 
with SAE RM-66-04 Compatibility Fluid, as described in Appendix B of 
SAE Standard J1703 JAN 1995, ``Motor Vehicle Brake Fluid.'' It shall 
then withstand water pressure of 4,000 psi for 2 minutes and thereafter 
shall not rupture at less than 5,000 psi (S6.2). (SAE RM-66-03 
Compatibility Fluid, as described in Appendix A of SAE Standard J1703 
NOV83, ``Motor Vehicle Brake Fluid,'' November 1983, may be used in 
place of SAE RM-66-04 until January 1, 1995.)
* * * * *
    S6.7.1  Preparation.
    (a) Attach a hose assembly below a 1-pint reservoir filled with 100 
ml. of SAE RM-66-04 Compatibility Fluid as shown in Figure 2. (SAE RM-
66-03 Compatibility Fluid, as described in Appendix A of SAE Standard 
J1703 NOV83, ``Motor Vehicle Brake Fluid,'' November 1983, may be used 
in place of SAE RM-66-04 until January 1, 1995.)
* * * * *


Sec. 571.189  [Amended]

    3. In Section 571.116, S6.5.4 is republished for the convenience of 
the reader; S6.5.4.1, S6.5.4.2, S6.5.4.3, S6.10.1, S6.10.2, paragraph 
(a) of S6.10.3 and S7.2 are revised to read as follows:
    S6.5.4  Chemical stability.
    S6.5.4.1  Materials. SAE RM-66-04 Compatibility Fluid as described 
in Appendix B of SAE Standard J1703 JAN 1995, ``Motor Vehicle Brake 
Fluid.'' (SAE RM-66-03 Compatibility Fluid as described in Appendix A 
of SAE Standard J1703 Nov83, ``Motor Vehicle Brake Fluid,'' November 
1983, may be used in place of SAE RM-66-04 until January 1, 1995.)
    S6.5.4.2  Procedure.
    (a) Mix 30  1 ml. of the brake fluid with 30 
 1 ml. of SAE RM-66-04 Compatibility Fluid in a boiling 
point flask (S6.1.2(a)). Determine the initial ERBP of the mixture by 
applying heat to the flask so that the fluid is refluxing in 10 
 2 minutes at a rate in excess of 1 drop per second, but 
not more than 5 drops per second. Note the maximum fluid temperature 
observed during the first minute after the fluid begins refluxing at a 
rate in excess of 1 drop per second. Over the next 15  1 
minutes, adjust and maintain the reflux rate at 1 to 2 drops per 
second. Maintain this rate for an additional 2 minutes, recording the 
average value of four temperature readings taken at 30 second intervals 
as the final ERBP.
    (b) Thermometer and barometric corrections are not required.
    S6.5.4.3  Calculation.
    The difference between the initial ERBP and the final average 
temperature is the change in temperature of the refluxing mixture. 
Average the results of the duplicates to the nearest 0.5  deg.C (1.0 
deg.F).
* * * * *
    S6.10.1  Summary of the procedure.
    Brake fluid is mixed with an equal volume of SAE RM-66-04 
Compatibility Fluid, then tested in the same way as for water tolerance 
(S6.9) except that the bubble flow time is not measured. This test is 
an indication of the compatibility of the test fluid with other motor 
vehicle brake fluids at both high and low temperatures.
    S6.10.2  Apparatus and materials.
    (a) Centrifuge tube. See S7.5.1(a).
    (b) Centrifuge. See S7.5.1(b).
    (c) Cold Chamber. See S6.7.2(b)
    (d) Oven. See S6.9.2(d)
    (e) SAE RM-66-04 Compatibility Fluid. As described in Appendix B of 
SAE Standard J1703 JAN 1995 ``Motor Vehicle Brake Fluid.'' (SAE RM-66-
03 Compatibility Fluid as described in Appendix A of SAE Standard J1703 
NOV83, ``Motor Vehicle Brake Fluid,'' November 1983, may be used in 
place of SAE RM-66-04 until January 1, 1995.) [[Page 30199]] 
    S6.10.3  Procedure.
    (a) At low temperature.
    Mix 50  0.5 ml. of the brake fluid with 50  
0.5 ml. of SAE RM-66-04 Compatibility Fluid. Pour this mixture into a 
centrifuge tube and stopper with a clean dry cork. Place tube in the 
cold chamber maintained at minus 40 deg.  2  deg.C (minus 
40 deg.  3.6  deg.F) After 24  2 hours, remove 
tube, quickly wipe with a clean lint-free cloth saturated with ethanol 
(isopropanol when testing DOT 5 fluids) or acetone. Examine the test 
specimen for evidence of sludging, sedimentation, or crystallization. 
Test fluids, except DOT 5 SBBF, shall be examined for stratification.
* * * * *
    S7.2  Water content of motor vehicle brake fluids. Use analytical 
methods based on ASTM D1123-59, ``Standard Method of Test for Water in 
Concentrated Engine Antifreezes by the Iodine Reagent Method,'' for 
determining the water content of brake fluids, or other methods of 
analysis yielding comparable results. To be acceptable for use, such 
other method must measure the weight of water added to samples of the 
SAE RM-66-04 and TEGME Compatibility Fluids within  15 
percent of the water added for additions up to 0.8 percent by weight, 
and within  5 percent of the water added for additions 
greater than 0.8 percent by weight. The SAE RM-66-04 Compatibility 
Fluid used to prepare the samples must have an original ERBP of not 
less than 205  deg.C (401  deg.F) when tested in accordance with S6.1. 
The SAE TEGME fluid used to prepare the samples must have an original 
ERBP of not less than 240  deg.C (464  deg.F) when tested in accordance 
with S6.1.
* * * * *
    Issued on: June 2, 1995.
Ricardo Martinez,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 95-13932 Filed 6-7-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P