[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 21, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 70222-70223]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-29752]



[[Page 70221]]

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Part VI





Department of Housing and Urban Development





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24 CFR Part 3280



Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards; Manufactured Home 
Tires; Amendment of HUD Interpretative Bulletin J-1-76; Final Rule

  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 225 / Tuesday, November 21, 2000 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 70222]]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

24 CFR Part 3280

[Docket No. FR-4622-F-01]


Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards; Manufactured 
Home Tires; Amendment of HUD Interpretative Bulletin J-1-76

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal Housing 
Commissioner, HUD.

ACTION: Amendment of Interpretative Bulletin.

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SUMMARY: HUD is amending Interpretative Bulletin J-1-76 to remove a 
paragraph that references an expiration date applicable to one part of 
the Interpretative Bulletin. After that date the part of the 
Interpretative Bulletin that permits tires used to transport 
manufactured homes to be loaded to a maximum of 18 percent above their 
rated load capacity would no longer be effective. Similarly, elsewhere 
in today's Federal Register, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration (``FMCSA'') of the Department of Transportation is 
publishing a final rule delaying the date for the expiration of its 
regulations permitting the same loading of tires for manufactured 
homes. Consistent with an earlier joint rulemaking, these actions are 
being taken mutually by HUD and the FMCSA in response to information 
that the current requirements achieve an appropriate level of safety.

EFFECTIVE DATE: November 15, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca J. Holtz, Acting Director, 
Office of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, Room 9146, Department of 
Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 
20410; telephone 202-708-0502 (this is not a toll-free number). 
Hearing-or speech-impaired individuals may call 1-800-877-8339 (Federal 
Information Relay Service TTY, which is a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 18, 1998 (63 FR 8330), the 
Federal Highway Administration (``FHWA'') (the FMCSA is the successor 
authority for this rulemaking) amended its regulations concerning the 
amount of load on a manufactured home tire. On that same day and in 
that same publication, HUD amended its Manufactured Home Construction 
and Safety Standards Interpretative Bulletin that addressed the same 
subject (63 FR 8330, 8339).
    Through these amendments, the FHWA and HUD reduced the amount of 
tire overloading allowed (at the time up to 50 percent above the tire 
manufacturers' load ratings) on tires used to transport manufactured 
homes. As a result of the rulemaking, the maximum amount of loading on 
a manufactured home tire was reduced so that it cannot exceed the tire 
manufacturer's load rating by more than 18 percent. Manufactured homes 
transported on tires overloaded by 9 percent or more may not be 
operated at speeds exceeding 80 km/hr (50mph). The rulemaking allowed 
18 percent tire overloading for a 2-year period, which will end on 
November 20, 2000.
    In that initial rulemaking, the FHWA and HUD indicated that unless 
both agencies are persuaded that 18 percent overloading does not pose a 
risk to the traveling public or have an adverse impact on safety or the 
ability of motor carriers to transport manufactured homes, any 
overloading of tires beyond their design capacities will be prohibited 
after November 20, 2000.
    HUD and FMCSA have agreed that there is sufficient basis to extend 
the date for allowing 18 percent overloading of tires used to transport 
manufactured homes. Elsewhere in today's Federal Register, the FMCSA is 
publishing a final rule that delays until December 31, 2001, the 
termination date, after which the FMCSA regulations would not continue 
to permit overloading of tires. HUD is amending its Interpretative 
Bulletin (IB) J-1-76 to be consistent with the FMCSA action. As 
discussed in the FMCSA final rule, both FMCSA and HUD believe that 
additional time, beyond the November 20, 2000, expiration date, is 
needed to review available data and information more thoroughly before 
permanent action can be taken to define permissible loading of such 
tires. HUD and the FMCSA will continue to coordinate review of this 
matter, and interested persons are encouraged to refer to the FMCSA 
final rule for additional information.
    In amending IB J-1-76 to remove the reference to the expiration 
date, HUD will continue to permit, as allowed under current law, tires 
used to transport manufactured homes to be inflated to a maximum of 18 
percent above their rated load capacity. Because this action must be 
taken quickly to avoid a period of time in which the requirements 
intended by HUD (and the FMCSA) would not be in effect, and in which 
industry and the public would not be certain of the applicable 
requirements, HUD has deemed that it would not be in the public 
interest to issue this amendment of the IB for public comment. If HUD 
and FMCSA subsequently determine that the requirements relating to 
overloading of tires used to transport manufactured homes need to be 
changed, those changes will be adopted in accordance with law and 
published in the Federal Register.
    The paragraph that is removed from Section D of IB J-1-76 currently 
reads:

[This Section D is effective November 16, 1998.] Manufactured homes 
that are labeled on or after the effective date must comply with 
this Section D. This provision will expire November 20, 2000, unless 
extended by mutual consent of the Federal Highway Administration and 
HUD during any subsequent rulemaking.]


    Accordingly, Interpretative Bulletin J-1-76 is amended by revising 
Section D, as follows:

    Note: This bulletin does not appear in the Code of Federal 
Regulations.

Interpretative Bulletin J-1-76, Transportation--Subpart J of Part 
3280

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[[Page 70223]]

D. Section 3280.904(b)(8)--Tires, Wheels, And Rims
    Tires and rims shall be sized and fitted to axles in accordance 
with the gross axle weight rating determined by the manufactured home 
manufacturer. The permissible tire loading may be increased up to a 
maximum of 18 percent over the rated load capacity of the manufactured 
home tire marked on the sidewall of the tire or increased up to a 
maximum of 18 percent over the rated load capacity specified for the 
tire in any of the publications of any of the organizations listed in 
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 119 (49 CFR 571.119, 
S5.1(b)).
    Used tires may also be sized in accordance with the above criteria 
whenever the tread depth is at least \2/32\ of an inch as determined by 
a tread wear indicator. The determination as to whether a particular 
used tire is acceptable shall also include a visual inspection of 
thermal and structural defects (e.g., dry rotting, excessive tire 
sidewall splitting, etc.). Wheels and rims shall be sized in accordance 
with the tire manufacturer's recommendations as suitable for use with 
the tires selected.
    The load and cold inflation pressure imposed on the rim or wheel 
must not exceed the rim and wheel manufacturer's instructions even if 
the tire has been approved for a higher load or inflation. Tire cold 
inflation pressure limitations and the inflation pressure measurement 
correction for heat shall be as specified in 49 CFR 393.75(h).
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    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 3535(d) and 5424.

    Dated: November 15, 2000.
William C. Apgar,
Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner.
[FR Doc. 00-29752 Filed 11-17-00; 9:53 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-27-P