[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 165 (Friday, August 24, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 44663]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-21455]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA 2001-10382; Notice 1]


International Truck and Engine Corporation; Receipt of 
Application for Decision of Inconsequential Noncompliance

    International Truck and Engine Corporation (International) of Fort 
Wayne, Indiana, has determined that approximately 801 vehicles produced 
from January 1, 1986, through January 16, 2001, are noncompliant with 
paragraphs 5.1.1 of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 
120, ``Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles Other Than Passenger 
Cars.''
    Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 30118(d) and 30120(h), International has 
petitioned for a determination that this noncompliance is 
inconsequential to motor vehicle safety and has filed an appropriate 
report pursuant to 49 CFR Part 573, ``Defect and Noncompliance 
Reports.''
    This notice of receipt of an application is published under 49 
U.S.C. 30118 and 30120 and does not represent any agency decision or 
other exercise of judgment concerning the merits of the application.
    International built 801 vehicles with 295/75R22.5 tires mounted on 
7.50-inch wide rims. Paragraph S5.1.1 of FMVSS No. 120 requires that 
vehicles be equipped with rims that are listed as suitable for use with 
the tires that are mounted on them in accordance with paragraph S5.1 of 
FMVSS No. 119, ``New Pneumatic Tires for Vehicles other than Passenger 
Cars.'' Paragraph S 5.1 of FMVSS No. 119 requires that a listing of the 
dimensions of the rims that may be used with each tire be provided to 
the public. This requirement is met if the information concerning tire 
and rim size matching is published in ``The Tire and Rim Association, 
Inc.'' (T&RA) Yearbook. According to T&RA, the approved rim widths for 
the 295/75/R22.5 tires are 8.25--9.00 inches.
    International states that the T&RA approved rim widths are based on 
an engineering guideline that the rim width should be 70 to 80 percent 
of the tire section width. It also cites a statement in the T&RA 
Yearbook that the effect of using rims of different than the design rim 
width is to change the tire section width by 0.1 inch for each 0.25 
inch change in rim width. Consequently the 7.5 inch rim width is 67 
percent of the reduced tire section width of 11.13 inches. 
International concludes that the 7.5 inch rim width provides 95 percent 
of the recommended rim width for the tire.
    The petitioner has corrected its tire wheel assembly instruction 
charts and, as of January 17, 2001, no longer produces this 
noncompliant tire and wheel combination.
    International states that the noncompliance of the 295/75R22.5 
tires being mounted on the 7.5'' wheel is inconsequential as it relates 
to motor vehicle safety for the following reasons:
    1. International customers have operated vehicles of various model 
types for 15 years, with this combination of tire and wheel, with no 
reported problems.
    2. International has corrected its tire wheel assembly instruction 
charts and as of 1/17/01, will no longer produce this non-compliant 
tire and wheel combination.
    3. Many of these vehicles may have likely gone through several tire 
replacement cycles without reported problems.
    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and 
arguments on the application described above. Comments should refer to 
the docket and notice number and be submitted to: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW, 
Washington, DC, 20590. It is requested that two copies be submitted.
    All comments received before the close of business on the closing 
date indicated below will be considered. The application and supporting 
materials, and all comments received after the closing date, will also 
be filed and will be considered to the extent possible. When the 
application is granted or denied, a notice will be published in the 
Federal Register pursuant to the authority indicated below. Comment 
closing date: September 24, 2001.

    (49 U.S.C. 301118, 301120; delegations of authority at 49 CFR 
1.50 and 501.8)

    Issued on: August 20, 2001.
Stephen R. Kratzke,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 01-21455 Filed 8-23-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P