[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 78 (Tuesday, April 23, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19801-19802]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-9829]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA 2001-10382; Notice 2]


International Truck and Engine Corporation; Denial of Application 
for Decision That Noncompliance Is Inconsequential to Motor Vehicle 
Safety

    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, do not comply with 
paragraph S5.1 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 
petitioned for a determination that this noncompliance is 
inconsequential to motor vehicle safety and filed an appropriate report 
pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, ``Defect and Noncompliance Reports.''
    Notice of receipt of the application was published on August 24, 
2001, with a 30-day comment period (66 FR 44663).

[[Page 19802]]

NHTSA received no comments on this application.
    International built trucks, truck tractors, and buses 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 
refers to the listing of rims that may be used with various tires in 
the ``Tire and Rim Association, Inc. (T&RA) Yearbook'', or another 
designated publication. According to T&RA, the approved rim widths for 
295/75/R22.5 tires are between 8.25 and 9.00 inches.
    The T&RA approved rim widths are based on an engineering guideline 
stating that the rim width should be 70 to 80 percent of the tire 
section width. International cited a statement in the T&RA Yearbook 
that the effect of using rims of different than design rim width is to 
change the tire section width by 0.1 inch for each 0.25 inch change in 
rim width. The section width for the 295/75R22.5 tires is 11.43 inches 
when mounted on an 8.25 inch wide rim. The tire section width is 
reduced to 11.13 inches when the tires are mounted on a 7.5 inch wide 
rim, resulting in a rim width that is about 67 percent or the tire 
section width. Theoretically, a 7.9 inch wide rim, which is not 
available (not in production), would be required for the subject tires 
to meet the T&RA engineering guideline that the rim width be 70 percent 
of the tire width. International concluded, therefore, that the 7.5 
inch wide rim is 95 percent as wide as the 7.9 inch wide rim that would 
be required for 295/75R22.5 size tires under the 70 percent guideline 
(but not the width specified in the Year Book).
    International stated that the noncompliant mounting of the 295/
75R22.5 tires on the 7.5 inch wide rims is inconsequential 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 rim, with no 
reported problems.
    2. International has corrected its tire wheel assembly instruction 
charts and as of 1/17/01, it will no longer produce this non-compliant 
tire and rim combination.
    3. Many of these vehicles probably have gone through several tire 
replacement cycles without reported problems.
    The agency believes that the true measure of inconsequentiality to 
motor vehicle safety in this case is the effect of the noncompliance on 
the safety of the vehicles on which the noncompliant tire and rim 
combination is mounted. According to International, the 801 heavy duty 
trucks, truck tractors, and buses with this FMVSS No. 120 noncompliance 
are not likely to develop safety consequences. International has 
recognized that, compared to tires mounted on correctly sized rims, the 
tires mounted on rims that are too narrow may experience a decrease in 
sidewall durability, and may also experience higher treadwear for tires 
mounted on the steering axle. Although International asserted that 
these differences in tire wear are small and not likely to reduce the 
safety performance of the vehicles, the agency does not agree.
    The purpose of this section of FMVSS No. 120 is to ensure that 
trucks and buses are equipped with rims and tires that are properly 
matched. The failure of International to meet the tire and rim matching 
requirements is a serious violation of the design requirements of the 
standard. Granting of this petition would establish a precedent that 
the mismatching of tires and rims is acceptable and, therefore, would 
undermine the enforceability of these requirements.
    In consideration of the foregoing, NHTSA has decided that the 
applicant has not met its burden of persuasion, and that the 
noncompliance may have an adverse effect on the safety of these 
vehicles. Accordingly, International's application is denied and the 
company must provide notification of the noncompliance, as required by 
49 U.S.C. 30118. Also, International must provide a free remedy of the 
noncompliance for all vehicles bought by the first purchaser ten 
calendar years or less before notice is given, as required by 49 U.S.C. 
30120(g).

(49 U.S.C. 301118, 301120; delegations of authority at 49 CFR 1.50 
and 501.8)
    Issued on: April 17, 2002.
Stephen R. Kratzke,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 02-9829 Filed 4-22-02; 8:45 am]
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