With the Roadcheck inspection event fast approaching, make sure your drivers are prepared for this year’s focus area: wheel ends.
The wheel ends include the tires, wheels, rims, and hubs on a commercial motor vehicle. The failure of any of these components could lead to a crash, and violations are common, so it’s no surprise that the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) will be paying special attention to wheel ends during this year’s three-day inspection blitz.
DOT Enforcement Essentials Manual
Your complete online guide to understanding the complexities surrounding the CSA enforcement program and goes above and beyond to proactively enforce in-house and roadside compliance and prepare for FMCSA audits.
International Roadcheck will be taking place across North America on May 17-19, 2022.
Pre/post inspections are key
Drivers should be checking their wheel ends during every pre- and post-trip inspection. In fact, 49 CFR §§392.7 and 396.11 include the tires, wheels, and rims among the items to be included in every vehicle inspection.
During Roadcheck, officers who conduct a vehicle inspection will be checking a variety of conditions around the wheel ends and placing vehicles out of service when necessary. Make sure your drivers look for the following issues before an inspector does!
- Leaks in the tire, valve stem, or inner wheel seal
- Proper tire inflation
- Cuts or bulges on a tire (don’t forget the inside tire on a dual set!)
- Regrooved tires on a steering axle
- Tread wear
- Improper repair to sidewall (e.g., tire plugs)
- Exposed fabric or cord
- Contact between tires or with any part of the vehicle
- Tires that are marked as being excluded from a steering axle
- Debris between tires
- Cracked, bent, or broken rims
- Loose, broken, damaged, or missing lug nuts
- Elongated stud holes
- Cracked or unseated locking rings, studs, or clamps
- Cracks across spokes or slippage in the area of the clamp
- Hub lubricant leaks
- Missing hub caps or plugs
Drivers must also be aware of wheel-end issues out on the road. They must use all their senses to detect any unusual conditions related to the wheel ends (or any other components), such as:
- Smoke from a wheel end
- Overly hot hubcaps
- Wheel noise, vibration, or wobble
- Decreased braking power/increased stopping distance
- Abnormal pulling when braking
- Wheel lock-up or skidding
Key to remember: Roadcheck begins on May 17, with an emphasis on wheel ends. Make sure your drivers are prepared by conducting thorough pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections.
Did you know?Nearly 90,000 violations were recorded last year for flat or leaking tires, the 7th most common vehicle violation found. |
You may also enjoy the following articles:
New process for drivers with vision issues
Hiding in plain sight: How to identify suspicious shipments
DOT Enforcement Essentials Manual
Your complete guide to understanding the complexities surrounding the CSA enforcement program and goes above and beyond to proactively enforce in-house and roadside compliance and prepare for FMCSA audits.
