Interpretation ID: nht72-2.38

DATE: 08/17/72

FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; R. B. Dyson; NHTSA

TO: Ford Motor Company

TITLE: FMVSS INTERPRETATION

TEXT: This is in reply to your letter of July 26, 1972, concerning the adjustment of a tractor's fifth wheel under the test conditions proposed in Docket 70-17, Notice 5.

You state that it is not possible to load the tractor to its GVWR with the tractor's nonsteerable axles and the trailer's axles at GAWR if the fifth wheel is set in more than one position. If this is the case, and the correct loading can be obtained with the fifth wheel in one position only, then only that position will be used in compliance testing. If more than one position can be used to produce the correct loading, the tractor must conform to the requirements of the standard with the fifth wheel at any such position.