49 Transportation 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Brakes required on all wheels. 393.42 Section 393.42 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY REGULATIONS PARTS AND ACCESSORIES NECESSARY FOR SAFE OPERATION Brakes
§ 393.42 Brakes required on all wheels. Link to an amendment published at 76 FR 56321, Sept. 13, 2011.

(a) Every commercial motor vehicle shall be equipped with brakes acting on all wheels.

(b) Exception. (1) Trucks or truck tractors having three or more axles and manufactured before July 25, 1980, are not required to have brakes on the front wheels. However, these vehicles must meet the requirements of § 393.52.

(2) Motor vehicles being towed in a driveaway-towaway operation are not required to have operative brakes provided the combination of vehicles meets the requirements of § 393.52. This exception is not applicable to:

(i) Any motor vehicle towed by means of a tow-bar when another motor vehicle is full-mounted on the towed vehicle; and

(ii) Any combination of motor vehicles utilizing three or more saddle-mounts.

(3) Any semitrailer or pole trailer (laden or unladen) with a gross weight of 1,361 kg (3,000 pounds) or less which is subject to this part is not required to be equipped with brakes if the axle weight of the towed vehicle does not exceed 40 percent of the sum of the axle weights of the towing vehicle.

(4) Any full trailer or four-wheel pole trailer (laden or unladen) with a gross weight of 1,361 kg (3,000 pounds) or less which is subject to this part is not required to be equipped with brakes if the sum of the axle weights of the towed vehicle does not exceed 40 percent of the sum of the axle weights of the towing vehicle.

(5) Brakes are not required on the steering axle of a three-axle dolly which is steered by a co-driver.

(6) Loaded housemoving dollies, specialized trailers and dollies used to transport industrial furnaces, reactors, and similar motor vehicles are not required to be equipped with brakes, provided the speed at which the combination of vehicles will be operated does not exceed 32 km/hour (20 mph) and brakes on the combination of vehicles are capable of stopping the combination within 12.2 meters (40 feet) from the speed at which the vehicle is being operated or 32 km/hour (20 mph), whichever is less.

ER15AU05.020 [52 FR 2803, Jan. 27, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 49398, Dec. 7, 1988; 54 FR 48617, Nov. 24, 1989; 59 FR 25574, May 17, 1994; 61 FR 1843, Jan. 24, 1996; 70 FR 48049, Aug. 15, 2005] Effective Date Note:

At 76 FR 56321, Sept. 13, 2011, § 393.42 was amended by revising paragraphs (a) and (b)(2), effective October 13, 2011 . For the convenience of the user, the revised text is set forth as follows:

§ 393.42 Brakes required on all wheels.

(a) Every commercial motor vehicle shall be equipped with brakes acting on all wheels. This requirement also applies to certain motor vehicles being towed in a driveaway-towaway operation, as follows:

(1) Any motor vehicle towed by means of a tow-bar when another motor vehicle is full-mounted on the towed vehicle; and

(2) Any saddlemount configuration with a fullmount.

(b) * * *

(2) Motor vehicles being towed in a driveaway-towaway operation (including the last truck of triple saddle-mount combinations (see § 393.71(a)(3)) are not required to have operative brakes provided the combination of vehicles meets the requirements of § 393.52.