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Difficulty: HardSuspension System Inspection

During a pre-trip inspection, a driver observes that two leaves in an eight-leaf suspension spring assembly are cracked through, while the main leaf remains intact. Under commercial vehicle safety regulations, the vehicle may remain in service for the remainder of the driving shift because fewer than three leaves are damaged.

Answer: Answer

Answer

False (The vehicle must be placed out of service immediately because 25% or more of the leaf spring leaves are broken).
The statement is false because federal safety regulations mandate that a commercial vehicle must be placed out of service if 25% or more of the leaves in any leaf spring assembly are broken or missing. In an eight-leaf assembly, two broken leaves represents exactly 25%, requiring immediate removal from service rather than continued operation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Calculate the percentage of damaged leaves in the suspension spring assembly.
Two broken leaves divided by eight total leaves equals 0.25, or exactly 25%.
Commercial vehicle safety criteria for leaf springs are based on the proportion of damaged leaves in an assembly.
2
Evaluate the calculated defect percentage against federal and commercial vehicle out-of-service standards.
Regulations stipulate that 25% or more missing or broken leaves in any spring assembly constitutes an immediate out-of-service condition.
Operating a vehicle with significant suspension degradation poses severe steering instability and axle misalignment hazards.
3
Determine if completing the shift before repair is permissible.
The vehicle cannot be driven until the defect is repaired.
An out-of-service violation prohibits any commercial operation on public roadways until certified repairs are completed.

Key Concept

Suspension leaf spring defect evaluation and out-of-service regulatory thresholds
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Suspension System Inspection

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