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Question

Difficulty: MediumTires, Wheels, and Rims Inspection

Before operating a heavy combination vehicle on a regional delivery route, a driver measures the remaining tread grooves and checks the physical condition of the tires on each axle. Which of the following observed conditions meets all commercial vehicle safety requirements for legal operation?

  1. A
    A front steer wheel tire displaying 3/32 inch of tread depth across all major tread grooves
  2. A drive axle dual tire retaining 3/32 inch of tread depth with valve stem caps securely installedAnswer
  3. C
    A front steering position tire with 2/32 inch of remaining tread depth
  4. D
    A trailer axle tire worn down to 1/32 inch of tread depth in two adjacent grooves

Answer

A drive axle dual tire retaining 3/32 inch of tread depth with valve stem caps securely installed meets all commercial vehicle safety requirements.
Commercial vehicle safety regulations mandate a minimum tread depth of 4/32 inch in every major groove on front steer tires and 2/32 inch on all other tires (drive and trailer axles). A drive axle tire with 3/32 inch of remaining tread exceeds the 2/32-inch threshold and is fully compliant and legal for service.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Recall the federal minimum tread depth standards by axle position.
Front steer axle tires require at least 4/32 inch of tread depth in every major groove, while drive and trailer axle tires require at least 2/32 inch.
Steer tires bear crucial directional control and hydroplaning resistance demands, requiring a higher minimum depth threshold than non-steer tires.
2
Evaluate the measured values against the respective axle requirements.
The steer tire conditions with 3/32 inch and 2/32 inch fail the 4/32-inch requirement, and the trailer tire with 1/32 inch fails the 2/32-inch requirement. The drive axle tire with 3/32 inch satisfies the 2/32-inch requirement.
Only tires that meet or exceed their position-specific minimum threshold are legal for dispatch.

Key Concept

Commercial Vehicle Tire Tread Depth Regulations
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Tires, Wheels, and Rims Inspection

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