Tires, lamps and emergency equipment

(a) (a) No motor vehicle shall be operated on any tire that—

(a)(1) (1) Has body ply or belt material exposed through the tread or sidewall,

(a)(2) (2) Has any tread or sidewall separation,

(a)(3) (3) Is flat or has an audible leak, or

(a)(4) (4) Has a cut to the extent that the ply or belt material is exposed.

(b) (b) Any tire on the front wheels of a bus, truck, or truck tractor shall have a tread groove pattern depth of at least 4/32 of an inch when measured at any point on a major tread groove. The measurements shall not be made where tie bars, humps, or fillets are located.

(c) (c) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, tires shall have a tread groove pattern depth of at least 2/32 of an inch when measured in a major tread groove. The measurement shall not be made where tie bars, humps or fillets are located.

(g) (g) Tire loading restrictions (except on manufactured homes). No motor vehicle (except manufactured homes, which are governed by paragraph (h) of this section) shall be operated with tires that carry a weight greater than that marked on the sidewall of the tire or, in the absence of such a marking, a weight greater than that specified for the tires in any of the publications of any of the organizations listed in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 119 (49 CFR 571.119, S5.1(b)) unless:

(h)(2)(i) (i) Tire inflation pressure. (1) No motor vehicle shall be operated on a tire which has a cold inflation pressure less than that specified for the load being carried.

Uses a fixed source edition; check the original and statutory history for operative dates and exceptions.

(a) (a) All lamps required by this subpart shall be capable of being operated at all times. This paragraph shall not be construed to require that any auxiliary or additional lamp be capable of operating at all times.

(b) (b) Lamps and reflective devices/material required by this subpart must not be obscured by the tailboard, or by any part of the load, or its covering by dirt, or other added vehicle or work equipment, or otherwise. Exception: The conspicuity treatments on the front end protection devices may be obscured by part of the load being transported.

Uses a fixed source edition; check the original and statutory history for operative dates and exceptions.

Each truck, truck tractor, and bus (except those towed in driveaway-towaway operations) must be equipped as follows:

(a) (a) Fire extinguishers—(1) Minimum ratings. (i) A power unit that is used to transport hazardous materials in a quantity that requires placarding (See § 177.823 of this title) must be equipped with a fire extinguisher having an Underwriters' Laboratories rating of 10 B:C or more.

(ii) A power unit that is not used to transport hazardous materials must be equipped with either:

(A) A fire extinguisher having an Underwriters' Laboratories rating of 5 B:C or more; or

(B) Two fire extinguishers, each of which has an Underwriters' Laboratories rating of 4 B:C or more.

(2) Labeling and marking. Each fire extinguisher required by this section must be labeled or marked by the manufacturer with its Underwriters' Laboratories rating.

(3) Visual Indicators. The fire extinguisher must be designed, constructed, and maintained to permit visual determination of whether it is fully charged.

(4) Condition, location, and mounting. The fire extinguisher(s) must be filled and located so that it is readily accessible for use. The extinguisher(s) must be securely mounted to prevent sliding, rolling, or vertical movement relative to the motor vehicle.

(5) Extinguishing agents. The fire extinguisher must use an extinguishing agent that does not need protection from freezing. Extinguishing agents must comply with the toxicity provisions of the Environmental Protection Agency's Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) regulations under 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart G.

(6) Exception. This paragraph (a) does not apply to the driven unit in a driveaway-towaway operation.

(f) (f) Warning devices for stopped vehicles. Except as provided in paragraph (g) of this section, one of the following options must be used:

(f)(1) (1) Three bidirectional emergency reflective triangles that conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 125, § 571.125 of this title; or

(f)(2) (2) At least 6 fusees. The vehicle must have as many additional fusees as are necessary to satisfy the requirements of § 392.22 of this chapter.

(f)(3) (3) Other warning devices may be used in addition to, but not in lieu of, the required warning devices, provided those warning devices do not decrease the effectiveness of the required warning devices.

(g) (g) Restrictions on the use of flame-producing devices. Fusees or any other signal produced by a flame shall not be carried on any commercial motor vehicle transporting Division 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 (explosives) hazardous materials; any cargo tank motor vehicle used for the transportation of Division 2.1 (flammable gas) or Class 3 (flammable liquid) hazardous materials whether loaded or empty; or any commercial motor vehicle using compressed gas as a motor fuel.

Uses a fixed source edition; check the original and statutory history for operative dates and exceptions.