Interpretation ID: nht78-1.17

DATE: 02/17/78

FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; J. J. Levin, Jr.; NHTSA

TO: Mr. Wirtz

TITLE: FMVSS INTERPRETATION

TEXT: This is in response to your letter of October 17, 1977, inquiring about tire endurance tests.

The tire endurance test proposed in Docket No. 74-2, Notice 1, has not been adopted by this agency. Comments received in response to the notice were generally critical of the suggested amendment. The agency found the comments essentially meritorious and, thus, is at this time contemplating closing the docket on the proposed revision. The tire endurance test currently prescribed in Standard 109 remains in effect and should be regarded as establishing the performance level necessary for compliance.

If you wish to obtain copies of the SAE standards, you should contact the SAE directly at the following address:

Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc. 400 Commonwealth Drive Warrendale, Pennsylvania 15096

Sincerely,

ATTACH.

Docket Section -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

October 17, 1977

Standard No. 109 (49 CFR 571.109) - Registration No. 74-2 notice from January 10, 1974

Passenger car tires which shall be labeled with the symbol DOT must among others be subjected to the tire endurance test. In the notice No. 1, registered under No. 74-2, the proposal was made to replace the tire endurance test defined in MVSS 109 by a new SAE-procedure showing some changes in the testing conditions compared with the test method defined in MVSS 109.

Would you be kind enough to inform me whether the new SAE test procedure (published under registration No. 74-2) was put into force for the performance of the tire endurance test according to MVSS 109, and which of both test methods is obligatory for the proof of tires to conform to the requirements of MVSS 109.

At the same time I ask you to place to my disposal all SAE standards regarding tire test procedures.

Sincerely Wirtz -- General manager