Inspectors to crack down on wheel ends during nation’s biggest trucker blitz

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) announced the area of focus for this year’s International Roadcheck enforcement effort.

This year, International Roadcheck will take place May 17 — 19 at weigh and inspection stations, on roving patrols, and at temporary inspection sites throughout Canada, Mexico and the U.S.

Each year, the CVSA selects an area of emphasis for the 72 hour Roadcheck campaign. Last year, inspectors focused on Hours of Service violations and lighting violations.

This year, the focus will be on wheel ends.

According to the CVSA, violations involving wheel end components historically account for about one quarter of the vehicle out-of-service violations discovered during International Roadcheck, and past International Roadcheck data routinely found wheel end components in the top 10 of vehicle violations.

During inspection of wheel ends on a commercial motor vehicle, inspectors will:

• Check for cracks or unseated locking rings, studs or clamps.
• Check for bent, cracked or broken rims on the inside and outside wheel rims.
• Check for loose, broken, missing or damaged wheel fasteners and elongated stud holes.
• Check spoke wheels for cracks across spokes and in the web area or slippage in the clamp areas.
• Check the hub for lubricant leaks, missing caps or plugs.
• Check the inner wheel seal for leaks.
• Check the tire and valve stem for leaks.
• Check for proper inflation, cuts and bulges on all tires, including the inside tire on a dual set.
• Check for regrooved tires on steering axle.
• Check tread wear and measure major tread groove depth.
• Inspect the sidewall for improper repairs, such as tire plugs.
• Check for exposed fabric or cord.
• Check for tire contact with any part of the vehicle.
• Check for markings on the tire that would exclude its use on a steering axle.
• Check for debris between the tires.
• Check for tires touching one another or any part of the vehicle.

Check out the flier below for additional information.

“We want every vehicle on our roadways to be in proper working order for the safety of the driver operating that vehicle and everyone traveling on our roadways,” said CVSA President Capt. John Broers with the South Dakota Highway Patrol.

International Roadcheck is the largest targeted enforcement program on commercial motor vehicles in the world, with nearly 15 trucks or buses inspected, on average, every minute across North America during a 72-hour period.

Since its inception in 1988, roadside inspections conducted during International Roadcheck have numbered more than 1.4 million. Roadcheck also provides an opportunity to educate industry and the general public about the importance of safe commercial vehicle operations and the roadside inspection program.