Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 9, September 27, 2024
(a) General requirements. Brake tubing and
brake hose must
(1) Be designed and
constructed in a manner that insures proper, adequate, and continued
functioning of the tubing or hose;
(2) Be installed in a manner that insures
proper continued functioning of the tubing or hose;
(3) Be long and flexible enough to
accommodate without damage all normal motions of the parts to which it is
attached;
(4) Be suitably secured
against chafing, kinking, or other mechanical damage;
(5) Be installed in a manner that prevents it
from contacting the vehicle's exhaust system or any other source of high
temperatures; and
(6) Conform to
the applicable requirements of paragraph (b) or (c). In addition, all hose
installed on and after January 1, 1981, must conform to those applicable
subsections of FMVSS 106 (
49 CFR
571.106) .
(b) Special requirements for metallic brake
tubing, nonmetallic brake tubing, coiled nonmetallic brake tubing and brake
hose.
(1) Metallic brake tubing, nonmetallic
brake tubing, coiled nonmetallic brake tubing, and brake hose installed on a
commercial motor vehicle on and after March 7, 1989, must meet or exceed one of
the following specifications set forth in the SAE Handbook, 1985 edition:
(i) Metallic Air Brake Tubing SAE Recommended
Practice J1149 Metallic Air Brake System Tubing and Pipe July 76.
(ii) Nonmetallic Air Brake Tubing SAE
Recommended Practice J844 Nonmetallic Air Brake System Type B OCT 80.
(iii) Air Brake Hose SAE Recommended Practice
J1402 Automotive Air Brake Hose and Hose Assemblies JUN 85.
(iv) Hydraulic Brake Hose SAE Recommended
Practice J1401 Road Vehicle Hydraulic Brake Hose Assemblies for Use with Non
Petroleum Base Hydraulic Fluid JUN 85.
(v) Vacuum Brake Hose SAE Recommended
Practice J1403 Vacuum Brake Hose JUN 85.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (c),
brake hose and brake tubing installed on a motor vehicle before March 7, 1989,
must conform to
49 CFR
393.45 effective October 31, 1983.
(c) Nonmetallic brake tubing.
Coiled nonmetallic brake tubing may be used for connections between towed and
towing vehicles or between the frame of a towed vehicle and the unsprung
subframe of an adjustable axle of that vehicle if
(1) The coiled tubing has a straight segment
(pigtail) at each end that is at least 2 inches in length and is encased in a
spring guard or similar device which prevents the tubing from kinking at the
fitting at which it is attached to the vehicle; and
(2) The spring guard or similar device has at
least 2 inches of closed coils or similar surface at its interface with the
fitting and extends at least 1 1/2 inches into the coiled segment of the tubing
from its straight segment.
(d) Brake tubing and brake hose, uses.
Metallic and nonmetallic brake tubing is intended for use in areas of the brake
system where relative movement in the line is not anticipated. Brake hose and
coiled nonmetallic brake tubing is intended for use in the brake system where
substantial relative movement in the line is anticipated or the hose/coiled
nonmetallic brake tubing is exposed to potential tension or impact such as
between the frame and axle in a conventional type suspension system (axle
attached to frame by suspension system). Nonmetallic brake tubing may be used
through an articulation point provided movement is less than 4.5 degrees in a
vertical plane, and 7.4 degrees in a transverse horizontal plane.
