OOSC, Part II, Item 7. Frames, a. Frame Members

Corrosion in Frames. 393.201. a-e. There is no clarification on corrosion in the frame and its structural integrity. The severe corrosion spreading throughout the web of the main frame doesn't meet the criteria for a crack, looseness, breakage, or sagging. The concern is at what point does corrosion weaken the integrity of the frame? With a crack, the structural part of the design is still there, but it can be repaired per the manufacturer's specifications. With corrosion, the metal has thinned beyond repair without full replacement of the section or a repair plate. In the North American Standard OOS section 7 (3) has a crack in the side web directed downward toward the bottom flange. A corrosion hole/ holes can be large and thin through the entire web of the frame, and is not considered a crack. Some frames are manufactured with holes in the web. This is by design from the manufacturer. If corrosion eats the metal around those holes, does it weaken the integrity or not? If it is designed with a solid web, does the corrosion weaken the frame? This also adds to the question, which way does the corrosion rot go, downward, upward, and does the size of the hole matter? This matter of corrosion is being taught under the current curriculum, but then nothing says corrosion in the OOS criteria.

Guidance is needed to properly list and document, while protecting the roadways from hazardous conditions. The pictures are from a stepdeck flatbed that was involved in a fatal crash. The vehicle had just previously passed an annual safety inspection on 5/4/26. This was located on 5/12/26. Multiple inspectors have looked at the photos and have given multiple answers. With no agreement across the board, a quidance is needed.

Under NASOOS part 7, a section for corrosion of the frame components should be added. A frame with corrosion that has caused a hole in the webbing, radius, or flange of the frame, not by the design of the manufacturer. (a) larger than __ inches (b) More than ___ of the metal is missing (c) directly near or above/below a crucial component (i.e., kingpin mount, axles, suspension)