Altering Vehicle Weight Certification

DW_Gray

Well-known member
UPDATE BELOW! 5/22/14

I discovered this apparently little known federal law: 49 CFR 567.7 - REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONS WHO ALTER CERTIFIED VEHICLES.

What do you make of this? I have few questions for NHTSA and will be calling them this week for answers.

§ 567.7 Requirements for persons who alter certified vehicles.
(a) With respect to the vehicle alterations it performs, an alterer:
(1) Has a duty to determine continued conformity of the altered vehicle with applicable Federal motor vehicle safety, Bumper, and Theft Prevention standards, and
(2) Assumes legal responsibility for all duties and liabilities for certification under the Vehicle Safety Act.
(b) The vehicle manufacturer's certification label and any information labels shall remain affixed to the vehicle and the alterer shall affix to the vehicle an additional label in the manner and location specified in § 567.4, in a manner that does not obscure any previously applied labels, and containing the following information:
(1) The statement: “This vehicle was altered by (individual or corporate name) in (month and year in which alterations were completed) and as altered it conforms to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety, Bumper and Theft Prevention Standards affected by the alteration and in effect in (month, year).” The second date shall be no earlier than the date of manufacture of the certified vehicle (as specified on the certification label), and no later than the date alterations were completed.
(2) If the gross vehicle weight rating or any of the gross axle weight ratings of the vehicle as altered are different from those shown on the original certification label, the modified values shall be provided in the form specified in § 567.4(g)(3) and (4).
(3) If the vehicle as altered has a different type classification from that shown on the original certification label, the type as modified shall be provided.

UPDATE! 5/22/14

I had a very good 19 minute conversation with John at NHTSA this morning. After doing additional research prior to talking to John, I kind-of knew what the answer was.

John confirmed that 49 CFR 567.7 – Requirements for Person Who Alter Certified Vehicles DOES NOT apply to the consumer or individual vehicle owner.

The law basically applies only to the manufacturer or an authorized vehicle "alterer" who must comply with very strict guidelines.

Legal definition: “Alterer means a person who alters by addition, substitution, or removal of components (other than readily attachable components) a certified vehicle before the first purchase of the vehicle other than for resale.”

As most of us have stated all along, we, the consumers, cannot do anything that would alter the federally mandated Certification Label on our vehicles and has now been confirmed by a representative of NHTSA.

John and I discussed the fact that vehicle owners do modify vehicles and there is no prohibition to do so. He also noted that there is no prevision for NHTSA to enforce compliance on consumers. But he did emphasize that those changes will not realize a legally binding rating change. He went on to say that consumers automatically assume legal responsibility for all modifications made to a vehicle and they must endure the risk.

I’ll be writing up a new article for FWS discussing this in full in the near future.
 
Last edited:

pegmikef

Well-known member
Dave, I know they changed mine and put a new sticker under the old one when my 50 gallon auxillary tank/toolbox combo was installed. In fact the installation instructions specified how it was to be changed. I don't know if this falls under the law you quoted.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
I discovered this apparently little known federal law: 49 CFR 567.7 - REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONS WHO ALTER CERTIFIED VEHICLES.

What do you make of this? I have few questions for NHTSA and will be calling them this week for answers.

§ 567.7 Requirements for persons who alter certified vehicles.
(a) With respect to the vehicle alterations it performs, an alterer:
(1) Has a duty to determine continued conformity of the altered vehicle with applicable Federal motor vehicle safety, Bumper, and Theft Prevention standards, and
(2) Assumes legal responsibility for all duties and liabilities for certification under the Vehicle Safety Act.
(b) The vehicle manufacturer's certification label and any information labels shall remain affixed to the vehicle and the alterer shall affix to the vehicle an additional label in the manner and location specified in § 567.4, in a manner that does not obscure any previously applied labels, and containing the following information:
(1) The statement: “This vehicle was altered by (individual or corporate name) in (month and year in which alterations were completed) and as altered it conforms to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety, Bumper and Theft Prevention Standards affected by the alteration and in effect in (month, year).” The second date shall be no earlier than the date of manufacture of the certified vehicle (as specified on the certification label), and no later than the date alterations were completed.
(2) If the gross vehicle weight rating or any of the gross axle weight ratings of the vehicle as altered are different from those shown on the original certification label, the modified values shall be provided in the form specified in § 567.4(g)(3) and (4).
(3) If the vehicle as altered has a different type classification from that shown on the original certification label, the type as modified shall be provided.
Probably applies to shops like Classy Chassis where they make vehicle alterations or start from a truck with no bed.
 

marvmarcy

Well-known member
This seems well worth investigating. I know quite a few rvers have modified OTR tractors (semi trucks) where one of the tandem rear axles was removed, thereby reducing the GVWR. Although my truck is not modified, the state title and tag show a reduced GVWR as a result of being titled as a coach (private rv or motorhome) instead of a commercial truck. I look forward to reading your findings and how they apply to private vehicles.
 

whp4262

Well-known member
It's also probably for motorhome manufacturers who build off of stuff like the Ford F53 strip chassis.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

hoefler

Well-known member
This is for vehicle upfitters, people who take a chassis and completes it for a specific use; RV, dump bed, box truck, school bus, charter bus, crane, concrete mixer, etc.... They are require to have the proper liability insurance and assume liability for the completed vehicle. Take a look at the door post of an incomplete vehicle, you will find a sticker that state that it is incomplete, and the body installer shall place the final specifications decal on the vehicle
 

wdk450

Well-known member
I lost 500 lbs on my GVW rating when I had the frame flex repair done at the Heartland Factory last June. Since they removed the front cap for this, they had to change out the sticker, I guess.

I'll be interested in hearing the answers you get, Dave.
 

porthole

Retired
I'll be following along as well. We replaced the maybe adequate 7K suspension with a real 8K suspension. Curious as to how that may or may not affect things.
 

DW_Gray

Well-known member
I'm working on it. I finally got the phone number of the chief in charge of this law and left a message this morning. Hopefully in a day or two I'll have the bottom line answer.
 

DW_Gray

Well-known member
I had a very good 19 minute conversation with John at NHTSA this morning. After doing additional research prior to talking to John, I kind-of knew what the answer was.

John confirmed that 49 CFR 567.7 – Requirements for Person Who Alter Certified Vehicles DOES NOT apply to the consumer or individual vehicle owner.

The law basically applies only to the manufacturer or an authorized vehicle "alterer" who must comply with very strict guidelines.

Legal definition: “Alterer means a person who alters by addition, substitution, or removal of components (other than readily attachable components) a certified vehicle before the first purchase of the vehicle other than for resale.”

As most of us have stated all along, we, the consumers, cannot do anything that would alter the federally mandated Certification Label on our vehicles and has now been confirmed by a representative of NHTSA.

John and I discussed the fact that vehicle owners do modify vehicles and there is no prohibition to do so. He also noted that there is no prevision for NHTSA to enforce compliance on consumers. But he did emphasize that those changes will not realize a legally binding rating change. He went on to say that consumers automatically assume legal responsibility for all modifications made to a vehicle and they must endure the risk.

I’ll be writing up a new article for FWS discussing this in full in the near future.
 
Top