South Australian Consolidated Regulations

ROAD TRAFFIC (VEHICLE STANDARDS) RULES 1999 - REG 64

64—Axle configuration

        (1)         A motor vehicle, except an articulated bus, must have only:

            (a)         1 axle group, or single axle, towards the front of the vehicle; and

            (b)         1 axle group, or single axle, towards the rear of the vehicle.

        (2)         An articulated bus must have:

            (a)         on its front section:

                  (i)         only 1 axle group, or single axle, towards the front of the section; and

                  (ii)         only 1 axle group, or single axle, towards the rear of the section; and

            (b)         on another section—only 1 axle group or single axle.

        (3)         A trailer must have only:

            (a)         1 axle group or single axle; or

            (b)         2 axle groups, 2 single axles, or 1 axle group and single axle, in the following configuration:

                  (i)         1 axle group, or single axle, towards the front of the vehicle, with all the wheels on the axle group or single axle connected to the steering mechanism for that part of the trailer;

                  (ii)         1 axle group, or single axle, towards the rear of the vehicle.

        (4)         A semi-trailer that is extendible, or is fitted with sliding axles, must:

            (a)         have a securing device that:

                  (i)         can securely fix the extendible part or sliding axles to the rest of the vehicle in any position of adjustment provided; and

                  (ii)         is located in a position that can prevent accidental or inadvertent release, if the device is mounted on the chassis of the vehicle; and

                  (iii)         is fitted with a visible or audible warning system to indicate to a person standing beside the vehicle that the device is not engaged; and

                  (iv)         is fitted with a way of preventing loss of air from the air brake supply, if the device uses air from the brake system and fails in a way allowing air to escape; and

                  (v)         is held in the applied position by direct mechanical action without the intervention of an electric, hydraulic or pneumatic device; and

            (b)         be built so the adjustable parts of the vehicle remain connected if the securing device fails.

        (5)         The axle groups in a B-double with two tri-axle groups must be positioned so that the following formulae are complied with:

where

"X" means the distance in metres (measured to the nearest tenth of a metre) between the centres of the closest axles in the second and third axle groups of the B-double;

"Y" means the distance in metres (measured to the nearest tenth of a metre) between the centres of the closest axles in the third and fourth axle groups of the B-double.