During a roadside inspection of a 2024 Freightliner Cascadia (160K miles) truck tractor I discovered both the left and right steering axle wheels to have a considerable amount of the rim edge (where tire beads onto rim) with missing material. The left side wheel had approximately 75-80% of the inner rim edge broken off and the right wheel was around 50% of the inner rim edge broken off. A question arose during the inspection as to whether this is a violation and if so what section under 14. Wheels, Rims and Hubs would it fall under. It was determined roadside that this defect would have started as a crack so the truck was placed out of service roadside. In speaking with the driver of the CMV he advised that the Freightliner has not been involved in any collisions and there was no evidence of damage to the Freightliner that would support the Freightliner striking anything.

Information from David Walters with Alcoa Wheels.
We had our TMC s.2 Interim Meeting and we discussed the wheel failures from you. This issue can only be caused by two issues; Manufacturing Issues or Hitting a Road Hazard. We have seen this with wheels due to Manufacturing issues but have had no reports of Accidents, Injuries or Rapid Air Loss in the Field.

The s.2 Group agrees that this is an Out of Service Condition according to Section 14 (B) Any Circumferential Crack (393.205 (a) . We believe that this should read Any Circumferential Crack or Missing Material from the Rim .

From the Alcoa Wheel side we have put in Corrective Actions to resolve this issue at the Manufacturing facilities that had this issue.

Update language in the out of service criteria to cover rim pieces that are missing.

I would request that the Vehicle committee amend the out of service criteria to section 14. Wheels, Rims and Hubs c. (1) as follows:
c. Disc Wheel Cracks
(1) Any crack or missing piece exceeding 3 inches (76.2 mm) in length. (393.205(a))