Is this legal? *pix inside*

That is tail light bar, lights that are mounted on it must work, needs to be replaced?

 

Of course that's legal, looks factory spec. I wonder how he's kept it in such great condition.

 

I'm thinking of my CDL class and DMV script for pre-trip inspection.
"I'm looking at my frame. It is not bent or cracked and has no non-factory welds or holes."

I'd say the part where somebody removed most of the rear cross member with a cutting torch is ... no, not legal.
Just guessing though. Maybe you should pull it into a scale and ask.

 

Take a big hammer and beat that thing somewhat straight and get a can of spray paint it wont be so noticeable.

 

As that is not a weight supporting section of frame, nor is it providing any type of support for safety necessary items (like lights), I do not see why it would be a legal issue. Just looks crappy, is all. Probably grabbed a kingpin at some point with a trailer dropped to low, or had a trailer fall off the fifth wheel.

The "frame" referred to by the DOT generally speaks about the sturdy steel rails the cab rests on and the axles are attached to.

 

If that were the case, most trucks on the road today would be OOS. Have an aftermarket tool box? Probably had holes drilled to mount it. Pull a pneumatic tank? Probably a hole or two drilled mounting the blower, air filter, etc. Have a wet kit? Yup...probably had a hole or two drilled to mount the hydraulic tank. Got an APU hanging on the side of the truck? Guess what! Holes were drilled to mount that, too. Got those racks to hang your snow chains? Holes were drilled to mount 'em.

The question you've got to ask is whether or not what has been done weakens the structural integrity of the chassis. That rear cross member appears as though it was rather flimsy to begin with, so I doubt the engineers were relying upon that piece to handle any significant force. The fact that the bottom of it is still intact will prevent the rear of the frame from pulling apart, so I don't think it would be an issue. Should it be replaced? Yeah. Does it need to be replaced right this very second before the truck can be driven anywhere? Probably not.

From Appendix G:

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/399.Appendix G to Subchapter B of Chapter III

While that rear cross member certainly is not in "like new" condition, it is not "cracked, loose, sagging or broken" either.

 

Oh lord, a truck stop lawyer.
Granted, it's not cracked, loose sagging or broken.
But ...

It's MISSING. It's been CUT OUT with a TORCH.

The steel in a tractor frame isn't just quarter-inch plate you pick up at Home Depot.
It is formed and annealed to very specific engineering tolerance, heated and cooled at specific temperatures for specific times, customizing the material's hardness and strength for this specific intended purpose, namely to be as strong and as safe as possible for use on a heavy commercial vehicle.
Never minding that half the structural mass is MISSING, what do you think the heat from the torch did to the engineering specifications of that steel cross member? Hmm?
Got any clue? Of course not.

Truck out of service, BANG. End of story. It's unsafe.

 

No, not a truck stop lawyer....just a driver who is familiar with the contents of that little green book and has experience turning wrenches on these trucks maintaining and repairing them. The OOS criteria are quite specific, and the image does not show anything that would rise to that level. The piece in question is not a "structural" piece. The piece is not cracked. It is not loose. It is not sagging. It is not broken. It is not missing. There is enough of it present to do the job it is required to do....maintain proper distance between the frame rails. If it were a frame rail located farther forward...between the axles....then yes, it would be a more significant problem. If vital components were bolted to it...engine, transmission, cab, body, etc...then it would be a more significant problem. As a rear cross member, though, its current condition is sufficient enough to do handle what little stress it will have placed upon it. From what the pictures are showing, there is nothing in the regulations which would justify the truck being placed OOS.

The "4 people in the shop" who "said it was okay" were correct.

You and the drivers less familiar with the regulations governing the maintenance, repairs, and inspection of the trucks were wrong. Your CDL school may have taught you the names of a few key parts and told you to say you check them for "cracked, broken, or missing" in order to pass the pre-trip portion of your skills test. That doesn't mean you know anything beyond having the ability to name a few key parts and recite the words "cracked, broken, or missing". Personally, I'm not impressed by that.

 

That's not an integral part of the frame. The fact that it's bolted on is your best clue. I imagine somebody tried to drop a trailer without putting the landing gear down and the king pin mangled it. I'm sure DOT would write it up if they saw it (just because they can). Might be hard to see with a trailer hooked.