Coupling Working Group

Early in 2020 a project proposal was submitted to Standards Australia (SA) to review the following Australian Standards:

• AS 2213.1 Commercial road vehicles — Mechanical connections between towing vehicles Part 1: Selection and marking of pin-type couplings and drawbar eyes.
• AS/NZS 4968.1 Heavy road vehicles—Mechanical coupling between articulated vehicle combinations Part 1: Design criteria and selection requirements for fifth wheel, kingpin and associated equipment.
• AS NZS 4968.2 Heavy road vehicles—Mechanical coupling between articulated vehicle combinations Part 2: Testing and installation of fifth wheel and associated equipment.
• AS NZS 4968.3 Heavy road vehicles – Mechanical coupling between articulated vehicle combinations Part 3: Kingpins and associated equipment

SA has created the ME-053 Technical Committee to review these standards, and two meetings have been held over the last month to cover scoping of the work.

Ordinarily, HVIA would create an internal working group to take member views back to the Technical Committee. However, in this particular case, there is a significant need for several industry experts to be involved in the SA sub working groups the Committee has decided to create.

The ME 053 committee is seeking a significant amount of participation in the sub working groups from industry to carry out this review.

In view of this need, and as it is likely that most eventual sub group members are likely to be members, HVIA is proposing that those who nominate for the working group also be nominated for the ME-053 sub working groups.

Therefore, in this instance there will be more “formality” in participating in this HVIA working group particularly if you wish to read the working drafts during the review process.

Rather than go through the detail here, (and spare those that may not be interested in joining the work group), I have attached a more in depth explanation of what is proposed and how it will work if you choose to join the group as an active member or as an observer.

Please click on the button below to download the explanation note.

We will continue to receive more general information on progress of this standards review via Talk the Torque and HVIA State Committee meetings.

Paul Caus – Chief Technical Officer m: 0437 901 669 E: p.caus@hvia.asn.au