Suspension on Tractor

Question

Hi...I have been advised that recent law (published 1 July 1999) states that it is illegal for a heavy goods truck tractor unit with an air ride suspension to tow a tri-axle 30 tonne trailer on a steel leaf suspension on South African roads...please can you clarify this point as i cannot find anywhere to states that this is true .

Answer

Road traffic in South Africa is governed in terms of the National Road Traffic Act, Act No 93 of 1996. The regulations referred to, were made in terms of this Act.

Regulation 219:
"A semi-trailer first registered on or after 1 July 1999, shall be fitted with only one axle or one axle unit, which axle unit shall be fitted with suspension of one type only namely either air suspension, steel suspension, or rubber suspension."

Thus, on the specified semi-trailers only one suspension type shall be used on the trailer itself. The suspension types of the truck tractor may be different from that of the semi-trailer.