1975L0321 — EN — 21.05.1975 — 000.001 — 1
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►B COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
of 20May 1975
on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the steering equipment of
wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors
(75/321/EEC)
(OJ L 147, 9.6.1975, p. 24)
Corrected by:
►C1Corrigendum, OJ L 226, 18.8.1976, p. 16 (75/321)
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COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
of 20May 1975
on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to
the steering equipment of wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors
(75/321/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic
Community, and in particular Article 100 thereof;
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission;Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament(
1);
Having regard to the Opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee(2);
Whereas the technical requirements with which tractors must comply
pursuant to national laws relate, inter alia, to steering equipment;
Whereas these requirements differ from one Member State to another;
whereas it is therefore necessary that all Member States adopt the samerequirements either in addition to or in place of their existing rules inorder, in particular, to allow the EEC type approval procedure whichwas the subject of Council Directive 74/150/EEC (
3) of 4 March 1974
on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to thetype approval of wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors to be appliedin respect of each type of tractor,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1
1. ‘Agricultural or forestry tractor' means any motor vehicle fitted
with wheels or ►C1endless tracks ◄and having at least two axles,
the main function of which lies in its tractive power and which isspecially designed to tow, push, carry or power certain tools, machineryor trailers intended for agricultural or forestry use. It may be equippedto carry a load and passengers.
2. This Directive shall apply only to tractors defined in the preceding
paragraph which are fitted with pneumatic tyres and which have twoaxles and a maximum design speed of between 6 and 25 kilometres perhour.
Article 2
No Member State may refuse to grant EEC type approval or national
type approval of a tractor on grounds relating to the steering equipmentif this satisfies the requirements set out in the Annex.
Article 3
No Member State may refuse the registration or prohibit the sale, entry
into service, or use of tractors on grounds relating to the steeringequipment if this satisfies the requirements set out in the Annex.
Article 4
The amendments necessary for adapting the requirements of the Annex
to technical progress shall be adopted in accordance with the procedurelaid down in Article 13 of Directive 74/150/EEC.
(1) OJ No C 160, 18. 12. 1969, p. 29.
(2) OJ No C 48, 16. 4. 1969, p. 21.
(3) OJ No L 84, 28. 3. 1974, p. 10.
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Article 5
1. Member States shall bring into force the provisions necessary in
order to comply with this Directive within 18 months of its notificationand shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof.
2. Member States shall ensure that the texts of the main provisions of
national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive arecommunicated to the Commission.
Article 6
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.
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ANNEX
1. DEFINITIONS
1.1. ‘Steering equipment'
‘Steering equipment'means all the equipment the purpose of which
is to alter the direction of movement of the tractor.
The steering equipment may be considered to include:
— the steering control;
— the steering gear;— the steered wheels;— where applicable, special equipment to produce additional or
independent power.
1.1.1.‘Steering control'
‘Steering control' means the part directly operated by the driver in
order to steer the tractor.
1.1.2.‘Steering gear'
‘Stearing gear' means all the components between the steering
control and the steered wheels, with the exception of the specialequipment referred to in 1.1.4. The steering gear may be mechanical,hydraulic, pneumatic, electric or a combination of any of these.
1.1.3.‘Steered wheels'
‘Steered wheels' means:
— the wheels the alignment of which may be altered directly or
indirectly in relation to that of the tractor in order to obtain achange in the direction of movement of the tractor;
— all wheels of articulated tractors;— wheels on the same axle, the speed of which may be varied in
order to obtain a change in the direction of movement of thetractor.
Self-tracking castor wheels are not steered wheels.
1.1.4.‘Special equipment'
‘Special equipment' means that part of the steering equipment by
which additional or independent power is produced. Additional orindependent power may be produced by any mechanical, hydraulic,pneumatic or electrical system, or by any combination of these (forexample by an oil pump, air pump or battery, etc.).
1.2. ‘Different types of steering equipment'
1.2.1. Depending on the source of power which is necessary for the deflec-
tion of the steered wheels, the following types of steering equipmentare identified:
1.2.1.1.Manualsteeringequipment , in which the steering power is provided
solely by the muscular power of the driver;
1.2.1.2.Assistedsteeringequipment , in which the steering power is provided
both by the muscular power of the driver and by the special equip-ment referred to in 1.1.4;
Steering equipment where the steering power is normally provided
solely by the special equipment referred to in 1.1.4, but which in theevent of failure of the special equipment enables the muscular powerof the driver to be used for steering, shall be considered as ‘assistedsteering equipment'.
1.2.1.3.Servo-steering equipment , in which the steering power is provided
solely by the special equipement referred to in 1.1.4.
1.3. Steering effort
‘Steering effort'means the force exerted by the driver on the steering
control in order to steer the tractor.
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2. CONSTRUCTION, FITTING AND INSPECTION REQUIRE-
MENTS
2.1. General requirements
2.1.1. The steering equipment must ensure easy and safe handling of the
tractor and must comply with the detailed requirements set out in2.2.
2.2. Detailed requirements
2.2.1.Steering control
2.2.1.1. The steering control must be easy to use and grip. It must be
designed in such a way as to permit gradual deflection. The directionof movement of the steering control must correspond to the desiredchange in the direction of the tractor.
2.2.1.2. The steering effort required to achieve a turning circle of 12 m
radius, starting from the straight ahead position, must not exceed 25daN. In the case of assisted steering equipment, if the auxiliarypower supply fails the steering effort required must not exceed 60daN.
2.2.1.3. In order to check compliance with the requirement in 2.2.1.2, the
tractor shall describe a spiral movement at a speed of 10 kilometresper hour, starting from the straight ahead position, on a dry, flat roadsurface offering good tyre adhesion. The steering effort on thesteering control shall be noted until it reaches the position corre-sponding to the tractor entering a turning circle of 12 m radius. Theduration of the manoeuvre (time between the moment when thesteering control is first operated and the moment when it reaches theposition where the measurements are taken) must not exceed fiveseconds in normal cases and eight seconds if the special equipmentfails. One manoeuvre must be made to the left and one to the right.
For the test, the tractor must be loaded to its technically permissible
maximum weight; tyre pressures and weight distribution between theaxles must conform to the manufacturer’s instructions.
2.2.2.Steering gear
2.2.2.1. The steering equipment may not include either electrical or wholly
pneumatic steering gear.
2.2.2.2. The steering gear must be so designed as to meet any operational
requirements It must be easily accessible for maintenance andinspection.
2.2.2.3. In the case of steering gear which is not wholly hydraulic, it must be
possible to drive the tractor even in the event of failure of thehydraulic or pneumatic components of the steering gear.
2.2.2.4. Steering gear which is operated purely hydraulically and the special
equipment mentioned in 1.1.4, must meet the following require-ments:
2.2.2.4.1. One or more pressure limitation devices must protect the whole or
part of the circuit against excess pressure;
2.2.2.4.2. The pressure limitation devices must be set so as not to exceed a
pressure T equal to the maximum operating pressure stated by themanufacturer.
2.2.2.4.3. The characteristics and dimensions of the pipe work must be such
that the pipes withstand four times the pressure T (permitted by thepressure limitation devices), and must be protected in places andarranged in such a way that the risks of damage by impact orinterference are reduced to a minimum, and the risks of damage byrubbing can be considered negligible.
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2.2.3.Steered wheels
2.2.3.1. All the wheels may be steered wheels.
2.2.4.Special equipment
2.2.4.1. The special equipment defined in 1.1.4, used in the types of steering
equipment defined in 1.2.1.2 and 1.2.1.3, shall be acceptable in thefollowing circumstances:
2.2.4.1.1. If the tractor is equipped with assisted steering equipment as defined
in 1.2.1.2, it must be possible to drive it even in the event of failureof the special equipment as already stated in 2.2.1.2. If the assistedsteering equipment does not have its own source of power, it mustbe fitted with a power reservoir. This power reservoir may bereplaced by a self-contained device providing power supply to thesteering equipment with priority over the other systems which arelinked to the common energy source. The steering and brakingsystems must not have a common source of energy. If the source ofpower is compressed air, the air reservoir must be protected by anon-return valve.
Where the steering power is normally provided solely by the special
equipment referred to in 1.1.4, the assisted steering equipment mustbe fitted with a device such that if, in the event of failure of thespecial equipment, the steering effort exceeds 25 daN, a visual oracoustic signal must give warning of such failure.
2.2.4.1.2. If the tractor is fitted with servo-steering equipment as defined in
1.2.1.3, and provided that such equipment has a wholly hydraulicsteering gear, it must be possible, should the special device fail, tocarry out the two manoeuvres specified in 2.2.1.3 using a specialadditional device. The special additional device may be acompressed air or gas reservoir. An oil pump or compressor may beused as the special additional device if that device is worked by therotation of the tractor wheels and cannot be disconnected from them.In the event of failure of the special equipment, a visual or acousticsignal must give warning of such failure.
2.2.4.1.2.1. If the special device is pneumatic, it must be fitted with a
compressed air reservoir protected by a non-return valve. Thecapacity of the compressed air reservoir must be calculated so that atleast seven complete turns (from lock to lock) are possible before thereservoir pressure falls to half its operating pressure; the test must becarried out with the steered wheels off the ground.