INTERNATIONAL TRUCK & ENGINE CORPORATION: Safety Recalls in 1979

THE PITMAN ARM PINCH BOLT WHICH HOLDS THE PITMAN ARM TO THE STEERING GEAR OUTPUT SHAFT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATIONS. AS A RESULT SUFFICIENT CLAMP FORCE WILL NOT BE MAINTAINED AND THE LONG LIFE AND HIGH MILEAGE INTEGRITY OF THE STEERING JOINT MAY BE DEGRADED.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES DO NOT HAVE THE REQUIRED CERTIFICATION LABELS STATING CORRECT TIRE AND RIM INFORMATION. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS".

THE DEFECT IS IN THE ENGINE ACCELERATOR SYSTEM. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY NOT ALIGN WITH THE CENTER OF THE FLOOR MOUNTED PEDAL STOP BRACKET. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR THE PEDAL, WHEN DEPRESSED, TO SLIP OFF AND TO THE SIDE OF THE PEDAL STOP, HOLDING THE ACCELERATOR IN THE OPEN THROTTLE POSITION.

THE FUEL SEPARATORS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE THIN WALLS DUE TO A MATERIAL THICKNESS PROBLEM. THE SEPARATORS IN THESE WALLS MAY CRACK AND MAY ALLOW FUEL VAPORS OR LIQUID FUEL TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE UNDER HIGH PRESSURE CONDITIONS.

AS A RESULT OF SEVERE SHOCK AND VIBRATIONS, THE BRAKE SPIDERS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY DEVELOP CRACKS NEAR THE CAMSHAFT MOUNTING BOSS. THE CRACK PROPAGATES ACROSS THE SPIDER UNTIL THE CAMSHAFT BOSS IS COMPLETELY SEVERED FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE SPIDER. WHEN THE CAMSHAFT BOSS HAS COMPLETELY SEVERED, THE S-CAM, S-CAM BRACKET, AIR CHAMBER AND SLACK ADJUSTER CAN FALL AWAY FROM THE BRAKE SPIDER RESULTING IN A "NO BRAKE" CONDITION ON THE WHEEL.

THE PINCH BOLT HOLES IN THE LOWER STEERING C0LUMN UNIVERSAL JOINT YOKE WERE DRILLED OFF LOCATION OF THE CENTER LINE, THUS REDUCING BOLT TO STEERING GEAR INPUT SHAFT ENGAGEMENT. AS A RESULT, THE JOINT COULD SLIP OR SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR INPUT SHAFT.

THE OPENING FOR THE WINDSHIELD IN THE CAB MAY BE TOO LARGE TO PERMIT PROPER RETENTION OR SEALING OF THE WINDSHIELD.

THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE HOSE THAT RUNS FROM THE FRAME TO THE REARMOST AXLE OF THE TANDEM BOGIE IS NOT OF SUFFICIENT LENGTH. IN FULL ARTICULATION, WITH THE FORWARD AXLE UP AGAINST THE FRAME STOPS AND THE REAR AXLE IN THE EXTREME DOWNWARD POSITION, THE HOSE COULD PULL APART.

DEFECTIVE BOLTS MAY HAVE BEEN USED TO MOUNT THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE CAB FIREWALL, RESULTING IN BOLT FRACTURE. FRACTURE OF ALL THE MASTER CYLINDER MOUNTING BOLTS WOULD ALLOW SEPARATION OF THE MASTER CYLINDER FROM ITS MOUNTING.

INCORRECT BOLTS MAY HAVE BEEN USED TO MOUNT THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE BRAKE BOOSTER UNIT. THE BOLTS COULD BREAK AND ALLOW SEPARATION OF THE MASTER CYLINDER FROM ITS MOUNTING.

A CASTING DEFICIENCY MAY ALLOW WHEELS TO DEVELOP CRACKS IN THE SPOKES BETWEEN THE HUB CAP MOUNTING AREA AND THE RIM CLAMP POCKET. CONTINUED USAGE CAN LEAD TO THE DISENGAGING OF THE RIM AND TIRE FROM THE VEHICLE.

DUE TO INCORRECT CLIPPING OF THE FUEL LINE AT THE RIGHT FRONT INNER FENDER SPLASH PANEL, THE LINE COULD SEVER OR BECOME PARTIALLY CUT BY THE LOWER EDGE OF THE SPLASH PANEL, IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE IMPACT. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY".

THE DEFECT IS INSECURE CLAMPING OF THE STEERING COLUMN COUPLING TO THE STEERING GEAR INPUT SHAFT DUE TO CLAMP FAILURE. THE CLAMP WAS IMPROPERLY HEAT-TREATED AND MAY BE DEFORMED OR FRACTURED. INSECURE CLAMPING CAN CAUSE WEAR AND PROGRESSIVE LOOSENESS, WHICH IF NOT DETECTED OR NOT PROMPTLY REPAIRED COULD PROGRESS UNTIL SERRATIONS OF SHAFT AND/OR INTERNAL SPLINE TEETH OF COUPLING BECOME STRIPPED.