UN R147 Supplement 1 (00 series) · UNECE Regulation No. 147 (ECE R147) — Uniform provisions concerning the approval of mechanical coupling components of combinations of agricultural vehicles.
UN R147 — Supplement 1 to the 00 series of amendments
Base text → Supplement 1
- What changed
- Paragraph 1.1. of Annex 6 no longer has the sentence on agricultural vehicles with a maximum design speed exceeding 60 km/h. It required mechanical couplings of all classes for these vehicles to be tested in accordance with Annex 6 of Regulation 55.01.
- Why
- The 60 km/h speed threshold can result in inconsistency of application by Type Approval Authorities. This applies when they approve couplings for T1b tractors with a maximum speed in excess of 60 km/h.
- The amendment would align requirements with European Union approvals. These approvals are accepted to be technically correct in design and safe to use at all speeds.
Q1What changed1 change
Coupling tests for a maximum design speed exceeding 60 km/h (Annex 6, para. 1.1.)
Paragraph 1.1. of Annex 6 no longer has the sentence on agricultural vehicles with a maximum design speed exceeding 60 km/h. That sentence required mechanical couplings of all classes for these vehicles to be tested in accordance with Annex 6 of Regulation 55.01. The supplement also adds a full stop to the reference “3.3.3.2.” and a comma after “In cases of doubt”. The other text of paragraph 1.1. does not change.
Q2Why it changed
- Proposed by
- Expert from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Working party
- GRSG, 127th session (April 2024)
Reasons
The 60 km/h speed threshold can result in inconsistency of application by Type Approval Authorities. This applies when they approve couplings for T1b tractors with a maximum speed in excess of 60 km/h.
Source
“The 60 km/h speed threshold can result in inconsistency of application by Type Approval Authorities when approving couplings for T1b tractors with a maximum speed in excess of 60 km/h.”
Most couplings for agricultural vehicles with a maximum design speed exceeding 60 km/h are neither listed nor described in UN Regulation No. 55. Type Approval Authorities must therefore classify them as Class S and apply the closest equivalent test. This means different requirements may be applied.
Sources (4)
“requires agricultural vehicles with a maximum design speed exceeding 60 km/h to be tested in accordance with annex 6 of UN Regulation No. 55”
“The majority of these couplings are neither listed nor described in UN Regulation 55.”
“The Type Approval Authorities must therefore classify them as Class S and apply the closest equivalent test.”
“This means different requirements may be applied for couplings to be placed on the market.”
Most UN Regulation No. 147 coupler types do not lend themselves to the test method of UN Regulation No. 55, 01 series of amendments. This is due to the permitted amount of free play. Therefore, testing is very challenging.
Source
“Most of UN Regulation No. 147 coupler types do not lend themselves to UN Regulation No. 55, 01 series of amendments test method due to the permitted amount of free play, therefore testing is very challenging.”
UN Regulation No. 147 lets the test load be applied on a rising basis when the coupling design makes an alternating test load impossible. UN Regulation No. 55, 01 series of amendments, does not contain this clause. This makes it impractical to test the hitch types of UN Regulation No. 147.
Sources (2)
“Should the design of the mechanical coupling (e.g. excessive play, towing hook) make it impossible to carry out the test with an alternating test load, the test load may be applied on a rising basis”
“UN Regulation No, 55, 01 series of amendments does not contain this clause making it impractical to test hitch types of UN Regulation No. 147.”
The amendment would align requirements with European Union approvals. UN Regulation No. 147 mirrors the technical design and test requirements of annex XXXIV of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/208. That EU Regulation does not have a maximum speed limit of 60 km/h.
Sources (3)
“The amendment would align requirements with European Union approvals which are accepted to be technically correct in design and safe to use at all speeds.”
“It also mirrors the technical design and test requirements of alternative regulations, e.g. annex XXXIV of the European Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/208.”
“This EU Regulation is applied throughout the European Union for Whole Vehicle Type Approval of Category T1b tractors and does not have a maximum speed limit of 60 km/h.”
Document trail
- 2024-01ProposalECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2024/7Proposal by the expert from the United Kingdom
- —Working party adoptsECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/106Session report, para. 26
- 2024-08Sent to WP.29ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2024/116Text that GRSG sent to WP.29 and AC.1
- 2024-11WP.29 adoptsECE/TRANS/WP.29/1181Adopted at the 194th session (session report, para. 158)
- 2025-06-12In forceC.N.339.2025.TREATIES-XI.B.16.147UN depositary notification
Q3Who is affected
Vehicle manufacturer
- No direct action for this role.
Component supplier
- For agricultural vehicles exceeding 60 km/h maximum design speed, update coupling test plans that use Annex 6 of Regulation 55.01.
Technical service / Approval authority
- For agricultural vehicles exceeding 60 km/h maximum design speed, update coupling test procedures that use Annex 6 of Regulation 55.01.
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ⓘ This report gives advice only. It is not legal or type-approval advice.