Psac,
I am not recommending recaps on the steering axle. I am just quoting the regulations. I have been doing the annual inspections on our own trucks for as long as it has been required which is about 20 years. I have to pass a written test periodically and this is one of the trick questions they use to see if the inspector is reading the regulations. Our fleet runs on the east coast occasionally. I see nothing different in the MA DOT regulations than in Federal motor carrier regulations. http://www.mass.gov/rmv/inspect/commercial_regs.pdf