Importance of Airbrake Maintenance
Proper Air Brake Maintenance Reduces Downtime
Proper maintenance and operation of your truck's air brake system can dramatically reduce downtime.
Air brake systems are made up of many separate parts, all of which must be in good condition to provide reliable operation. Inspections catch problems early. In addition to visual driver inspections, technician inspections are important and should be performed on a regular basis," says Joe Kay, chief engineer of brake systems, Meritor. "During these more thorough inspections, technicians should check linings for wear, cracks and fractures."
Check air brake systems for:
- Check for valve failure in primary or secondary circuit. These failures can compromise the system. To check, open the drain valve on the wet tank.
- Look for accelerated wear. Check for dirt and debris between the lining and braking surface as well as on rubber boots and seals.
- Fractures and leaks.
- Proper operation of the push rods and slack adjusters. This is essential to maintain the position of the brake shoes relative to the drum.
- Check push rod actuation out of the brake chambers. Look for broken or weak springs.
- Check slack adjusters for broken or missing parts.
- Inspect brake lining for cracked, broken lining blocks, uneven wear on an axle, and make sure there is no scoring and the drums are not out of round.
- Don't forget to check the parking brake daily for leaks in each chamber or broken or damaged components.
Understand Proper Operation
It's important to understand that all brakes build up heat during use due to friction. However, excessive use of the brakes when descending a grade creates excessive heat. This causes a loss of braking power known as brake fade.
Long downhill runs can wreak havoc on a brake system if the driver doesn't understand proper braking technique. Avoid continuous application of the brakes in these circumstances. This creates heat build-up, which causes the brake drum to expand. The shoes have to travel farther and the brakes eventually fade. The proper technique for braking on long grades is intermittent application, known as snubbing.