But I set the brake, I really did!

[MichiganDriver]

So I come out of the Pilot in Austinburg, OH and see that my truck had rolled forward and was sitting there with the front wheels up on a sidewalk. Of course I forgot to set the parking brake, right? Wrong. When I opened the door I could see the brake was set. I climbed in and the idiot light on the dashboard said that the parking brake was set. So how did it roll?

It's done this at least once before.

It's a 2009 International Prostar if that matters.

[Snowman7]

Did you also set the trailer brakes? I have seen heavy trailers push thru the tractor brakes when parked on a slope.

[allan5oh]

Weak brakes or springs in the spring brakes are broken.

Either way it needs some work, measure the throw on the brakes with springs. Bang the spring brakes see if they rattle.

[bikerboy]

could be many things, maybe bad quick release valve, did the air blow out like normal when you pulled the yellow button?

could be heavy trailer pushed if on a slope, broken springs in the brake chambers, or brakes out of adjustment.

does it have spring brakes on one or two axles?

[One]

A good habit to take on is to leave you truck in gear after u shut the engine down. But yes, there must be a misadjusted break and or bad brake chambers.

[MichiganDriver]

So many good insights I don't know who to quote to get started here.

The trailer is a 48' box van with 10k - 12k in freight. I honestly don't remember if it made the normal sound of air releasing or not. It probably did or I think it would have caught my attention. I had pulled forward from the fuel island so I was probably on a bit of a hill. One unusual thing about yesterday was the amount of wind. I was on I-90 next to Lake Erie and the wind was gusting at about 30 with steady winds at about 25 out of the NE. The truck was facing dead south. Did I get sailboated? lol (Along with a slight hill and probably weak springs or a faulty valve or bad adjustment of course.)

[Orangetxguy]

It could have been as has been suggested. Especially the broken springs. That would cause you to roll, especially if there is only one set of maxi's on the drivers, as is so common anymore. The other thing could be that the brakes didn't set because of an ice plug.

How is the air dryer? Has it been cycling right?

[MichiganDriver]

I got home from my run and took the truck into Penske today to get it checked out. The mechanic said the brakes were way out of adjustment. When I asked him how that happened and don't PMs cover routine checks for that sort of thing he did a lot of talking without really saying anything if you know what I mean.

So I guess the thing to do is test the brakes by seeing how easy it is to overcome them with the engine from time to time.

[bikerboy]

or you could measure the brake stroke like you are supposed to on the pre trip

[MichiganDriver]

or you could measure the brake stroke like you are supposed to on the pre trip

Point well taken. I need to learn to be a better mechanic than my mechanic.

[COLT]

There's a couple reasons why auto slackers don't keep a brake in adjustment.

The most common reason, nobody seems to know they have to stroke the pedal with a FULL application several times, this should be done daily with a min. of 90 psi. This is how the brakes set up, the spring brakes will not set the brakes up.

It's a wonder more people aren't killed by trucks.

[Roadhog]

[MichiganDriver]

Too funny.

Btw, I'm pretty sure I flunked the knowing-when-to-keep-it-to-yourself test.

[Orangetxguy]

I got home from my run and took the truck into Penske today to get it checked out. The mechanic said the brakes were way out of adjustment. When I asked him how that happened and don't PMs cover routine checks for that sort of thing he did a lot of talking without really saying anything if you know what I mean.

So I guess the thing to do is test the brakes by seeing how easy it is to overcome them with the engine from time to time.

That part right there? That IS part of your pre-trip inspection.....if you think about it. Test the tractor brakes separately from the trailer brakes.

[YerDaddy]

I just got T-boned 2 weeks ago in a Petro by a Fly-By Night Florida (Cuban?) truck/nospeakEnglish driver that was unattended. Truck just decided to roll forward right when I was leaving. I couldn't get out of it's way fast enough. Hit my trailer and blew out the tires/rims, F-ed up toolbox and axle alignment then hit another truck before it stopped.

Could have killed someone.

[Jackrabbit379]

Sounds like to me you need to adjust your brakes.

[Windwalker]

There is also a possibility that another truck may have backed his trailer into yours. If they match up and are not at any angle, no damage is done, or at least not noticeable. But, that can push a truck that has both the tractor and trailer brakes set. It's also something I've seen happen far more than once at a Pilot. Especially if it has the normal cramped space in the lot. A guy backs out of his spot and across, and into the truck on the opposite side. That might have happened to you. Be sure and look at the back of your trailer. If a box, look at the bars that lock the doors and see if they've been bent into the doors,

[MichiganDriver]

The plot sickens.

First understand. Years ago I lived next to a store and when trucks would make deliveries I quickly learned to detest two sounds. The sound of air brakes releasing air when the driver sets the emergency brake and the sound of a truck idling when I'm trying to watch the best part of a freaking movie.

The other day I pulled away from a dock to close my doors and it was a residential neighborhood. I can't help but try and be as quiet as possible. With my thumb against the red (trailer) plunger, I pulled the yellow plunger to set the emergency brake. The red one started to pop too because I didn't have enough pressure on it and when it got maybe half way out I reacted and pushed it back in with my thumb. The curious thing is that I didn't hear any release of air at all. Is the dashboard valve thing bad? Faulty driver execution of a simple procedure? Driver breathing too much diesel fumes and maybe should try a different profession?

Btw, the brakes were adjusted after the first incident.

Also, I should probably say that I'm sure not knowing how to diagnose what is probably a simple mechanical problem will keep me out of the Truckdrivers Hall of Fame, it's probably good to post this. I can't be the only one to get fooled by a problem like this and if it saves someone getting hurt I will have done my good deed for this life and I can go back to being a useless drain on society.