With summer traffic starting up, just a reminder to do your brake pedal pressure test once in awhile. Hold the pedal down, watch the gauges, listen and be sure the systems hold thier pressure. If not get them fixed.

Under normal braking I use a small amount of pedal pressure. The one time I needed THE BRAKES a diaphram blew, dumping system pressure and increased my stopping distance a whole lot. {I hadn't done the check in some time}

Drive Well.

 

You'd also be shocked to find out just what a leaky wheel seal can do to stopping distance. Just one drum will do a number. I've had the experience to roll through a red light once. No traffic to cause an accident, but it sure raised my hair on end.

 

Windy, that just brought back a memory I was happy to forget until now.
I didn't go through the light, but the feeling of panic in my chest was a good 20 yrds. in front of me. :block:

 

You were able to forget it???
I never will.
That and the sense of rolling over won't ever go away.:eek2:

 

SOoooooo.......fourcats is now down to 2 1/2 cats?? :lol:

 

Yer forgetting I have a cartoon mind.

 

I realize this poster means well but it doesn't seem like they know much about brakes...

I think there is a huge shortage of information so I posted a good link in the Air Brake thread.

 

Got to agree, a mix up with the "facts" and what was "percieved" to be the problem. The real cause of the long stop was {most likely} brakes way out of adjustment, downhill and 80K.

"How stuff works" has info on "air brakes", also.

 

It is a test you should perform every day.

Block your wheels while parked on flat ground, build to maximum reservoir pressure, put the truck in gear, turn off the engine, push in the dash valves.

Listen for about 10 seconds for air loss, that will tell you if you have a supply side air leak.

Hold the foot valve all the way to floor for 60 seconds. That will tell you if you have a service side leak. After the initial loss, there should be no more than a 3 PSI loss in the minute.

If there is any loss at all, see if you can find it. It might be something that is simple to fix, like a drain cock open up just a bit, or it might be something that will become a larger leak quickly.