Brake Adjustment Test?

Has anybody had to do a brake adjustment test before getting on with their local company? I’m taking a road test of course but have never heard of a brake adjustment.. wasn’t taught in school assuming slack adjusters are automatic and there are very few trucks with manual slacks

 

I didn't have to though it is part of a thorough pre trip. Not sure how common it is for a company to want to see you do it.

As for never being taught how to check for proper adjustment I'm a bit surprised. I thought that was pretty standard. Auto adjusters can fail to work properly, hence the need to check for proper adjustment.

 

Give this a read. Its British Columbia's air brake rules but should give you some useful info.

 

Bendix says a auto adjuster that needs adjustment is toast.

 

I wish I had seen this thread before I retired for the night. I'm on my smartphone finishing up some loose things. I have some great teaching material on this subject, just not where I can get it right now. However there used to also be some good youtube videos on this subject too.

 

Of course they say that, they want to sell you new ones. I get under mt truck nearly every weekend. Once every couple months i might have to snug up a slack adjuster. According to bendix i need 10 slack adjusters.

Now if the same adjuster was backed off after a single week id change it, but a quarter turn every few months? Only a guy trying to get in your check book would say that adjuster is toast.

 

been told by US and Canadian DOT, over the course of 30+ yrs, that if you touch your brakes to adjust you are now liable for accidents. you can only adjust ,if you are a certified tech. really.
was in a scale , (Missouri on 35, QEW in Canada), and was told the brakes were out and jumped out to adjust. the officer wanted to see my certification as a brake tech.
I leave it to a shop or will adjust only to get to a shop.

 

Even if you have auto slack adjusters, aren't you supposed to release your tractor and trailer brakes on level ground then pull down on your Johnson bar 5 or 6 times to insure proper adjustment?

 

About a year ago, dot let me adjust my brakes roadside instead of giving me a ticket. Seriously. But anyhow, if you adjust your brakes at your shop or house, how can that be proven in court that you in fact adjusted them. That’s a silly law

 

If that worked, it would only adjust the trailer brakes.