Checking brake system

TORONTO (July 30, 1999) - Ontario's Ministry of Transportation will begin to enforce regulations that allow drivers to adjust manual slack adjusters starting Sept. 8, according to an Ontario Trucking Association report.

Regulation 269/96 of Ontario's Trades and Qualification and Apprenticeship Act allows drivers to make such adjustments provided they are certified to do so or are a licensed mechanic.
The report, which appears in the OTA's July 30 newsletter, said MTO was asked by other jurisdictions not to enforce the regulation until similar air brake training and certification programs were in place in other provinces.
That requirement has apparently been satisfied. MTO will recognize licences with air-brake endorsements from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland, PEI, Nova Scotia, Yukon, and Northwest Territories. Drivers from Quebec will require an air-brake certification issued by Ontario; drivers from New Brunswick will require a separate certificate issued by New Brunswick.
A U.S. Commercial Driver's Licence will not be accepted without verifiable evidence that the driver has been trained as a brake inspector in accordance with U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations 396.25.
The requirement for an adjustment certificate or endorsement applies at all times. A driver may only adjust the brakes on his own vehicle, and no driver is allowed to adjust automatic slack adjusters.
Charges will be laid for non-compliance; the maximum fine is $2000 and a court appearance is mandatory.
The Sept. 8 enforcement start-up coincides with Operation Air Brake, a 24-hour, Canada-wide brake enforcement blitz.


its a bit old--but i think it is still the same

 

that is correct for Ont.

And the manual slacks are getting to be a thing of the past...............

 

Sorry, but if you don't know how to check the air brake system, how did you get your CDLin the first place??

 

in some states you DO need to be certified

 

Improper braking? Fanning the brakes? Loss of air pressure? Riding the brakes causing excess heat build up? Grease or oil contamination? Lots of "how coulds" if you ask me

 

I would be interested in knowing what states those are, or at least one state, because I dont believe this to be true

 

really you shouldnt be adjusting auto slacks anyways--if they need an adjustment --then there is something wrong and should be checked out
hence the name--auto as opposed to manuel

 

This argument of needing certification would really only come into play during a roadside inspection. You wouldn't be allowed to adjust a brake found to be out of adjustment by a DOT officer if you're not certified. The best way for this to never be an issue is to check your brakes and never get caught with them out of adjustment.


I have seen several threads about brakes on here, but have yet to read anyone mention checking brake stroke. I'm sure most know how to do it, but for anyone who doesn't here is a link:

http://www.cvsa.org/documents/Air_Brake_Brochure.pdf

 

I agree. A lot of companies do not want drivers messing with automatic slack adjusters except during a preptrip. That means only checking to see if they are out of adjustment.

I can not remember where I read it, but I honestly thought that you had to be "certified" to adjust air brakes. If I am wrong, so be it. That is what I remember being taught.

 

That's very true. In fact the companies that produce these brakes have sent out many notices that if you do adjust them they will only come out of adjustment more freguent. The most cuase for barkes not being adjusted right is no maintenace where they are not lubracated enough to allow the brakes to auto adjust. If the brakes are lubs up correctly then a hard application of brakes should adjust them.

On the manual type you just can't use a 9/16 wrench or your make a mess of it. They did make a special tool where the socket was milled down so the socket would go in completely in and you wouldn't strip out the nut. This wrench also had an area on the bad where you could tap with a hammer to get the wrench to go in all the way. Then you must know how much to adjust them. You can look on the web to find out where to measure and how much.

You're not going to run into the old types very often now. So when you inpect the brakes and you see the brake pads are not engaging the way they should just take it to the shop. If you want to really make sure do the same measuring the inspectors do.