So first time overheating brakes

Just remember here if they give any crap about it. Tell them that the most important thing is that.
A. You made it and are still alive !!!
B. Their equipment is still upright and in one piece.


And if those two facts aren't good e nought for them . Well #### em !!!

 

10 mph differential = 14.6 fps rate of closure.

Go further, develop an aversion to EVER letting anyone get so close to your front that you have to brake.

Downgrade, brake hard enough to drop a gear, if you're proficient at downshifting downgrade. If you're not, get proficient, and practice here and there where it's "safe" so you can maintain that proficiency.

 

Seems unlikely if the drives were smoking and the tandems weren't.

 

Whats on the road stays on the road.

 

Weak trailer brakes is why the drives smoked.

Just remember everytime you overheat the shoes they glaze and your stopping ability isn't as effective until the day they replace all your shoes and drums.

 

I bet if we did your pretrup. we'd find something wrong with the brakes.

like trailer out of adjustment. since they didn't smoke. and probably cracks on the drives.

 

Was it a wagon that you picked up somewhere or pull it all the time. Try and save your tractor brakes. I pulled RR cans and had a different wagon every day, and I never replaced my truck brakes, and used the johnny bar all the time(except in a panic) That's why trailer brakes wear a lot faster, because lot's of drivers do that, weather they admit it or not. In the future, like someone else said, after a big hill like that, getting off at the bottom might not be the best idea, and roll on to the next place and let your brakes cool rolling down the road. Don't feel too bad, we've all smoked our brakes at one time or another.

 

When attacking a mountain you have to be prepared for the inevitable. That's probably why that guy was doing 20. Better safe than sorry. Just because there is a speed limit sign doesn't mean that's what you have to do, hence the word "limit". As a newb you should be a little extra careful on hills. A deer can run out, traffic can stop, etc. Going down the north side of the Grapevine is usually a cluster **** of tailgaters.

Semi said it right, your drives smoking indicates your trailer brakes weren't doing their job. If anything you should of smoked the trailer. Next time you hook to a trailer do a tug test on the trailer. If you can pull it in low then you need the brakes adjusted or worked on. If you get an an inspection, they will find it, place you OoS and it goes on your record. If nothing else take your brakes and tires seriously. You should have that trailer written up right now.

I believe it was okie that said keep driving if you smoke them. That is 100% correct. This isn't a wood fire, it's hot metal and shoes. When you keep driving (with no more braking) the wind aides in cooling the brakes back down. If you stop the heat has no where to go and is concentrated on the drum. With the drum still increasing in heat so does the tire. Once a tire gets so hot a chemical reaction starts. Once that reaction starts there is no stopping it. Then you have a tire fire. It doesn't matter that was your exit. Hopefully not, but next time drive another 10 miles and turn around and come back. Stopping is the worst thing you can do. Then pull in by fuel and other trucks? Watch this boys, lol.

The reason it smokes besides excess braking... the shoes get so hot the pads start liquifying on the surface and also coats your drums. This liquid is what smokes. When it cools back down it turns to a glaze. It will wear back off, but maximum braking is reduced for a time. Have you ever seen a rotor on a car that was nice and shiny? Same thing, that's a glaze. Like others said when the drum overheats it can warp. It also develops spider cracks all over the braking surface. Shops can turn them but they usually just replace them. $$$$$

 

Also brake fade, where the metal drum actually expands and an out of adjustment brake reaches the end of it's travel. Also, a fuel island isn't the best place for smoking brakes.