dot violation

The item that has me going wtf.
Didn’t notice a loss of braking power?

 

Indeed. I have been keeping quiet about mountain braking. It's really hard to do so on such a young un learning to truck.

Ive been debating if I should start writing more about them brakes and how it's really important to have them when you need them in the mountains among other places.

Either the school is no good or the training in the company is really substandard. Ive always had a theory that training of new ones into trucking is really substandard and not acceptable over the years against what I was given long ago. I was not allowed to touch a 18 wheeler until Ive been on my back measuring the stroke distance, inspectiong the cotter pins by touch, bolts and airlines by feel. (The spray bottle idea was treated as a wussy lazy way to check airlines back then)

 

Yes it is serious as you want to ensure your brakes work at all times and are in proper adjustment.

When I started out two years ago in trucking I was put out of service by the DOT in Idaho for the same thing. It was explained to me that drivers are not authorized to adjust the slack adjusters and this must be done by a trained mechanic. I was told to ensure that I do a pump down test and this will automatically "ratchet" the slack adjusters on the tractor and trailer brakes.

About a year ago I requested a PSP report and the OOS was not on the report. That's not to say it is not out there I just did not see it on the report.

 

I would say serious loss. This would strain the other brakes and cause them to fail also. Particularly with a heavy load and traveling downhill. It would result in a "domino effect" on your brake system.

 

I would almost be surprised if it were not for the fact that most trainers anymore dont even have a clue of what they are doing... yet companies allow drivers to train as long as they have been driving for 6 months.

 

We have entered brake week, this is why I'm home. DOT is not there to give you cookies and warm milk, they are there to take your lunch money. OP, don't feel bad, I have been put out of service for low air warning light/buzzer, leaking can, and written up for 2 brakes on my tractor out of adjustment. Just so you don't feel bad that is very hard to pre trip, as a matter of fact you need too people, that is why you pump or hold down the brakes while DOT inspects under truck. Same thing with brake lights and reverse light how are we to pre trip them by ourselves?, yes I know some people use a handle to hold the brakes down to check lights, but I sure wouldn't be under the truck with spring brakes released and only a handle on the brake pedal. You can look for the gap up front as the truck sits with spring brakes engaged, but you cant check the back without releasing the spring brakes, to look for the gap. Just make sure that auto slack adjusters are working properly. Also don't over grease them, manufacture says too much grease does not allow self adjusters to work properly.
https://cvsa.org/news-entry/2018-brake-safety-week/

 

This is not common in trucks I've seen, but our trucks have a service brake test knob that applies the brakes at the proper PSI while the driver inspects for air leaks, lights, gaps, etc. It's pretty handy and should be standard equipment in all trucks for this purpose. It really gives the driver no excuses for not doing a proper brake inspection.

 

I have never seen those, but then again there is a lot of things I have never seen, some I wished I never saw. What kind of truck are they on? Can you share picture, just curious, or a link would be fine. Do you chock the wheels when using said apparatus?