Maxi brake question.

Like what’s been said before long stroke can be interchanged with short stroke and vis versa. Brake wear and more importantly the DOT require that each axle have the same which ever they are (LS/SS). The greatest benefit to LS chambers is that your slacks can be out of adjustment farther before becoming “Out of Service” I started seeing LS @2007 model year trucks. And now all trucks and trailers in my fleet have the LS.

The reason your parts guy never asked is because he probably doesn’t know there’s a difference, one he’s either too young to have been around for the change, or has never been told the difference. , and probably doesn’t pay attention enough to his job to see the 1/2” difference in height from a LS to SS. I’ve had to school more than one parts guy on them. I even went through one guys stock, and ended up yelling at.... (sorry “coaching”) him because he was selling LS and SS chambers (his computer showed 4 of each) but every chamber in his stock was SS.

It’s not a well known thing, but the DOT know the difference.

 

DOT taught Me, front 20/20s Max stroke allowed, 1.75”, had brand new shoes, OOS, till adjusted, That was a hard lesson.Lol

 

At approximately 1 3/4” both the long and short stroke offer the same braking power. Over that though the L/S offers greater braking power. Example at 2 1/8” the L/S offers greater braking performance and is legal. At the same 2 1/8” the S/S offers less braking power and is 1/2 violation for each one at 2 1/8”.

 

1.75” is the max adj limit for a S/S 20, 1 7/8” for a half violation and 2” for a full violation. There are however 2 different long stroke 20’s one with a 2 1/2” rated stroke and one with a 3” rated stroke.

 

I think you just worded that... let’s say confusingly. LSs are exactly that. They have a longer max stroke than a SS not to be confused with adjustment limits. The adj limit on a LS is longer than a SS. Over the adj limits it’s still 1/8” over for a half violation and a 1/4” over for a full violation or 4 at 1/8” over or 2 at 1/4” over for OOS (On a 10 brake setup), so they can’t be out of adjustment further than a SS but there is more rod sticking out. Maybe I confused it more.

 

I ran into a simular situation. Had to replace two pots. The parts guy asked long or short?
I asked for the difference. He explained, it has to do with the type of brake liners in the drums. At some point, there were the so called long life liners introduced, which require long stroke chambers. If the liner wears out and the slack adjuster fails, the long stroke should not bottom out, while the short stroke would.
He checked my repair history as they installed new liners during an earlier safety inspection. It's been long life installed but my old brake chamber in the trunk of my car was a shorty. 4 long stokes I bought and installed them the same day.
Make sure you get the proper diaphragm for the service brake. The long stroke is deeper than the short one, which would just get pulled out or torn apart.

 

We now have to keep on the service truck a standard and long stroke piggyback. We also keep a long stroke complete with welded clevis that has the non-serviceable clamps. Also need a complete combo brake chamber disc brakes. Then you need the longer pushrod chambers for Hendrickson Intraax. Not as easy as it used to be...

 

Just had to ask. Have any of you guys seen the maxis on a new trk, or trailer? The heavy spring side has a solid clamp around it to keep people from getting blind sided from not caging the spring. Thats normal now for a numbet of years. But..now a solid clamp around the other end also, can't put a piggy back on, unless you gtind the clamp off.