2 of 4 Trailer breaks out of adjustment - Take Load ?

On the p.s. yes
let try!
C. contact company breakdown, explain situation, find the nearest repair shop,

 

No dumb questions when it comes to safety...... depends on trailer some the driver can adjust however i'd get loaded and then call roadside maintenace and have them come adjust the brakes under load so your company hustles the repair company.....and when it's done you don't have to wait for new dispatch....... Good Luck

 

I agree with C... You get caught at a weighstation, or can;t stop, then what... Why endanger yourself and others around you for a couple of bux. Not saying anything would happen, but there has to be a what if....

 

Step 1...
make sure you have a problem...back up a few times, hitting the trolly brake...this will let the slack adjuster readjust, then recheck...
if nothing changes, the auto slack adjuster has failed..or the drum/pads are out of spec..

I guess you could get a wrench..adjust the brakes...less than a 5 min job if you know how..some companies will fire you if you are caught...
taking it as is is unsafe..
you could get roadside to come fix the trailer...
many more options...even drive a careful mile to place to get it fixed...
Remember, you are the driver...your ticket, your points, your job...and your nightmares reoccuring nightly after you kill a bus load of handicapped children on the way to the circus....

 

Me personally get under the trailer and adjust the brakes. Very simple job that every driver IMO should know how to do. Even properly working auto slacks need to be manualy adjusted some times to get them where they need to be.

 

For those of us that don't know how, can you post a procedure or link to something that will teach us?...Thanx in advance for either!

 

Just curious but where did you read this? Manual slack adjusters can be adjusted safely and quickly. Some automatics can also if you know the procedure for that particular adjuster. Some automatics should not be adjusted manually under any circumstances, mainly because it can destroy the clutch mechanism of the adjuster.

 

It's not rocket science adjusting brakes. When I started, they taught you in school how to do it. The driver's manual taught you how to do it. Today, everything is idiot proof because they don't think a driver can turn a wrench a quarter turn and yes, they are right. Wait until you get out there.

Are you going to lay in a pissed soaked parking lot? Maybe a ziplock full of human waste laying under your trailer.

For the most part trailers get maintenance every 3-6 months. The ones that get caught, own their own trailer or it's a company trailer that has slipped through the system. It's a rare sight to see someone checking their brakes. You can tell when you drive how things are working. You can inspect your linings from outside and see if there is any excessive gap between the lining and drum.

But, the answer to your question is....

E) You explain there is a problem to your dispatcher, get approval from breakdown and drive carefully to the nearest shop for repairs. Read the FMSCA rules and regs. It's okay to drive to a nearby shop unless it's something severe.