adjusting brakes yourself

It is scarely as these Knight Trucks go blasting done Mtn Pass so at 90 mph that the driver has no clue as to if his brakes are good or bad or even adjusted. Oh yeah thats what the sand trap is for, because when you hit the sand you can depress your brake pedal really hard so it can adjust before DOT hauls yur butt away........

 

anyone can be certified in brake adjustments, under: 49CFR Part 396.25

at my school for an additional fee, my students can be trained in brake adjustments, as well as inspections. this is another excellent point to put on one's resume`.

but be forewarned.........once you attach a wrench to the slack adjuster, you are 1000% liable for what you did.

something else, you CAN do brake adjustments for others, and charge a fee for this as well.........but then again, you are 1000% responsible if something goes wrong, so its best NOT to help out someone else.

it's surely a quick way to make a few extra dollars at a scale house when some other trucker is put out of service till his brakes are adjusted, and he's going to wait several hours for the service truck. you could literally clean up that day.......but the extra responsibility you have just will not be worth it.

 

how in the helll did yall pass a cdl test not knowing how to adjust your breaks?????????????????????????????????????

 

Having the slack adjuster endorsement is not a requirement to get your CDL in most jurisdictions.

 

I guess I will keep breaking the law,adjusting my own brakes without being certified.No one adjusts my brakes but me.I am the one that has to get to the bottom of the hill in one piece,without hurting anyone else.No way am I putting my life in the hands of a lube technician

 

That's kinda the way I see and do it also. Just havin a little piece a paper that tells them that I'm certified does'nt mean squat. It's just common sense. I'd rather do it myself and KNOW it was done right.

 

Back in the 80's I had a card in my wallet signed by the terminal manager stating I was certified to adjust brakes. Don't the companies give those cards out anymore?

 

No sir. You need to go and get tested at your DMV and get it added to your license, in most places.

 

well actually, some driving schools provide this "course" which can be done in as little as 5 hours. some employers that hire some of our students, actually hire our students that have the certification. its not an endorsement to ones license. its a separate wallet card you keep with you.........

now here's the "rub"............that other guy said he don't care, he's going to keep adjusting his brakes no matter what anyone says...........

ok, now............let's say he has an accident............his truck will be fully inspected............his brakes may or may not be out of adjustment........he will be asked when was the last time he had them adjusted, and who did it.......

he cannot provide proof someone certified did the adjustment........ as soon as he says he adjusted his brakes, they will ask him for his certificate........he had better provide one........if he cannot, he may get hit with a huge lawsuit for not knowing the proper technique or procedures to adjust brakes, making him 1000% liable in any lawsuits.

for the mere cost of getting certified, goes a long way in CYA...........

rules, times, and regulations have changed over the years. the ignorance to the changes, only makes one ever more so liable these days.......

http://www.cvsa.org/programs/op_airbrake.aspx

and most importantly, this link........

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regu.../fmcsrruletext.aspx?chunkkey=0901633480023984

and by the way, an ASE Certified truck mechanic can do the brake adjustments, and be legal without the necessary DOT certification.

 

no CDL manual teaches how to adjust brakes, and as far as i know, no state DMV road test/skills test conducts such test to get a license........and i have said before in other threads, i personally deal with 3 state DMV's and testing of newbies.......