Drivers adjusting brakes

It would be important to document their qualification.
396.25

 

You need a brake training certification to be legal. An owner can adjust his own but not a driver unless qualified

 

Personally I think it depends on the driver, it's not a good policy if that's what you mean. if you have to do it with a vehicle with automatic slack adjusters, you're actually damaging them more than they already were in the first place (if youre adjusting, a. They're broken, or b. They weren't installed correctly)

 

Proper working auto adjusters do not need adjusting. Keep them greased. According to bendix.
$100 parts do not last forever.

 

I wouldn't want a driver doing it unless qualified or I am comfortable he knows what he's doing. Good chance do it wrong and now you have a wreck and huge mess on your hands.

Another reason disc brakes are superior.

 

No way!

One of my drivers early in my business adjusted the brakes, because he thought they were out of adjustment. This truck got all new slack adjusters before it was handed over to him.

So ...

I am sleeping after working 14 hours in a friend's place where it is 100 degrees in the shop and the ******* phone rings, it is this driver, he is on the side of the road in Kentucky with a tire on fire. Brainiac asked what should he do and told him to unhook the trailer before he loses the load, he hung up on me so he could unhook it, he called back to tell me he yanked on the fifth wheel release and pulled the truck out from under the trailer which the dollies collapsed. Then he asked what else he needs to do, I asked him if he called 911, he said no, so I told him to call them now.

This is the reason why you don't let drivers adjust the brakes.

 

Really no reason to have drivers adjusting brakes, if there's a good maintenance schedule in place. And a good driver that can tell when things aren't right helps as well.

From a practical standpoint, could you imagine if we were still using manual slack adjusters today? There would be dead drivers everywhere, they'd be too lazy to adjust them. Either that or they'd get stuck under the truck due to their gallon of diet Coke a day habit.

Some things are just better left alone.

 

My driver read my post, he remembers the guy ... but he said I left out the little instruction sheet in the drivers package, it says you adjust the brakes by pressing on the brake peddle. I have to dig a copy up to post it, it just follows bendix instructions.

 

They should be able to do it just like a fisherman needs to know how to gut a fish. Those who don't are inept and need to be kicked in the ### for not knowing how to do it. That's my opinion.
This should be a part of a CDL exam - demonstrating how to adjust brakes. Mounting snow chains too.