Failed road test cuz I failed brake test

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Marky84, Jun 25, 2018.

  1. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    Mar 5, 2016
    White County, Arkansas
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    Now now now. Behave. There is no superiorty anywhere.

    A road test is many things. A Airbrake test is something I do everytime i get into a 18 wheeler. It's not something you do once because it's a state test 20 years ago. No that does not work that way.

    Given enough lifetime Ive had everything fail at some point or other in a big truck related to the air braking system. Ive had compressors fail quietly at dinner (Which is good) and Ive had all sorts of other kinds of failures which is bad.

    Even so, it's tested. Every morning (Or evening) when I get up and get behind that wheel I test that system. One of several things I look for is air leakage over time. If I lose too much too fast, then out comes the spray soap bottle and water and we go hunting for the leaking.

    I even had a leak inside the rubber divider between the spring chamber and the service air chamber. Why? because I did not drain the wet tank each night like i was supposed to. Eventually gallons of sludge ate it's way all the way back to each of the brake chambers and ate away the dividers. Next thing you know you are coming up on a ramp at 30 mph while at 60+ trying to slow to 30 or less with a tanker finding that you are bleeding way too much primary and secondary way too fast.

    In my case I barely made that ramp but it had to go to the shop that night after delivery because it is a unacceptable air loss. They found and fixed all of the bad leaking parts and they traced it all the way to the wet tank and next morning asked me one question. Did I drain that wet tank each night? No why? (Tractor did not have a air drying device on it...) and boom educating time. It gets drained every night. No more problems.

    That's one example of a real life problem I experienced related to airbraking.

    You cannot just hop into a tractor trailer and go. You need to go through the test. Every time. BEFORE you begin the day. It's always best to fail the test right there at the shop at home rather than 100 miles down the road and be fired because you did not test for it like you were supposed to.

    Im not your enemy. There are certain things that get tested every time I touch a truck. No ifs buts or maybes. Every time. If Lepton1 handed me his nice new rig and told me have at it, Ima testing that thing too. As well as inspecting it. I don't care who it belongs to or what history it has Ima checking that thing out.

    Either that or DOT will be more than happy to check it and then put everything OOS until fixed. THAT will get expensive in a hurry. OR it will crash and someone will die today or worse. What a tragic and unnecessary waste.

    I can keep lecturing, but what is the point? If you havent done a #### thing in 20 years you better start today. And keep doing it everyday or get out of the industry.
     
    Woodys Thanks this.
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  3. 389driver

    389driver Medium Load Member

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    Upstate NY
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    Ok, im ignoring you now :biggrin_25515:

    Anyway im going to :sleepy1:and i tend to be cranky if disturbed.
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2018
  4. Thane

    Thane Medium Load Member

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    Study the guide. Get it down well. OD is supposedly a pretty good outfit. It's worth it. If they care enough to flunk you over that, that says they may care about more than that. It's hard to find an outfit that cares about you even a little bit.
     
    Marky84 and Odin's Rabid Dog Thank this.
  5. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

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    Baltimore, MD
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    For Ridgeline, that was tame. I assure you he is very capable of being far more irritating than that. ;)
     
    wore out, Dumdriver, James122 and 3 others Thank this.
  6. Judge

    Judge Road Train Member

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    Mar 19, 2014
    Newport, Ar
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    At least they didn’t make you serpentine back doubles.. unless Monday..o_O
     
    Marky84 Thanks this.
  7. Marky84

    Marky84 Heavy Load Member

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    Sep 24, 2012
    Jefferson, WI
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    Thanks guys. This is how he wanted it done:

    1. Make sure truck is in neutral
    2. start the truck
    3. build up air pressure to full
    4. put the truck in gear
    5. turn truck off
    6. turn key to ON
    7. feet off everything
    8. make sure truck in gear and feet off everything
    9. push knobs in
    10. fan brakes till alarm goes off around 60
    11. keep fanning to about 30 when the red knob pops out
    12. keep fanning to about 10 when yellow knob pops out
    13. put truck in neutral
    14. build air pressure to full
    15. put truck in gear
    16. turn truck off
    17. push in yellow
    18. step on brake and watch for no more than 3 psi in 1 minute
    19. push in red knob
    20. push in brake pedal and watch for no more than 4 psi loss in 1 minute for combination vehicle check
    21. restart truck
    22. release yellow and check brake
    23. push in red knob and check
    24. push both knobs in and roll 5 feet then step on brakes
     
    James122 Thanks this.
  8. Marky84

    Marky84 Heavy Load Member

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    Sep 24, 2012
    Jefferson, WI
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    nah thats extra credit ;)

    i hope!
     
  9. adayrider

    adayrider Road Train Member

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    Just did an air test on my truck yesterday when DOT cop pulled me over for a level 1.
     
  10. James122

    James122 Light Load Member

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    Jun 28, 2018
    United States
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    How do your tests go? I'd be interested in hearing it.
     
  11. Dumdriver

    Dumdriver Road Train Member

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    Jul 8, 2014
    East Coast
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    I don’t mean this to be smug, but didn’t you think to review the brake test since you knew you had an important road test coming up? I understand you haven’t done it in a while- I don’t do that DMV test either. But I would refresh myself on it before my test.

    Again, not being a jerk, hopefully others can learn from it and save themselves some of the trouble you experienced.
     
    James122 Thanks this.
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