Post Gordon ~ Thoughts, Commentary & Reflections

Just saw some great info at msg #3 from STexan at thread 'Adjusting Brakes': http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...-truckers-advice/229971-adjusting-brakes.html, excellent PDF from IdeaLease can be found at: http://www.idealease-abetterway.com/safetycompliance/04_22_2011.pdf.

"Adjusting Automatic Slack Adjusters
April 22, 2011
Air braked vehicles subject to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 49 CFR §571.121 and Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMV) subject to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation (FMCSR) 49 CFR§393.53(b),(c), manufactured after October 20, 1994 are required to be equipped automatic brake adjusters.

Question: Why do we see so many roadside inspections with violations for brakes out of adjustment?

Answer: With automatic slack adjusters on almost all commercial motor vehicles today a portion of these violations can be attributed to the technical working of the automatic slack adjuster.

Professional drivers will maintain a space cushion between them and the vehicles in front of them. When applying the brakes they will usually apply the brakes with 15% to 25% air application. Only in a defensive action will a driver apply the brakes with greater than 60% air application. These braking incidents are referred to as “Panic Stops” or “Rapid De-acceleration Occurrences”.

Analysis reflects that most professional drivers will require less than six of this type of brake application per 1,000 miles driven.

Most International trucks are equipped with a “stroke sensitive” automatic adjuster. This type of slack adjuster adjusts the brakes on the return stroke. This adjustment occurs only when the application is greater than 60%.The safer the driver operates the unit, the less opportunity there is for an automatic brake adjustment."

 

The IdeaLease article continues:

"To ensure that the brakes are always in adjustment, the following is recommended:

1. During your pre-trip inspection complete 10 full brake applications while the unit is parked. A slack adjuster will adjust approximately 1⁄2 inch with every 10 full brake applications. By including this procedure as part of your pre-trip inspection will ensure that your brakes are always fully in adjustment. In the event of a roadside inspection, repeat this process while waiting your turn in the inspection process. This will ensure that the automatic slack adjuster have the adjusted the brakes to compliance.

2. During the Pre-Trip inspection, a driver is required by D.O.T. to check the low air pressure-warning device. This should be audible at 60 psi. To check this device the air pressure must be lowered to 60 psi. If while accomplishing this portion of the inspection, a driver would fully apply and release, the air pressure should drop approximately 4 psi with each application.


Squeaking Brakes – Another condition attributed to “feathering or low psi” brake applications is noisy brakes when stopping. Many times this is created by crystallized lining, which occurs when the brakes are repeatedly applied with low psi applications. This can be minimized with four or five firm brake applications or rapid de-acceleration stops. If your brakes are noisy, try bringing the vehicle to a stop with four or five firm brake applications each week. Always check to see that there are no vehicles following you if you do this procedure."

Good info! Thx STexan! (Msg #3, 'Adjusting Brakes'.)

 

Here's some further info from STexan's IdeaLease PDF:


10 Things You Need to Know about Commercial Vehicle Brakes


1. Commercial vehicles are powered forward by fuel. They are stopped by brakes that use heat as their energy source. Brakes are vital to the safe operation of a vehicle because they enable the vehicle to stop

2. Braking systems are complicated and contain many parts that need constant inspection and attention to ensure proper operation and performance.

3. To be able to rely on your brakes in every driving situation, they must be properly adjusted, maintained and inspected before and after every trip.

4. The only way to know when you have a brake adjustment problem is to measure the stroke.

5. Poor brake adjustment reduces the ability of the service brakes to stop a vehicle and also reduces the ability of the emergency/parking brakes to stop and/or hold a vehicle.

6. By far, brakes comprise the largest percentage of out-of-service violations cited during roadside inspections.

(Bold Emphasis Added--by Vic)

7. Highway warning signs are usually for automobile drivers; truck drivers must translate them for trucks.

8. Highway design engineers often do not know the margin of safety for trucks in their design. As a result, even if your brakes are adjusted and performing properly, when you are able to see a potential problem ahead your chances of stopping are less than that of car drivers.

9. Be especially careful about how you apply your brakes when driving in mountainous areas.

10. Additional factors besides brakes that affect the vehicles’ ability to stop include tire compound and tread depth; loading and dynamic weight shift; vehicle speed; driver condition, mental state and knowledge of surroundings; traffic congestion; pavement surface characteristics; and stopping-sight distance.


You can find STexan's IdeaLease PDF (msg #3, 'Adjusting Brakes') here:http://www.idealease-abetterway.com/...04_22_2011.pdf

 

snowwy, KW Cajun and I went back and forth in 'Adjusting Brakes' thread, very similar to tow614 and I earlier here. See: Page 30, msg #298. Then KW gave his pre-trip procedure and it just made sense to join him. Here's the response that got me to his and tow's view. See: http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...ruckers-advice/229971-adjusting-brakes-5.html, msg #44.

As far as a dash light to tell you when an automatic self-adjuster has gone bad, I've already explained how exactly to tell.
1. Chock wheels, Release all brakes, pull on slack adjuster and check free play/slack.
2. If slack is beyond limits, apply 10 full brake applications.
3. Repeat step 1.
4. If slack is still excessive, repeat step 2.
5. Repeat step 1 and if slack is still beyond limits, you have a defective slack adjuster (or other defective brake parts).

Either way, the vehicle is then out of service (OOS).

Nothing in STexas's IdeaLease pdf says anything to the contrary of what I stated.
You are confusing "adjust the brakes" to mean "only with a wrench". They are to be adjusted with full brake application only.
Continue to do it "your" way, even tho NTSB, DOT, and FMCSA say it's wrong.
BTW, I hope you don't learn the hard way, by way of accident.

 

Here is tow's msg #710 at joseph's thread, http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...my-new-adventure-with-gordon-trucking-71.html

(Emphasis in bold added.)

 

Very cool, Blu. Where are you tonight? Or where will you be tomorrow--(actually today).


/Haven't abandoned the thread. Just not sure how I want to continue the narrative now that the Intimidator and Fleet Manager are no longer with Gordon. Not into flogging fired horses. Have thought about a blog elsewhere and copied over here for discussion, feedback. Not sure. Still thinking about it. Have been active on lots of other threads, though. Spending way too much time on TTR lately. It's like, addicting.


/"It's still yesterday Here." That's right, isn't it! Not for long... : 0) G'nite!