Service brakes won't dump pressure?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by PermanentTourist, Dec 8, 2018.

  1. PermanentTourist

    PermanentTourist Heavy Load Member

    749
    881
    Nov 9, 2016
    48 states + Canada
    0
    So I just had my air manifold replaced, and now a few hundred miles later I've got some weirdness going on:

    The service brake pressure won't go down. Emergency brakes release, air builds just fine, but if I step on the brake pedal at all, the "real-time" pressure gauge just goes up and doesn't drop back down. And obviously brakes keep holding the wheels.

    An even weirder thing: the only configuration it works normally is if I have the emergency red line attached to the trailer, but NOT the blue service line. Then, with both emergency brakes released, I can run the truck on bobtail brakes only, and the pressure drops just fine. That's how I managed to limp two miles to the nearest truck stop...

    What the heck is going on? Any advice from air brake detectives out there?
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. stayinback

    stayinback Road Train Member

    3,911
    8,256
    Jan 24, 2014
    chicago,il
    0
    what was replaced? What kind of truck?

    Most likely have the lines connected wrong- Tractor protection valve? Foot Valve?
     
    PermanentTourist Thanks this.
  4. PermanentTourist

    PermanentTourist Heavy Load Member

    749
    881
    Nov 9, 2016
    48 states + Canada
    0
    This is a '14 Cascadia. The air manifold was replaced (the plastic bit on the firewall where all the different air lines go in and out)

    As far as the lines being wrong- unfortunately I don't know very much about the air system. Never really had a problem with that side of the truck until now. I guess today I learn. Any place I should look first?

    The weird thing is, it got me from LA to middle of Arizona before this started happening...
     
  5. dibstr

    dibstr Road Train Member

    1,308
    931
    Sep 10, 2010
    Mississippi
    0
    May sound counterintuitive, but try replacing the trailer hand valve (Trolly valve) or at least check its discharge line for a blockage. Twice over the years I’ve had conditions where I would apply service brakes with the brake pedal and the trailer brakes would not release. Both times it was a bad hand valve.
     
    AModelCat and PermanentTourist Thank this.
  6. Cam Roberts

    Cam Roberts Road Train Member

    1,621
    1,938
    May 13, 2018
    0
    I would agree with you but he left with the truck and drove several hundred miles. If lines connected wrong truck probably wouldn’t make it out of garage. Or am I missing something
     
    AModelCat and PermanentTourist Thank this.
  7. STexan

    STexan Road Train Member

    14,963
    29,153
    Oct 3, 2011
    Longview, TX
    0
    Is it well below freezing and you maybe have ice in your air brake system somewhere such as a frozen valve? (Bad air dryer)

    Also, you need to determine if it’s tractor brakes or trailer brakes that won’t release, or both.

    Or did you set all your brakes when they were wet and they froze to the drums?
     
    Last edited: Dec 8, 2018
    magoo68 and PermanentTourist Thank this.
  8. PermanentTourist

    PermanentTourist Heavy Load Member

    749
    881
    Nov 9, 2016
    48 states + Canada
    0
    It was both. I think it was just ice in the lines, because of going from wet rainy LA right into freezing cold Flagstaff. Anyway, I'm at a shop now, might as well get it checked out.
     
  9. STexan

    STexan Road Train Member

    14,963
    29,153
    Oct 3, 2011
    Longview, TX
    0
    How did you get to a shop with brakes that won’t release?
     
  10. GreenPete359

    GreenPete359 Road Train Member

    2,148
    5,094
    Oct 21, 2017
    Driving my recliner
    0
    He already answered that question. And if he’s smart he’ll leave it at that
     
  11. PermanentTourist

    PermanentTourist Heavy Load Member

    749
    881
    Nov 9, 2016
    48 states + Canada
    0
    Well, the brakes started working fine after I dumped air from tanks a couple of times and weather warmed up. Must have been ice in the lines doing some really weird stuff. Oh well, live and learn. That will teach me to always dump air tanks before going from warm places to super cold ones suddenly.

    Now I got another problem - trolley valve doesn't work. Just shoots air into the cab near the feet. Remains to be seen if it's continuation of the ice problem, or mistake from the air manifold replacement.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.