What do you use the trolley valve for?

No. You can have any number of issues with the service brakes such as a bad diaphragm or a hole in a air line and you would never know it by just popping the red knob.

 

The parking brakes are spring brakes. Push the red valve in and it releases the spring brakes. The service brakes are air actuated. As in the slack adjuster and brake pedal, etc. The service brakes are much stronger than the spring brakes. Over twice as strong.

 

#### like that is why companies stated ordering trucks without hand valves. I got almost 400k miles out of my drive brakes and could have easily gotten another 100k. Our mechanics decided to replace them at our shop when I was getting a new set of drive tires to save their labor. Brakes are cheap.

 

No!!!

 

Who ever though it was a good idea to take these trailers down the road was a real #######.

 

Actually I've driven worst set ups. At least the stretch trailers have less moving parts. But with all truck applications there're short comings to each. Those stretch trailers need a steerable trailer.

 

For all you lurkers out there that are contemplating becoming an owner operator:

In this thread, @kylefitzy says that BRAKES ARE CHEAP. He is correct. Make absolutely sure that you understand and know how the brakes work. All the brakes. From the parking brakes to the service brakes. I guess the best way to explain the difference is to look at a car. Most cars will have disc brakes. But many cars will use old school brake drums on the rear axle for parking/emergency brakes. Just as the old brake drum parking brakes on a car have nowhere the power of the disc brakes, the spring brakes of a big rig will only have 40% of the stopping power of the air brakes.

Brakes are one of those things that you should learn how to repair. Or at the very least, learn how to bandaid so you can get to a repair shop. A roadside repair can cost you serious money when there’s absolutely no need.