Put An End To Brake Out-Of-Adjustment Fines
Brake out-of-adjustment fines are well documented and easy to look up. They are also easy to detect and easy to fine. Not without reason, however. I don’t believe that it is unwarranted to require a fully loaded tractor-trailer to have an efficient braking system. What makes all of this so frustrating is that it is a topic that gets a lot of lip service and there are countless solutions and programs being offered by experts and amateurs alike. Everyone has a solution. Everyone still gets tickets.
Personally, I am a big fan of the two simplest solutions
.Driver performing a brake check before leaving the yard
The Brake Safe from Spectra
With these two, no one can go wrong. But we still do. That is because even if we know these things and use them, we may not be doing it right. In that case, we may as well not bother at all. So here is how to do it the right way.
Driver Brake Check
Most good drivers know that if a slack adjuster is going to do its job it needs to be used properly. Unfortunately, the majority of drivers (assuming their day goes well) will never press the brake pedal all the way to the floor. And they likely won’t be doing that with the air pressure at its highest. A slack adjuster is like a ratchet, and we all know a ratchet needs to be turned back far enough to grab a new tooth in order to work properly. Somehow this is forgotten with brake adjusters
Here is a little refresher of the 1-2 minute procedure that many of us have forgotten.
Step One- Raise the air pressure until the maximum and you hear the purge valve exhaust.
Step two- Firmly and in one stroke press the brake pedal all the way to the floor and hold for one second
Step three- Repeat 2-3 more times (you may need to drop the air pressure to be able to engage the governor and get the air pressure up to max. again)
If every driver does this every shift every time he has a truck or trailer, then nothing else is needed unless a component such as a valve, slack adjuster, etc. is failing.
The Brake Safe Done Right
This product is brilliant. It is brilliant in its simplicity and effectiveness. The problem lies in the fact that it is, the vast majority of the time, used the wrong way. Now, how can that be if it is so simple? I will illustrate my point with an example that I find on a regular basis.
A Brake Safe set has been installed on a trailer. The brakes have been released (wheels chocked) and we see that the bracket is well installed. Or is it?
This looks great! it truly does, and this is how the majority of technicians will install the bracket and think nothing of it. Now, here is that same brake, the air system is at 130 psi, and the brake has been perfectly adjusted.
Now, how far out of adjustment do you think this slack adjuster would have to be before anyone relying on the Safe Brake would suspect a problem.
How can this be? This is how:
- The proper stroke for this system (standard/short stroke is approximately 1-1/2″
- The specification by the DOT is to not exceed 2″
- This Brake Safe bracket is 2-1/2″ wide
It would actually be close to impossible for this brake to be so far out of adjustment that it would show in relation to the Brake Safe.
These are the options available for bracket sizes. These are smart options, I am not being sarcastic. However, here is what I propose: Do not even pay attention to the inside post. Cut it off if you will. No one cares where the brake will lie when the brakes are released. We sure do care how far it will travel when the brakes are applied.
Solution: With the proper air pressure, apply the service brakes (parking brake is not good enough) and line up the outer (or remaining) post to the point that cannot be passed or the wheel will be declared ‘out-of-adjustment’.
Well, I hope this has helped and given some food for thought and some practical, actionable tips to nip one more problem in the bud.
Drive safe,
Kevin Gauthier