Because safety should always come first when driving your truck, it’s essential to perform regular truck inspections. One of the most important inspections to be performed on any heavy truck is a brake inspection. It’s essential for your brakes to work as they should in order to ensure the safety of not only the truck driver, but everyone else on the road, as well.
Drum Brakes
The following recommendations are made by those who are considered to be brake repair experts, especially when it comes to working on heavy duty truck brakes. One of the first things that need to be done is for the truck to be set up in a certain way in order to make sure that those who are performing the inspection have complete access to all of the trucks brake components. This requires that the wheels are first chocked so that the reservoir can be charged to somewhere between 90 and 100 PSI’s, and then the engine be turned completely off. Additional assistance is required in order to complete any work needed to be done to the brake pedal.
Once this important first step is completed, the following brake related items must be thoroughly checked in order to make sure that the entire brake system is working as it should.
- Check the lining of the contact drums. Check closely for any cracks, oil and/or grease contamination, and any rivets that aren’t properly protected.
- Check the chamber stroke (using CVSA guidelines). Also listen to all chambers for possible leaks.
- Check that the airway hoses are firmly secured and that there is no cracking, leaking or any bulging.
- Completely and thoroughly check all parts of the brake system, which includes the springs, rollers, scams, shoes, brackets, linings, and more.