California CDL DMV Air Brakes 2

When a brake pedal is pressed and the S-cam is turned, the S-cam presses the brake shoes against the inside of the brake drum. This causes friction and will cause the vehicle to slow.

When performing a static leakage test on a double combination vehicle with air brakes, the leakage rate should be no more than 3 psi in one minute. If the air leaks from the air brake system at a quicker rate, the vehicle should not be driven because something likely needs to be repaired.

A visual low pressure warning signal should activate before air pressure drops to a level between 55 and 75 psi. This signal could be a light, a buzzer, or a wig wag.

It is important to know the maximum air loss rate that is safe for your specific vehicle. A triple combination should have a leakage rate no higher than 6 psi in a minute during an applied leakage test.

A one-way check valve is required to be between an air compressor and the first main reservoir. This valve prevents air from escaping the system if the air compressor develops a leak.

If the low pressure warning signal activates while you are driving, it is important that you safely exit the roadway as soon as possible and park your vehicle. If the air pressure gets too low, the brakes will no longer work well enough for you to stop safely.

An air compressor governor will stop the compressor from pumping air once the air tanks are at an air pressure level around 125 psi. This air pressure level is referred to as the "cut-out" level.

If your brakes are hot after coming down a steep grade, you should not use your parking brake when parking. Let your brakes cool before applying the parking brake or risk damaging the brakes.

Vehicles with ABS have yellow malfunction lamps to alert drivers when the braking systems are not working. Be sure you know where the malfunction lamp on your vehicle is before beginning a trip.

Brake linings should not be loose or soaked with oil or grease. They shouldn't be dangerously thin.

Both systems in a dual air brake system share a single air compressor. If the air compressor is damaged, neither system will be able to operate properly.

If the low pressure warning signal activates while you are driving, it is important that you safely exit the roadway as soon as possible and park your vehicle. If the air pressure gets too low, the brakes will no longer work well enough for you to stop safely.

It is important to know the maximum air loss rate that is safe for your specific vehicle. A double combination vehicle should have a leakage rate no higher than 4 psi in a minute during an applied leakage test.

If equipped, ABS is in addition to a vehicle's normal braking system and does not increase or decrease the braking power of any other system. ABS only activates when a vehicle's wheels are about to lock.

On vehicles with Anti-Lock Braking Systems (ABS), yellow malfunction lamps alert the driver to ABS malfunction.

The total stopping distance for vehicles equipped with air brakes is made up of four factors: perception distance, reaction distance, brake lag distance, and braking distance. When braking at a speed of 55 mph while driving on dry pavement, the brake lag can add around 32 feet to a vehicle's total stopping distance.

While driving downhill, you should hold down the brake pedal until your vehicle reaches a speed 5 mph below your safe speed, then release the brake pedal. Repeat this process.

Before driving a vehicle with air brakes, you should ensure that the spring brakes come on automatically when air tank pressure falls to a level between 20 and 45 psi. You can do this by chocking the wheels and releasing air from the braking system by stepping on and off the brake pedal. Once the pressure levels drop to an unsafe level, the parking brake valve should pop out and spring brakes should come on.

Check each slack adjuster after parking on level ground, setting wheel chocks, and disengaging the parking brake. Pull the slack adjusters to make sure they do not move more than about one inch from where the push rod is attached. If they move more than one inch, they may be out of adjustment and will need to be fixed.

When a brake pedal is pressed and the S-cam is turned, the S-cam presses the brake shoes against the inside of the brake drum. This causes friction and will cause the vehicle to slow.

In a vehicle with dual parking control valves, there is a separate air tank that can be used to temporarily release the spring brakes if they have been activated due to low air pressure. Pushing in the proper control will release the spring brakes for a short period of time, allowing the driver to move the vehicle in an emergency.

Compressed air usually contains a certain amount of moisture and compressor oil, which can build up in the air storage tanks and damage the brake system. The tanks should be drained to clean out these accumulations. On a tank with a manual drain valve, draining should be performed at the end of each day of driving.

In situations where a driver cannot use a parking brake, wheel chocks can be used to hold a parked vehicle in place on a level surface.

When inspecting a vehicle with a dual air brake system, you should wait for air pressure to build from 85 to 100 psi in both the primary and secondary systems. This should take about 45 seconds.

The air compressor of an air brake system is connected to the engine through gears or a v-belt. The compressor may be air-cooled or cooled by the engine cooling system.