Maine CDL DMV Air Brakes 1

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.

Always apply the parking brake when leaving your vehicle unattended.

Some air brake systems include an evaporator that introduces alcohol into the system. The alcohol can help prevent ice from forming within the system.

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.

In a vehicle with air brakes, the brake lights are activated when the brake pedal is pushed and air pressure moves an electric switch. With the application of air pressure, the switch will then turn on the brake lights.

If you need to make an emergency stop, you can use either the controlled braking method or the stab braking method. It's important to brake in a way that keeps your vehicle in a straight line but will still allow you to turn if necessary.

In an air brake system, the air storage tanks hold compressed air to be used by the brakes. The number and size of air tanks varies among vehicles.

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.

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 you have an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) equipped on only the tractor, only the trailer, or only one axle, you will still have more control over the vehicle when braking than you would without ABS. You should brake normally.

An air brake system has a safety relief valve, which releases air from the tanks if the pressure gets too high. If the valve must operate, something in the system is wrong and should be addressed by a mechanic.

The purpose of an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) is to prevent a vehicle's wheels from locking up when the driver brakes hard on a slippery surface.

Never push down the brake pedal while the spring brakes are activated. The combined force of springs and air pressure could damage the brakes.

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.

In newer vehicles with air brakes, the parking brake is controlled by a yellow, diamond-shaped knob. The driver should pull the knob outward to apply the parking brakes and push the knob inward to release them.

Do not use the brake pedal when the spring brakes are on. This could damage the brakes by subjecting them to the combined forces of springs and air pressure.

Before beginning a trip, it is important to check the brake drums during your walk-around inspection. It is unsafe to drive if any brake drum has a crack more than one half of the width of the friction area.

Some vehicles with air brake systems manufactured before 1975 have a front brake limiting valve with "normal" and "slippery" settings.

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.

An alcohol evaporator can help prevent ice from building up in an air brake system. In cold weather, the evaporator should be checked and refilled every day.

An air brake system has a safety relief valve, which releases air from the tanks if the pressure gets too high. If the valve must operate, something in the system is wrong and should be addressed by a mechanic.

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.

Brakes are designed to take a lot of heat, but drivers should not rely solely on the brakes to slow their vehicle. Brakes may fade and lose their ability to slow down the vehicle if they become too hot, so drivers should also rely on the engine braking effect.

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 the vehicle's total stopping distance.

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.