Washington CDL DMV Air Brakes 1

Vehicles with air brakes are required to be equipped with a low pressure warning device. A wig wag is a type of low air pressure warning device. This device drops a mechanical arm into the driver's view if the pressure in the tanks drops to a level between 55 and 75 psi.

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

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.

Before starting down a hill, be sure to switch into a low gear. Gravity will increase your vehicle's speed as you travel downhill.

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.

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.

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.

When pressing the brake pedal in a vehicle with S-cam brakes, air will enter the brake chambers. The added air pressure will push out the rods and move slack adjusters, twisting the brake camshafts.

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.

A vehicle that is equipped with air brakes must also be equipped with a supply pressure gauge. This gauge tells the driver how much air pressure is in each of the vehicle's air tanks.

Before a trip, you should check each slack adjuster after parking, setting wheel chocks, and disengaging the parking brake. Pull the slack adjusters to make sure that 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.

The purpose of an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) is to prevent wheel lockup while brakes are being applied.

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

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.

A vehicle's total stopping distance is made up of perception distance, reaction distance, brake lag distance, and braking distance. With all of these factors included, an air brake-equipped vehicle traveling at a speed of 55 mph under ideal driving conditions will need approximately 450 feet to come to a complete stop.

Friction inside a brake drum is caused when the brake shoes and linings push against the inside of the drum. The friction in the drums will slow and stop the vehicle.

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.

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.

In an air brake system, the air compressor governor controls when the air compressor pumps air into the air storage tanks.

In general, you should always use the parking brake when parking your vehicle. However, you should not apply the parking brake if your brakes are very hot or if your brakes are wet and temperatures are below freezing.

On long and/or steep downgrades, you should primarily use engine braking to control the speed of your vehicle. Use your brakes only as a supplement to this effect.

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.

A modulating control valve allows a driver to gradually apply spring brakes. In equipped vehicles, the valve is controlled by a lever located on the dashboard.

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.