Check Air Brakes This Spring

Winter and Air Brake Systems

Flowers sprouting, birds chirping, and grass growing are all signs that spring has sprung, and now that the new season is here, it's time to perform routine maintenance on trucks by starting with air braking systems. Brake wear is a common complaint among truckers as the chilly temperatures and road salt wreaked havoc on truck brakes during the winter. Truckers will need to inspect brake pads, rotors, calipers, and other essential air brake components to ensure that air brakes run at their peak performance this season. Let's talk about these brake parts and what will happen if you run on failing brake parts.

Warning Signs of Failing Brake Parts

Have you been ignoring that illuminating ABS warning light on the dash or the loud squealing noises when applying the brakes? Don't just crank up the music. These symptoms, including steering vibrations, high pitch sounds and even a "soft" brake pedal, are all warning signs of failing disc brake systems. If you sense there may be a problem, trust your gut and inspect your brake pads, rotors, and calipers before long-haul trips this spring.

Brake Pads, Rotors and Calipers

Brake pads are used to create friction to brake rotors and help vehicles come to a complete stop. They can generate a lot of heat plus cause those obnoxious squealing noises we mentioned. If you are hearing a screeching sound coming from your brakes, chances are it's from worn brake pads. These parts need to be replaced every 30,000-50,000 miles on most commercial vehicles and cannot usually be seen without removing hub caps from the wheel end system.

Failing brake rotors may be the reason why steering wheel vibrations, brake overheating, and pulsation occurs on heavy-duty applications. When it comes to brake rotors, thickness matters and will determine the parts' ability to dispel heat. A brake rotor micrometer will determine if the thickness is wearing down based on the advised thickness measurement stamped on the part. Typically, rotors should be checked every 10,000 miles (along with brake linings) and replaced every 50,000-70,000 miles.

Bad brake calipers can cause vehicles to pull to one side and environmental reasons could be the reason why they fail. Air moisture and road debris can lead to corrosion build-up around the parts. If drivers cruise the road with worn brake pads or warped rotors, damage to calipers is possible. Brake calipers are durable and tough, lasting approximately 100,000 miles, butthey should not be neglected when performing brake jobs.

The Dangers of Not Replacing Brakes

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) found that 29 percent of truck crashes were due to faulty brakes and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) reports that "Brake-related violations comprise the largest percentage of all out-of-service violations cited during roadside inspections." While the CVSA has announced August dates for the Operation AirBrake Initiative, truckers are encouraged to inspect brake systems now prior to the roadside inspections to guarantee safety during long-haul trips this season.