Essential Maintenance Tasks for Your Truck’s Brakes
Ensuring that your truck’s brakes are well maintained is a critical step for the safety of you, your cargo, and anyone else on the road. When trucks are in an accident, the breaks are often the scapegoat, but the reality is that brake failure is almost always caused by neglect. Brakes for big trucks are designed to eliminate as much of the risk for failure as possible when correctly maintained, there should be an almost zero chance of brake failure.
Replace Brake Parts Regularly
Just as with a standard vehicle, there are parts of your brakes that must be regularly maintained and replaced. Shoes, pads, springs, pins, bushings, and drums can and should all be replaced on a regular schedule. Over time, all of these begin to show signs of wear and can crack, leading to critical failures.
Keep S Cams and Slack Adjusters Greased
Depending on whether your truck as automatic or manual slack adjusters they may look slightly different, but they will need to be greased regardless. Without the grease, they can cause the entire system to seize up and fail. Lithium grease is a good option as it will last for longer.
Check Air Compression Pressure Gauge
Did you know that your air pressure is a vital aspect of your braking system? If your trucks air pressure is lower than 60 psi, it’s in your best interest to discontinue use until the system can be checked and repaired. The ideal psi is 100 to 125 as this will ensure that brakes and more function correctly.
Check Linings and Hoses
As part of your day-to-day check before you use your truck, checking your linings and hoses should be near the top of your list. Hoses should all be over ¼ an inch thick and should appear to be dry. Over time, your lining and hoses will show signs of wear and cracking, when this happens they should be replaced immediately.
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