Does your home jurisdiction require air brake endorsement?

If you are not "checking" your automatic slack adjusters then you are an accident waiting to happen. Just because it says 'automatic' does not mean 'failsafe'.

If you want to know 'how' to check them, just ask.

peaches&cream wrote:

slickest1 wrote:
There is often people posting questions about their air brake systems and their lack of basic knowledge of how they work is sometimes scary. Air brake systems are more complex than regular juice brake systems and do require a basic understanding of how they work, and how they should be maintained.I have heard people say "how many old folks can climb under their rig and set up their brakes?" It is not the fact that they can't do it is it more like they should know it needs to be done periodically and have it done for them. There is a very valid reason why commercial drivers need air brake training, and it is a little more than just pushing a pedal. Even hydraulic brakes have there limitations with a big class a and certain road conditions and not knowing you can overheat the brake fluid can lead to a scary or worse situation.

You are totally correct. Lets make a class on brakes, Hydraulic and air mandatory before you can purchase a motor vehicle :S
Then let's make it mandatory you take a class before you purchase a MH.:S
Then let's see what it does to MH sales?
At least everyone will be safe. :h
Is that what you want?

No that is not what I would want, but a little common sense would be in order.
Looking at it from your point of view lets just take away the requirement for drivers licences for all classes of vehicles.
That way no one has to take any classes and car truck and motorhome sales would soar.
Personally I have helped people on the side of the road with air brake problems. Broken air line, loss of all air and spring brakes applied and there they sat. Luckily they got it out of the traffic lane. They had no idea what was wrong, and if they could get the brakes off they could just carry on. It can and does happen more than you think.

By the way pilots can't just jump in an airplane and fly it, or should we just trust the smart folks.

06Fargo wrote:
Hey peaches&cream - - no need to ruff people up over this - by the way legislators' names not required here - we are so simple minded here we require an air brake endorsement to legally operate any air brake machine on a public road, MH, bus, truck, farm tractor (my neighbor has one), wheel loader, log skidder, rubber tired locomotive - you name it if it has air brakes you have the endorsement or stay off the public road. No complicated weight and type and ABC formula. Hasn't hurt MH sales to my limited knowledge. You are also free here to buy your own road and drive 'em all you like, without any license even.

I was not understanding why people were posting basic air brake system questions about vehicles they already drive and/or own. That's all...
now I understand ... it is because they don't know, and weren't "required" to know before getting behind the wheel.

Now, to your general question: "Is this what you want."

Scenario:

9 percent grade, 7 miles to go. 40ft DP coach bearing down on me from behind, towing tandem 24ft double deck toy trailer, with two cars one for his one for his one for hers, pan to the luxury driving station and co-pilot accommodation,

He: "Dang-it Honey, call that salesman on the satellite phone I'm pumping my brakes and this sumb&#ch don't wanna slow down. He said the engine has brakes! All he could talk about was engine brakes and what was that other dumb name? Oh ya "slack adjusters" - who ever heard of "slack adjusters" ... Now that noisy alarm is gonna wake up Foofoo. He is gonna here about this!"

She: "Honey? Can we make that curve at 80 mph? Maybe we should google rv.net..."

Stay tuned... in our next episode: Will the spring brakes be enough? Will the Terrible Cummins engine hold together at 4000rpm? Will their china tires hold? Will Foofoo sleep through that noisy alarm?

I'm just having fun. :) No way the above could happen. No way slack adjusters can be adjusted backwards by accident... no way...

Are you saying this scenario couldn't happen with hydraulic brakes? People keep bringing up slack adjusters, but nobody should be adjusting their automatic slack adjusters, anyway. And if a slack adjuster fails, how is that different from a hydraulic brake self-adjuster failing (talking drums here)?

I'm not saying nobody should know how their air brake system works. I'm just wondering why "ignorance is bliss" seems to be the attitude with hydraulic brakes.

This topic has been discussed numerous times on this forum. The State of Maryland requires that you have a non-commercial driver's license to drive your motorhome if it weighs 26,001 pounds or more and to have an air brake endorsement if the coach has air brakes. It would be a "B" class if not towing a trailer exceeding 10,000 pounds and an "A" class if towing a trailer exceeding 10,000 pounds.

I am sure there are other states that do not require an air brake endorsement; however, one should at least have some familiarity with how the air brake system works on her/his coach.

It was once said to me regarding air brakes. "It's what you don't know about them that can KILL you". You naysayers should wake up a little bit. I'm not saying there should be you need for an endorsement but you SHOULD know about the system and how it works. There's more to driving these rigs then just pointing them down the road. As for one comment regarding never seeing someone driving a Class A and doing anything wrong, I suggest they be a bit more observant.

Tom/Barb wrote:

Who cares? you have your coach maintained by a professional and it works properly when you step on the pedal.

You do not need to know all the details to be safe. other wise a transport pilots would have to be aviation engineers to fly.

OUCH!! and that's exactly the response that I did not expect unless you do not drive an air brake equipped RV, in which case your response is understandable.

havasu wrote:
So just for fun and being totally honest, can you answer the following?

1. What are slack adjusters and what procedure should you follow to check them?
2. Do you have 1 air tank or 2?
3. How often should you drain your tanks?
4. At what pressure should the spring brakes apply
5. What pressure should cause the low pressure alarm to sound
6. What is the maximum air pressure allowed
7. How many seconds should it take to build operating pressure
8. What are the 2 tests for air leakage
9. What the are maximum leakage rates allowed

How many can you answer without Googling?

Who cares? you have your coach maintained by a professional and it works properly when you step on the pedal.

You do not need to know all the details to be safe. other wise a transport pilots would have to be aviation engineers to fly.

havasu wrote:
So just for fun and being totally honest, can you answer the following?

1. What are slack adjusters and what procedure should you follow to check them?
2. Do you have 1 air tank or 2?
3. How often should you drain your tanks?
4. At what pressure should the spring brakes apply
5. What pressure should cause the low pressure alarm to sound
6. What is the maximum air pressure allowed
7. How many seconds should it take to build operating pressure
8. What are the 2 tests for air leakage
9. What the are maximum leakage rates allowed

How many can you answer without Googling?

I can answer them all off the top of my head, but I'll let someone else have a shot.

So just for fun and being totally honest, can you answer the following?

1. What are slack adjusters and what procedure should you follow to check them?
2. Do you have 1 air tank or 2?
3. How often should you drain your tanks?
4. At what pressure should the spring brakes apply
5. What pressure should cause the low pressure alarm to sound
6. What is the maximum air pressure allowed
7. How many seconds should it take to build operating pressure
8. What are the 2 tests for air leakage
9. What the are maximum leakage rates allowed

How many can you answer without Googling?

The OP asked if there were some States in the US that did not require an air brake endorsement...the answer is yes, there are some that require you to do so and some that don't. Should it be required...:h..I don't believe that was the question...IMHO, any additional information to enhance safety on the roadways, whether yourself or others using the roadway with you is invaluable. Are air brakes different than hydraulics, of course. Do many people drive their coaches the same way they do their cars? of course. Just because it's not a regulation does not mean you don't need the extra info. Ask anyone who has taken a class on air brakes..I would bet you won't find one in a hundred that thought it was a waste of time or money....should we have more government regulation, no! but unfortunately you can't regulate stupidity anyway.....Dennis