Air brakes
We just purcased our new DP. Regarding the air brake system. Is there a air storage tank that needs to be drained for water. 2013 Fleetwood Expedition.
Forum Discussion
terryallen...yep, they still work that way. My reference to not `loosing the brakes` was to draw attention to the fact that they didn`t just quit qorking. They didn`t even fail...the driver either didn`t see what was happening and got rolling too fast to stop, or they didn`t do the `Brake Check` at the top of grade..slack adjusters out of whack.
I am supposing that RV`s that are so equipped, have auto-slack adjusters. It used to be, that to set them, one put the rig in reverse, got it rolling a bit, then braked hard. I have no idea what the methods are for RV`s.
Also..if someone is reading this and has air brakes...the air gauge that you watch when you are first starting the engine...tells you several things. The time that it takes to come up to 90 lbs..if it takes more than 5 minutes, something is wrong. You have a leak or a faulty compressor. Then, having attained full operating pressure of 120 lbs..and someone will correct me if I am wrong..it`s been a long long time since I tested...you make a full brake application, with Maxi off...if your air drops down below 60 lbs, I believe, that signifies that your slack adjuster need to be set up or you need new brakes.
You know when you are passing a large truck or bus and you hear that sound of air releasing phsssss...that is the dry tank, doing a regular timed release of air, to ensure that any moisture is removed. Wet air..no brakes. Look when you pass a large truck and you will see a set of tanks, laying down, often stacked on top of each other. They sorta look like oxygen tanks. There`s the air tanks. They each have a petcock, to bleed air manually if needed.
Dynamiting is when the vehicle`s compressor runs below a set lb of air pressure and the brakes come on. The air pressure keeps the brakes OFF..once pressure drops below a certain lb, the spring is no longer held away and the brakes are applied. Those heavy black tire marks you often see on a highway, might have been that. Those lines you see froma truck to trailer are the airlines. If one of those breaks, BANG..dynamite. RFN. All the air just spews out.
Same with an RV..if there is a rapid loss of air pressure, down below, I think 45 lbs..but again, I will be corrected if I am incorrect...BANG... Now..if you are going down a hill and you have heated up your brakes already...and you have been fanning your brake pedal and have taken your air down to that magic point, your brakes come on, only they can only be as effective as the braking surface provides. If they have been over heated and expanded, you are in for a hride.
Hopefully others will chime in and make any corrections and perhaps add a few more tid bits.
Gary Haupt
I am supposing that RV`s that are so equipped, have auto-slack adjusters. It used to be, that to set them, one put the rig in reverse, got it rolling a bit, then braked hard. I have no idea what the methods are for RV`s.
Also..if someone is reading this and has air brakes...the air gauge that you watch when you are first starting the engine...tells you several things. The time that it takes to come up to 90 lbs..if it takes more than 5 minutes, something is wrong. You have a leak or a faulty compressor. Then, having attained full operating pressure of 120 lbs..and someone will correct me if I am wrong..it`s been a long long time since I tested...you make a full brake application, with Maxi off...if your air drops down below 60 lbs, I believe, that signifies that your slack adjuster need to be set up or you need new brakes.
You know when you are passing a large truck or bus and you hear that sound of air releasing phsssss...that is the dry tank, doing a regular timed release of air, to ensure that any moisture is removed. Wet air..no brakes. Look when you pass a large truck and you will see a set of tanks, laying down, often stacked on top of each other. They sorta look like oxygen tanks. There`s the air tanks. They each have a petcock, to bleed air manually if needed.
Dynamiting is when the vehicle`s compressor runs below a set lb of air pressure and the brakes come on. The air pressure keeps the brakes OFF..once pressure drops below a certain lb, the spring is no longer held away and the brakes are applied. Those heavy black tire marks you often see on a highway, might have been that. Those lines you see froma truck to trailer are the airlines. If one of those breaks, BANG..dynamite. RFN. All the air just spews out.
Same with an RV..if there is a rapid loss of air pressure, down below, I think 45 lbs..but again, I will be corrected if I am incorrect...BANG... Now..if you are going down a hill and you have heated up your brakes already...and you have been fanning your brake pedal and have taken your air down to that magic point, your brakes come on, only they can only be as effective as the braking surface provides. If they have been over heated and expanded, you are in for a hride.
Hopefully others will chime in and make any corrections and perhaps add a few more tid bits.
Gary Haupt
