Preventative steps to take to avoid CSA citations for brakes

There's a lot to remember when inspecting brakes; fleets need to make sure everything is operating properly, and that potentially costly CSA violations can be avoided. Fleet Equipment polled our experts from our CSA brake story on the steps they recommend taking in a brake inspection.

Read the full story on common issues that lead to CSA violations, and how they can be prevented, by clicking here.

According to Jeff Wittlinger, business unit director of wheels and braking systems at Hendrickson, there are several key steps to follow during a brake inspection, and they are as follows:

"Brake shoes should be carefully inspected for defective lining conditions," recommends Dennis Griffin, product manager of commercial vehicle friction for Federal-Mogul Motorparts. "Particular attention should be given to cracks, oil/grease contamination and lining thickness. These are easily observed during a roadside CSA inspection and may lead to a citation."

"If a drum-braked wheel-end equipped with an automatic slack adjuster is out of adjustment," says Keith McComsey, director of marketing and customer solutions for Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC, "Bendix's most important piece of advice is this: Do not manually adjust the adjuster. There are many factors that can cause an automatic slack adjuster to overstroke, but none of these will be remedied with a manual readjustment. Refer to the manufacturer's instructions to determine whether the slack adjuster is properly adjusting the brake."

"Check to ensure that the power stroke is within legal limits, and that the free stroke is within the manufacturer's recommended limit," recommends Greg Sturdy, director of wheel end product engineering for Accuride. "Gunite agrees with the TMC's suggestion of 3/8-in. as the lower limit. You should also compare power strokes to determine any imbalance across the system (both across axle and axle vs. axle). Check components for improper alignment and to check for any missing items. Look at the system as a whole critically and methodically. Just because you are doing a service or change of one component doesn't mean that other components in the system are in good shape. Use repair and replacement as an opportunity to conduct a complete check of your brake system.

"Keeping components clean is vital," he continues. "The brake system has lots of moving and static joints that can cause issues in system performance. Hub-drum, hub-rotor and hub-wheel mounting surfaces are frequent culprits of wear, damage and corrosion. Keep these joints clean and free of debris, and ensure that they have a properly aligned fit.

"Constantly look for signs of corrosion and evaluate against the proper specifications," he adds. "If something looks out of compliance, clean the component or discard and replace them, when necessary, so as not to create a performance or safety issue.

"Perform a function test on your brake system using a reference point (i.e. paint pen marking, etc.) to check for rotation and movement when actuating the brakes," concludes Sturdy. "Make sure that you have the proper tools for the job, including a torque wrench for final wheel nut torque. The system check is a great opportunity to address any and all leaks at valves, canisters, bearing seals, etc."

When it comes to brake friction, McComsey of Bendix advises fleets to take the following steps:

In conducting a complete brake job, disassembly can impact the assembly portion of the brake job process, all of which affects overall performance of your brakes. Be sure as you disassemble the brake to carefully inspect every part, checking for unusual wear. Part wear patterns can tell you a lot about the brake and the entire braking system.

It is important to note that most friction problems can be diagnosed by a close inspection of the old parts. Begin by checking the pushrod stroke.