Whether you are driving your own truck or running a delivery business, it’s important to stay on top of maintenance to ensure that your fleet is in the best possible mechanical condition. Doing this helps prolong the life of your trucks and, more importantly, reduces the risk of accidents.
One of the best ways to ensure safe driving is to have well maintained brakes. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, truck braking capability is a major factor in truck accidents.
With the help of a truck brake service team, you can evaluate whether your brakes need repair or replacement. Did you know that there are also ways to conduct your own truck brake assessment and inspection?
These tips can help you determine whether or not your brakes need to be inspected by a truck repair service center.
Check your drum brake adjustments.
Check the brake chambers and confirm their size according to the square-inch area of the chamber diaphragm. You can determine the brake chamber size by locating the size markings engraved on the body of the chamber and clamp. This is ideally done when the brakes are “cold” because the stroke measurements will appear longer otherwise because of the heat expansion of the brake drum. You can ask a truck brake service near your area if you are unsure.
See if your disc brake pads are worn out.
In order to see your disc brake pads, follow the surface of the disc “rotor” to the top. You will see the outside pad touching the disc. If the pad measures about 1/8 ” or less, it’s time to replace them. You may also notice that the fluid level in the brake master cylinder will have dropped noticeably below the “full” mark. Start searching online for “truck brake repair near me” so you can have the pads replaced as soon as possible.
Take a look at the brake lines.
Your flexible rubber brake lines should not be cracked and rigid. They should be soft and flexible. If you start seeing cracks in the flexible brake lines or signs of fluid leaking, it is time you consider replacing them. Make sure to also check the hard metal lines for signs of corrosion or fluid leaks.
If you’ve been wondering, “Where is the best truck repair service near me?” visit Truck-N-Trailer! Call us at (405) 912-5800 to schedule your service today.
