Air Brake Maintenance Guide

Successfully maintaining your air brake system relies on more than routine inspection. When you discover issues, adjustments and timely repairs ensure your tractor-trailer will remain roadworthy. To help you keep your rig on the road, the fleet trailer maintenance pros at Ainsworth have assembled this basic guide to air brake system care.

Ainsworth Air Brake System Maintenance Checklist

• Reservoir Tank
  Clean air and adequate pressure are integral to proper air brake system function. Verify pressure is 80psi at a minimum. Be sure to regularly drain all moisture (and sludge) from air brake reservoirs. Open drain cock and remove all condensation. Close the drain and inspect the reservoir for damage or wobble. Connections should be tight and brake lines securely supported. Neglecting this chore in cold weather can result in freezing and obstruction in lines and valves.
• Gladhands
  Verify proper operation without obstruction. Spray gladhands and mounting with soapy water, checking for leakage with tractor/trailer connected and air in the system. Glad hands should be clean and free of grease and oil. Replace seals annually or when the condition is poor.  
• Brake Lines & Hoses
  Check brake lines and hoses for cracks, breaks, and chafing, replacing deteriorated components immediately. Ensure connections are tight. CAUTION: Never weld near nylon tubing. Remove/reinstall when possible to prevent heat damage, or carefully shield. 
• Service & Spring Brake Chambers
  Inspect air chamber clamp bands and mounting nuts for tightness, and brake chambers for physical damage and leaks. CAUTION: Never attempt to maintain this system yourself. Special tools and techniques are necessary to avoid serious injury. 
• Air Valves
  Check air valves for leaks and the need for air system repairs . Replace when necessary with new or rebuilt valves. 
• Brake Lining
  Check brake lining thickness, replacing when worn or coated with oil, grease, or debris.
• Brake Drums
  Inspect brake drums for mud or rust accumulations, cleaning when necessary. Replace cracked/broken drums immediately. 
• Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
  ABS systems vary. Contact your ABS manufacturer for complete ABS maintenance instructions. 
• Electronic Control Unit (ECU)
  Be on the lookout for both your dashboard ABS indicator lamp and the ABS indicator lamp on the side of your trailer. These indicate ECU malfunction affecting your ABS. 
• ABS Indicator Lamp
  Check your ABS lamp for proper function. You’ll find it on the driver’s side by the rear marker lamp, denoted by the letters “ABS.” This lamp should not be ON when your tractor-trailer is moving over four mph, or come on and stay on if you apply brakes when the vehicle is in motion. These situations indicate a malfunction and the need for service ASAP to safeguard braking performance and proper ABS function. Some indicator lamps provide blink codes, blinking on and off to identify problem areas.
• Slack Adjuster (Self-Adjusting)
  Refer to your vehicle’s manufacturer recommendations for complete details on inspecting and maintaining your slack adjuster. 

Are air brake maintenance needs putting pressure on your schedule? Get back on track with the help of Ainsworth Trailer Repair today.

This article was previously published at:

http://www.trailerrepairdenver.com/air-brake-maintenance-guide/

Tips & Tricks for Backing Up Your Trailer

At Ainsworth, our trailer repair service professionals deal with a lot of rear-end body repair issues. Backing up a trailer is tricky, and comes with a steep learning curve. Novice drivers do all kinds of things to avoid this dreaded task. But we promise you, it is possible. 

5 Tips for Backing Up Your Trailer

After years of backing up an automobile with no trailer attached, the science of backing up a trailer can scramble your brain. With a little insight and a lot of practice, however, you can turn yourself into a trained trailer-toting expert. Here are the basic steps:

1.    Hold your hands in the 6 o’clock position.
This position will help you better visualize the steering direction.

• a.                 To go left: Move your hand to the left.
• b.                  To go right: Move your hand to the right

2.    Think about pushing your trailer.
Rather than considering your trailer and tow vehicle as a single unit, think of them separately. Visualize the back end of your tow vehicle pushing the trailer coupler. If this doesn’t work, try the wheelbarrow analogy. If you were pushing a wheelbarrow and you want to go left, you’d have to move the handles to the right (and vice versa). 

3.    When possible, look over your shoulder when backing up your trailer.
If your trailer blocks your view, face forward and roll down your windows, using your side mirrors to track trailer movement. 

4.    Move slowly and make wide turns.
Inexperienced drivers tend to understeer, then overcompensate. Be forewarned: Exaggerating turns and moving too fast can cause your trailer to jackknife. Avoid rapid maneuvers and exaggerating turns, making wider turns instead. This technique will get easier with practice. 

5.    Avoid jackknifing the trailer at all costs.
Jackknifing often results in the need for trailer body repair for both the trailer and the tow vehicle. Move slowly and carefully. If you fear overcompensation, correct excessive turns by pulling forward or steering the tow vehicle in the same direction of the trailer. It is better to suffer through multiple attempts than jackknife your trailer. 

Towing shenanigans left your trailer out of sorts? Don’t hide in shame. Repair it fast with the help of the local trailer service pros at Denver’s Ainsworth Denver’s Trailer Repair Pros. 

This article was previously published at:

http://www.trailerrepairdenver.com/air-brake-maintenance-guide/