Auto Electrical Faults

The braking system is critical in your commercial truck because it must handle the heavy weight from your cargo and towed trailers. If this element is not serviced properly, the potential risk of unexpected failure and subsequent accidents is high. This will result in costly repairs, loss of goods and even lawsuits when other parties are involved. You can avoid these problems by promoting proper maintenance of the braking components. Here are some crucial tips to help you get started on brake system servicing if you are new to truck handling.

Install New Brake Pads

The brake pads are exposed to friction when the braking system is engaged. This friction ensures that the vehicle stops efficiently by deterring the motion of the wheels. Unfortunately, this type of energy causes accelerated wear of the brake pads, so you will need to perform regular replacements. You can inspect the components to determine the right time for the task. Generally, a wear indicator is fabricated into the brake pads, so plan for replacement when the wear level is close to the mark. When you take the truck for pad replacement, it is prudent to have other parts replaced since their wear rate is correlated. These components include the bushings, pins and system springs that are connected to the brakes.

Service the Slack Adjusters

The slack adjusters in your truck are critical in ensuring that the brakes do not fall out of alignment when pressure is exerted. The most important servicing task in all types of slack adjusters is proper greasing of the components. If these dry out due to negligence, the adjusters will eventually seize up and your brakes will experience breakdown. You can choose any type of recommended auto grease, but the lithium type is the most suitable. If you have acquired an older truck with manual slack adjusters, you will need to reconfigure them periodically to keep the brakes in position. Automatic adjusters will realign themselves after usage.

Check the Pressure Gauge

The application pressure of your braking system is a crucial consideration during maintenance of the vehicle. Fundamentally, this reading is the available pressure that can be transferred from your foot to the wheels. Check your owner's manual for the recommended pressure levels and ensure that your vehicle does not fall below the outlined figure. If you are constantly losing the application pressure, your brake lines are probably damaged. Therefore, engage a truck repair technician to identify the cause of the reduced application pressure and seal any breaches.