Brakes Archives

How to Stop Your Brakes from Squeaking

Video: We’ve all had breaks that squeak. Watch this video to find out how to end this problem forever.

Crossword: Level 1 – Hydraulic Brake Fundamentals

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Crossword: Level 1 – Hydraulic Brake System Drum

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Crossword: Level 2 – Engine and Exhaust Braking

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Wheel-End Maintenance Saves Tires, Brakes

Bearing adjustment is a tricky procedure. Unless you’re using preset hubs, you should check to be sure your techs are doing the job properly. The difference between good and bad in the wheel bearing world is a very fine line — about the width of a couple of human hairs to be imprecise. That’s not… Continue reading Wheel-End Maintenance Saves Tires, Brakes

School Bus Pusher Front Brakes

Brake Jobs are a common repair in our fleet and the video shows a steering axle brake job being done on an HDX Thomas pusher bus. They usually last several years since there is a lighter load on the front axle compared to the drive axle which supports the engine and transmission. These shoes are… Continue reading School Bus Pusher Front Brakes

School Bus Brake Job Machining Tools

Machining Brake Shoes Machining shoes and drums on our fleet of buses was a standard procedure in our shop for many years. The brake job has now evolved into a remove and replace operation changing both drums, shoes and hardware. The reason for this is the time factor ….. the entire machining process on the… Continue reading School Bus Brake Job Machining Tools

Road Test Cummins VGT Exhaust Brake

The Cummins VGT Exhaust Brake The ISB diesel engines we have been running since 2009 have been very dependable. The only failures have been 2 turbochargers that were pumping oil. I’m still praising the VGT (variable geometry turbocharger) because the failure rate is low and the up time far exceeds any inconvenience we had to… Continue reading Road Test Cummins VGT Exhaust Brake

Air Operated Disc Brakes

Are Air Disc Brakes The Future Of School Bus Braking Systems? After looking at the pros and cons of both foundation drum brakes and air disc brakes I believe the latter will become more popular. How fast it becomes a mainstay when ordering school buses is hard to say mainly because of the cost. According… Continue reading Air Operated Disc Brakes