When the brakes are applied, circuits send compressed air from the storage tanks to front and rear service chambers that push the brake shoes into the brake drums, thus slowing down the vehicle. Semis ...

Back in May, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) conducted its annual one-day surprise inspection of bus and truck air brake systems as part of its ongoing “Operation Airbrake” program. A ...

The hardest part of disassembling the brakes is usually removing the drum. Some drums and most backing plates have inspection slots near the bottom (sometimes covered with a rubber plug or a steel ...

Have you ever tried to back up an 18-wheeler? It's no small feat, but once you understand how air brakes in semi trucks work, it all starts to make sense.