Air Brake course

[fraser8]

I just finished a 16 hour air brake instruction course with an added four hours of practical. I would recommend any new drivers to take a course before they get behind the wheel of the big rig. Not only is the air brake portion very in depth with how it works, how to fix and how to operate but it had many driving tips and ways to avoid those emergency situations. I live in mountainous country so it was a great help, also the law here. I passed with 100% on practical and theory. I was surprised to see how very little it takes to have the brakes out of adjustment with disastrous concisenesses and how easy it is to keep them in proper working order..

[cody]

Good post fraser and good timing, I've never been a fan of government regulation of any kind but this morning I had to rethink some of it a little.I made a dumpster run this morning hauling some junk from the garage, going past the casino I saw a nice prevo so I pulled in thinking it might be somebody from the board, it wasn't but what it turned out to be is an older couple that had never had a bus before only a class B thing. The parking lot was almost empty and the site he was trying to back into was wide enough to park the bus on the side of it and his towd also and still stay on the paved site. he was trying to back it in with the towd attached and it was jack knifed bad he was having a fit and so was his wife lol.  We disconnnected the car and I backed it in for him, and helped him hook up his water and power, we talked for a while, he had bought it 3 days ago in nebraska and never drove one before, he said they had a lot of problems figuring out things and liked the room but he admitted he really didn't have a clue yet on it. The dealer had given him the keys and that was all, he was on his own.  I told him I'd be back later and we'd figure out what he needs to know before they head out in a couple of days, maybe a test for basic knowledge would be a thought after all.

[buswarrior]

Excellent report!

I especially like the   "and how easy it is to keep them in proper working order.."

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[DR]

great post fraser8, where does one find an air brake course in their area, or who put the course on that you attended??  we live in Oregon, thanks for the help!!  DR

[fraser8]

The better driving schools have them if they train truck drivers. Also some community Colleges offer the course. The cost here is $200, we used to pay a dollar and get the endorsement but with so many accidents because of poorly adjusted brakes a certification is required. I'm going to change my bus to automatic adjusters so I don't have to do the morning crawl...

[Dallas]

I'm going to change my bus to automatic adjusters so I don't have to do the morning crawl...

You may want to rethink the auto slack adjusters...

When they work they are great, when they don't, how do you know? Automatic slack adjusters have been known to over tighten for no particular reason, not to mention that your time crawling under the coach gives you time to look around at all the other stuff that could be broken or bent or just need general service.

In my experience, having a dual gauge on the dash tells me when I need to adjust the brakes before any slack problems can become excessive.

Just my dos centavos

Dallas

[Hobie]

In California we have state sponsored career training called Regional Occupational Program (ROP).  Nominal cost, usually materials only fees.  I got my Class A truck driving license here.  Your state may offer a similar program. 

[fraser8]

Good thought Dallas, A visual and hands on check is better than trusting a piece if metal to to the job.

[Hodag]

Dallas:  How does having dual dash gauges help diagnose slack problems?  Are you talking about air presssure gauges? Thanks.

Bryan

[Hodag]

Never mind, Dallas. I just read your post on the thread about simultaneous application of parking and service brakes and I see that you are talking about a two needle gauge.  Your post there explains the whole thing.  Thanks for enlightening me before I even asked.

Bryan

[HB of CJ]

The old Crown Super Coach I drove, which ran the Ridge Route both ways daily had an air brake application gage.  Since I was only 18 and very dumb, I asked the master mechanic why it had been installed and what it did.

About 30 minutes later, I had an idea why.  Also made a good friend.  He could have been a school teacher.  Also learned how and why a Jake Brake had also been installed on a school bus.  Anyway, it was appreciated.

We have the final responsibility to understand our heavy, beasty Bus Conversions, including how things work, what to look out for and how to make roadside adjustments or simple repairs.  However, I hate having ANY government...

....tell me that I HAVE to have all sort of extra instruction or knowledge or special licensing just because, in the final reflection, they have the power to dicate sooss.  I would rather just know and do it because it is the best thing to do. 

[Ncbob]

Bryan, the dual guage system shows the pressure in the brake system with one needle and the applied pressure with the second needle.

For example if after doing the slack adjusters a normal stop requires 35 PSI of applied pressure and after a period of time you notice that normal stops are requiring more pressure that's an indication that the slack adjusters might need some attention.

Simple huh?

NCbob

[fraser8]

I'm a 27 year veteran Paramedic and 9 years with the Fire Department before that. We need Government to legislate what people do on the road, I've seen to many unnecessary wrecks and deaths because someone thought they knew, and had got some backyard advise from someone who didn't know what they were talking about. Learn from an expert, whether it be from a professional driver, a professional mechanic, (not a technician) or a licensed school. We have to many dummies on the road now with out putting them in a 'B' train with a $1.00 driver license bought from Walmart. Not liking government has nothing to do with road safety, without government we would have no place to send half our income.

[compedgemarine]

I agree with Fraser in some ways. do I want government to tell me to learn to drive it and how it works? No, unfortunatly most people will not take it upon themselves to do so and just like the dealer for the folks Cody meet, most will sell something like this and send them down the road. I have the same problems with the boats we build. most run 100 plus MPH and the only ability legally needed is a signiture on your check. we take our customers out and try our best to teach them how the boat works and how to run it but most people with big fast boats have never driven any thing faster than 50mph till they started making money and stepped up to something big and fast. more than a few have been injured or killed or hurt someone else due only to their ignorance and lack of training. if the public doesnt do a better job of policeing themselves sooner or later the government will.
steve

[Busted Knuckle]

I'm going to change my bus to automatic adjusters so I don't have to do the morning crawl...

You may want to rethink the auto slack adjusters...

When they work they are great, when they don't, how do you know? Automatic slack adjusters have been known to over tighten for no particular reason, not to mention that your time crawling under the coach gives you time to look around at all the other stuff that could be broken or bent or just need general service.

In my experience, having a dual gauge on the dash tells me when I need to adjust the brakes before any slack problems can become excessive.

Just my dos centavos

Dallas

Again I have to agree with Dallas! They (automatics) are great for fleets with steering wheel holders! But as the owner/operator of your coach you are much more inclined/interested in knowing that they are in fact working and properly adjusted! And Dallas how do we know about that? LOL? They also have been known not to tighten at all, get stuck (froze up), or just malfunction in general. FWIW   BK