Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB
maintenance is key.
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I agree!!! the number of vehicles out there on the road with frayed or completely rusty brake hoses and lines is quite alarming..
while air brakes have an automatic measure to apply brakes if a service brake system should fail, hydraulic brakes have a manual emergency system that can be used..
in smaller busses and in consumer vehicles that manual system is often never tested (parking brake).. as many people rely on the 'PARK' position of their transmission.. or shifting a manual tranny to "granny gear"..
with ;arger hydraulic brake vehicles and with air-brakes that system is tested with each and every time you park the vehicle as it is used to park since theres no park position on an automatic.. and a heavy vehicle may likely roll-over and engine on a manual tranny in low gear..
if your bus has a Park position on the shifter.. please still regularly use and test your parking brake.. as that mechanism may end up being the difference between life or death if a catastrophic failure occurs..
and yes MAINTAIN your brakes.. yes it may be expensive if you dont have the tools and means to work on them yourself.. however a brake inspection is not too expensive and is well-worth it..
you are in the "big leagues" now driving a bus.. and a bus with no brakes plowing into a stopped line of traffic has the potential to cause a lot of damage and injury...
keep it safe out there..
-Christopher