This content provides a practical guide on how to check and adjust bus brakes using two methods: free stroke and applied stroke, emphasizing the importance of proper adjustment for safety and operational readiness.
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Hi, I'm Mark Shaughnessy and I'm an
instructor in the training department at
Coast Mountain Bus Company. In this
video, I'm going to demonstrate how to
check brake adjustment using this model.
You will be required to perform a brake
adjustment on this model prior to your
road test. And on road test day, you
will be required to verbally describe
how to check brake adjustment. The tools
that you'll need to check brake
adjustment are a brake buddy. This end
is used to apply leverage to the slack
adjuster. And this end has a 9/16
wrench, which we use to turn the
adjusting bolt. You'll also need a ruler
to check push rod
travel. There are two ways to check
brake adjustment. The free stroke and
the applied stroke method. With the free
stroke method, I want to first make sure
that my rear wheel is blocked in both
directions and that my parking brake is released.
released.
I'm going to take my brake buddy and my
ruler and I first want to visually note
the position of the push
rod. Apply leverage to the slack
adjuster and measure the push rod
travel. It can be no more than 3/4 of an
inch on both manual and automatic slack
adjusters. The ideal measurement is a/4
of an inch less than that or 1/2 in.
If the brakes are properly adjusted, I
can move on to the next wheel. If the
brakes are out of adjustment, as this
one clearly is, then I'm going to take
my brake buddy and using the 9/16
wrench, press down the locking collar on
the adjusting bolt and tighten it fully,
making sure that the cam shaft is
rotating in the same direction that it
did when the brakes were applied.
I'll then use the brake buddy to apply
leverage to the slack adjuster and make
sure there's no movement in the push
rod. Take the 9/16 wrench. Back off the
adjusting bolt a quarter to a half a
turn. Make sure that the locking collar
returns to the raised
position. Note the position of the push
rod and retest it.
It can be no more than 3/4 of an inch on
both manual and automatic slack
adjusters. Using the applied stroke
method, I want to make sure that my rear
wheel is blocked in both directions and
that my parking brake is released. I
want to visually note the position of
the push rod. And I'm going to ask my
partner to make a brake application of
between 90 and 100 PSI while I measure
the push rod travel.
It can be no more than 1 to 3/4 in on
vehicles equipped manual slack adjusters
and no more than 2 in on vehicles
equipped with automatic slack
adjusters. If the brake is in
adjustment, I can move on to the next
wheel. If the brake's out of adjustment,
then I need to adjust it. I'm going to
take my brake buddy and using the 9/16
wrench, I'm going to press down on the
locking collar and tighten the adjusting
bolt fully, making sure that the cam
shaft is rotating in the same direction
that it did when the brakes were
applied. I'll then back off the
adjusting bolt a/4 to a half a turn,
note the position of the push rod, and
ask my partner to make another brake
application of between 90 and 100 PSI. [Music]
[Music]
Make sure that the locking collar
returns to the raised
position to be no more than 1 and 3/4 in
on vehicles equipped with manual slack
adjusters and no more than 2 in on
vehicles equipped with automatic slack
adjusters. Automatic slack adjusters
must be checked and serviced at regular
lubrication intervals by a certified
mechanic. In an emergency, automatic
slack adjusters can be adjusted
manually, but you must follow the
manufacturer's instructions. You must
then get them serviced or replaced at
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