The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) will focus on brake lining and brake pad violations during this year’s Brake Safety Week on Aug. 20-26.

During last year’s Brake Safety Week, commercial motor vehicle inspectors in Canada inspected 1,975 vehicles and placed 351 (17.8%) out of service for brake-related violations. Inspectors in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. conducted 38,117 CMV inspections during that week, placing 13.3% out of service for brake-related critical vehicle inspection item violations.

Throughout that week, inspectors will conduct their usual inspections. However, in addition, they will be reporting brake-specific inspection and violation data to the alliance.

“The focus of this year’s Brake Safety Week is on the condition of the brake lining and pad,” said CVSA president Maj. Chris Nordloh with the Texas Department of Public Safety. “Brake lining and pad issues may result in vehicle violations and could affect a motor carrier’s safety rating.”

When inspectors conduct the brake portion of a Level I or Level V Inspection, they will:

• Check for missing, non-functioning, loose or cracked parts.
• Check for contaminated, worn, cracked and missing linings or pads.
• Check for S-cam flipover.
• Listen for audible air leaks around brake components and lines.
• Check that slack adjusters are the same length (from center of S-cam to center of clevis pin) and the air chambers on each axle are the same size.
• Ensure the brake system maintains air pressure between 90-100 psi (620-690 kPa) and measure pushrod travel.
• Inspect for non-manufactured holes (e.g., rust holes, holes created by rubbing or friction, etc.) and broken springs in the spring brake housing section of the parking brake.
• Inspect required brake system warning devices, such as anti-lock braking system (ABS) malfunction lamp(s) and low air-pressure warning devices.
• Inspect the tractor protection system, including the bleed-back system on the trailer.
• Ensure the trailer’s breakaway system is operable.