Truck Brake System Maintenance & Repair

Your brakes should feel sturdy and solid when you push the pedal down, and there are some fairly obvious warning signs if things are beginning to go downhill. If you hear a loud squeaking or grinding noise when you brake, if your pedal feels squishy or like it’s going too far down, if you feel abnormal vibrations from the steering wheel or the vehicle, or if your brake warning light comes on, it is high time for a professional opinion on the status of your truck’s braking system.

The larger the vehicle the more crucial the brake performance is, and if you run a fleet of large trucks you need to make sure to stay on top of things to prevent any issues with slowing down from stopping your business. Keeping your brakes in good shape is critical to keeping you and your drivers safe, and Red’s Garage is the perfect place to keep you on track.

Fan belts connect the spinning engine to the cooling fan, alternator, refrigerant pump, and more. If the fan belt breaks due to wear and tear, it will affect the pumping of coolant to cool the engines, reduce the abilities of the AC system, and could even result in a loss of electric power and full disablement of your vehicle. Changing a fan belt can be fairly simple, but it requires precision, something that the mechanics at Red’s Garage are expert at. If you think that there might be a problem with your fan belt, call our Port Chester garage at 914-939-2359 today!

Large vehicle air braking systems are much more complex than those of regular commuter cars, and it’s important to make sure all components are functioning properly. The braking system on your truck will include aspects such as:

• Air Compressor
  This creates the air pressure needed to operate the air brakes by pushing air into the air storage tanks at high velocity. This includes an Air Compressor Governor, which determines how much air is needed from the compressor. 
• Air Storage Tanks
  These tanks hold the pressurized air and release it to the braking system as needed. The tanks will have Air Tank Drains on the bottom, which are used to allow the buildup of water and oil in the tanks to be drained to prevent corrosion of the tank beds.
• Alcohol Evaporator
  Vehicles that are designed to operate in cold weather will use alcohol to help prevent the brake components from freezing up.
• Safety Valve
  The safety valve will release air if it senses a dangerous buildup of pressure in the storage tanks. Should you hear your safety valve open, there is a problem with your system that must be addressed immediately.
• Brake Pedal
  If you’re unsure what the brake pedal is, you should probably consider studying the basics of truck driving for a bit before you hop into the cab!
• Foundation Brakes
  These are the actual braking mechanisms that are present at each wheel, and include different brake types such as Wedge, S-Cam, and Disc, with S-Cam being the most common.
• Pressure Gauges
  The Supply Pressure Gauge will tell you how much air pressure is in the Air Storage Tanks, while the Application Pressure Gauge shows how much air pressure you are supplying to the brakes when in use.
• Pads and Rotors
  The pads and rotors are where the power you apply to the braking system is put into actual use to slow and stop your vehicle. Most of the wear from normal driving will be experienced by the pads, which are designed to be replaced at regular intervals.

At Red’s Garage in Port Chester NY, we have been servicing large vehicle braking systems since 1944. We have plenty of truck-sized garage bays, and our service technicians bring decades of experience and expertise to the garage floor. If you want to make sure your fleet of trucks runs smooth and stops fast, you need to make sure to bring them to Red’s Garage for our in-depth inspections, affordable maintenance and expert repairs. Give us a call today at 914 939-2359, and see how our famous customer service and knowledgeable staff can help you keep your trucks going, and stopping, for years to come!