Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) Schedules Brake Safety Week for Aug 20-26, 2023

Throughout Brake Safety Week, inspectors will conduct their usual inspections; however, in addition, they will be reporting brake-related inspection and violation data to CVSA 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 bleedback system on the trailer.

• Ensure the breakaway system is operable on the trailer.