Losing too much air pressure when applying service brakes

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by michelb

Thanks for mentioning it but we're only about 3.5 miles from the shop. And, although it's certainly an issue, it's still pretty much driveable as the compressor pretty much keeps up with the leak so it doesn't really drop below 90-100 psi in regular city driving. They only time it becomes a problem (as long as the leak doesn't get worse) is if I'm stopped at a red light for several minutes as it will eventually drop to below 70-80 and approach low air area but that's easily mitigated by putting it in neutral with parking brake at red lights (and that gets it back up to 125 psi).

It's a the shop now - hopefully for an easy fix!

Glad you got it to the shop safely. Just for information's sake, air brake parts can and do fail quickly sometimes. A friend was driving with a 2-year-old treadle valve (under brake pedal) which failed suddenly while on the highway. He was luckily able to get over before the e-brakes self applied. You were lucky that you had some advanced notice and that you were paying attention. Had the part failed totally, you likely would have had the brakes apply and stop you in your tracks. At least if the e-brake system works properly.

This is why it's recommended to do an air brake check every day.

[ftodaro]

Originally Posted by michelb

Thanks for mentioning it but we're only about 3.5 miles from the shop. And, although it's certainly an issue, it's still pretty much driveable as the compressor pretty much keeps up with the leak so it doesn't really drop below 90-100 psi in regular city driving. They only time it becomes a problem (as long as the leak doesn't get worse) is if I'm stopped at a red light for several minutes as it will eventually drop to below 70-80 and approach low air area but that's easily mitigated by putting it in neutral with parking brake at red lights (and that gets it back up to 125 psi).

It's a the shop now - hopefully for an easy fix!

So for the rest of us who are chasing a similar what was the fix when you took it into the shop?

[michelb]

I took it to the local Freightliner shop (in Ottawa, Ontario).

It actually want that expensive to fix (maybe $500CND (maybe less))