The Louisiana State Police (LSP) shared an informative video to give truckers a better idea of what inspectors will be looking for during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Brake Safety Week.
In the video below, a LSP trooper gets underneath a truck to show you exactly he’s looking for when he performs an inspection.
Here’s what CVSA inspectors will be checking during Level I or Level V inspections during Brake Safety Week:
- 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.
During Brake Safety Week 2022, 38,117 CMV inspections were conducted throughout North America. Of those inspected vehicles, 13.3% were placed out of service for brake-related critical vehicle inspection item violations.