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LaidlawDriverMassachusetts
Senior Member
USA
160 Posts |
 Posted - 07/28/2002 : 5:49:24 PM
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someone on here once told me that before they shut their bus off, they pump the air pressure on the brakes, so that if someone were to realeas the parking brake, it would not roll....I tried that on a bus that had both service air brakes, and parking brake,,And it worked.. The air brake system was unable to be released because there was not enough air pressure.....I thought that was great...Now my question is...The bus i drive ..does not have full air brakes...It has hydro service brakes with an air parking brake....Does anyone know how i can lower the air pressure before i shut the bus off..so my bus won't move if that parking brake is released ?
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Skewl Bus Boi
Advanced Member
USA
323 Posts |
Posted - 07/28/2002 : 8:18:39 PM
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2 ways--First, there should be an "air drain" on the bottom side of your bus (AmTran RE, I believe). Somewhere along the left side, at the bottom of the side panel, there's a little cable loop you pull on--
Also, the air parking brake valve can be pushed in about halfway, and that drains the air out of the tanks.
In general, it's better not to pump the brakes, this causes a lot of wear on them, and there are 2 easier ways to drain the air.
—Phil
"Blue Bird!" "of happiness?" |
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KMM
Advanced Member
USA
271 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2002 : 9:45:53 PM
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I agree with Skewl bus boi, Drain that air tank!!!! Along with keeping the brake set by lack of air psi. while the bus is left unattended it also drains the moisture from your air tank and brake system which is better for your brake system. If you live in an area where the temperature drops below freezing, moisture in the system can freeze and cause your brakes to freeze up and not disenguage, or even worse freeze in the return line and cause a brake failure on the road. Also, keep Air Brake Conditioner (Alcohol) in your Air Brake Evaporator, if your bus is so equipped while temperatures are below freezing.
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Whiskers
Senior Member
92 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2002 : 5:00:27 PM
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Instead of draining my air tanks, I have a device which locks the parking brake valve in place. It even prevents bus movement when you are warming the engine....something that draining the tanks will not accomplish.
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BBInt.10
Top Member
USA
1042 Posts |
Posted - 08/13/2002 : 8:19:28 PM
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Yes, where I drive, part of the shut-down procedure is to pump down the brakes. The funny thing is, the most expensive buses we have (our 35' Gillig Phantoms) have no doors that lock and don't require a key to turn them on... just push a button. Seems pretty stupid to me that a company would make a $250K vehicle that anyone who knows where the "secret" door opening valve is on the outside could open up the bus door and take off with it. So, on the times most prone to vandalism (i.e. spring weekend) we have to move all the buses out of the bus lot and hide them in some remote part of campus.
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Pumping your air brakes...
