| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
ash-99
New Member
5 Posts |
 Posted - 01/14/2001 : 10:22:37 AM
|
Many buses around my place have air brakes, including the bus I ride on. I would like to ask all the bus drivers here,what advantage do air brakes have over hydraulic brakes?
|
|
|
larrym
Active Member
USA
13 Posts |
Posted - 01/16/2001 : 2:37:45 PM
|
Air brakes are easier to maintain and adjust. They cause less problems and are more reliable.
The one drawback use to be during the winter, when temperatures went below freezing, water would get in the system and freeze the brakes up. They now have heated air dryers on the newer buses to take care of this problem.
I have far less problems with ait brakes than with hydraulic brakes.
|
 |
|
|
drivetrain
Active Member
USA
39 Posts |
Posted - 01/16/2001 : 2:45:03 PM
|
When air brakes fail, you lose air. When hydraulics fail, you lose fluid. Also, air brakes don't require "bleeding" after being repaired. Air brakes give a warning before failure. You also have another gauge to watch, and the brake test is more involved. But I find the sound of "cut out" very reassuring.
drivetrain :) |
|
|
|
wagonmaster
Top Member
USA
2298 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2001 : 06:29:22 AM
|
Ditto what the others have said here, plus the fact that we standardise our air brakes so that year to year they are much the same saving $$ in the parts system.Thats in addition to being more reliable. My $.02.
Joe
Edited by - wagonmaster on 01/19/2001 06:30:15 AM |
|
|
|
MamaLoca
Advanced Member
USA
400 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2001 : 09:32:33 AM
|
Air Brake systems have a safety "back up". This back up is the "Spring Brake".
When there is NO air in the system the spring brake activates. When the system has sufficient air for the regular brakes to function the spring is compressed.
If, for what ever reason, the air is gone from the system the spring is released and activates the "Spring Brake".
So if, heaven forbid, the little red wig wag drops while the bus is moving the driver knows that they should pull over and try to stop before the spring brake activates, cause when it does it's "All Stop" in a fast hurry.
|
|
|
|
B. Busguy33
Top Member
USA
3444 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2001 : 5:24:11 PM
|
In my opinion air brakes are better than hydraulic brakes because I believe they are safer. They last longer and stop faster than hydraulic brakes.
|
|
|
|
cowlitzcoach
Advanced Member
USA
325 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2001 : 11:27:41 AM
|
In a lot of states the question is moot because the law does not allow school buses to have anything except for air brakes over a certain GVWR.
From a cost standpoint, on a bus that is going to be in service for a very minimum time in an area with few hills, hydralic systems work well. On a bus that is going to be doing lots of hills or is going to be kept a long, long time, air brakes over the life of the bus will be much more economical.
Regardless of the system used, brakes trade movement for heat to slow the bus down. The heat of deceleration can be transferred to the hydralic oil and literally boil it away until you have no brakes. Which is not a good thing. Which is also one of the major drawbacks of a hydralic system.
The hydralic oil also attracts moisture which will lower the boiling point of the oil. Lower the boiling point, the easier it is to boil your brake fluid away.
Regardless of the system, the brakes on every school bus are more than adequate to the task they were designed to do as long as they are used and maintained properly.
|
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
What are the benefits of air brakes?
