Air Brakes | Air Brakes for Trucking | Air Brakes Explained | How Air Brakes Work | Compressed Air

Ever wonder how air brakes work? Kevin explains.

[@douglassmorris7375]

In 10 minutes you cleared up 10 years of confusion. That has to be the most valuable video I have seen concerning air brakes ever!!

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

So glad!!! Thanks for the compliment!!!

[@Julius_El_Padre]

Totally agree!

[@reggieowens530]

I have to agree. I was making it harder than it had to.

[@DavidPerez-vu7zx]

I’ve watched a lot of air brakes videos and this one was the easiest to understand. Thank you Kevin!

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Our pleasure!!!!! Thanks for watching!!

[@jp7186]

I just failed my air brakes permit endorsement test. I wish I would have watched this video in the first place- having a visual vs just reading the words which are so unfamiliar to me, is so helpful. I feel a lot more confident for when I go back to retake the airbrake endorsement. THANKS!

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Sorry you failed the first time. It is challenging without visuals. We are glad our video has helped you understand it better. We wish you the best of luck in rewriting the test! 🍀 We are confident you’ll do great this time!!! Let us know!😃

[@SJ360Productions]

By far the most comprehensive and clear video thus far. I fully understand air brakes now. Thank you.

[@chadcameron4080]

In the process of obtaining my CDL A . This video has helped me so much in understanding air brakes and how they work. CDL schools should recommend this video to all of their students. Appreciate you taking the time to make it. Safe travels.

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

It’s our pleasure! Glad it’s helpful! We wish you the best with obtaining your CDL! Let us know how it goes!

[@jimb3541]

Once you get enough time in, you really should look into being a trainer. Your ability to explain items and situations is spot on. I used to do training for a medical software company. Your patience is amazing.

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Thanks! Kevin used to be a consultant in the printing industry. That included giving trainings. And running a landscaping company took lots of patience too. Lol!

[@truckcaretv8649]

Good 👍

[@craigmonteforte1478]

Excellent explanation/Demonstration video I appreciate the amount of details you went into i’m a recreational towing person and over the years my trucks and trailers/weights have increased i’ve always used Electric style Trailer Brakes with a Controller or Surge brakes but i’ve been curious on. the details of the big boys systems knowing Air was a part of the system now i learned why i’ve known about the Jacknifeing issue and correction of applying more braking on the Trailer Axles

[@Molybed1]

FINALLY!!!!! A video that explains air brakes properly. Thank You.

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Glad it helped!

[@Julius_El_Padre]

Finally, I found a simple explaining how Air Brakes work! Thanks!

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Our pleasure!! Thanks for watching!

[@25kmgb]

This is an excellent, technically correct and easily understood explanation. So many youtubers don't understand the spring brake part of the compressed air system. Thank you.

[@ramdriver74]

Hello, I have been dealing with air brakes since 1997. As I find your explanation is not bad, you should use the proper terminology for the components. If some one is using this video for research to obtain a CDL, or an AZ up north, they will be confused as to what the parts are called. You didn't mention slack adjustor, you just said arm. Or push rod, you just said its a linkage. You also mentioned something about a " bladder"? Did you mean to say diaphragm? I thought the explanation of how the spring brakes work was pretty good, down to laments terms. I am a Canadian Armed Forces Air Brake Instructor and the way we explain to our troops is we send a compressed air signal from either our foot valve or hand valve (for the trailer), to the brake chamber ( after the spring brakes are released, or it could compound the brakes). This action turns a compressed air forcing against a rubber diaphragm in the brake chamber into a mechanical force pushing the push rod out, which is connected to a slack adjustor. This pushing motion turns the force into a force multitier twisting motion because it turns a shaft that has a S cam on the end of it. This twisting S cam pushes the brake liner or pads out to contact the drum. By no means is this a negative criticism, but this is a bit of a pet peeve of mine when it is not explained properly. Sorry

[@StrangerOnTheWay]

Two things: 1. Thank you for adding the proper terminology 2. This video was exactly what I needed for a visual understanding…seems hard to find. And, actually make it 3 things- Jesus is King! Hope you’re walking with Him ❤️ He is the only Way to eternal Life 🌸🌻🌺much love ❤️

[@vicwiseman6038]

Exceptional video. Super nice break down of the components and how they work along with real life examples.

[@kevinking7011]

Excellent explanation on air brakes

[@aerialjones5699]

I love your simple quick teaching.

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful!

[@UKIYO_CRAIG]

Thanks Kevin for all your extra effort in explaining trucking to us noobies.Going through orientation and I appreciate your passion in the trucking industry to go the extra mile to help us out here learn and refresh our skills 🤙🏻

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Awwwww…thank you!!!! We really appreciate your comment. Makes us happy to know we are helping people. Best of luck at orientation and with your new career!!!

[@4612daniel]

Truly excellent on your presentation ! Thank you

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Glad it was helpful!!

[@albethel3027]

Awesome video...thanks for sharing.

[@saucemademillionaires2389]

this video is a blessing….i would love that guy to be my trainer..he makes it simple and easy

[@edmourgagnon1504]

Kevin and Tanya. I need to pass my Class 1 learners test... So...i am going to sit down and listen (learn).

[@babackd.6485]

Amazing video. Thanks for the clear explanations

[@robtaylor-mm8mg]

this an excellent explanation of the air brake system.Thanks so much!!!!!!👍

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful!

[@brianhoppenrath8379]

It’s good rookies give info on how brakes work.

[@yvensona3813]

Great video! Thanks Kevin and Tanya

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Thanks! Glad it’s helpful!! Thanks for watching!!!

[@miguelrecalde3671]

Very good explanation Thank You

[@gilldavinder7338]

Greatest information on very easy ways

[@diannaprince8354]

This was so helpful! Thank you!

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Glad it was helpful! Our pleasure!!!

[@schoc13]

Outstanding video! Well explained!!

[@Jb-uy5zx]

Great job, good video.

[@isaachillstrom579]

Awesome video!

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Thank you so much! Glad it was helpful for you!!

[@izuchukwuunanka202]

Great tutorial 👍

[@rickybrazil21]

What a great video I’m about to start school and I’m going in knowing how the air break works already

[@vrushabhdalvi5163]

Thank you very much...for clearing my concepts...of air brake ....i was so much confused about it...thanks a lot....😊

[@michaeljenkins9631]

Awesome video,,, outstanding video of explaining air brake systems to the viewers thank you!!!!!!

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Thank you!!! Glad it’s helpful!!!

[@BorntobeWild.]

Thank you this video helped me pass my air brake test. Thank you.

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

We are so happy to hear that our video was helpful!!!Congratulations on passing your test!!!

[@BorntobeWild.]

@@TheJoyofTrucking thank you.

[@MarkOPolo456]

I was trained that using just the trailer brakes in situations where rear of the trailer is starting to swing out in slippery road conditions can help straighten it out and prevent a jack-knife. I practice applying the trailer brakes so I know where the brakes start to engage if I should ever need to use them.

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Great thing to practice!!!! Though we hope you never need it for an emergency situation!!

[@BorntobeWild.]

Great explanation.

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

👍😃😃😃

[@geoestrada5001]

Very professional you should be a good teacher at science, thanks for your patience and very good understanding

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Thank you!!!

[@Dusty2112]

Thanks very well explained.

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Glad it was helpful!

[@andrewkuntz3719]

I am under my truck caging a brake chamber right now. Love your guy’s videos. But I have to correct one little thing I own a 2019 KW T880 and I have a trailer brake lever. Now granted it’s not the old school one on the column but one a little different style that’s on the dash next to the column. They stopped the column style because of the automatic shifter/ Jake brake setup in KW’s I think. But I have a 18 speed manual, and it’s on the right next to the column for sure. But thank you guys for the informative videos!

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Thank you so much for adding in this information!!! Sounds like you are definitely more experienced in this area. We appreciate that you watch our videos!!! Stay safe out there!!!

[@franklinekimbi6625]

Great

[@bsivoljr]

Well done👍

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Thank you! 👍 Appreciate that!

[@cptndedsprw]

At 6:52 he says the Guage went right down to nothing and she repeats it and the joke went right over his head lol

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

😂🤣😆😆He might have gotten it but chosen to ignore me…😉

[@alooshalshammari5915]

Thank you Good info 👍

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jaylee8142]

Thanks

[@highwayjunkie2304]

Nice job. My2020 KW has disc brakes, they are far better than the drum ones. Harder to inspect, but they sure stop better. Drive safe out there.

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

You too!!!

[@truckcaretv8649]

Good information break system truck

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Thanks! Glad you liked it!

[@JacekKorlaga]

Dziękujemy.

[@ehpunka]

The kenworth t350 I am learning in has the trailer brake leaver in the cabin. I use it to do hill starts .

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

👍👍👍

[@joshmcadow764]

The last part with yellow release button was really good my training videos must of missed that or I did

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

👍🤩👍😃😃

[@user-uu4gn4ii3p]

Some of the trucks are using disc brakes , especially on the trailers. And is labeled on the trailers

[@funkyed985]

Great explanation. If I may add, in the incident you had with your trainer where you suffered total air loss, you likely would've still had about 5-7 brake applications before parking brakes locked the wheels. The reason for this is the inversion valve, if you lost total primary pressure but still had your secondary circuit intact, then your secondary air will actuate your rear brakes until it runs out of air - usually a few applications, but enough to stop safely.

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Thank you so much!!!! 😃

[@Sak-zo1ui]

Only on a dual air system.

[@funkyed985]

@@Sak-zo1ui mandatory in North America and Europe, and probably most countries.

[@Sak-zo1ui]

@@funkyed985 they are mandatory on new vehicle but older ones are grandfathered.

[@funkyed985]

@@Sak-zo1ui Sure, but that would be pre-1967, those trucks don't meet emissions and are not used for actual trucking.

[@henryblanton6992]

The hand brake for the Service Brakes MUST BE MANDATORY! NEVER, EVER TAKE IT ON FAITH THAT THE SERVICE BRAKES ON A SEMI/FULL TRAILER ARE IN PROPER WORKING ORDER! ESPECIALLY ANY CONTAINER CHASSIS! Before you get on a public road surface, use the hand brake valve to check that the service brakes on whatever you’re hooked up to SEPARATELY TEST from the Power Unit (NOT THE FOOT BRAKE). If you experience a blowout on your steering axle, accelerate (providing your power unit hasn’t stupidly been made into a crawler with a Speed Limiting Device) to make sure that your vehicle is stable and ease into your hand brake so that you reduce the chance of a jackknife. It can aide in bringing A trailer back in line behind your cab, just make sure that the road surface isn’t too slippery. Never get ham fisted with a trailer hand brake. If you have multiple units in tow, down shift and use your retarder to slow down before using your hand brake. If you get into a cab that doesn’t have a hand brake, it is an UNSAFE VEHICLE! Don’t even start the damn thing up. And NO, it’s NOT A TROLLEY BRAKE. You’re driving a Big Rig, NOT operating a Trolley Car. When you have time, check to see if your wet tanks are dry on your Power Unit and anything you’re pulling. Keep the dirty side down.

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Thank you so much much for elaborating!!!! Very much appreciated!!!

[@omomohemmanuel487]

If I may ask what's the normal gage for air break and what's the minimum gage

[@fryklundstfr]

Old style brakes with drums, in europe we have disc brakes on semi trucks

[@josephmac2684]

It's funny how people don't know what the purpose of the trailer brake is actually meant for. It says it in the CDL book. It's used only to test the brakes on the trailer when you are doing your pre trip. Lol

[@davidmolina3124]

How much air pressure is required inside the brake chamber to create the mechanical force against the push rod?

[@OptionsTrader0123]

❤️

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

🥰👍😃

[@victorbernier4765]

Where u see this

[@luyindabenard3157]

Great explanation.. My question is, can spring breaks be installed in medium trucks like fuso fighter..??

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Thanks for watching! Sorry. We don’t know the answer to your question.

[@ramdriver74]

This would not be a cost effective move. The components that the truck would require would probably cost more that the vehicle is worth. Not to mention all the extra weight that would have to be carried like the air tanks, the relay valves and the air hoses. Stick to hydraulic.

[@alexanderpherigo6806]

I hate that a lot of semis still use brake drums especially because at my work Ive had to pick up hundreds of them by hand and those type 3030 air actuators

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Oh boy! That’s a lot! Careful with your back! ;-) Thanks for watching!!

[@annoyingbstard9407]

So where does the air in the red line come from?

[@thetowndrunk988]

There are still new trucks with trolley valves.

[@cisarvialpando7412]

7:35 So Air brakes works with drum a disc equally...so one has more braking power ? Drum or Disc Air brakes ?

[@Rumeel12708]

Amazing very explained video!!! Is the only reason for air brakes over hydraulic brakes on trucks because air is faster? (Besides the fail safe system)

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

So….actually it’s not faster. Rather it us safer. Sorry about that!

[@andrewkuntz3719]

Faster, safer because of the ability to have a secondary system, and I don’t think with hydraulic brake systems you are able to isolate one wheel end like on air brake systems. If you have ever blown a brake line on your car or pickup you’ll notice that it pretty much blows all the fluid out and you are barely able to stop. Imagine if you where rolling with 80,000 or like we do in Mich. and drag around up to 164,000 lbs gross and that happening. Wouldn’t be good I suspect

[@Bendigo1]

That is not the only reason. It is easy to disconnect and connect airlines to a trailer but hydraulic lines are difficult to connect or disconnect without getting air in the lines that could cause serious issues with the effectiveness of the brakes. Another reason is that hydraulic brakes lose pressure with distance from the pump system. Another reason is the pressures required to activate the brakes with enough force to stop a vehicle that heavy.

[@numbzinger350]

Air compresses to the point that relays are needed to quicken the response of an air brake system. That's why 'brake lag distance' is covered in the CDL manual. With air brakes on a semi at 55 miles per hour it takes 32 feet for pressure on the brake pedal to translate to pressure on the brake drum or disc. In a hydraulic system it's instantaneous. Hydraulic brakes are actually 'faster'.

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

@@numbzinger350 Thank you!!! Very much appreciate your explanation and adding your valuable knowledge to the channel. It helps everyone!

[@lexusry]

ON THE EXAM TEST QUESTIONS, WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM LEAK PRESSURE TEST ALLOW, 3,5,10 ,OR 15 PSI.

[@agapitopundal9928]

I am heavy equipment mechanic her in saudi arabia on many years but im so interested to know about how can works air brake system in truck.

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Hello there! Thanks for watching! Hope the video helped you get a better understanding. Stay cool out there in Saudi. 🥵

[@iRul3TheSky1995]

Compress air is slower than Fluid such as oil. That's why you have Brake Lag in Air Brake. @0:51

[@joyyoung4482]

Never ever heard of anyone calling a disc brake pad a shoe...unless they do not know what they are talking about

[@pakky9503]

Nice video but wish you had named all the parts you mentioned. Just saying

[@user-uu4gn4ii3p]

Slack Adjusters

[@craiglittle7367]

Faster and safer.

[@matsv201]

Air is not faster than hydrolic. Air moves in the system up to 340m/s, while hydrolic moves.with about 1500m/s. So air os actually quite a bit slower. The benefit of air is.. that it is air. That is you can relise it with no problem. Say you would have a trailer, if it had hydrolica you would spil some every time you disconected. You could also taint the hydrolic system of the tractor unit.

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Thank you for these details!!!

[@DJSTOEK]

🙂😷😷

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

👍😃

[@santim441]

S-cam!

[@IndigenousAmericanTrucker]

I hate when I get into a truck that does not have full spring brake chambers on all axles except the steer axle, of course! Why, bcuz I hate pancake brake chambers, which is just the side for the service brakes, and no spring side for emergencies and the parking brake, for those who don't know! The problem is bcuz when you're loaded and you only have two spring brake chambers on one drive Axle, and two pancakes on the other drive Axle, the truck tends to roll forward when you pop the tractor brakes, especially on a slight incline. It's always better to have all spring brake chambers on all axles that require them! I feel super unsafe with pancake brake chambers. Then what if I need to pop the brakes while moving for whatever reason and I really need to stop? Those pancakes will do me literally no good for stopping in that emergency. That's the point in having spring brake chambers! Anyone who uses pancakes is clearly just cheap and shouldn't have a truck, in my opinion!

[@user-uu4gn4ii3p]

That's 120 or 125 PSI

[@BLX187]

So an air leak would lead to brakes locking on? guess thats the fail safe

[@ramdriver74]

A small air leak that the compressor could keep up to is fine but needs attention. A large air leak like a hose blowing out could potentially lock your brakes.

[@Ceasar8980]

How were humans able to come with this? 🤔

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Lol!!! Some engineer…😃😂😃😆😆

[@Babyghostshark]

The first 10 seconds his facial expression doesn’t match the person speaking’s tone LOL

[@chadbartley2063]

Hi this Chad rem me

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Hi Chad!!!! Remembering the name. But you have to refresh our memory….sorry…

[@Paulsantana926]

I'm back again😊

[@dafrasier1]

your presentation is missing an important concept: pause, silence. Explain something, and then be silent. Shut up, so the listener has time to absorb what was said. quick repetition is often NOT effective. the visuals, the model is good. Explain something, long pause, and then repeat, then pause again; before adding additional information. Sometimes seems long and Boring but is more effective than non stop yammering.

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Thanks for your free consultation on adult education best practices. You forgot to lead with a positive.

[@dafrasier1]

@@TheJoyofTrucking no, I avoided it. it is B.S.

[@jimsmith8383]

Good thing it's a video so you can just rewind and watch as many times as you need.

[@tomwalton2872]

Air is slower. That is where I stopped listening to you.

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Sorry to disappoint you.

[@IndigenousAmericanTrucker]

Lol, he made it seem like the truck is just gonna instantly super lock up if the spring brakes are applied while the truck is moving, lmao! Not true at all. That truck and trailer will come to a stop just like it does when you apply the service brakes. It's not gonna instantly come to a violent stop. It's gonna keep rolling till all of the momentum is lost, but slower and slower as that momentum reduces. Now, on a slippery surface or a very high rate of speed, I wouldn't want to try that, bcuz i dont know how that would play out, lol.