Although air brakes are more-or-less buletproof these, like all braking systems, have one failing: BRAKE FADE.

Downhill braking is an essential--potentially life saving--skill for bus, truck & RV drivers.

Warns the driver that system air pressure is critically low.

Making a heavy service brake application while the parking brakes are applied.

This is often an error of truck driving school students.

Allows the spring brakes to be manually released in an emergency - a dire emergency.

To stop the vehicle, brake linings rub against the brake drum. This action creates friction, converting the vehicle's forward energy of motion into heat energy, which stops the vehicle’s tires. If the tires have traction, the vehicle will come to a stop. The heat is absorbed and dissipated into the atmosphere by the drums and linings.

The action of dissipating the heat into the atmosphere is the same as an air-cooled small engine, like that on a lawnmower or motorcycle. The fins on the side of the engine provide more surface area for the air to flow over and pick up the heat and dissipate it into the atmosphere.

Brake drums, and the rim of the tire to some extend, dissipate the heat of the brakes into the atmosphere in a similar manner.

Brake faide is the only reason that a modern air brake system will fail.

The gauges are in either pounds per square inch (psi) or Kilopascals (kPa). These measure the amount of air pressure in the primary and secondary air tanks.

Convert air pressure into a strong mechanical force to apply the foundation brakes.