CDL · Air Brake Inspection

How should you test the air leakage rate in a parked truck?

  1. A With the engine running and your foot off the brake
  2. B With the engine off and the brakes released, no more than 2 psi loss per minute for a straight truck or 3 psi for a combination vehicle
  3. C By listening for hissing sounds near the wheels
  4. D Only as part of an annual inspection

Why this is the answer

To check air leakage: bring air pressure to governor cut-out (around 125 psi), turn off the engine, chock the wheels, release the parking brake, time one minute, and observe the air pressure drop. The maximum acceptable leakage rate is 2 psi per minute for a straight (single) vehicle and 3 psi per minute for a combination vehicle (tractor-trailer). For applied brakes (foot on the pedal), the limit is 3 psi for a single vehicle and 4 psi for a combination. If leakage exceeds these limits, the leak must be found and repaired. This test is part of the standard pre-trip air brake check. Slow leaks under normal driving can drain the system enough to trigger the low-pressure warning during prolonged operation.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual 5.3.2 Air Leakage Rate

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