Queuing traffic is hard on commercial brakes. Vehicles from Long Eaton heading for Derby on the A52 Brian Clough Way meet the westbound queues at the Pentagon roundabout, where the junction is not grade-separated, and the road between the two cities funnels through the busy junction 25 of the M1 at Sandiacre. Long spells of creeping, stopping and pulling away put more demand on air compressors, valves and foundation brakes than a steady run does.
Testing that measures, not just looks
Linings can be contaminated, adjusters can seize and a relay valve can stick, and none of it is always visible on a walk round the vehicle. That is why DVSA expects brake performance to be assessed at each safety inspection, and why we assess it on every vehicle that comes through our PMIs. Testing brakes as part of preparing for the annual test means the vehicle goes in with brakes that have already been proven.
What we repair
We work on air systems from end to end: compressors, air dryers, reservoirs, valves and pipework, and the leaks that drag pressure down. We replace pads, discs, drums, shoes, chambers and slack adjusters. We sort trailer brake faults at the couplings and relay valves, one of the most common reasons a trailer refuses to move, and spring brakes that will not release or will not hold. Once a repair is done, the system is checked again before the vehicle goes back out, and you get a written record for your maintenance files.
Brake trouble on the road
If the vehicle pulls under braking, the pedal feels spongy or grabby, the air pressure falls or is slow to build, or there is smoke or a burning smell from a wheel, the driver should stop and call 01332 916028. On the A50 that means finding the safest place available, as the road has no hard shoulders. Many air and brake faults can be traced and fixed where the vehicle stands, and when they can't, we recover it.
Winter and the air system
Water is the enemy of an air brake system. Moisture that gets past a tired dryer corrodes valves through the year and can freeze in the lines on a cold night, which is why a frosty morning so often brings a brake fault with it. Servicing the dryer and draining the reservoirs regularly prevents a lot of it.
Booking
Planned brake work is carried out at Calke Mill Farm, Melbourne, Monday to Friday, 07:30 to 17:00, and smaller jobs can often be done at your site in Long Eaton. Ring 01332 916028 with the vehicle and, if there is a fault, what the driver has noticed.
