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Brake Chamber Leak On Road


macattack

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hi. just want to know. what does a guy do if a brake chamber goes out on you when your on the road. this is what happened to me i was cruising along then a heard air passing. noticed my gauge began to drop rather quickly. i stop the truck and noticed one of my rear brake chamber were leaking, at the small hole on the housing.

i made it home, but the brakes were dragging somewhat. what do most people do? should i have disconnected the slack adjuster and joined the 2 air lines togeather?

thanks

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hi. just want to know. what does a guy do if a brake chamber goes out on you when your on the road. this is what happened to me i was cruising along then a heard air passing. noticed my gauge began to drop rather quickly. i stop the truck and noticed one of my rear brake chamber were leaking, at the small hole on the housing.

i made it home, but the brakes were dragging somewhat. what do most people do? should i have disconnected the slack adjuster and joined the 2 air lines togeather?

thanks

The correct temp repair in such a situation would be to cage the brake chamber, and block off the spring brake hose. To do so requires some advance planing. A cage bolt is supplied with each brake chamber at manufacture, and is attached to the chamber. It is up to you to make sure it is there. You will need a 3/4 in wrench to use it. With a rubber supply hose you can clamp it off with a small pair of vise grips. You could clamp a plastic hose, with the understanding that when you do so you have ruined it and it should not be reused. A better idea, would be to remove the line from the release valve or junction and plug it. It takes tools and fittings, no matter how you do it. You can't just hook the lines together, as you have two brake systems to deal with. The service brake needs air pressure to apply, and the parking brake needs constant pressure to release. Learn how to use a cage bolt and figure out what you need for the next time. Getting home is a triumph.

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thanks. you know i did not realize that at all. would i have to plug both air lines off the chamber or just the one? thanks for your input it is greatly appreciated!!!!.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

You would plug only the side that was leaking. You could hear the leak on the spring brake or parking side of the camber, because it requires constant pressure to release the spring brakes. A leak on the service brake side shows up as a loss of pressure when the brakes are applied. Harder to find. A service brake leak normally would not affect the parking brake. You could clamp it off or plug it and be on your way. You just can't plan for every problem, but a few bits an pieces will make your life easier.

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"You just can't plan for every problem, but a few bits an pieces will make your life easier."

I carry a pair of Vicegrips in every one of my trucks. They've been enough to get me home more than once. Maybe one of the best tools ever invented.

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that some good info. thanks guys. i guess i have been pretty damn lucky.

so what happened was. when i had the park brake off the chamber was leaking. when i pulled the dash valve the leak would stop.

this would mean my emergency side was screwed. so would i plug the service or emergency?

sorry for being new to this.

Edited by macattack
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thanks again guys. this is a great site :SMOKIE-LFT:

Hi all - I always carried a few Brake lining rivets and small self tapping screws to slip in the middle of the fittings that go onto the chambers. In an emergency you can cage the brake then undo the line and put a rivet in and reconnect the hose- If it is a Service diaphram blown, block up the hose with the rivet to get home and it dosen't damage anything.- Best regards - Michael.

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If the leak is occurring when you supply air to the brakes to release the spring brakes, then and ONLY then do you need to cage the brake. Remove the supply line and use one of the fittings in your tool box (if you have one) to plug the line...or pinch the line off.

If the leak is only occurring when you apply the service brakes, however, you do not need to cage the brake. There is no leak on the spring-brake-release side, so the air can continue doing that. Just remove the service brake line and plug it....or pinch it off.

When approaching a 4-way stop, the vehicle with the biggest tires has the right of way!
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I always carry a pair of throw away coveralls (Tyvek) an I always had a piece of 3X6 corragated cardboard folded behind my pass. seat (creeper) it saved my back an ass many times. You guys always come up with some helpful info on this site !!!! great stuff keep it coming !!!

BULLHUSK

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I always carry a pair of throw away coveralls (Tyvek) an I always had a piece of 3X6 corragated cardboard folded behind my pass. seat (creeper) it saved my back an ass many times. You guys always come up with some helpful info on this site !!!! great stuff keep it coming !!!

BULLHUSK

That's good info. I started a new thread..........

"What do you carry in your truck for roadside repairs?"

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  • 8 years later...

Interesting and useful ideas, wished I had those ideas when I was on the road. Being mechanically inclined, should've thought of them. Instead I used a dime filed down to fit inside the supply line to the brake pot, reconnected the hose, therefore no damages to the hose. Then backed off the brake on that wheel only. No more leak til you get to shop/home.  

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  • 2 weeks later...

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