Peterbilt 579 - Brake System Maintenance

BRAKE SYSTEM
BRAKE SYSTEM
Brake Adjustment
WARNING!
Do not work on the brake system with-
out the parking brake set and wheels
chocked securely. If the vehicle is not
secured to prevent uncontrolled vehi
-
cle movement, it could roll and cause
death, serious personal injury or dam
-
age to the vehicle.
To operate your vehicle safely
and protably, you need some
understanding of its brake systems.
For more on brakes, see the Index,
under Brakes.
Brake adjustment
and brake balance
must be set carefully to (1) make
the most efcient use of the forces
available for braking and (2) allow
equal stopping forces at all wheels.
The air brake system of this vehicle
was congured for ONE of the follow
-
ing operations: tractor or truck, and
complies with the respective portions
of FMVSS 121. A tractor shall not be
operated or congured as a truck, nor
shall a truck be operated or congured
as a tractor, without signicant modi
-
cations to the air brake system in order
to retain compliance with FMVSS 121.
Contact your dealer for instructions.
CAUTION
Once a brake system is set to
specications, changing any one of
its components or any combination of
components may cause the system
to not work as well. All parts have
to work together to perform as they
should. Any replacement components
in your brake system should be exactly
equal to the original components.
Any changes from the original
specications can affect the whole
system. All
of the following areas
are interrelated and must conform to
original specications:
• Tire Size
• Drum brakes
a. Cam Radius
b. Wedge
Angle
c. Drum Radius
d. Brake Linings
e. Brake Chambers
f. Slack Adjusters
• Disc Brakes
a. Disc Rotors
5
(04/13) Y53-6047–2C 5-57