Engine Brakes and Retarders: Why a Truck Should Not Rely on the Pedal Alone
An engine brake turns a hill into engine load. Riding the pedal alone overheats a truck’s foundation brakes—stop and cool.
Topic
Work vehicles
Delivery vans, buses, air brakes, and why a truck should not ride the pedal.
Air Brakes on a Heavy Truck, and How They Differ from Car Brakes
On a heavy truck, air applies the service brake and springs park it if air is lost. A growing hot drum is fade—stop.
Why Bus Brakes Are Checked So Often
A full bus is heavy and stops often. Smoke, a pull, or a longer stop is fade—not a normal hill smell.
Delivery Van and Light-Truck Brakes
Why a delivery van’s brakes heat up from city stops alone, why the fronts wear first, and what smoke or a pull means.