Brake Safety Week is one of numerous safety initiatives put on annually by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). This year's initiative begins Sunday August 24th and runs until Saturday August 30th. In this week, routine commercial motor vehicle inspections will be carried out by law enforcement personnel across North America. This year, there will be a particular emphasis on the conditions of brake drums and rotors.
During last year's effort, over 16,000 inspections were carried out across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. With a focus on brake linings and pads, 12.8% (2,149) of inspected vehicles were placed out-of-service with brake-related violations. The ultimate goal of Brake Safety Week is to make the roads safer by removing vehicles with unsafe brake conditions from the road until any violations have been addressed.
It is always important to properly service and maintain your brake systems, for the safety of yourself and others. With thousands of inspections and strict enforcement of violations in the coming weeks, now is the time to get ahead on maintenance. Be sure to conduct routine inspections and give a particular focus to your brake systems.
8 Brake Drum & Rotor Tips
CVSA provides some helpful information, including an inspection cheat sheet, brake inspection checklist, brake postcard, and a flyer. The flyer contains some helpful tips for maintaining brake drums and rotors, along with a few images of issues to keep an eye out for. This information can also be found below:
1. Inspect visible portions of the drum or rotor as part of your pre- and post-trip inspections.
2. Look for signs of cracked or broken pieces in the friction surface of the rotor.
3. Look for cracks that run through to the outer portion of the drum or missing pieces, where visible.
4. On disc brakes, pay attention to the condition of the rotor. Heavily rusted rotors across the entire friction surface indicate an inoperative brake.
5. If the rotor is grooved, indicating metal-to-metal contact, that means the brake pads are worn and the shoe is making contact with the rotor.
6. Ensure the rotor is not worn to the extent that the center vents are exposed.
7. Make sure all repairs are consistent with the brake manufacturer’s requirements and guidelines.
8. Note any issues in your driver vehicle inspection reports and report them to the motor carrier.
Brake maintenance is always an essential part of operating a commercial vehicle, but Brake Safety Week emphasizes this importance. The ultimate goal is safety for all vehicles on the road, and even one preventable brake-related accident is too many. With this information, you're ready for some safe miles and worry-free inspections.
Brake Parts at Iron Wing
Looking for replacement brake parts for your heavy-duty truck or commercial vehicle? Iron Wing has the parts you need! We carry a large inventory of wear parts such as brake shoes, brake pads, brake drums, and much more. Our inventory contains a range of genuine OEM and replacement parts, including New Old Stock (NOS) and other hard-to-find parts. We have parts from Volvo, Mack, Haldex/Midland, Bendix, Carlisle, PAI, and many other manufacturers in-stock and ready-to-ship! With fast shipping and low prices, we have the parts you need to prepare for Brake Safety Week 2025! Browse our heavy-duty truck brake parts inventory or search by part #, description, or manufacturer to find the parts you need!