Brake Shop For Heavy Duty Vehicles

At Columbia Fleet Service in Jessup, we offer brake repair and maintenance services just for heavy duty diesel trucks, construction vehicles and mining equipment.

Get the Columbia Fleet Service advantage during your next maintenance cycle with services designed to control the cost of repairs and maintenance. We offer a specialized heavy duty vehicle repair management process and managed parts inventory that gets the heavy duty vehicle your business depends on out of the shop and back on the road fast. Get quicker turnaround times and save both time and money when you choose Columbia Fleet Service in Jessup.

S-cam Brakes Check: Slack Adjusters

Heavy duty equipment and vehicles built after 1994 have automatic slack adjusters. If the pushrod stroke exceeds the legal brake adjustment limit it is an indicator that a mechanical problem exists in the adjuster.

Is It Time For An Adjustment?

• On level ground check equipment or truck wheels
• Turn off the parking brakes
• Pull hard on each slack adjuster.
• If the slack adjuster moves more than one inch at the nexus of the push rod and slack adjuster, bring it to Columbia Fleet Service in Jessup to perform adjustments, repairs and maintenance on your heavy duty vehicle.

Brake Drums or Discs Plus Linings and Hoses

Even small cracks due to daily wear and tear can become big problems later on for your discs and drums. Don't wait! Come to Columbia Fleet Service today for heavy duty brake repair and maintenance.

Come to Columbia Fleet Service to get your drums and discs inspected:

• Brake drums or discs must not have long cracks
• Linings must not be loose or oily
• Metal thickness must not be below regulation
• Mechanical parts and air hoses shouldnt be cracked or worn

Low Air Brake Pressure

If your low air pressure warning signal is not flashing and pressure drops to less than 60 psi in the air tank it's time to come by Columbia Fleet Service for brake system maintenance and repair on your heavy duty vehicle.

Is Your Brake System Low Air Pressure Light On?

• Shut the engine off when you have enough air pressure
• Turn the electrical power on
• Step on and off the brake pedal to reduce air tank pressure
• The low air pressure warning signal must come on before the pressure drops to less than 60 psi in the air tank

Spring Brake Maintenance and Repair

Your spring brake components keep you safe when your air brakes have reached capacity. Come to Columbia Fleet Service at 7661 Assateague Drive in Jessup and let us test your spring brake system today.

Do Your Spring Brakes Come on Automatically?

• Step on and off the brake pedal to reduce tank pressure.
• When the air pressure falls to 20-40 psi the tractor protection valve and parking brake valve pop out on a tractor-trailer combination. On heavy duty construction equipment and vehicles the parking brake valve should pop out.

Air Pressure Build-up Rate

A fast air pressure build-up rate is extremely important. Trucks that fail an air pressure build-up test should not be driven until the problem is resolved. When driving, the air brake pressure in your heavy duty truck should build from 85 to 100 psi within 45 seconds. If air pressure does not build up fast enough, your pressure may drop too low during an emergency stop or with normal braking.

Does Your Heavy Duty Air Brake System Need Repair?

• Turn on the engine and drive the vehicle at mid range rpms
• Measure the pressure build-up within 45 seconds
• The air brake system pressure should build-up to 85 psi to 100 psi quickly

Air Leakage Rate Testing At Columbia Fleet Service in Jessup

Don't wait for air loss and large pressure drops to become a problem. Bring your heavy duty vehicle to Columbia Fleet Service today if you are losing air pressure too quickly. We can check for air leaks, fix problems fast and get you back to work.

Are You Losing Air Pressure Too Quickly?

• With the engine on, fully charge your air brake system
• Next, turn off your engine and release the parking brake
• Time the drop in air pressure. The loss rate should be less than 2 psi in one minute.

Air Compressor Governor Cut-in and Cut-out

Your air compressor governor causes air to build and release in your air brake system. If your air governor does not work correctly it may need to be repaired or replaced. A governor that is not working properly will cause your air brakes to fail when you need them most.

Is Your Air Compressor Governor Doing The Job?

• Run the engine of the heavy duty vehicle or equipment at a fast idle
• The air governor should stop the air compressor at about the 125 psi
• Step on and off the brake to reduce the air tank pressure
• Your air compressor should cut-in at the manufacturer's specified air pressure measurement

Leave the repair services to our professional mechanics. Give us a call at 410-324-7244 or stop by 7661 Assateague Drive in Jessup and we will be happy to talk with you.