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CDL AIR BRAKES PRACTICE TEST 1

What type of air do air brakes use?

ANSWER: Compressed Air. Air brakes use compressed air for operation and
are a safe way to stop large and heavy vehicles if maintained properly

What are the three types of brake systems used in a commercial vehicle air
brake system?

ANSWER: Service Brake, Parking Brake, Emergency Brake. Anti-lock brakes
are installed on many vehicles, but are and add-on component to the air brake
system. Some brakes have hand controls, but this is not the name of one of the
components of the air brake systems.

What is the name of the device that pumps air into the air storage tanks?

ANSWER: Air Compressor. The air compressor pumps air into the air storage
tanks/reservoirs. The governor controls when that air compressor will pump air
into the air storage tanks. An alcohol evaporator puts alcohol into the air system to
help reduce the risk of ice in cold weather. A safety valve protects the tank and
system from too much pressure

What is the alcohol evaporator’s primary purpose?

ANSWER: Put alcohol into the air system. An alcohol evaporator puts alcohol
into that air system to help reduce the risk of ice in cold weather.

What psi level is the safety relief valve set to open at?

ANSWER: 150 PSI. A safety relief valve is installed in the first tank that the
air compressor pumps air into. A safety valve protects that tank and system from
too much pressure by opening up at 150 PSI

Which of the following statements is true regarding front wheel braking?

ANSWER: Front wheel braking is good under all conditions. Testing has
confirmed that front wheel braking will not cause skids, even on ice. If your vehicle
is made before 1975, it may be equipped with a front brake limiting valve. You
should set the valve in the “normal” position regardless of driving conditions.

At what air pressure must the low air pressure warning signal come on?

ANSWER: 60 PSI. The warning light (or buzzer) must come on when the
pressure falls below 60 PSI.

Which of the following statements regarding spring brakes is true?

ANSWER: Spring brakes are held by mechanical force. Spring brakes use
mechanical force to stop a vehicle and are designed to work if the air pressure
become too low (under 45 psi).

Which of the following devices indicated how much pressure you have in your
air tanks?

ANSWER: Supply Pressure Gauge. All vehicles with air brakes have a supply
pressure gauge that indicates how much pressure is in the air tanks. The low air
pressure warning signal will only indicate when you have low air pressure (below
60 psi). The application pressure gauge tells you how much pressure you are
applying to the brakes. An ammeter is used to measure the amp usage of you
electrical systems.


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CDL AIR BRAKES PRACTICE TEST 2

What is the primary purpose of a front brake limiting valve?

ANSWER: Cuts the air pressure to the front brakes by half. If your vehicle is
made before 1975, it may be equipped with a front brake limiting valve which can
cut the air pressure to the front brakes by half. The valve will decrease the S.

Which of the following will affect the stopping power of spring brakes?

ANSWER: All of the above. Road conditions(e.g., slippery, icy etc.) Always
effect stopping power. Spring brakes need to be properly adjusted on order to work
right. A modulating control valve is a control handle (on some vehicles) that

A dual air brake system has which of the following features?

ANSWER: One set of brake controls and two separate air brake systems.
Most heavy-duty vehicles use dual air brake systems that have a single set of brake
controls, but two separate air brake systems.

Where are foundation brakes uses?

ANSWER: On all wheels. Foundation brakes (usually s-cam drum brakes) are
used at each wheel to provide equal stopping power. Commercial vehicles have
emergency and parking brakes in addition to foundation brakes.

Which of the following parts of the air brake systems should be checked
during the pre-trip walk around inspection?

ANSWER: All of the above. During step 5 of the pre-trip inspection. You should
check the slack adjusters, air hoses and brake drums/discs of the air brake systems.

During inspection, if a slack adjuster moves less than about one inch where
the push rod attaches to it, which of the following statements is true?

ANSWER: It has the appropriate amount of slack. If the slack adjuster moves
more than about one inch, it probably needs adjustment and will not pass roadside
inspections. Too much brake slack will make the vehicle very hard to stop.

When testing that air leakage rate (by turning off the engine and releasing the
parking brake), what is an acceptable air loss rate?

ANSWER: Less than 2 PSI in one minute for single vehicles and less than 3
PSI in one minute for combination vehicles. You should test for air leakage with a
fully charges air system. The loss rate should be less that two psi in one minute.

Which of the following is not a step in testing that the spring brakes come on
automatically?

ANSWER: Pull out that parking brake control knob. To check that spring
brakes come on automatically, you should: chock the wheels, release the parking
brake, shut the engine off and pump the brakes repeatedly (to reduce air pressure.)

If you use controlled braking, which of the following is an acceptable
procedure?

ANSWER: Release the brakes if you need to make a large steering
adjustment. In controlled braking, you apply the brakes as hard as you can without
locking the wheels. If you need to make steering adjustments, you should release the
brakes.

What should you do if the low air pressure warning light comes on?

ANSWER: Stop and safely park your vehicle as quickly as possible. If the low
air pressure warning comes on there might be a leak in the system. This means that
your are in danger of losing your braking ability and you should stop.

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CDL AIRBRAKES PRACTICE TEST 3

What is the proper technique to use when braking on downgrades?

 ANSWER: Apply the brakes just hard enough to slowdown about 5 mph
below your safe speed. When going down a long/steep downgrade you should use
engine braking to slow your vehicle down. After your vehicle is in the proper gear,
you can apply the brakes just hard enough to feel a definite slowdown (usually
about three second). When your speed is about 5 mph below your safe speed, you
can release the brakes.

If your vehicle does not have automatic air tank drains, how often should you
drain the tanks?

ANSWER: At the end of each working day. Draining the air tanks removes oil
and moisture. If you do not drain each working day, you risk brake failure.

When is it acceptable to not use parking brakes if you have to leave your
vehicle unattended?

ANSWER: You should never leave your vehicle without using parking brakes
or chocking the wheels. If you leave your vehicle unattended without the parking
brakes on or the wheels chocked, the vehicle might roll away.

When should parking brakes NOT be uses?

ANSWER: All of the above. The brakes can freeze if they are applied when
wet and the temperature is freezing. The brakes can become damages if they are
applied when they are very hot.

Which device is designed to protect the air tank and system from too much
pressure?

ANSWER: Safety Valve. A safety relief valve is installed in the first tank that
the air compressor pumps air into. A safety valve protects the tank and system from
too much pressure by opening up at 150 PSI. The governor controls when the air
compressor will pump air into the air storage tanks. An alcohol evaporator puts
alcohol into the air system to help reduce the risk of ice in cold weather.

What should you do before driving a vehicle with a dual air system?

ANSWER: Make sure that both primary and secondary system build up to
100 PSI. Before driving a vehicle with a dual air system, you should allow enough
time for the air compressor to build up a maximum of 100 PSI on both systems. You
should verify this by watching both air pressure gauges.

If your press and release the brake pedal rapidly, what will happen?

ANSWER: You can let the air out faster than the compressor can replace it.
Releasing the brakes lets some compressed air out of the brake system which
results in the reduction of air pressure in the tank. Repeatedly pressing and
releasing the brake pedal may reduce the air pressure faster than the compressor
can replace it.

What is another term for a brake pedal?

ANSWER: Treadle Valve. A brake pedal can also be known as a treadle valve
or a foot valve.

What is the name of the device that controls when the air compressor will
pump air into that air storage tanks?

ANSWER: Governor. The governor controls when the air compressor will
pump air into the storage tanks. An alcohol evaporator puts alcohol into the air
system to help reduce the risk of ice in cold weather. A safety valve protects the tank
and system from too much pressure. The air tank drains allow you to drain oil and
moisture from the air tanks.

Which device helps reduce the risk of ice in the air brake systems during cold
weather?

ANSWER: Alcohol Evaporator. An alcohol evaporator puts alcohol into the
air system to help reduce the risk of ice in cold weather. The governor controls
when the air compressor will pump air into the air storage tanks. A safety valve
protects the tank and system from too much pressure. The air tank drains allow you
to drain oil and moisture from the air tanks.

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CDL AIR BRAKES PRACTICE TEST 4

Which device allows you to remove oil and water from the air brake system?

ANSWER: Air Tank Drain. The air tank drains allow you to drain oil and
moisture from the air tanks. An alcohol evaporator puts alcohol into the air system
to help reduce the risk of ice in cold weather. A safety valve protects the tank and
system from too much pressure. The Treadle valve is another name for the brake
pedal.

What does it mean when the safety valve opens and releases air?

ANSWER: A and C. The safety relief valve protects the tanks and the air brake
system from too much pressure. It is designed to open at 150 PSI. If the valve
releases air, a mechanic should check the system.

What should the air pressure loss be in a single vehicle with a fully charged air
system?

ANSWER: Less than 2 PSI per minute. For single vehicles the loss rate should
be less than 2 PSI per minute. For combination vehicles, the loss rate should be less
than 3 PSI per minute.

In a combination vehicle, what should the air pressure loss be with a fully
charged air system?

ANSWER: Less than 3 PSI per minute. For combination vehicles, the loss rate
should be less than 3 PSI per minute.

Where is compressed air stored?

ANSWER: Main reservoirs. The main reservoirs are also known as the air
storage tanks and store the compressed air produced by the air compressor.

Which of the following devices indicated how much air pressure you are
applying to your brakes?

ANSWER: Application Pressure Gauge. Some vehicles with air brakes have an
application pressure gauge that tells you how much pressure you are applying to the
brakes. All vehicles with air brakes have a supply pressure gauge that indicates how
much pressure in in that air tanks. The low air pressure warning signal will only
indicate when you have low air pressure (below 60 psi). The governor controls
when the air compressor will pump air into the air storage tanks.

Which of the following devices can be used as the low air pressure warning
signal?

ANSWER: Any of the above. A low pressure warning signal comes on when
the air pressure falls below 60 psi. The signal is usually a red light, which may be
accompanied by a buzzer. A mechanical arm, known as a wig-wag, can also be used.

What is a wig-wag?

ANSWER: A mechanical arm that comes into view when the air pressure falls
below 60 psi. A wig-wag is a type of low pressure signal. A front brake limiting valve
cuts the normal air pressure to the front brakes by half.. A treadle valve is another
name for a brake pedal. A modulating control valve is a lever used to apply the
spring brakes gradually.

What is a modulating control valve?

ANSWER: A lever used to apply the spring brakes gradually. The modualting
control valve is found on the dash of some vehicles. It is used to apply the spring
brakes gradually. A front brake limiting valve cuts the normal air pressure to the
front brakes by half. An air compressor governor controls when the air compressor
will pump air into the air storage tanks. An air tank drain is used to drain oil and
water from the air storage tanks.

What does the air compressor governor control?

ANSWER: When the air compressor pumps air into the storage tanks. The
front brake limiting valve is used to cut air pressure to the front brakes. An
automatic air tank drain is used to automatically expel water ad oil from the storage
tanks.

TEST-GUIDE.COM
CDL AIR BRAKES PRACTICE TEST 5

Which of the following steps should you use to check the slack adjusters on S
Cam brakes?

ANSWER: Use gloves and pull hard on each slack adjuster. You should park
on level ground and chock the wheels. The parking brakes need to be off so that you
can move the slack adjusters. Using gloves, you should pull hard on each slack
adjuster. If the slack adjuster moves more than about one inch where the push rod
attaches to it, it probably needs adjustment.

What is the typical air pressure of a fully charged air brake system?

ANSWER: 125 PSI. A fully charged air system typically had 125 psi of air
pressure.

What is the proper way to test the air leakage rate?

ANSWER: Turn off the engine and release the parking brake. You should test
for air leakage with a fully charged air system. You should turn off the engine,
release the parking brake, and time the air pressure drop. The loss rate should be
less than two psi in one minute for single vehicles and less than three psi in one
minute for combination vehicles.

What is stab braking?

ANSWER: Applying your brakes until the wheel lock up, releasing, and then
reapplying when the wheels start rolling. Controlled braking is applying the brakes
as hard as possible without locking the wheels. Both controlled braking and stab
braking are effective ways to brake that will keep your vehicle in a straight line and
allow you to turn if necessary.

Why do air brakes take longer to stop than hydraulic brakes?

 ANSWER: It takes longer for the air to flow through the lines. Hydraulic
brakes (used on cars and light trucks) works instantly. Air brakes have an added
delay because of the time required (about ½ second) for the air to flow through the
lines.

What will happen if your air compressor stops?

ANSWER: You’ll still have air pressure left in the tanks to stop. If your
compressor stop working, You will have air pressure left in your tanks, but the air
compressor will not be able to replace air lost by using your brakes.

How should you check your air compressor governor “cut in” and “cut out”
pressures?

ANSWER: All of the above. To check your air compressor governor cut-in and
cut-out pressures you should run the engine at a fast idle and monitor the air
pressure to see if the air governor cuts out at the manufacturer’s specified pressure
(typically about 125 psi). With the engine idling, you should step on and off the
brake to reduce tank pressure and see if the governor cuts in at the manufacturer’s
specified pressure (typically about 100 psi)

How fast should the air pressure build in a dual air system?

ANSWER: From 85 to 100 PSI in 45 seconds. In a single air system, the
pressure should build from 50 to 30 psi in 3 minutes.

What are the typical air compressor governor cut-in and cut-out pressures?

ANSWER: Cut-in 100 PSI; Cut-out 125 PSI. When air tank pressure rises to
the cut-out level (around 125 psi) the governor stops the compressor from pumping
air. When the tank falls below the cut-in pressure (around 100 psi) the governor
allows the compressor to start pumping again.

What device will keep air in the tanks if the air compressor develops a leak?

ANSWER: The one way check valve. The one way check valve sits between
the air compressor and the main air tanks. It allows air flow in one direction only,
which prevents leaks in the air compressor from draining the air tanks. The trailer
protection valve’s purpose is to keep air in the brake system in case the trailer
breaks away or develops a bad leak . A safety valve protects the tank and system
from too much pressure by opening up at 150 psi. The treadle valve is another name
for the foot pedal.