Visual brake-stroke indicators are not just a smart idea; they are actually mandated by law. The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (49 CFR FMVSS 571.121, S5.18) require visual brake adjustment indicators for any brakes equipped with automatic adjusters.
The problem is these are almost exclusively some form of colored tape or paint applied to the pushrod, and their use fails to meet the intentions of the FMVSS requirements — tape wears off, road grime obscures paint color, etc.
Any indicators that depend solely on color identification will suffer from visibility problems. Road grime, sand, snow, and slush will obscure the color and require the driver to get under the vehicle to clean these surfaces in order to find whether the color indicates safe or unsafe brake adjustment. In short, these indicators do not measure actual stroke and are not practical for vocational off-road applications.
Similarly, any indicator design that requires a driver to crawl under the vehicle to measure pushrod stroke defeats the purpose. This is why practical consideration regarding visibility, durability, and operating environment should be carefully weighed when choosing visual brake-stroke indicators.
These criteria make the BrakeSentry kit a simple, effective visual brake-stroke indicator. Constructed of a flexible, unbreakable material composition, BrakeSentry is suited for any on/off-road vocational-duty applications and can be used confidently in operating environments that would otherwise damage or render useless other designs.
Versatile and virtually universal in its applications, this design fits on any vehicle equipped with airbrake chambers that have an exposed 5/8-inch-diameter pushrod, takes about three minutes per wheel to install, does not require any special tools or disassembly of components, is not subject to breakage from road vibration or impacts, has no parts to wear out, and requires no maintenance.
With the BrakeSentry, drivers can perform a visual inspection of the entire vehicle in as little as two minutes and provide immediate, clear confirmation that the air brakes are within stroke.
For more information, visit www.brakesentry.com or contact Brake Sentry at 828-285-0708 or 828-242-5464; e-mail [email protected].