EXPERIMENTATION with conventional air-brake systems for trucks and truck-trailer combinations has shown that air-brake operation can be speeded up and stopping distance cut by making certain modifications, according to the author. Among the changes are: streamlining of piping, replacement of conventional couplings with industrial air couplings, and elimination of front-wheel braking.
Air-brake manufacturers could further improve their products, he says here, by arranging for braking in the event that the application line fails, by using better fittings and possibly check valves to prevent leakage, and by providing for compressor engagement only when air is needed.