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A Semi rolled down a hill hitting a church in Chattanooga,TN.

I was expecting it to be a Covenant truck.
Good it wasn't a Sunny Sunday morn'.
Chattanooga Police report that the truck was being loaded, when the brakes failed.......
 
I'm trying to figure out how the spring brakes "failed" if they were set. I have seen green horns leave the tractor in gear & not set the brakes thinking that would keep it from rolling. If that was what happened here I can understand how loading a machine, (dozer) etc. on the lowboy could push it. If the spring brakes were set on the tractor & trailer it should not have rolled.
 
Maybe that particular trucking company doesn't perform maintenance on Brakes as maybe the employees take too many Breaks.
Maybe their Brake and Break policy will change.
 
Those of us with a history in this industry remember the two stroke Detroits that had no electronics on the engine except the alternator, (generator if you have really seen a lot of sunsets). A pull cable was used to shut off the engine. There have been cases when the tractor was parked in gear & the brakes not set. A heavy load could push the rig down a hill or even a tail wind moved the rig & the engine would start with nobody in the cab.
 
DCM_Doc said:
I'm trying to figure out how the spring brakes "failed" if they were set. I have seen green horns leave the tractor in gear & not set the brakes thinking that would keep it from rolling. If that was what happened here I can understand how loading a machine, (dozer) etc. on the lowboy could push it. If the spring brakes were set on the tractor & trailer it should not have rolled.
Click to expand...
Spring brakes set, and out of adjustment, makes them about worthless parked a a hill on top of that. I write up my tractor about once a month and have our mechanic adjust them for me. Takes just a few minutes to do it. Still not convinced the self adjusters are totally reliable. In Illinois , brakes out of adjustment is one of the top violations on roadside inspections.
 
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