Pressure Gauges Troubleshoot Brakes

Pressure Gauges Troubleshoot Brakes FARM SHOP Miscellaneous 29-5-39 Figuring out why one disc brake is worn and the other isn't can be a mystery. The quick solution is to replace the calipers and pads on the worn brake. But what do you do if a few weeks later the same brake fails again. "It could be a bad hose, stuck slide, bad proportioning valve or something else," says Peter Vinci, president, Innovative Products of America. To help troubleshoot that and other pressure related problems, Vinci developed and introduced the Disc Brake System Analyzer. The Analyzer consists of two 5,000-lb. load cells attached to analog gauges that read in 0-5,000 psi and 0-350 BAR. A red "tell tale" memory needle on the dial allows one-man testing by retaining and indicating the most recent pressure reading. The gauges are packed in a wooden case and are priced at $159.95. In the case of the mysterious bad brake, replacing the brake pad with one of the load cells can identify a bad hose. Step on the brake and the gauge should indicate appropriate pressure. Take the foot off the brake, and the needle on the gauge should snap back to zero. If a hose is bad, pressure will either not be indicated or may continue after the foot has been removed from the brake. "If you compare pressure on the left and right brakes, and one is at 1,000 psi and the other at 2,000 psi, but both snap back when the foot comes off the brake, the proportioning valve may be faulty," says Vinci. The analyzer can also indicate air in the system, bypassing or leaking master cylinders and incorrect rear lining to drum adjustment. "You can use these load cells to measure the pressure exerted by any fixture that uses jaws to squeeze shut on a part," says Vinci. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Peter Vinci, Innovative Products of America, 5401 Rt. 212, P.O. Box 266, Mt. Tremper, N.Y. 12457 (ph 845 688-2300 or 888 786-7899; fax 845 688-2400; information@ipatools. com; www.ipatools.com).

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