Brake maintenance on sugarcane trucks contributes to road safety

The road system is the main means used to transport sugar cane, with a large flow of long and heavy trucks traveling from the harvesting areas to the plants. During the harvest period, in addition to paying extra attention to driving, truck drivers and fleet owners must pay attention to vehicle maintenance to avoid accidents on the roads and extra costs. The equipment that makes up the braking system is among the main items that need to be evaluated, such as the brake linings, which must be of quality and in good condition.

According to Raulincom Borges da Silva, technical assistance coordinator at TMD Friction, owner of the brand Cobreq, brake linings are components responsible for generating friction to decelerate the vehicle, and preventive maintenance is extremely important to ensure the correct and safe functioning of the brake system. "When worn, the linings can compromise braking, so the ideal is to replace them as soon as the situation is identified. Difficulties in braking or keeping the vehicle stopped using the handbrake and noises can be signs of problems with the parts" , comments.

Generally, the tarpaulins are changed after the vehicle has exceeded 50 km, but it is always necessary to check the time recommended by the manufacturer in the owner's manual and carry out periodic inspections to find out if there is any problem that indicates the item must be replaced.

The way of driving, the volume of cargo that exceeds 70 tons of sugarcane in some vehicles such as trains, and the driving conditions, in many cases through dirt and mud, place great demands on the brakes, which reinforces the importance of tarpaulins that provide efficiency, durability and mechanical resistance. The parts developed by Cobreq, for example, serve new and modern trucks, as well as those from previous generations, with heavy investment in technology, tested in different environments and operating conditions, following international safety standards and low abrasiveness with the drum, which provides lower maintenance costs. "The tarpaulins recommended for this type of vehicle must offer dimensional and thermal stability, as well as resistance to wear under severe conditions, in applications where the average working temperature is higher than conventional ones", adds the coordinator.