Have you ever tried to back up an 18-wheeler? It's no small feat, but once you understand how air brakes in semi trucks work, it all starts to make sense.

Many of the larger vehicles on our roads have one intriguing thing in common: They can make sudden, loud, gas-escaping hissing noises. These noises, admittedly, have made this writer jump — on more ...

Our first tango with disc brakes back in the 1980s didn't go well. What's the euphemism? Ahead of the market. Materials weren't up to the challenge, they were difficult to package, and were generally ...

When the brakes are applied, circuits send compressed air from the storage tanks to front and rear service chambers that push the brake shoes into the brake drums, thus slowing down the vehicle. Semis ...