With the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s 29th annual International Roadcheck starting on June 7, Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems is offering key points on inspecting and maintaining its components.

Bendix manufactures brake and wheel end components and with this year’s emphasis on tire safety, the company wants drivers and fleets to take precautions to prevent any potential out-of-service violations.

“During the 2015 Roadcheck, brake, tire, and wheel issues accounted for nearly 57% of the out-of-service violations,” said Fred Andersky, Bendix director of government and industry affairs. “From improperly inflated tires to brakes out-of-adjustment, these are issues that are easily caught and remedied through simple, routine maintenance – but which can have seriously negative consequences if they lead to an equipment failure on the highway.”

Bendix is reminding drivers to always conduct a pre-trip visual inspection to check for visible brake system problems like loose hoses or leaks. In the shop, regularly scheduled reviews should include conducting a 90- to 100-psi brake application and listening for audible leaks as well as measuring the chamber stroke at each wheel end.

Drivers can receive fines under CVSA guidelines if more than 25% of a truck’s wheel-ends are beyond the maximum allowable brake stroke, or out of adjustment.

“Checking the condition of your friction lining for compliance is also an essential part of any inspection, whether during maintenance or pre-trip,” said Keith McComsey, Bendix director of wheel-end marketing and customer solutions. “Inspecting for lining cracks, missing portions of the lining, oil or grease contamination of the lining, compliant friction lining thickness, and more will help the continued safe operation of your vehicle and reduce the likelihood of being placed out-of-service during a safety inspection.”

Keeping current on regulations as well as commercial vehicle safety components and technologies is also important for safe operation. Bendix wants fleets to keep technicians up to date with training and information.

Bendix offers both the in-person Brake Training School and the Bendix On-Line Brake School with more than 50 interactive courses.

Technical bulletins and service data sheets are available through Bendix.com, along with free downloads of the Bendix ACom Diagnostics software, which helps technicians diagnose and repair antilock braking systems, automatic traction control, and Bendix ESP Electronic Stability Program full-stability systems.

Bendix also makes available such tools as the Remote Diagnostic Unit and the Trailer Remote Diagnostic Unit, which help simplify brake system troubleshooting.

Bendix also offers systems to help keep tires properly inflated, including the SmarTire Tire Pressure Monitoring System for tractors and the SmarTire Trailer-Link TPMS for trailer systems. The systems can provide driver alerts that compensate for changing conditions.

“Safer highways begin with properly maintained vehicles that are operated by safety-conscious drivers and supported by well-trained technicians,” said Andersky. “Bendix aims to provide support on all three fronts – in addition to our continuous efforts to advance safety technologies – and in doing so, create a safer environment on the roads we all share.”