Mark your calendar: August 24 – 30th, 2025
Every year the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) dedicates one week to roadside inspections across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Inspectors will zero in on brake systems with an emphasis on the condition of brake drums and rotors. Components that quietly take a beating on tank trailers hauling heavy, high center of gravity loads.
Why does this matter? Brake issues are the #1 out of service violation. During last year’s inspection week, 16,725 commercial vehicles were inspected and 2,149 were ordered off the road for brake-related defects. Staying ahead of those statistics is in every fleet’s control. We can help, reach out to one of our branches: Kansas City, Oklahoma City, or in Houston (La Porte, TX)
2025 Focus: Drums & Rotors
CVSA officers will still check the full air-brake system, but they’ll record extra data on drum and rotor wear:
- Cracks, heat checks, or out of round drums
- Scored rotors or metal to metal contact
- Contaminants on the friction surface
- Excessive rust, grooves or thickness below spec
Pre-Inspection Checklist for Tank Trailer Operators
Component |
What to Check |
|
Brake drum/rotor |
Look for cracks, scoring, blue heat spots |
|
Brake linings/pads |
Minimum 1/4″ thickness, no delamination |
|
Slack adjusters & push-rod stroke |
90° angle, stroke within chamber spec |
|
Hoses & tubing |
No chafing, kinks, or audible air leaks |
|
ABS lamp (trailer) |
Lamp illuminates then extinguishes at start-up |