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Alabama air brakes random practice

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Question 1 of 12
  1. 1. You are checking a truck whose air compressor has its own oil supply. Which extra check belongs in the pre-trip inspection?
  2. 2. During a stationary check, reservoir pressure falls to the manufacturer's cut-in setting. What should a functioning governor allow?
  3. 3. Water has accumulated in an air reservoir before a freezing night. What brake-system risk does this create?
  4. 4. A truck has manual tank drains and no automatic drainage. When should the driver complete the regular draining task described in the manual?
  5. 5. The air-system safety relief valve is venting because pressure is excessive. How should the driver treat this finding?
  6. 6. A driver repeatedly presses and releases the air-brake pedal for no reason while waiting to depart. What can happen?
  7. 7. In an S-cam drum brake, what is the purpose of the rotating cam at the wheel?
  8. 8. One gauge shows reservoir pressure; an optional second type rises with pedal force. What does that second type indicate?
  9. 9. On a spring-brake-equipped truck, what normally keeps the powerful parking-brake springs from applying while driving?
  10. 10. The wheel brakes on a spring-brake truck are out of adjustment. Which braking capability can be affected?
  11. 11. A truck lacks a reliable anti-compounding feature. Why should its driver avoid a hard foot-brake application while the spring brakes are applied?
  12. 12. A bus has a separate emergency reservoir that can briefly release applied spring brakes after main-air loss. What should the driver remember?
Review all 12 questions with answers

  1. You are checking a truck whose air compressor has its own oil supply. Which extra check belongs in the pre-trip inspection?

    Correct answer: Check that compressor's oil level.

    A separately lubricated compressor needs its own oil-level check. Engine lubrication does not automatically cover every compressor design.

    Source: ALEA Commercial Driver License Manual, July 2017 section text, current ALEA catalog PDF; section 5.1.1, physical PDF page 75, printed page 5-1. Equipment and driving knowledge; modernized inspection procedures are cited separately. ↗

  2. During a stationary check, reservoir pressure falls to the manufacturer's cut-in setting. What should a functioning governor allow?

    Correct answer: The compressor to resume building reservoir pressure.

    Cut-in is the point at which the compressor resumes charging the air reservoirs. Check the actual cut-in and cutoff settings specified for that vehicle.

    Source: ALEA Commercial Driver License Manual, July 2017 section text, current ALEA catalog PDF; section 5.1.2, physical PDF page 75, printed page 5-1. Equipment and driving knowledge; modernized inspection procedures are cited separately. ↗

  3. Water has accumulated in an air reservoir before a freezing night. What brake-system risk does this create?

    Correct answer: Ice can obstruct components and interfere with braking.

    Moisture carried in compressed air can collect in the tanks and freeze. Removing contamination helps prevent brake-system failures in cold conditions.

    Source: ALEA Commercial Driver License Manual, July 2017 section text, current ALEA catalog PDF; section 5.1.4, physical PDF page 75, printed page 5-1. Equipment and driving knowledge; modernized inspection procedures are cited separately. ↗

  4. A truck has manual tank drains and no automatic drainage. When should the driver complete the regular draining task described in the manual?

    Correct answer: At the end of each driving day.

    The manual's daily draining instruction applies to tanks that require manual drainage. Water and oil can accumulate in warm weather too.

    Source: ALEA Commercial Driver License Manual, July 2017 section text, current ALEA catalog PDF; section 5.1.4, physical PDF page 75, printed page 5-1. Equipment and driving knowledge; modernized inspection procedures are cited separately. ↗

  5. The air-system safety relief valve is venting because pressure is excessive. How should the driver treat this finding?

    Correct answer: As a fault requiring mechanical attention.

    The relief valve protects against excessive pressure; it is not the normal pressure-regulating control. A venting safety valve requires investigation and repair, not disabling.

    Source: ALEA Commercial Driver License Manual, July 2017 section text, current ALEA catalog PDF; section 5.1.6, physical PDF page 76, printed page 5-2. Equipment and driving knowledge; modernized inspection procedures are cited separately. ↗

  6. A driver repeatedly presses and releases the air-brake pedal for no reason while waiting to depart. What can happen?

    Correct answer: Air may be used faster than the compressor replaces it.

    Brake releases discharge air, and the compressor must replenish it. Unnecessary repeated applications can deplete the available supply.

    Source: ALEA Commercial Driver License Manual, July 2017 section text, current ALEA catalog PDF; section 5.1.7, physical PDF page 76, printed page 5-2. Equipment and driving knowledge; modernized inspection procedures are cited separately. ↗

  7. In an S-cam drum brake, what is the purpose of the rotating cam at the wheel?

    Correct answer: To press the brake shoes outward against the drum.

    The S-cam translates linkage movement into shoe contact with the drum. Friction at that contact slows the wheel; the governor and reservoir have different jobs.

    Source: ALEA Commercial Driver License Manual, July 2017 section text, current ALEA catalog PDF; section 5.1.8, physical PDF page 76, printed page 5-2. Equipment and driving knowledge; modernized inspection procedures are cited separately. ↗

  8. One gauge shows reservoir pressure; an optional second type rises with pedal force. What does that second type indicate?

    Correct answer: Pressure being applied to the brakes.

    Supply pressure and application pressure are different measurements. An application gauge indicates the pressure used for braking, not the amount stored in the tanks.

    Source: ALEA Commercial Driver License Manual, July 2017 section text, current ALEA catalog PDF; section 5.1.9–5.1.10, physical PDF page 76, printed page 5-2. Equipment and driving knowledge; modernized inspection procedures are cited separately. ↗

  9. On a spring-brake-equipped truck, what normally keeps the powerful parking-brake springs from applying while driving?

    Correct answer: Sufficient air pressure holding the springs back.

    Air pressure holds the spring brakes released. Loss or release of that air allows the mechanical springs to apply the brakes.

    Source: ALEA Commercial Driver License Manual, July 2017 section text, current ALEA catalog PDF; section 5.1.14, physical PDF page 77, printed page 5-3. Equipment and driving knowledge; modernized inspection procedures are cited separately. ↗

  10. The wheel brakes on a spring-brake truck are out of adjustment. Which braking capability can be affected?

    Correct answer: Both normal braking and spring-brake holding power.

    Adequate air pressure alone cannot correct a mechanical adjustment defect. The same wheel-brake condition can undermine service and spring-brake effectiveness.

    Source: ALEA Commercial Driver License Manual, July 2017 section text, current ALEA catalog PDF; section 5.1.14, physical PDF page 77, printed page 5-3. Equipment and driving knowledge; modernized inspection procedures are cited separately. ↗

  11. A truck lacks a reliable anti-compounding feature. Why should its driver avoid a hard foot-brake application while the spring brakes are applied?

    Correct answer: The combined forces can damage the brake mechanism.

    Service pressure and spring force can act together. Not every system prevents this compounding, so the driver must use the controls as specified for the vehicle.

    Source: ALEA Commercial Driver License Manual, July 2017 section text, current ALEA catalog PDF; section 5.1.15, physical PDF page 77, printed page 5-3. Equipment and driving knowledge; modernized inspection procedures are cited separately. ↗

  12. A bus has a separate emergency reservoir that can briefly release applied spring brakes after main-air loss. What should the driver remember?

    Correct answer: That reserve permits only a limited number of releases.

    A reserve air supply is finite and must be managed carefully during an emergency move. It is not a repair or an unlimited replacement for the main air system.

    Source: ALEA Commercial Driver License Manual, July 2017 section text, current ALEA catalog PDF; section 5.1.15, physical PDF page 78, printed page 5-4. Equipment and driving knowledge; modernized inspection procedures are cited separately. ↗

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Home / Alabama / CDL practice

Alabama air brakes random practice

20 questions per attempt, with no repeats within that attempt. Restart for a fresh selection.

Selected practice, not a complete Alabama CDL course or an official exam.

Topics and coverage

Driving basics, air-brake, combination, tank, doubles/triples, passenger, school-bus, hazardous-materials, initial licensing, written skills preparation, selected driver responsibilities, and road conditions and emergencies are available. Additional Alabama licensing requirements, intrastate exceptions and complete endorsement and skills coverage are still needed; this is not a complete CDL course.

This uses the same 40 topic records as the numbered tests. There is no official exam-length or pass-target claim. Questions can recur across attempts. Read sources and coverage limits.