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What is brake fade risk in hot weather driving on long downgrades, beyond normal fade?
- A.Hot weather eliminates fade
- B.Hot ambient air cools the brakes less effectively, so drums reach fade temperatures sooner and need stricter snub-braking discipline and lower gears
- C.Fade only happens in rain
- D.Ambient heat does not affect brakes
Correct answer
B. Hot ambient air cools the brakes less effectively, so drums reach fade temperatures sooner and need stricter snub-braking discipline and lower gears
Why
Brakes convert motion to heat and must shed that heat to the air; when the air itself is hot, capacity drops. Relying primarily on engine retarding and brief, firm snub applications instead of dragging the brakes preserves stopping power for the bottom of the grade.
Manual topic: Hot Weather - Brakes · From the General Knowledge practice bank (GK-328).