Penalties & Licensing

Study questions with answers

7 sample Penalties & Licensing questions with the correct answer, a short explanation, and the official handbook reference. Read through them, then take the quiz above.

1. 1. Brake linings should be replaced when they are:

   Correct answer: soaked with oil or grease, or dangerously thin

   Linings must not be loose, oil- or grease-soaked, or worn dangerously thin, and mechanical parts must not be broken or missing.

   Source: Section 5.3.2 - Check Brake Drums, Linings, and Hoses

2. 2. When you pull hard on a manual slack adjuster, roughly how much movement suggests it needs adjustment?

   Correct answer: More than about one inch

   If the slack adjuster moves more than roughly an inch where the push rod attaches, it likely needs adjusting.

   Source: Section 5.3.2 - Check Slack Adjusters

3. 3. In the static leakage test on a single vehicle with the engine off and brakes released, air loss should stay under:

   Correct answer: two psi in one minute

   With a fully charged system and brakes released, a single vehicle should lose less than two psi per minute; a combination allows less than three.

   Source: Section 5.3.3 - Test Air Leakage Rate

4. 4. The single most frequently found brake defect during roadside inspections is:

   Correct answer: brakes that are out of adjustment

   Out-of-adjustment brakes are the most common problem found in roadside inspections, and too much slack makes a vehicle very hard to stop.

   Source: Section 5.3.2 - Check Slack Adjusters

5. 5. In a dual air system at operating rpm, pressure should climb from 85 to 100 psi within about:

   Correct answer: 45 seconds

   For dual air systems, the buildup from 85 to 100 psi should take roughly 45 seconds at operating engine speed.

   Source: Section 5.3.3 - Check Rate of Air Pressure Buildup

6. 6. During the final brake check, the governor should stop the compressor from pumping at about:

   Correct answer: 125 psi

   Cut-out should occur near 125 psi and cut-in near 100 psi; always compare against the manufacturer's specifications.

   Source: Section 5.3.3 - Check Air Compressor Governor Cut-in and Cut-out Pressures

7. 7. A brake drum should be flagged during inspection when a crack is:

   Correct answer: longer than half the width of the friction area

   Drums or discs must not have cracks longer than one half the width of the friction surface.

   Source: Section 5.3.2 - Check Brake Drums, Linings, and Hoses