Your tractor's Brake Foot Valve provides a direct feedback about brake application. The amount of braking required is proportional to the air pressure delivered at the foot valve. The foot treadle increases and exhausts the air pressure to deliver the desired braking effort. The brake pedal and indicators on the dashboard also provide kinesthetic and visual feedback. To help you determine which type of brake to use, learn how to adjust your Brake Foot Valve and the various functions it performs.

There are three types of foot valves. One type is called a Type E foot valve, while another is called a T-valve. This type of foot valve operates the brakes on all wheels of the vehicle. The brake pedal exerts pressure on a piston that contacts an exhaust valve. The valve closes when the pressure is removed. Alternatively, it can be referred to as a service brake control valve.

The spring-brake relay valve operates on the same principle as the service brake relay valve. The difference is that the spring-brake relay valve responds to a drop in air pressure at its control port by opening its exhaust port. This valve allows air from the rear service brake chambers to be applied more quickly than the yellow parking-control valve. It is therefore recommended to use a Spring Brake Foot Valve whenever possible.

In addition to a foot valve, you can also find a hand valve. Its primary function is to operate the brakes on a trailer, whereas the hand valve controls the brakes on the tractor. The hand valve should be used sparingly and for limited purposes such as ensuring that the trailer brakes are working properly during hookup or while the clutch is disengaged. However, some drivers make unprofessional use of this device, causing it to become useless and dangerous for their operations.

Normally, the brake pedal is pushed by pressing the release lever on a handbrake foot valve. When this happens, air flows from the primary reservoir to the secondary reservoir. A two-way check valve is used to detect the difference between primary and secondary supply pressure, and lets the dominant pressure actuate the trailer brakes. However, the foot valve also allows the driver to release the parking brake quickly. When the foot pedal is depressed, air flows from the secondary reservoir to the trailer brake chambers.

The brake foot valve has a push rod that is connected to a shaft that runs perpendicular to the plane created by the slack adjuster and the pushrod. When the driver releases the force, the inner spring returns to its original position. A double-circuit brake foot valve is an advanced brake system. It has two separate circuits for service and secondary breaking. A double-circuit brake foot valve is the most commonly used on modern railways.