Do I need to keep my hands clean when adjusting the manual slack adjuster?

In the actual operation of adjusting the manual slack adjuster, whether it is necessary to keep hands clean depends on the specific operation scenario and the inherent requirements of the maintenance specifications. For example, when it comes to adjusting the brake shoe slack, if the hands are contaminated with oil or impurities, it may indirectly contaminate the contact surface between the brake drum and the brake shoe, resulting in a decrease in friction. Although the standard process does not explicitly require hand disinfection, during the installation and commissioning of precision parts (such as worm locking shafts or hydraulic push rods), operators are usually advised to clean grease or dust on their hands to prevent foreign matter from entering the adjustment mechanism and affecting the accuracy of the bolt torque or the sensitivity of the mechanical linkage.

Especially during the manual calibration of the truck brake slack, the cleanliness of the adjustment screw and the brake drum surface is directly related to the stability of the braking torque. If there is grease or dirt on the hands, it may be contaminated to the adjustment part through the tool, resulting in obstruction of the brake shoe reset or slack measurement error. Although some maintenance manuals do not explicitly stipulate hand hygiene, they mention that "before adjusting the slack between the brake wheel and the brake shoe, ensure that the surface is free of oil stains", which implies potential requirements for the cleanliness of the operating environment and the contact parts of personnel.

It is worth noting that in specific areas such as underground equipment maintenance, the standard explicitly requires operators to wear protective gloves and clean tools regularly to prevent oil stains from affecting sealing performance. Although this specification is not directly aimed at manual slack adjusters, it indirectly reflects the general logic of pollution prevention and control in mechanical maintenance - hand cleaning as a means of reducing the introduction of foreign impurities indirectly serves the reliability of long-term operation of equipment.