26th March 2008 - Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake Prepares for New Stopping Distance Requirements

High Performance Drum Brakes Will Provide Fleets, OEs with More Options

When the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announces its new stopping distance requirements for large trucks later this year, Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC will be ready.

The company is preparing to introduce new, high performance versions of its current foundation drum brakes products, both for steer and drive axle applications – adding to its already extensive portfolio. The introduction will come after extensive development efforts and a battery of vehicle tests. Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake has been developing the product for nearly four years in anticipation of the new requirements. Field testing is currently underway, and the technology will be in production in time for the effective date of the new requirement, which is expected to be in late 2010.

"When it comes to choosing foundation brakes that will give their vehicles the performance needed to comply with the new requirements, vehicle manufacturers and fleets will have the freedom to make decisions based on their own needs and preferences," said Jim Clark, product line director for foundation drum brakes at Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake. "Our objective has been to offer the industry technology for meeting the new requirements that is not only the most cost-effective, but that also extends and enhances service life. We’re addressing that goal by offering customers the choice of Bendix air disc brake or our new high performance foundation drum brakes, a superior quality product that is as affordable and lightweight as possible. Our high performance drum brakes support us in achieving that objective."

NHTSA announced its proposed rulemaking on Dec. 15, 2005. In its proposal, NHTSA calls for a 20- to 30-percent reduction in the required stopping distance for large trucks. While large trucks operate on the same roadways as significantly lighter passenger vehicles, they may take twice as long to stop in instances of panic-stop braking. The new requirements are intended to help close the gap between the two vehicle types.

Extensive vehicle test data by Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake and Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, as well as other industry sources, confirm that vehicles can meet or exceed the shortest of the proposed stopping distances through a variety of Bendix foundation brake configurations. With the addition of the high performance drum brake, Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake will now offer all possible configurations, including all drum brakes, all disc brakes, or a combination of both. The company recommends disc brakes on the steer axle and drum brakes on the rear axles as the most effective combination for most heavy trucks.

Regardless of the configuration, the Bendix foundation brake components required to provide the necessary performance to achieve the maximum proposed stopping distance are already in production in the United States. The new high performance versions of Bendix foundation drum brakes are also capable of meeting the proposed requirements and are fully compatible with Bendix air disc brakes. New brake configurations will also last longer than today’s solutions, helping fleets reduce the cost of brake maintenance.

"We support NHTSA’s long-stated goal to more closely align the stopping distance requirements for passenger cars and heavy trucks for increased highway safety," said Kishor Pendse, president of Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake. "We believe a 30-percent reduction for truck tractors is an important step to further solidify NHTSA’s direction, strongly reinforcing the agency’s commitment to highway safety. And we’re prepared to deliver the technology that can meet even the highest level of proposed reduction."

About Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC

Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC combines and expands the complementary wheel-end foundation brake technologies of two global leaders – Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC and Dana. The joint venture, formed in July 2004, is a single, complete source for OEM brake system design, manufacturing, hardware, and support for all foundation brake components and actuation systems, as well as all-makes coverage of nearly 50,000 medium- and heavy-duty aftermarket parts. Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC is headquartered in Elyria, Ohio, with engineering operations in both Elyria and Kalamazoo, Mich., and a manufacturing facility in Bowling Green, Ky. For more information, call 1-866-610-9709 or visit www.foundationbrakes.com.

Source: Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake Press Release