Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC (BSFB) added the new Bendix BA235 air disc brake pad kit to its aftermarket portfolio.
Designed for both truck/tractor and trailer ADB applications, the BA235 pad provides a lower-cost option for pad replacement while retaining the performance, warranty and post-sales support, the company says. The BA235 aftermarket kit – best suited for a second or third vehicle owner – is available through authorized Bendix dealerships and aftermarket distributors starting January 2019.
As part of their expanded air disc brake pad portfolio, Bendix also offers the BX276 genuine OEM replacement pad. The long-life BX276 pad is suitable for all applications and is designed to provide more wearable volume and an improved wear rate. For severe duty brake applications such as refuse and school bus, Bendix offers the BX283 pad. All of these Bendix ADB pads meet FMVSS-121 requirements and the current EPA Copper-Free Brake Initiative requirements.
“Since we first introduced air disc brakes in 2005 to the North American commercial vehicle market with the Bendix ADB22X, the popularity of air disc brakes has grown annually – particularly over the last five years,” said Keith McComsey, BSFB director of marketing and customer solutions, Wheel-End. “At this point, there are a lot of air disc-braked trucks in the hands of second or even third owners, who may have completely different needs than the original buyer. And with more ADB-equipped vehicles hitting the road every day, we want to make sure we’re supporting all the needs of the air disc brake aftermarket.”
“When Bendix says its aftermarket pad friction meets FMVSS-121 requirements, we mean it. We don’t cut corners to take cost out, specifically when it comes to safety. In today’s marketplace, we know vehicle operators have options when it comes to replacement pad choices for our ADB22X brake, but we urge owners to be wary of the reduced performance on a number of these aftermarket choices,” McComsey said. “Our testing shows that stopping distance performance can be severely impacted – adding up to 75', or roughly the equivalent of five car lengths – when non-Bendix pads are used. While also increasing the potential for rear-end collisions due to extended stopping distance, inferior aftermarket pads may also increase the risk of vehicle roll-aways, since many of them do not meet the FMVSS-121 park-hold requirements. Some of these pads have significantly reduced capability, rating at only 40 percent of the requirement.”
A joint venture between Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC and Dana Commercial Vehicle Products, BSFB contributes to the full lineup of Bendix wheel-end safety solutions – including air disc and foundation drum brakes – from its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
