XTRA Lease is installing SAF-HOLLAND P89 air disc brakes on more than 6,000 of its over-the-road dry vans and reefers purchased the rest of this year.
XTRA Lease, a national provider of over-the-road trailer equipment rental and leasing, and SAF-HOLLAND, a manufacturer of axle/braking systems, suspensions, fifth wheels and landing gear products, announced the deal this week.
XTRA Lease chose the upgrade over traditional drum brakes to provide a lower-maintenance trailer to fleets needing rental or leased trailers.
“A reliable, low-maintenance trailer is something every fleet prizes,” said Bill Franz, president and CEO of XTRA Lease. “With air disc brakes on our trailers, reliability just got better. Fleets will see a new level of performance, as air disc brakes will produce significantly longer intervals between brake jobs.
“We’re also pleased that air disc brakes result in enhanced braking performance, which will satisfy drivers and their companies,” Franz added. “Our customers work hard to maximize productivity. Getting a trailer spec’d to minimize downtime with air disc brakes and maximize productivity with our new free cargo sensors gives them the value they need to stay competitive.”
“SAF-HOLLAND is proud to have been selected by XTRA Lease to provide industry-leading SAF air disc brake technology,” said Steffen Schewerda, president of Americas for SAF-HOLLAND. “With air disc brake demand growing among fleets looking to improve brake system reliability, our SAF P89 air disc brakes deliver enhanced braking performance along with reduced maintenance and lower cost of ownership.”
Air disc brakes on semi-trailers are gaining momentum industry-wide. XTRA Lease adopted the brakes for a variety of reasons, including:
- Shorter stopping distances than drum brakes
- Significantly longer brake pad life
- Lower risk for out-of-adjustment violations when compared to drum brakes
- 50 lbs. savings per tandem compared to drum brake systems
As for driving performance, air disc brakes don’t overheat like drum brakes, resulting in more consistent and improved braking for drivers.
XTRA Lease expects to start receiving dry vans equipped with air disc brakes in June.
