Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake is introducing a new aftermarket friction line that will offer products across three levels to meet every customer need for safety, performance and value, it said.
The three performance levels are Bendix Basic Friction, Bendix Advanced Friction, and Bendix OE Friction.
Bendix Basic is an economy-grade friction designed to meet the market need for a product offering safety and performance at a lower price. Bendix Advanced Friction includes the new Bendix Advanced RSD, the industry’s first aftermarket friction certified to maintain compliance with the federal mandate for reduced stopping distance (RSD). Bendix OE Friction is the highest performing friction offering.
The new three-level aftermarket friction portfolio and products – produced and made available by Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC (BSFB) under the Bendix brand name – will be available by the end of the month.
Bendix Basic Friction, with Bendix friction code BB200, provides value at an economical price and is designed for good wear and consistent performance under normal operating conditions, in low to midrange temperatures, the company said.
“We believe it’s important for every vehicle to be equipped for safe operation, regardless of a fleet’s or operator’s budget, and now we have a product that will ensure safety and performance while being more affordably priced,” said BSFB President Eddie Wilkinson. “Whatever a customer’s application or budget, Bendix has an aftermarket friction product to meet the need.”
Bendix Advanced Friction includes RSD solutions and is designed to provide higher torque and perform in higher temperatures with less fade, making it suitable for more demanding applications, higher weights, and steeper terrain. Friction at this performance level also demonstrates improved lining and drum wear, lowering the total cost of ownership, Bendix added.
The new product at this level, Bendix Advanced RSD, with Bendix friction code BA202R, is certified as RSD compliant.
“We listen carefully to our customers. They made it clear that while they value performance and maintaining RSD compliance, in some cases OE friction can be cost prohibitive,” Wilkinson said. “Two years after the implementation of RSD phase one, many people in the industry are now relining their RSD trucks. Bendix Advanced RSD is a good option for maintaining compliance at a lower cost.”
Bendix Advanced RSD is approved for vehicles with GVWRs up to 52,000 lbs. According to Gary Ganaway, BSFB director of marketing and global customer solutions, approximately 80% of RSD-impacted vehicles on the road fall into this weight category.
“Bendix Advanced RSD is the first high performance friction developed specifically for the aftermarket,” Ganaway said. “We are committed to meeting our customers’ needs for maintaining safety and reducing operating costs.”
Bendix OE Friction is the highest performing option, and includes solutions designed to exceed the RSD mandate with an extra safety margin and consistently deliver a stopping distance of 225 ft. It is engineered to meet the demands of OE certification and remains the only product certified for trucks above 52,000 lbs. to maintain the RSD compliance performance level.
