Invariably, new regulations mean change. The new stopping distance standards adopted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (refer to the “New NHTSA Rules” sidebar for details) this summer are no exception. There will be changes in new truck production and aftermarket support, both parts and service, of these vehicles. And the change will not be of the pocket variety – there will be significant flux in money spent on brakes at all levels. It will cost more for your customers to spec a compliant tractor, and, of course, it is mandatory. Replacement parts also will cost more, at least initially and certainly if air disc brakes are installed, but service costs will be less in the long run.
Overall, the good news is that tractors will potentially be safer, stopping 30 percent shorter than the current distance required. NHTSA estimates the new braking requirement will save 227 lives annually and prevent 300 serious injuries. The agency also estimates that it will reduce property damage costs by more than $169 million a year.
The bad news, for distributors and repair facilities anyway, is that vehicles likely will need less maintenance and replacement parts, thus less aftermarket support, thus generating less aftermarket revenue.
But the braking market’s long-term financial picture, according to Frost and Sullivan’s Sandeep Kar, global program manager, commercial vehicle research, is optimistic. Kar says the $268 million generated in aftermarket braking part sales in 2008 will expand to $359 million by 2015, for Class 4 through 8 vehicles. While the new rules affect only Class 8 tractors, the portion of the revenue pie should expand for heavy-duty parts providers in a commensurate way.
The rules also will take awhile to impact the aftermarket. The first phase of the new rules goes into effect Aug. 1, 2011, and service and replacement part needs will be about six to nine months beyond that; the independent channel will wait even longer in most cases until trucks are past their warranty period.
Additionally, the new rules affect new truck production only; there are no requirements for retrofitting vehicles, though some fleets may choose to be proactive and equip vehicles to comply. The rules also apply to the vehicle as a whole; there are no requirements for individual parts or components, just that when everything is installed, the vehicle stops within the required distance.
So the burden of compliance does not rest directly on component manufacturers, though, of course, their products ultimately will be responsible for helping truck manufacturers achieve their compliance strategy.
And there are three such strategies:
·Install larger, more robust brake drums on the steer axle. More than likely this will mean going to a 16.5-inch-diameter drum with 5-inch-wide lining, versus the 15-inch drum with 4-inch lining more typical on line-haul tractors today;
·Install air disc brakes; and
·A “hybrid” approach of installing a combination of both drum brakes and air disc brakes.
“The wildcard in this whole thing is the strategy that the OEM truck builders choose to take,” says Randy Petresh, vice president of Technical Services for Haldex. “So you’ve got the three options and that’s what the OEMs over the next year or so will be developing their strategy around how they’re going to comply with the new regulation. It will be one of those three options.”
The initial impact of the regulations will be the most significant, affecting three-axle tractors with gross vehicle weight ratings (GVWRs) of 59,600 pounds or less.
“The big bang is the first wave,” says Petresh, as it will influence about 90 percent of the current truck build.
PARTS IMPACT
There probably will not be major changes in parts distribution until after the rules take effect. However, while not required, there will be fleets that choose to start spec’ing larger drum brakes now and even retrofit older vehicles as those brake components need to be replaced.
“Our current view is that there most likely will not be a real short-term impact, other than maybe some very forward-looking fleets that are highly safety conscious and really would like to upgrade their fleets,” says Wolfgang Winzer, president of Webb Wheel Products. He notes that for those fleets, it should be a simple transition as the products are readily available to perform the upgrade.
Making the change also may offer logistical and cost benefits.”Some fleets may change the brakes they are spec’ing and want to go standard on their older vehicles as well to keep parts proliferation down and make purchasing easier,” says Aaron Bickford, ArvinMeritor’s director of marketing, Aftermarket. “So we may see some immediate impact. We will be promoting that concept to the fleets.”
Shaun Shroff, executive vice president of Marketing for DuraBrake, Co., says some brake manufacturers may make the choice even easier for fleets by offering turnkey retrofitting packages.
“In the aftermarket, brake designers may be able to offer replacement kits which will help improve the stopping distance of trucks manufactured prior to Aug. 1, 2011, significantly with reasonable return on investment,” says Shroff. “These kits will improve the stopping distance; however they will not meet the NHTSA requirements of the OEM equipment.”
Petresh says the easiest strategy for OEMs will be to go with the larger drum brakes on the steer axle. It’s a known commodity and installs the same on the production line. If that is the case, distributors already will be well positioned, but some inventory tweaking will be necessary.
“On the drum brake side, you’re going to have a switch in terms of product, but probably not in total volumes,” says Petresh. “The 15 x 4 drum brake on the steer axle is going away, it’s essentially going to die with the dinosaurs. The larger steer axle drum brakes, that’s where the market and volume is going to gravitate. The 4-inch shoe basically disappears and the 16.5 by 5-inch shoe becomes the standard. So if you didn’t carry that before, you’re going to have to, and you’re going to have to carry it in large volumes because that’s going to be 90 percent of your volume.”
If OEMs opt for disc brakes, that will create the biggest change for the aftermarket. Some OEMs may test the waters by making air disc brakes standard on a particular model to gain familiarity with the installation and explore the market potential. Air disc brakes already are optional on many OEM models, though their volume lags well behind drum brakes by about a 10:1 ratio.
“The only real significant changes that I can see are the disc brakes and the parts associated with disc brakes,” says Petresh. “In probably most cases, [distributors] are not carrying and stocking disc brake components. The volume is low and consequently the availability of the parts is not that widespread.”
Regardless of the solutions OEMs choose, Bickford cautions that distributors need to do their homework when evaluating brake components. He says companies may make claims that their products meet the FMVSS 121 requirements, but customers “are going to have to sift through those claims and understand that the stopping distance requirement applies to the vehicle, and the complete braking system on that vehicle. Friction and brake shoes are only components in that system and, as standalone components, cannot meet the stopping distance requirement on their own.”
As more aggressive braking systems enter the market, they also may have a ripple effect throughout end user expectations.
“Most dramatically, the performance enhancements realized by the OEMs will reset the bar for replacement friction material performance expectations,” says Aaron Schwass, director for the foundation brake group at Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake. “We expect to see a slow, but continuous change to purchasing patterns in the aftermarket, driven by the braking performance fleets experience on the trucks equipped to meet the new regulations.”
The additional braking torque to the front of the vehicle also may impact vehicle balance. This could result in changes to brake chambers. “Maybe the type 30 isn’t as big anymore and the type 24 goes up significantly, based on the way OEMs rebalance their vehicles,” says Petresh.
And changes to the braking system may be just the beginning.”It may seem like the braking system alone will be affected,” says Shroff (this is a second reference). “We feel there is likely to be a cascading effect which starts with improved performance of the brake components. The change in designing the braking requirements will affect the entire vehicle starting with the braking systems. This can affect the entire structure of the truck and trailer, including wheels and tires.”
SERVICE IMPACT
There will be little, if any, learning curve for service technicians attending to trucks with the larger drum brakes.
“With respect to training on drum brakes, it’s the same foundation brake as used today with the same type of brake drum mounting – just an outboard-mount brake drum with a different brake shoe,” says Ken Kelley, Webb Wheel Products’ vice president of Sales, Marketing and Business Development. “It’s still the same type of shoe configuration, a quick change type of double- or single-anchor-pin brake. So as far as adjusting the brake or doing a brake job, it’s the same thing.”
It will be a different story with air disc brakes, however. One of the major selling points of air disc brakes is their long maintenance intervals and ease of serviceability. In addition to less service business, as air disc brakes become more common it will require technician training and, in most cases, a change in attitude.
Petresh explains that for decades maintenance managers have been obsessed with ensuring proper brake stroke. And, rightfully so. Brakes that are out of adjustment are the No. 1 reason for ticketed violations during roadside inspections, according to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.
With disc brakes, however, the automatic adjuster is completely sealed and internal to the system. “You never see it, you never touch it, you never measure it, you never maintain it, you never have to grease it, you never have to do anything with it,” says Petresh. “Brake adjustment is the No. 1 issue in our industry in terms of maintenance and has been for the last 20 or 30 years. With disc brakes, you don’t have that, you don’t even see it. You don’t even know where it is. It’s totally internal, totally sealed for life and totally automatic.”
Supplier Roundup: Meeting the New Braking Regulations
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) passed new stopping-distance standards for Class 8 tractors this summer that begin taking effect Aug. 1, 2011.
The new rules require that a tractor traveling at 60 miles per hour come to a complete stop within 250 feet when loaded to its gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), a 30 percent reduction versus the old standard of 355 feet (for more on the new rules, see the sidebar: New NHTSA Rules).
Most brake manufacturers already offer products that will contribute to a braking system’s overall compliance. It’s important to note that no single product – whether it’s a drum, rotor, air disc system or friction material – is tasked with meeting the new requirements. The vehicle must meet the standards, relying on the entire braking system, not just a component.
The main strategies for compliance are either more robust drum brakes or air disc brakes on one or more axles. The new rules only apply to newly manufactured vehicles and are not retroactive. However, if your aftermarket customers want to retrofit vehicles with components that help achieve compliance, you will have options to meet their needs.
Following is an overview of brake manufacturers’ existing and planned products to help vehicles comply with the new rules, and how they plan to support these products in the aftermarket.
ArvinMeritor and Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems
Headquarters: Troy, Mich.
Compliance Strategy: The company offers a diverse portfolio of Meritor Q Plus drum brakes to meet the new mandate for shortened stopping distance requirements. The company said it has worked for more than three years in field tests with fleets and OEMs to prepare the Q Plus product in anticipation of this ruling. These brakes currently are undergoing the final phases of implementation testing to meet this new requirement.
Significant changes to drum brake specifications or service practices will not be necessary, the company says, and its drum brakes will meet the 2011 timeline. The company also offers air disc brakes that meet and exceed the newly released regulations.
Existing Products That Comply: Meritor Q Plus drum brakes, Meritor WABCO air disc brakes
New Products Planned: A more robust drum brake design with complementary (some new) friction materials.
Aftermarket Support Strategy: Aftermarket customers and fleets are going to be inundated with a lot of information and claims of brake products being “OEM approved” or able to “meet the new FMVSS 121 requirements,” according to the company. Customers will have to sift through those claims and understand that the stopping distance requirement applies to the vehicle, and the complete braking system on that vehicle. Friction and brake shoes are only components in that system and, as stand-alone components, cannot meet the new stopping distance requirement on their own.
Company Comment: ArvinMeritor is completely prepared to meet customers’ needs to be fully compliant in 2011, from the OE production brakes and braking systems to the aftermarket supply and distribution portion.
Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC
Headquarters: Elyria, Ohio
Compliance Strategy: Through continuous product development and robust testing, Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake says it continues to meet and exceed the new stopping distance regulations with all wheel-end drum brakes, air disc brake steer axle and drum drive axle brakes, and all wheel-end air disc brakes. As regulations expand to other vehicle types and weights, utilization of multiple configurations will expand as well.
Existing Products That Comply: With the addition of its high-performance drum brake, Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake says it now offers all possible configurations, including all wheel drum brakes, all wheel disc brakes, or a combination of both. Based on the vocation, duty cycle and customer expectations, the company can recommend the brake configuration that will be the most effective combination for the customer.
New Products Planned: The company says it offers the commercial vehicle market a single, complete source for foundation brake system research, design, manufacturing, hardware and support for all foundation brake components and actuation systems for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. Bendix’s core products include a complete range of foundation drum brakes, air disc brakes, air brake chambers, slack adjusters and more, all able to meet the new stopping distance regulations today, according to the company. Additionally, Bendix says it is continually developing system enhancements that offer improved commercial
vehicle performance to help enhance highway safety.
Company Comment: In a recent statement, Bendix said: “We commend NHTSA for making this final ruling. Bendix is committed to improving vehicle safety, and we believe the new ruling is critical to helping prevent accidents and saving lives. The final rule is an important step toward balancing stopping performance between the many vehicle types that share our roadways, and we look forward to working with our OEM customers in this vital effort.”
Consolidated Metco, Inc.
Headquarters: Vancouver, Wash.
Compliance Strategy: The company says it will refine existing brake drum offerings for drum brake applications and continue development of hub/rotor technology for disc brake applications.
Existing Products That Comply: ConMet says its following current products help achieve compliance:
- 16.5 x 5 inch and 16.5 x 8-5⁄8 inch drum brakes
- Iron Hubs with U-Shape Rotors
- Aluminum Hubs with U-Shape Rotors
- Aluminum Hubs with Spline Rotors
- Aluminum Hubs with Flat Rotors
New Products Planned: 16.5 x 5 inch and 16.5 x 8-5⁄8 inch TruTurn brake drums and 16.5 x 5 inch and 16.5 x 8-5⁄8 inch CastLite brake drums.
Aftermarket Support Strategy: The company says it will use its existing field service team for training technicians on disc brake service requirements.
Company Comment: While most fleets will adopt larger drum brakes to meet the regulation, some percentage of the heavy truck market will make the transition to air disc brake technology. Unlike drum brake applications, there are several disc brake technologies being introduced to the market in North America. ConMet has worked closely over the last several years with all of the brake manufacturers to develop hub and rotor combinations that meet or exceed their performance expectations. As a hub, drum and rotor manufacturer, ConMet is uniquely positioned to support the transition to shorter stopping distances on commercial vehicles.
DuraBrake Co.
Headquarters: Mountain View, Calif.
Compliance Strategy: The company says its strategy will differ based on the role played by different companies. DuraBrake will use enhanced drum brakes, air disc brakes or hybrid disc/drum systems.
Existing Products That Comply: DuraBrake said it’s premature to determine if its current parts comply with the new regulation and that as new systems are produced this will be better known.
New Products Planned: DuraBrake says it will produce new part numbers to comply with industry needs.
Aftermarket Support Strategy: The company says it will use technical bulletins to dealers and distributors, meetings, seminars and symposiums to educate end users and customers.
Company Comment: We will strongly support the new regulation with great benefits to saving lives and reducing costs. We have suitable strategies in place to re-engineer and produce new designs of brake drums and brake discs that meet or exceed new OEM standards complying with NHTSA regulations.
Haldex
Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
Compliance Strategy: Since responsibility for complying with the new regulations will ultimately be the responsibility of truck manufacturers, Haldex says it will continue to work with them so that its full line of braking products – adjusters, chambers, spring brakes, friction material, etc. – help OEM’s compliance strategies.
Existing Products That Comply: The new rules apply to the stopping distance of the vehicle and not individual components, and Haldex says it is not anticipating any changes to its product lineup as a result of the new rules.
New Products Planned: In addition to its current products, Haldex says the air disc brake system it recently introduced also will help meet manufacturers’ compliance strategies.
Aftermarket Support Strategy: Haldex says the main thrust of its information strategy to its aftermarket customers will be educationally oriented and help them know that things will not dramatically change due to the new regulations.
Company Comment: All of the components that we currently supply and will continue to supply that will be required to meet the new regulation are already in production, the company says. Haldex will be able to continue to supply its customers without any interruption whatsoever when the new regulation goes into effect.
Webb Wheel Products, Inc.
Headquarters: Cullman, Ala.
Compliance Strategy: Webb Wheel says it has been involved in research and development projects for three to four years in anticipation of the new rules and to have brake drums available to help manufacturers comply with them. As a result, the company says, it has products in its portfolio to help OEMs achieve compliance and for fleets desiring to upgrade vehicles to meet the new requirements.
Existing Products That Comply: The company says steer axle drum brakes need to be 16 inch x 5 inch, and the drive axles may stay with 16.5 inch x 7 inch drums or go to 16.5 inch x 8-5⁄8 inch drums. Webb Wheel says it offers drum brakes to meet those scenarios.
New Products Planned: The company says its Votrtex line of drum brakes can be used to help meet the new rules as a lightweight, cost-effective solution.
Aftermarket Support Strategy: Regarding technicians, the company says no new training is required since it’s the same drum brake and mounting. Technicians already will be familiar with this type of brake adjustment or brake job.
Company Comment: The company says it is supportive of the new regulations and that it is a part of a number of industry groups, including the Heavy Duty Brake Manufacturers Council, that support the new regulations and have advised NHTSA on technical aspects of it. Webb Wheel says the new rules are a correct move forward and will lead to increased safety on highways.
