On the tarmac at a small airport in Orlando, Fla., two fully-loaded Freightliner Columbia tractor-trailers locked up their brakes and came to a complete, smoking, screeching stop in the same distance as a Chevy Impala that was pacing them.
The dramatic presentation during this week’s Technology and Maintenance Council’s annual meeting was Meritor Wabco’s way of demonstrating the effectiveness of its new PAN 22 single-piston air disc brakes designed for North American commercial trailers. The new brake system is the product of a joint venture between ArvinMeritor and Wabco Vehicle Control Systems and is designed for commercial trailers with 22.5-inch wheels and axles rated to 22,000 pounds.
According to Jon Morrison, president and general manager of Meritor Wabco, the PAN 22 combines best-in-class braking torque output with low weight and long pad life. The overall low cost of ownership has contributed to the PAN family of brakes registering as one of the most cost-effective air disc brake ranges available.
The brake system weighs only 79 pounds including pads and consists of only 18 individual parts, Morrison says. The brakes feature larger, thicker pads than competitive designs, which results in longer pad replacement intervals, and its single-piston clamping unit design is proven technology that also is used in Meritor Wabco’s PAN 17 and PAN 19 air disc brakes, he says. “It’s a compact and efficient design that easily adapts to axles, wheels and suspensions. It compensates for taper wear and enables optimal pad wear utilization.”
Morrison says Meritor Wabco’s new brake family is an important step forward in highway safety that further closes the cost gap between air disc brakes and drum brakes. “It’s ideal for customers who want the outstanding stopping performance, directional stability and high fade resistance of an air disc brake, but at a lifecycle cost that adds value to trailers,” he says.
Also at TMC, ArvinMeritor introduced remanufactured brake shoes with its proprietary PlatinumShield coating, which the company says provides superior protection against corrosion and rust-jacking. Remanufactured Meritor shoes with PlatinumShield coating provide a three-year 300,000-mile warranty against rust-jacking.
