Webb Wheel Products on Tuesday, Oct. 2, announced that its Aftermarket Business Unit is introducing a new brake drum selection program, “Right for You,” that offers end users the best-value proposition for their fleet when purchasing replacement drums. A brake drum may be the proper size to fit the wheel end, but dependent upon the vehicle’s application, other product characteristics are important to consider to ensure optimum performance and operating costs, according to Webb Wheel.
A “Proper Brake Drum Selection” video available at www.webbwheel.com is designed to explain how braking events affect a brake drum depending on vehicle speed, total weight and rate of brake deceleration, giving gives the viewer enough information to determine the best brake drum for their operation. A test can be taken after viewing the video to certify that the material has been understood and that future drum selections will be “Right for You.”
As an example, for the popular 16½-by-7-inch brake size with 8.78-inch pilot rated to 23,000 pounds GAWR, Webb offers the following choices in brake drums, all manufactured in the U.S from high strength gray iron.
• Webb Value Brake Drum: Best used for standard-duty over-the-road drive and trailer applications;
• Webb Standard Brake Drum: More robust than the Value Drum, best used for standard, vocational or heavy-duty drive and trailer applications;
• Webb High Performance Brake Drum: Vented with external ribs for heat transfer and cooler operating temperatures, best used for longer life in standard or vocational applications; and
• Webb Vortex Unlimited Brake Drum: Patented design helps deliver superior heat transfer for 10 percent cooler temperatures, up to 25 percent longer life and lower maintenance costs, best used when superior technology is warranted for standard to heavy-duty drive and trailer applications where the user is seeking longer maintenance intervals and premium performance. A patent-pending wear indicator helps take the guesswork out of repairs to save labor time.
Engineers at Webb Wheel’s Technical Center use an in-house dynamometer and metallurgical lab to help qualify the performance standards for their wheel-end products.
