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some vehicles are designed for a 20-percent improvement in stopping distances while others are designed for a 30-percent or 25-percent reduction. “All the comments on the proposed rule will be in by April. Then we’ll see NHTSA determine a minimum stopping distance, one that is practical for the majority of commercial vehicles on the road, and let the market determine the solution.” 5If most trucks can satisfy new requirements using bigger drum brakes, where does that leave the disc-brake market in North America? The proposed performance standards will require brake engineers to maximize the potential of S-cam brakes, but the round after that most assuredly will require a disc-brake solution. NHTSA’s tests showed that only all-disc-brake configurations can reliably achieve a 30-percent reduction in stopping distance over the existing 355-foot mark, a benchmark of 249 feet. “You should educate yourself about disc brakes now, on your own terms, before the regulations require you to do so,” advises Johnston. “There’s a lot to learn about how discs work, how to maintain them, and how they perform on the road.” Clark agrees. “I think the disc brake is going to be something everyone understands better and becomes more available in manufacturers’ data books,” he says. “The torque output of a disc is so consistent. We’ve taken drivers who used to disconnect the steers, when that was legal, and we put them in vehicles with discs on the steers and they love them.” As an intermediate step, Clark suggests, spec disc brakes on the steer axle of your next tractor. “Even if it’s one truck, the experience will give you a head start on managing the transition to discs at some point down the road,” Clark says. “And that point will come.” For some truck owners, discs will be a In Gear necessity in 2008 or 2009 when the rules are expected to take effect, either in combination with high-performance drums or at every wheel position on the vehicle. Disc-braking performance comes with a price: currently about $1,000 US to equip a three-axle tractor, according to estimates in NHTSA’s proposed rulemaking. In the meantime, there are steps you can take now to improve the braking performance on your equipment. Instead of waiting two years for a rule that will only apply to the next new truck you buy, look at how you can get more reliable stopping performance out of the trucks you have today, says BrakePro’s Tom Golden. “Put your trucks on a performancebased brake tester, determine the ability of your brakes to stop your vehicle, and develop a maintenance program to address the problems,” he says. Use high-quality com- WIDER IS BETTER: The more lining a drum can grab, the greater the stopping power. ponents from suppliers who can support those products here in North America. Air disc brake components, Golden adds, require an even higher degree of inherent quality than do drum brakes. “The reality is,” he says, “bigger shoes, better friction materials—none of it amounts to anything if your brakes aren’t in good working order.” ▲ MARCH 2006 61 ��
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