Performance Friction Corp. announced a new line of retrofit discs fitting medium trucks equipped with the 66 mm and 73 mm pin slider hydraulic brake calipers.

The company said it developed a patent-pending solution to the known problem of ABS signal loss in the field with OE discs. PFC said its new disc is capable of significantly longer service life with faultless ABS operation. The retrofit disc features a precision-machined alloy ABS ring isolated from the heat of the disc for improved signal strength and the electroless nickel plating prevents corrosion.

"Customers will experience tremendous reductions in maintenance costs," said Don Burgoon, president of PFC. "When matched with our Carbon Metallic brake pads, fleets will be able to further reduce downtime and lower their cost per mile," said Denny Gaylor, director of national fleet sales for PFC.

With the older technology OE rotors the ABS ring is cast into the rotor, resulting in inconsistent tooth sizing and spacing, the company said. The problem is worsened by the fact that as iron increases in temperature magnetism decreases and corrosion is accelerated, which may result in ABS signal faults. In third party GM9540P corrosion testing with high temperature heat soaks the Performance Friction retrofit disc with isolated ABS ring lasted more than four times longer than the competition, the company said.

Performance Friction Brakes are specified by Ryder, U-Haul, FedEx, Laidlaw and more than 50,000 municipal vehicles across the country, the company said.

For more information, visit www.performancefriction.com.