Webb Wheel Products Inc., a supplier of braking solutions for the heavy-duty truck market, said it manufactures a wide range of application-specific and new technology brake drums that can help fleets meet the new federal regulations on stopping distances for commercial vehicles.

For most vehicle operators, upgrading to larger and/or wider S-cam drum brake sizes is a viable alternative to air disc brakes, the company explained. The manufacturer has a wide selection of brake drums for these applications, and the gray iron Vortex brake drum technology introduced in 2007 offers additional benefits that can maximize lining life and reduce life cycle costs. The company explained it has applied the same technology to its newly designed steer axle and wide drive axle brake drums specifically to meet the new stopping distance regulations without weight penalties over the existing standard drums.

In addition to the lower initial cost of specifying vehicles with drum brakes capable of meeting the new stopping distances rather than changing to air disc brakes, commercial vehicle operators and repair facilities are familiar with the easy removal and replacement of today’s outboard mounted brake drums, making servicing them economical as well. Replacement air disc rotors are significantly more expensive than brake drums; and because they are inboard mounted, the hub must be removed during service, the manufacturer noted. For more information, visit http://www.webbwheel.com.