Further improving the safety and stopping power of Peterbilt Motors Company’s leading on-highway truck, the Bendix ADB22X air disc brake will now come standard on all axles of the Peterbilt Model 579. The top-performing ADB22X has been offered as standard equipment on Model 579 steer axles since the truck’s launch in 2012.
“The Model 579 was introduced as a vehicle at the forefront of safety technology adoption featuring Bendix front air disc brakes and the Bendix ESP full-stability system as standard. In 2017, Peterbilt took another step forward in making Bendix Wingman Advanced – A Collision Mitigation Technology standard on the truck,” says Scott Burkhart, Bendix Vice President – Sales, Marketing, and Business Development. “Bendix and Peterbilt share a well-established partnership in highway and vehicle safety. And now, with the addition of air disc brake on all axles, we’re helping to put North America’s truck drivers behind the wheel of the safest trucks possible.”
By combining front and rear disc brakes, Peterbilt becomes one of the first in the industry to make a full-system change to disc brake configurations.
Bendix testing has shown that from 60 mph, a tractor equipped with air disc brakes on all axles stops about 15 ft. shorter than one equipped with steer-axle ADBs alone. At 70 mph, the difference becomes approximately 70 ft. – over four car lengths. Air disc brakes also offer additional safety benefits by virtually eliminating brake fade and brake steer, providing straighter, more consistent stops.
“We never stop looking for ways to support professional drivers and offer continuously improving, safer experiences behind the wheel,” says Robert Woodall, Assistant General Manager – Sales and Marketing, Peterbilt Motors Company. “The performance advantages of air disc brakes have been proven over years and many miles, and their stopping power and reliability help maximize the benefits of active safety systems like full stability and collision mitigation. Putting the Bendix ADB22X on all axles of the Model 579 is one more example of our commitment to providing the safest trucks on the road.”
The ADB22X, from Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC (BSFB), was the first air disc brake available for the North American commercial vehicle market when it was released in 2005. As fleets and owner-operators have discovered its advantages in the years since, the ADB22X has been equipped on nearly 2 million wheel-ends to date and growing rapidly.
Additional Air Disc Advantages
In addition to providing safety and performance benefits, equipping the Bendix ADB22X on all axles of a tractor helps reduce a fleet’s total cost of ownership (TCO).
How? Uptime is enhanced thanks to extended friction service intervals and the potential to eliminate a friction change – depending on fleet operator trade cycles, mileage, and other factors. If a friction change is required, the ADB advantage means pad changes in one-quarter the time of drum bakes once the wheel is removed. And, with interchangeable parts on Bendix ADB wearable items – pads, guide pins, and more – fleets can enjoy savings on cost and labor, reduced brake part inventory requirements, and streamlined technician training.
In addition, the Bendix air disc brake design eliminates the risk of cracked friction resulting from rust jacking, while its internal self-adjustment mechanism helps lower the risk of brakes being found out of adjustment during inspection – which can affect Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) scoring.
Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake contributes to the full lineup of Bendix safety and trailer solutions, including the array of commercially available Bendix® brand air disc brakes and foundation drum brakes produced at its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The broad range of Bendix wheel-end offerings include air disc and drum brake systems, automatic slack adjusters, spring brakes, friction, and remanufactured brake shoes.
Partners in Safety
“We couldn’t be more proud of the relationship we have with Peterbilt,” Burkhart says. “Together, we will continue to drive a new path for safety solutions today and tomorrow.”
Burkhart notes that through improved vehicle performance and efficiency, plus unparalleled post-sales support, BSFB helps strengthen return on investment in technologies that enhance vehicle and driver safety.
