Wabco, Hendrickson to Offer Axles with Lightweight Air Disc Brakes

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Heavy Duty Trucking / March 25, 2015

Belgium-based Wabco has signed a long-term supply agreement with Hendrickson Trailer Commercial Vehicle Systems to provide advanced air disc brakes for an integrated trailer-axle product with weight-saving potential.

As part of the agreement, Wabco will launch its lightweight Maxx22T air disc brake in North America. Maxx22T and Hendrickson axle offers overall weight reduction of up to 100 pounds on tandem axle trailers, helping to improve vehicle fuel efficiency and enabling increased payload, said Nik Varty, Wabco’s president, Americas.

Wabco’s single-piston design has approximately 25% fewer parts compared to other air disc brakes available in the market, making it more reliable and lowering maintenance costs for users, he said. A bi-directional adjuster minimizes the risk of hot running brakes.

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Hendrickson launches North American trailer air disc brake system

Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / March 26, 2015

Hendrickson Trailer Commercial Vehicle Systems launched a new line of trailer air disc brakes designed specifically for the North American market. According the Perry Bahr, vice president and general manager, the new MAXX22T is the first — and only — air disc brake system for trailers in North America today.

Bahr noted that while trailer brakes are popular in Europe — and Hendrickson manufactures brakes for that market — the particular needs of the North American market caused Hendrickson to develop the MAXX22T specifically for fleets on this side of the Atlantic.

The new brake system was developed in conjunction with WABCO and uses that company’s bi-directional single piston design with Hendrickson’s wheel end and brake components. The resulting system, Bahr says, results in a high reliability design with reduced weight and installation efficiency.

Other MAXX22T features include a bolt-on splash guard that allows easy rotor inspection, a 20,000 pound gross axle weight and is compatible with Hendrickson’s TIREMAAX PRO and any Ready-To-Roll wheel end package.

In business news, Hendrickson detailed the finalization of its acquisition of European spring manufacturer Frauenthal. According to Gary Gerstenslager, Hendrickson president and chief executive officer says the acquisition will allow the company to broaden its footprint on the European continent and better support its global customer base.

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