TAMPA, FL. Textar T3070 is the first air disc brake pad specifically designed to work in tractor-trailer combinations that mix disc and drum brakes, according to TMD Friction Inc.
Announced at the annual meeting of the Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC), the new disc friction material is the first and only air disc pad that meets TMC’s recommended practice for aftermarket brake lining performance, according to the company. A second new friction material for drum brakes – Textar T5000 has also passed the TMC qualification test for replacement performance.
The new TMD air disc pad is specifically intended for newer tractor designs that combine air disc brakes on steer axles and drum brakes on drive axles, according to Tom Green, general manager for North America, avoiding potential compatibility issues and providing optimum life for both disc pads and rotors.
Differing operating characteristics can cause discs to take on an unequal share of the stopping effort as discs and drums in a mixed combination heat up, according to Jim Clark, TMD director of engineering. That leads to even higher operating temperatures for the discs causing more rapid pad and rotor wear, he said.
The new TMD material has been designed to more closely match drum lining performance under higher operation conditions, allowing all brakes in a tractor trailer to “share the workload equally,” Clark said.
About the Author
Jim Mele
Jim Mele is a former longtime editor-in-chief of FleetOwner. He joined the magazine in 1986 and served as chief editor from 1999 to 2017.