NeoBrake Systems Inc has announced a breakthrough in S-cam foundation brake stopping power and performance with the introduction of Matrix NeoCast, a new lightweight cast iron 4707Q brake shoe.
Matrix NeoCast 4707Q combines traditional advantages of cast iron shoes—lasting rigidity, superior heat dissipation, sustained maximum torque and optimal lining-to-drum contact—with an advanced, high-carbon ductile cast iron that weighs significantly less than cast shoes of old.
“The future may be air disc brakes, but the roadways are filled with trucks and trailers still using drum brakes to stop them,” said Rick Ballew, NeoBrake president and CEO. “We know the beating pressed-steel cores take after each relining, so we developed a shoe that could resist all that and deliver maximum braking power at every stop.”
According to Ballew, safety is the driving force behind his Milwaukee WI-area reman brake shop, which he opened in 1988. Through the years, he’s seen various changes in the industry and has adapted his operation accordingly. But the one mistake he always believed the industry made was moving away from cast iron. So when he had this idea, he knew the only obstacle standing in his way was weight. An obstacle he quickly overcame once he learned of this next-generation casting technique.
The Matrix NeoCast 4707Q brake shoe weighs within ounces of its pressed-steel counterparts and promises to boost braking power from the moment it is installed—never letting up until the day it is retired. How long the Matrix NeoCast shoe will last depends on multiple factors, which include the experience level of the driver and application, but Ballew guarantees it will last longer than any pressed-steel core. In fact, he makes the same claim about linings, drums and air brake system components.
Matrix NeoCast’s one-piece construction eliminates table flex, web stretch, and broken welds, which are common signs of deteriorating pressed-steel shoes. This leads to diminished torque, as well as uneven lining wear and, ultimately, premature lining replacement. Yet, the standard practice is to coin the shoe true every time it comes in for relining, then send it back out. That is the heart of the problem, said Ballew.
These shoes are currently available for all 4707Q applications. Additional sizes are in development and will be available once completed.
For more information, see www.NeoBrake.com.
