BENDIX BW7537 Leaflet

July 2013

Bendix Product Information Letter

Subject: Bendix

Reduced Stopping Distance (RSD) friction certiﬁ cation

In 2011, the National Highway Trafﬁ c Safety Administration (NHTSA) mandated a 30% reduction in stopping distance for
over the road heavy trucks with the goal of improving highway safety, avoiding highway fatalities, and reducing the number
of rear-end collisions. The Phase 1 RSD requirement is for 6x4 vehicles less than 59,600 GVW to stop in 250 feet.

Bendix has always been a strong supporter of efforts to make our highways safer. As part of our ongoing and extensive
dialogue with our OEM customers, ﬂ eets, and end-users, as well as comprehensive testing, we developed High
Performance drum brakes along with new friction materials to meet the RSD requirements.

RSD material certiﬁ cation

For a friction material to be certiﬁ ed as RSD compliant, it must not only be dynamometer certiﬁ ed to Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard (FMVSS) 121 standards, it must also pass the newly mandated vehicle test.

There are two different methods to ofﬁ cially certify friction as RSD compliant:

• Certiﬁ cation as part of an OE truck build; or

• Approval by a certiﬁ ed third party vehicle test provider

Vehicle operators are strongly advised to ask for evidence of compliance from their friction supplier when selecting friction
for an RSD equipped vehicle.

Bendix RSD compliant friction offerings

To help vehicle operators meet stopping distance requirements, Bendix offers friction materials that have passed the
vehicle performance tests in accordance with the revised FMVSS. The following Bendix materials are approved to meet
this requirement, as outlined above:

Bendix

friction codes*

Drive Axle

Steer Axle

BA202R

BX415

BX920

ES420

BX950

ES1180

BX380

*Disclaimer: The appropriate friction varies by application. To ensure that your vehicle maintains RSD compliance, when servicing your vehicle, Bendix

recommends replacing brake assemblies with like lining and shoe assemblies.

For assistance in selecting the appropriate friction for your application, talk to your Bendix account manager or
call 1-800-AIR-BRAKE (1-800-247-2725) and speak to a member of the Bendix Tech Team. Visit us online at
www.foundationbrakes.com.

Eddie Wilkinson
President, Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC