Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake announced a new double-diaphragm spring brake for drum brakes it says offers the lightest weight in the industry while delivering best-in-class durability and performance.

The new Bendix EverSure spring brake with No Touch technology should help save weight as truck makers move to wider drum brakes to meet new stopping distance regulations. It offers two to three pounds of savings per wheel-end, which adds up to 16 to 24 pounds on a tractor-trailer combination. The lighter weight design helps offset the extra weight added to commercial vehicles by engine systems designed to meet recent emissions regulations.

One of the ways weight was reduced was that Bendix engineers only added mass to the high-stress areas of the housing, allowing it to be thinner and lighter weight where stresses were low, explained Gary Ganaway, director of marketing and global development at BSFB.

The EverSure spring brake is designed to industry-standard dimensions, making it easy to install as a replacement part in the aftermarket, but it also exceeds compliance requirements for original equipment.

The product's lighter weight also leads to the better vibration resistance in the industry. Lower vibration levels help prolong the life of the spring brake and supporting components.

Another key advancement is the elimination of contact between compressed power spring coils, allowing the protective coating to remain intact and resulting in significantly better corrosion resistance. In corrosion tests, the EverSure lasted more than twice as long as other OE power springs.

BSFB also optimized the diaphragm geometry of the EverSure spring brake, resulting in best-in-class force output, according to the company.