Heavy Duty Aftermarket Journal announced the winners of its Top 5 2010 Aftermarket Products during an awards luncheon Thursday, as Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week wrapped things up in Las Vegas.

The awards were presented by Kate Miller, publisher of HDAJ, and Steve Sturgess, executive editor.

Chosen by the editors of Heavy Duty Aftermarket Journal, the award recognizes manufacturers for their innovation and contribution to independent distributors and service providers and aftermarket sales organizations. These products were singled out for their innovation, usefulness to the end user and ability to drive customers to the aftermarket chain.

The Top 5 include:

Meritor PlatinumShield Brake Shoes

ArvinMeritor's remanufactured brake shoes with PlatinumShield coating was chosen for its superior protection against corrosion and rust-jacking, a cost and safety issue. According to the company, this is a breakthrough technology that allows for a three-year, 300,000-mile warranty against rust-jacking for the remanufactured Meritor shoes with the PlatinumShield coating.

The PlatinumShield coating was developed by ArvinMeritor brake engineering to resist micro-abrasion caused by the movement of the brake lining against the shoe table during normal use. Rust-jacking occurs when rust forms on bare shoe metal under the lining, causing the lining to lift and crack.

SmarTire TPMS/Bendix

Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems was honored for its SmarTire Tire Pressure Monitoring System, which monitors the pressure and temperature of each tire on a commercial vehicle to provide tire status information in real time. Tires and fuel are major cost factors for fleets and owner-operators, and the first step to reducing tire-related costs and improving fuel economy is to make sure tires are at their optimum inflation level.

The system warns the driver of tire-related problems, as it reads pressure and temperature information from inside of the tire. The information is then communicated wirelessly to an on-board receiver, which forwards the information to an easy-to-read, multifunction, two-inch display installed on the vehicle dash. The driver is alerted to loss of air pressure or high tire temperature. The system also communicates pressure information to maintenance personnel.

Timken/Outrunner Wheel Seals

In 2009, Timken expanded its line of wheel seals and installation tools for the heavy-duty truck aftermarket with the introduction of a premium wheel seal within the Outrunner line of products, which are sold under the Timken brand. The new seal, available in two designs, is equipped to meet the performance demands of low-maintenance wheel ends.
Both the Outrunner Standard and the Outrunner PH (Performance Hybrid) designs promote ease of installation and reduction of friction. Other features include an interlock design that provides enhanced dust- and leak-prohibiting protection, which lengthens bearing uptime and extends maintenance intervals.

The Outrunner PH seal features a hybrid metal and rubber outside diameter that reduces installation problems associated with other types of seal designs. The rubber in the hybrid compensates for minor bore imperfections and helps eliminate seal misalignment. The PH also uses an exclusionary interlock labyrinth seal design that lowers torque and heat generation to promote longer seal life and potential fuel economy. The seal lip material is compatible with mineral, synthetic and semi-fluid greases.

Karmak's Client Talk

Computer systems provider Karmak stood out for the development of Client Talk, a software solution to help heavy-duty parts and service operations. The application works by sending e-mail notification to customers when important business activities happen.

Addressing an important issue raised by the Technology and Maintenance Council of the American Trucking Associations, the communications tool fulfills the need to keep trucking dispatch fully informed of the progress of repairs. At a panel discussion early 2009, TMC fleet members expressed great dissatisfaction with the conventional communications channels. Tractors, and the loads dispatched on them, would disappear into workshops for days.

Client Talk can be used to notify customers automatically when backordered parts have arrived or when their service work is finished. These e-mail alerts can be customized with customer-specific messages that can enhance parts and service sales.

Bergstrom/Kohler Hybrid Power System

In early 2009, Bergstrom and Kohler Power Systems joined forces to offer the trucking market a true hybrid power system combining the Bergstrom NITE Plus System with a Kohler DC power unit.

When the power levels of the four deepcycle AGM batteries decrease to low voltage levels, the low-battery indicator is triggered and the Kohler DC power unit begins to recharge the batteries - all the while keeping the Bergstrom NITE Plus System operating uninterrupted. Should the truck's batteries also be depleted, the Kohler DC power unit is able to recharge them, with the use of the specified bi-directional separator.