Fleetwood Resource Management, founded by a truck driver, announced its Air Brake Cooling (ABC) system, a method of cooling foundation brakes to virtually eliminate brake fade.

Fade occurs when brake drums and shoes heat up under long, hard applications, but the ABC device sends air into drums to keep temperatures down and reduce lining and drum wear, says its inventor, Ray Fleet. ABC offers the same fade resistance of disc brakes, but at half the cost, he claimed.

"The Air Brake Cooling system gives the truck driver the confidence to fully utilize his/her brakes whenever necessary, without hesitation; confident in the knowledge that when braking is required the brake system will be there." Fleet said.

ABC consists of an auxiliary compressed air system that operates independently of a truck’s air system.  Activated by a valve that is mechanically linked to the brake pedal, it sends compressed air to each brake drum. There it is dispersed by a fixed blade turbine diffuser.  The air also blows loose brake dust from the contact area, enhancing braking capability.

More information is available from the inventor, ray_fleet@hotmail.com