NeoBrake Systems has introduced the Matrix NeoCast, a new lightweight cast iron 4707Q brake shoe for the North American heavy-duty market.

Matrix NeoCast 4707Q combines the traditional advantages of cast iron shoes, such as rigidity, heat dissipation, sustained maximum torque, and better lining-to-drum contact, with a high-carbon ductile cast iron that weighs less than traditional cast iron shoes.

“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.”

NeoBrake says that the Matrix NeoCast 4707Q weighs within ounces of its pressed-steel counterparts but is more durable than a pressed-steel core. The brake’s rigid, one-piece construction eliminates table flex, web stretch, and broken welds that can lead to diminished torque, uneven lining wear, and premature lining replacement.

Matrix NeoCast shoes are currently available for all 4707Q applications and can be purchased directly from NeoBrake or through an authorized NeoBrake dealer. Additional sizes are currently in development and will be available once completed.