Brake drum longevity is a perennial source of frustration and headaches for heavy-duty truck operators, company officials note. Like putting a pair of ballet slippers on an elephant, they add, standard-duty brake drums are no match for the extreme weight, aggressive pressure and frequent stops that define heavy-duty trucking.
EVO maintains all the benefits of its predecessor, the Dura-Bright wheel with XBR technology, while exhibiting a 10-fold gain in resistance to corrosion caused by road salts and weather elements, and greater resistance to chemicals found in truck- cleaning agents. The durability characteristics enable the use of a wider variety of cleaning solutions to simplify maintenance, while preserving the wheel’s integrity and brightness.
Read more: Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products | Dura-Bright EVO
In collaboration with Metalsa, a global supplier of light and commercial vehicle and chassis structures, Alcoa Aerospace Transportation & Industrial Products unveiled a development-phase, all-aluminum commercial truck frame at the 2015 Mid-America Trucking Show. The aluminum alternative will reduce heavy-duty truck weight by over 40 percent compared to steel frames, saving nearly 900 lb. per vehicle. In addition to increasing fuel efficiency and payload, company engineers note, the aluminum frame’s increased stiffness will double rigidity, enabling a smoother ride. Higher corrosion resistance, compared to a steel frame, can extend a vehicle’s service life.
