Brake Shoes

UniBond brake shoes are long-lasting, decrease vehicle down-time and lower maintenance costs. Our new brake shoes, when installed with in-spec drums, cams, cam bushings, consistent automatic slack adjusters, and new brake hardware, provide excellent foundation brake balance. Utilizing our shoes will bring the truck to a smooth, steady, safe stop every time.

You’re investing in the most critical safety system on your vehicles…why trust a re-line of unknown quality?

Precise concentricity (matching brake shoe and drum diameter) allows the center of the brake shoe to contact the drum first. This ends cam-biased conditions (initial shoe end contact), provides smooth, vibration-free braking, and improves lining and drum life by as much as 25%.

UniBond’s e-coated brake shoes withstand up to 1,000 hours of salt spray testing. This yields more than three times the corrosion resistance of a typical re-lined brake shoe while remaining much more economical than exotic rust prevention coatings. E-coat has been proven to virtually eliminate rust-jacking, saving repair costs and avoiding “out of service” citations. Interested in more details about how the UniBond finish works for you? Click here.

UniBond Brake Shoes:

New Vs. Re-Lined Brake Shoes

Safety, financial and environmental factors to consider when deciding on new vs. re-lined brake shoes:

  • Cost of maintaining a “core bank” (including inventory uncertainty and shrinkage caused by bad or missing cores)
  • Core handling and connected costs, including vehicle wear and fuel costs with core pick-up
  • Environmental concerns and worker exposure to dirt and contaminants while handling, storing and disposing of waste materials
  • Costs to inspect the shoe (or, worse yet, the results of FAILING to inspect shoes!)
  • Shoe preparation costs before re-lining, including washing, blasting and coating
  • Overall re-lining shoe costs
  • Compounded brake shoe wear after multiple re-linings
  • Additional vehicle downtime due to shorter brake life cycles
  • Business liability inherent to brake shoes in the heavy-duty operating environment

These costs can add an additional 25% to the cost of a re-lined shoe, while a new shoe can add as much as 25% longer life to linings and drums.

Available Products

FMSI NumberAxle OEMBrake SystemDiameterWidthWeightConstructionhf:att:pa_brake-systemhf:att:pa_diameterhf:att:pa_widthhf:att:pa_weighthf:att:pa_constructionhf:att:pa_high-mount
1308-EEatonE1546.00FABRICATEDe1546-00fabricated
1308-QMeritorQ Brake1546.00FABRICATEDq-brake1546-00fabricated
1308-TMeritorT Brake1546.00FABRICATEDt-brake1546-00fabricated
1443-EEatonES1546.15FABRICATEDes1546-15fabricated
1477TTBPWTrailer420mm180mm13.00FABRICATEDtrailer420mm180mm13-00fabricated
4223-EEatonE16 1/2510.20FABRICATEDe16-5510-20fabricated
4223-E-HMEatonE16 1/2510.20FABRICATEDe16-5510-20fabricatedhm
4228-FMeritorW Series14 1/269.40FABRICATEDw-series14-569-40fabricated
4311-EEatonE16 1/2711.04FABRICATEDe16-5711-04fabricated
4311-E-HMEatonE16 1/2712.30FABRICATEDe16-5712-30fabricatedhm
4317-EEatonE16 1/2611.26FABRICATEDe16-5611-26fabricated
4317-E-HMEatonE16 1/2611.26FABRICATEDe16-5611-26fabricatedhm
4398-BMeritorW Series14 1/259.00FABRICATEDw-series14-559-00fabricated
4471-CASTMeritor18723.73CAST18723-73cast
4504ALucasWedge1566.47FABRICATEDwedge1566-47fabricated
4505MLucasWedge1577.03FABRICATEDwedge1577-03fabricated
4514-EZT-HM-HTMeritorQ Brake16 1/2611.25FABRICATEDq-brake16-5611-25fabricated
4514-EZT-HTMeritorQ Brake16 1/2611.25FABRICATEDq-brake16-5611-25fabricated
4514-EZT-U-HTMeritorQ Brake16 1/2611.25FABRICATEDq-brake16-5611-25fabricatedu
4514/4549-CMeritorQ Brake16 1/21014.04FABRICATEDq-brake16-51014-04fabricated
4514/49-QMeritorQ Brake16 1/256.80FABRICATEDq-brake16-556-80fabricated
4515-CASTMeritorQ Brake16 1/2720.02CASTq-brake16-5720-02cast
4515-ETMeritorP Brake16 1/2712.00FABRICATEDp-brake16-5712-00fabricated
4515-EZT-HTMeritorQ Brake16 1/2712.00FABRICATEDq-brake16-5712-00fabricated
4515XEM3-HTFruehaufQ Brake16 1/2712.00FABRICATEDq-brake16-5712-00fabricated
4524-ETMeritorQ Brake16 1/2510.40FABRICATEDq-brake16-5510-40fabricated
4524-EZT-HM-HTMeritorQ Brake16 1/2510.40FABRICATEDq-brake16-5510-40fabricatedhm
4524-EZT-HTMeritorQ Brake16 1/2510.40FABRICATEDq-brake16-5510-40fabricated
4524-EZT-U-HTMeritorQ Brake16 1/2510.40FABRICATEDq-brake16-5510-40fabricatedu
4528ALucasWedge1555.47FABRICATEDwedge1555-47fabricated
4536-DFCDana SpicerFast Change12 1/45 1/26.30FABRICATEDfast-change12-255-1-26-30fabricated
4536-EEaton12 1/45 1/26.30FABRICATED12-255-1-26-30fabricated
4536-SFDana Spicer/ Std Forge12 1/45 1/26.30FABRICATED12-255-1-26-30fabricated
4541-BMeritorW Series14 1/2812.85FABRICATEDw-series14-5812-85fabricated
4551-EZT-HTMeritorQ Brake16 1/28 5/813.25FABRICATEDq-brake16-585813-25fabricated
4551-ZFX-LH-LHT/ RHFruehaufQ Brake16 1/28 5/813.25FABRICATEDq-brake16-585813-25fabricated
4552-QMeritorQ Brake16 1/21014.02FABRICATEDq-brake16-51014-02fabricated
4591-DXQDexter12 1/47 1/27.80FABRICATED12-257-1-27-80fabricated
4591-EEaton12 1/47 1/28.20FABRICATED12-257-1-28-20fabricated
4591-SFDana Spicer12 1/47 1/27.30FABRICATED12-257-1-27-30fabricated
4592-ABBMeritorTypes 1 & 314 1/21014.00FABRICATEDtypes-1-and-314-51014-00fabricated
4592-ABSMeritorType 214 1/21014.00FABRICATEDtype-214-51014-00fabricated
4602-SMeritorStopMaster1576.88FABRICATEDstopmaster1576-88fabricated
4605MeritorStopMaster1565.80FABRICATEDstopmaster1565-80fabricated
4610MeritorStopMaster15414.60FABRICATEDstopmaster15414-60fabricated
4656-CASTMANCAM-BRAKE410mm160mm18.00CASTcam-brake410mm160mm18-00cast
4657-CASTMANCAM-BRAKE410mm220mm24.00CASTcam-brake410mm220mm24-00cast
4661-DXQDexter12 1/456.20FABRICATED12-2556-20fabricated
4661-DXTDexter12 1/456.20FABRICATED12-2556-20fabricated
4670-QMeritor12 1/47 1/27.40FABRICATED12-257-1-27-40fabricated
4674-EEaton16 1/28 5/813.85FABRICATED16-585813-85fabricated
4692-DFCDana Spicer12 1/47 1/27.30FABRICATED12-257-1-27-30fabricated
4692-DPDana Spicer12 1/47 1/27.50FABRICATED12-257-1-27-50fabricated
4692-FC2Dana SpicerFC II12 1/47 1/28.25FABRICATEDfc-ii12-257-1-28-25fabricated
4692-HHendricksonHXS12 1/47 1/28.25FABRICATEDhxs12-257-1-28-25fabricated
4693-DDana-Bendix1547.00FABRICATED1547-00fabricated
4700-DXQDexter12 1/445.60FABRICATED12-2545-60fabricated
4700-DXTDexter12 1/445.60FABRICATED12-2545-60fabricated
4702-QMeritorQ Plus1546.80FABRICATEDq-plus1546-80fabricated
4703-QMeritorQ Plus1558.44FABRICATEDq-plus1558-44fabricated
4704-QMeritorQ Plus1569.12FABRICATEDq-plus1569-12fabricated
4705-QMeritorQ Plus1579.71FABRICATEDq-plus1579-71fabricated
4707-Q-HM-HTMeritorQ Plus16 1/2712.00FABRICATEDq-plus16-5712-00fabricated
4707-Q-HTMeritorQ Plus16 1/2712.00FABRICATEDq-plus16-5712-00fabricated
4707-Q-SDMeritorQ Plus Severe16 1/2712.94FABRICATEDq-plus-severe16-5712-94fabricated
4708-CASTEatonCAM-BRAKE16 1/2720.63CASTcam-brake16-5720-63cast
4708-ESQEaton16 1/2711.55FABRICATED16-5711-55fabricated
4708-XEMEaton16 1/27 1/2FABRICATED16-57-1-2fabricated
4709EatonES (Old Style)16 1/2712.31FABRICATEDes-old-style16-5712-31fabricated
4709-EEatonES II16 1/2712.00FABRICATEDes-ii16-5712-00fabricated
4710-QMeritorQ Plus158 5/811.00FABRICATEDq-plus1585811-00fabricated
4711-Q-HTMeritorQ Plus16 1/28 5/813.25FABRICATEDq-plus16-585813-25fabricated
4715-CASTMeritorCast Plus16 1/2617.48CASTcast-plus16-5617-48cast
4715-Q-HM-HTMeritorQ Plus16 1/2611.25FABRICATEDq-plus16-5611-25fabricatedhm
4716-EEatonReduced Env.1569.90FABRICATEDreduced-env1569-90fabricated
4717-EEatonReduced Env.158 5/811.80FABRICATEDreduced-env1585811-80fabricated
4718-Q-HTMeritorQ Plus16 1/2812.50FABRICATEDq-plus16-5812-50fabricated
4719-EEatonES II16 1/2510.40FABRICATEDes-ii16-5510-40fabricated
4720-Q-HM-HTMeritorQ Plus16 1/2510.00FABRICATEDq-plus16-5510-00fabricatedhm
4725-EEatonES II16 1/2611.25FABRICATEDes-ii16-5611-25fabricated
4726-EEatonES II16 1/28 5/813.25FABRICATEDes-ii16-585813-25fabricated
4728-CASTMeritorCast Plus16 1/28 5/823.20CASTcast-plus16-585823-20cast
4729-EEatonES II1547.75FABRICATEDes-ii1547-75fabricated

UNIBOND SEVERE DUTY SERIES SHOES
FOR THE MOST DEMANDING DUTY CYCLES

While UniBond’s standard heavy-duty brake shoe will be perfect for the typical line haul vehicle, some heavy-duty trucks demand even more. UniBond’s Severe Duty and cast brake shoes are up to the most demanding challenge.

If your application involves unusual duty, you owe it to yourself to spec the UniBond Severe Duty shoe, along with UniBond’s Severe Duty grade brake hardware.

Severe duty shoes start with the same built-in UniBond quality, then add beefier webs and heavier welds to meet the most demanding conditions. Severe Duty grade hardware complements the shoes, providing heavier anchor pins and increased vibration resistance thanks to premium spring wire and spring processing.

Who Needs Severe Duty?

  • Off-road applications such as logging
  • Frequent stops such as waste pickup / hauling
  • Shifting loads, such as tankers and concrete mixers
  • Heavily loaded “low boy” trailers, often used for equipment hauling

While UniBond’s standard heavy-duty brake shoe will be perfect for the typical line haul vehicle, some heavy-duty trucks demand even more. UniBond’s Severe Duty and cast brake shoes are up to the most demanding challenge.

If your application involves unusual duty, you owe it to yourself to spec the UniBond Severe Duty shoe, along with UniBond’s Severe Duty grade brake hardware.

Severe duty shoes start with the same built-in UniBond quality, then add beefier webs and heavier welds to meet the most demanding conditions. Severe Duty grade hardware complements the shoes, providing heavier anchor pins and increased vibration resistance thanks to premium spring wire and spring processing.

Who Needs Severe Duty?

  • Off-road applications such as logging
  • Frequent stops such as waste pickup / hauling
  • Shifting loads, such as tankers and concrete mixers
  • Heavily loaded “low boy” trailers, often used for equipment hauling

Occasionally brake return springs fail.

UniBond has long experience in the development and production of these springs. We also have an ongoing quality assurance program to ensure satisfactory performance and durability. In recent years, we have responded to customer concerns and undertaken a number of improvement actions. Additionally, we have developed a “Severe Duty” version of our kit for the most demanding applications.

Why do springs fail?

All springs will eventually fail from mechanical fatigue. The spring should be specified, designed and manufactured to provide, with very high confidence, a reasonable service life for the application. The obvious target here is to outlast the brake friction material. Designers think of spring life in terms of total number of cycles (stretches). Return springs for typical over the road trucking are typically spec’ed for 80,000 to 100,000 cycle minimum life.  Severe duty springs are rated anywhere from 500,000 to 1,000,000 cycles. When one considers that a busy refuse collection truck may make 1,000 or more service stops a day, this is orders-of-magnitude more difficult service than an on-the-road trucker on interstate highways.

Occasionally brake return springs fail.

UniBond has long experience in the development and production of these springs. We also have an ongoing quality assurance program to ensure satisfactory performance and durability. In recent years, we have responded to customer concerns and undertaken a number of improvement actions. Additionally, we have developed a “Severe Duty” version of our kit for the most demanding applications.

Why do springs fail?

All springs will eventually fail from mechanical fatigue. The spring should be specified, designed and manufactured to provide, with very high confidence, a reasonable service life for the application. The obvious target here is to outlast the brake friction material. Designers think of spring life in terms of total number of cycles (stretches). Return springs for typical over the road trucking are typically spec’ed for 80,000 to 100,000 cycle minimum life.  Severe duty springs are rated anywhere from 500,000 to 1,000,000 cycles. When one considers that a busy refuse collection truck may make 1,000 or more service stops a day, this is orders-of-magnitude more difficult service than an on-the-road trucker on interstate highways.

What does a fatigue failure look like?

It may sound counterintuitive, but even when well-manufactured, products will fail consistently. By this we mean that if the product is made to exacting standards, the “weak spot” of the product will always be in the same location. In the case of the return spring, that’s the hook area. The photo to the right illustrates typical fatigue failures. Of course, once the spring fails, it will be tumbled around inside the drum for who knows how long a time. During that time there will be secondary damage to the spring. But the culprit was the original break in the hook.

UniBond sells millions of springs each year; the majority of our sales are for our standard heavy-duty brake kit. A small fraction are severe duty springs.  In recent years, we have cut the spring failure rate by more than half through reliability improvements to the standard spring process. For the past two years, recorded failures have occurred at a rate of less than 5 parts per million. This has been accomplished through improvements to our standard duty spring processing, as well as through development of a premium spring for severe duty applications.

Improvements to Standard Spring

In recent years we have also made several improvements across the board to improve our standard kit spring.

  • Material handling and storage of spring wire have been improved, including improved packaging and storage on pads, in order to reduce the chances for nicks and scratches in the wire surface.
  • Spring coiling is done on a new technology computer numeric control (CNC) coiling machine. This reduces the number of operations on the wire and has virtually eliminated “tool marks” on the spring surface. Tool marks provide weak spots where stresses can concentrate and allow failures to begin.

This shows a typical tool mark at 5 times actual size. This small indentation can act as a “stress riser”. By replacing our traditional spring forming machines with a computer numeric control spring former, tool marks have been eliminated.

CNC Spring Forming Machine

While setups are complex, the flexibility of the computer numeric control allows forming the full hook in one operation, eliminating the secondary operations that leave tool marks.

The form of the hook has been changed slightly to reduce internal stress at the weakest point.  Notice the small difference in the hook form on the black spring. Heat treatment processes for the standard spring have been reduced in temperature and increased in time.

The return spring in our Severe Duty kit, while dimensionally the same as the standard spring, has a number of improvements that aren’t visible.

  • The steel is sourced from one of the highest quality mills in Japan.
  • The spring wire is processed with additional drawing operations. This improves the steel microstructure.
  • A specialized heat treatment process called “patenting” is performed, further refining the spring microstructure of microscopic crystals of iron and carbon.
  • After spring coiling, multiple stress relief operations are performed, including shot peening and two separate tempering operations.

Results

As a result of UniBond’s work, with help from key suppliers, reported spring failures have declined in absolute numbers. Also, the overall spring failure rate has fallen by more than half since the 2011-2012 baseline period.

The importance of knowing the duty cycle and selecting the right kit

We are aware that many aftermarket distributors do not know the end customer’s duty cycle. We are also aware that a number of refuse fleets and others with severe duty cycles are using our standard springs with satisfactory results. Nonetheless, these severe duty cycles deserve our Severe Duty kit. In one situation, a fleet of ten vehicles experienced six spring failures in 3 months; these were eliminated when the Severe Duty kit was used.

Other vocations that should consider severe duty springs include: bulk tankers, beverage delivery, concrete mixers, school buses, and logging vehicles.

Besides duty cycle, several factors can affect spring service life. Most important in brake return springs is vibration. One factor which is known to be involved in some past cases of spring failure has been brake systems featuring camshafts operating in opposed directions with reverse cam rotation. This type of system is known to be a source of vibration. Because of these concerns, few new axles use this design. Additionally, any number of wear-related and maintenance-related conditions on the vehicle could lead to increased vibration. Road potholes or off-road use similarly result in the shoes moving in response to shock and cycling the springs. Thus, counterintuitively, trailers which are hauled empty are more susceptible to vibration failures than those which are fully loaded. While the cycle testing needed to bring a spring to failure can take days or weeks,  some spring failures can be induced in hours on vibration test machines.

The bottom line…

Know your duty cycle and select your brake hardware accordingly. With UniBond, you can count on the right brake hardware for the job, whether standard or severe duty.