PFC Air Pads Outperform OEM in Andes Comparison

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Source: PFC Brakes post

CLOVER, S.C. – The mountain roads over the Northern Andes are a constant roller coaster of switchbacks and seven percent (average) downhill grades.  Now consider navigating that terrain hauling a load of 45+ tons. In 2019, PFC Brakes South America office discovered Renting Colombia, a fleet of dry bulk haulers who were in need of a better friction solution due to these severe conditions.

On December 18th, 2019, Renting Colombia removed the OEM pads and installed the PFC 1369.12s onto a 2019 Kenworth T880.  After a few months, 36,737 kilometers and many trips over the Andes later, the PFC South America team returned to Renting Colombia on March 11th, 2020 to evaluate the wear data.  This is what they discovered.  

Pad Wear:  

Front Axle:   Most Wear 2.561 mm
Middle Axle: Most Wear 2.972 mm
Rear Axle:    Most Wear 3.138 mm

Based on an allowable pad wear of 17mm, these are the projected kilometers per axle with PFC.

Front Axle:   243,861 Kilometers
Middle Axle: 210,138 Kilometers
Rear Axle:   199,021 Kilometers

Prior to testing the PFC’s 1369.12s, Renting Colombia was averaging the following a pad life expectancy with the OEM pads.

Front Axle:    60,000 Kilometers
Middle Axle: 40,000 Kilometers
Rear Axle:   40,000 Kilometers

Related post:
PFC Brakes New Dyno-Bedded Short Track Products

Based on the wear data and the life expectancy projections, using PFC Brakes will end up saving Renting Colombia two brake jobs per year, per axle, per truck.  Their yearly cost per axle will decrease from $460 to $208, saving the fleet of 100 trucks nearly $76,000 USD per year in pad cost, not including labor or down-time. 

The entire post with images can be viewed by clicking HERE.

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