ELYRIA, Ohio — For years, fleets and owner-operators have enjoyed the improved brake drum life, lining life, and fuel efficiency that comes from spec’ing Bendix Versajust automatic slack adjusters. While an integral part of many trucks, the Versajust hasn’t been available for everyone’s vehicle—until now.
The Bendix Versajust GS Slack Adjuster is designed for vehicles requiring grounded automatic slack adjusters, because the brake envelope cannot accommodate slacks that use the more common link-style construction. The new slack expands and enhances the Bendix portfolio of slack adjusters to serve a wider range of the marketplace.
“Our link-style Versajust—the LS—has proven its worth over countless miles since Bendix revolutionized slack adjuster technology with its launch in 2010,” said Keith McComsey, director of marketing and customer solutions, Wheel-End, at Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC (BSFB). “But while the LS suits the needs of about 90 percent of applications, we wanted more fleets to be able to experience its benefits. And in cases where fleets need both link-style and grounded adjusters, the availability of the GS can simplify parts management and streamline maintenance for increased uptime.”
The body of the Versajust GS was engineered to accept higher torque capacities for those applications that may see higher frequency brake applications at higher loads (refuse, for example). Several versions of the Versajust GS are available to fit a variety of axle geometries that are used in specialty applications, or in some cases, other truck applications requiring high-capacity axles.
In many of these cases, a slack adjuster cannot be directly aligned with the air brake chamber, requiring an arm with an angle. The Versajust comes in 5-inch, 5.5-inch, and 6-inch lengths, in multiple angle configurations.
The Bendix Versajust LS slack adjuster is available as a factory-installed option at all major North American truck manufacturers. The Versajust GS is now available in the aftermarket. Fleets that are interested in spec’ing the Versajust GS should ask their OEM about availability.
The Impact of Slacks
The slack adjuster a fleet selects directly impacts the life and performance of foundation drum brakes, compliance and safety, as well as the total cost of ownership.
The Bendix Versajust LS and Bendix Versajust GS can improve drum life by up to 30 percent and extend brake lining life by up to 16 percent, thanks to enhancements that the WearMax Clutch introduced to slack adjuster technology. Versajust provides a gradual, continuous, and more precise adjustment rate that lowers the risk of brake drag, which can occur due to over adjustment, as a brake drum expands and contracts during use and cool-down.
Avoiding dragging brakes keeps brake temperatures lower, which extends both brake drum and lining life. And by delivering the minimum running clearance, Versajust also provides maximum chamber reserve stroke, to help lower risk to Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) scores. By preventing brake drag, Versajust also helps fleets avoid the increased fuel consumption required to overcome a dragging brake caused by an over-adjusting slack adjuster.
To provide durability across a range of environments and duty cycles, Versajust slack adjusters feature patented bronze friction rings, increased corrosion resistance, and a stronger seal. They are also engineered for easy installation and maintenance without the need for special tools, attachments, templates, or brackets.
Repairing in Pairs
In the aftermarket, Bendix also now offers its adjusters in a “two-pack” pairing, because if one slack adjuster on an axle needs to be replaced, it’s likely that the other is nearing replacement too. Replacing both slacks on the axle at one time also helps to minimize downtime and labor. Or, if a breakdown happens on the road, fleets can avoid roadside costs.
“Consistency along the axle—and even across the entire vehicle—is critical to maintaining balance in brake performance,” McComsey said. “Variability in slack adjuster operation can lead to issues like uneven braking, different brake reaction times, brake steer and uneven pad wear. From a total cost of ownership (TCO) perspective, unless a slack adjuster has failed markedly ahead of schedule, it’s better to replace two while you’ve got your truck in the garage than to deal with a second maintenance session down the road.”
The American Trucking Associations’ Technology and Maintenance Council Recommended Practice RP-609C advises that all slack adjusters on a vehicle should be the same length and from the same manufacturer. Bendix further believes that they should be identical models, whether fleets look to a like-for-like replacement, or to upgrade the vehicle to a higher-performing adjuster if more years of service are expected.
Bendix’s complete lineup of wheel-end solutions—including foundation drum, air disc brakes, actuators and reman shoes—delivers on areas that are critical to the success of fleets and owner-operators. That includes safety, reliability, stopping power, and vehicle performance and efficiency. By focusing on these needs and providing unparalleled post-sales support, Bendix aims to lower TCO, strengthen industry investment in commercial vehicle safety technologies, and enhance highway safety for everyone sharing the road.
For more information about Bendix slack adjusters, call 800-AIR-BRAKE (800-247-2725) or visit www.bendix.com.
About Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake, LLC.
Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake, LLC. combines and expands the complementary wheel-end foundation brake technologies of two global leaders—Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, LLC. and Dana Commercial Vehicle Products, LLC. The joint venture, formed in July 2004, is a single, complete source for OEM brake system design, manufacturing, hardware and support, for all foundation brake components and actuation systems—as well as all-makes coverage of nearly 50,000 medium- and heavy-duty aftermarket parts.
Contact us at 866-610-9709 or visit foundationbrakes.com. Stay connected and informed through Bendix expert podcasts, blog posts, videos, and other resources at knowledge-dock.com. Follow Bendix on Twitter at twitter.com/Bendix_CVS. Log on and learn from the Bendix experts at brake-school.com. And to learn more about career opportunities at Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake, visit bendix.com/careers.
