Webb Wheel Products has unveiled its new Vortex, a “truly new idea” in lightweight brake drum design using full cast-iron metallurgy. The company says its engineers designed a drum profile that results in lighter weight with no compromise to the structural integrity, reliability, or braking capabilities expected in heavier drums.

The patent-pending design, with a re-positioned squealer band and reinforcing exterior ribs, is said to produce a cooler running drum by pulling the heat away from the braking surface, maximizing lining life without sacrificing strength.

The Vortex is made from standard cast-iron material, and Webb says it will work with major OEMs to determine its availability on new trucks and trailers.