GOTHENBURG, Sweden — The SKF Group and the Haldex Group have decided to jointly develop an advanced wheel end system for commercial vehicles, trucks, buses and trailers.

The system will be based on Haldex’ new generation of disc brakes with a Fixed Caliper Dual Disc concept and SKF truck hub, bearing and sealing technology.

By integrating Haldex new high performance Dual Disc braking system into SKF hub unit technology, a much more compact and efficient product can be created offering great potential to improve safety, performance and optimizing vehicle design, the companies claim. This product concept will also give vehicle builders ability to optimizing installation space requirements in the future.

In addition, when compared to today’s technical solutions, fleet operators can benefit from longer brake service life time and increased uptime, higher performance in combination with reduced vehicle weight and the potential for increasing payload capacity, the companies claim. The system is also designed to offer easier brake maintenance and replacement.

As the concept is further refined during 2005, the companies will begin to work with interested customers.