LOUISVILLE, Ky. — While new stopping distance requirements for heavy trucks continue to be delayed, Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake announced optimism at the Mid-America Trucking Show that the rules will be finalized by May.

To that end, the company announced it will be offering high-performance drum brakes for field testing by the end of 2009, offering customers more options for compliance with the more demanding stopping distances.

In the third quarter, Bendix said it will release a high-performance model of its single anchor pin, extended service drum brakes in a variety of sizes for steer and drive axle applications.

“Vehicle manufacturers and fleets will have the opportunity to make purchase decisions based upon their own needs and preferences,” said Aaron Schwass, director for the foundation brake group at Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake. “We are working to develop variations of the high-performance drum brakes that will custom-fit various truck model configurations. Our objective is to offer the industry advanced technology to meet new requirements; as well as provide a cost-effective solution for our customers that extend and enhance brake service life.”

The new high-performance drum brakes will be available for field testing in the third quarter, and in full-scale production on time to comply with the new stopping distance rules, expected to be in place by May, 2011.

Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake also announced its ADB22X air disc brake is now more widely available than ever. For the first time, it’s an option with all six major truck makers in North America. The ADB22X disc brake is also available as an option through Utility Trailer and Hendrickson Trailer Suspension Systems, the company announced.

Bendix said air disc brake penetration has improved 30% year-over-year in each of the past three years in the North American trucking industry.

One recent convert is US Xpress, the third largest private truckload carrier in the US. It has decided to make the ADB22X disc brake standard on all its new truck purchases. The company ordered 575 factory-installed ADB22X disc brakes on new Class 8 tractors in 2008 and expects to order more this year, according to Bendix.