With the increasing requirements for braking performance of commercial vehicles and heavy machinery, air disc brakes have become the mainstream of the market due to their high efficiency and stability. However, the products on the market are of varying quality, and how to accurately identify high-quality air disc brakes has become the focus of attention of purchasers and technicians. This article will analyze the identification method from three dimensions: structural design, material technology, and performance testing.
Structural design is the basis
The friction pads of high-quality air disc brakes usually adopt a floating design to ensure full contact with the brake disc. The friction pads can be disassembled to observe whether they have the function of self-adjusting clearance. Inferior products often lack this key structure. In addition, the brake caliper body should be made of high-strength aluminum alloy or cast iron, and the surface must have precision-cast heat dissipation fins. Inferior products may use ordinary steel or simplify the heat dissipation structure.
Material technology determines lifespan
The friction pad material is the core indicator. The genuine product uses copper-based or semi-metallic composite materials, which are formed by high-temperature sintering process, and uniform fiber distribution can be seen on the cross section. Magnet test available - high-quality friction pads contain only trace amounts of iron powder, while inferior products may be highly magnetic due to excessive cheap fillers. For brake discs, pay attention to whether the ventilation slots are regular and whether the edge chamfers are smooth. Burrs or cracks are signs of casting defects.
Performance test verifies reliability
Professional testing requires the use of a brake test bench, but simple methods are equally effective. Fix the brake on the bracket, and manually press the brake caliper to feel uniform resistance. The return spring must ensure that it is fully reset. A more intuitive way is to check for signs of wear: high-quality products have a smooth wear surface on the friction pad after use, while inferior products may have eccentric wear or partial peeling.
Mastering these identification points can effectively avoid safety hazards caused by brake quality problems. It is recommended to require suppliers to provide third-party test reports when purchasing, and retain samples for comparative testing to ensure that the products meet international standards such as ISO 26865.
