Rivets in the shoe
Of major concern to SAF-Holland is that brake lining replacements are often conducted
by unskilled technicians, be they in fleet workshops or in brake repair shops. A common
malpractice is to use a drill instead of a specialised rivet removal tool to remove the rivets that
hold the linings to the brake shoe. This effectively enlarges the rivet holes, causing premature
brake lining wear and also causes metal distortion of the brake shoe. “Operators should be
made aware that all brake linings come with a standard size rivet for the application being
used and no over-sized rivets are to be used on any type of commercial vehicle brake shoe.
End result – the linings come away from the shoes and brake failure occurs,” Simon explains.
Having spent several years as an SAF-Holland technician in the UK, he is shocked by the fact
that South Africa (nor indeed countries north of our borders) has no legislated regulations for
brake lining repair and inspection.
“In the margin-sensitive trucking industry, many transporters in southern Africa are looking
to cut their vehicle servicing costs and the fitment of cheap, inferior-quality brake linings is an
all-too-frequent practice. The reality is, a truck can clock up 600 000km on a set of genuine
SAF-Holland linings while pirate counterparts last a mere 60 000km,” he stresses.
According to brake specialist, Patrick Bruinette, Managing Director of Inline Distributors, “Price
is the number one purchasing criterion for fleet owners in southern Africa. Our brake relining
equipment is of premium quality but costs in the region of R50 000. Chinese brake relining
machines cost around R4500. It may seem like a good deal, but the Chinese machine doesn’t
de-rivet the lining from the brake shoe, where ours does.”
Dead or alive
According to Simon, “Operators may believe they’re cutting costs by fitting cheap components
with cheap tools and unskilled labour, but genuine bottom-line savings from this approach
are a myth.”
Patrick adds, “A brake servicing Code of Practice does exist, SABS 0253, but it only covers
the fitment of linings to new brake shoes. When it comes to brake relining and de-riveting
practices, there are no local guidelines at all.”
“Brake lining fitment regulations need to be implemented and a specialised truck brake
inspectorate needs to be established to police the entire supply-chain, from importer/
manufacturer, to fitment workshop, to the end user, to the vehicle test centre,” Simon believes.
While legislators and regulators get their act together, Patrick has an ingenious solution to
prevent heavy-duty trucks from causing mayhem on steep descents: “Braking is all about heat
dissipation and heat management. Brake drums should run at under 200°C if the driver is
using the truck’s auxiliary brakes properly. Traffic authorities need only position two thermal
imaging cameras alongside the road to monitor truck brake drums as they pass through a go-
slow lane immediately before a steep descent. If the brake drum temperatures are over 150°C,
or a variance of temperature exceeding 10 to 15% between respective brake drums on the left
and right-hand sides of the truck-tractor and trailer is registered, the truck should be pulled off
the road to cool off while its brakes are inspected.”
Simon concurs by saying, “The Fields Hill disaster made it all too clear – it’s cowboy country
out there and government needs to put the brakes on hard to stop the dodgy fitment of truck
trailer brake linings. It’s a matter of life or death.”
A new SAF-Holland brake shoe with correctly
riveted lining. Note the countersunk rivets.
TFL DEC
21
FREIGHT & LOGISTICS
SAFETY
