Brake Manufacturers Council Unveils Brake Test Procedure

    CHICAGO, May 24 The Brake Manufacturers Council (BMC)
unveiled its new test procedure and industry guideline recommendations for
automotive aftermarket brake materials, at a news conference held today at the
Hyatt Rosemont, Chicago, Ill.

    "BEEP (Brake Effectiveness Evaluation Procedure) is the culmination of a
decade-long effort by BMC with the guideline objective that aftermarket brake
materials meet the same performance levels as those required for new
vehicles," said BMC Chairman Peter Morse, president, Morse Automotive,
Chicago, Ill.

    BEEP correlates dynamometer brake testing to the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration's (NHTSA) regulations -- Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards (FMVSS) vehicle performance tests.

    "BEEP program details will be presented to NHTSA and other government
agencies to show the industry's commitment to this proactive initiative and
BEEP's value," said Morse.  "The BMC is encouraging voluntary compliance and
adoption by the industry."

    Aftermarket and Original Equipment: Same Performance

    New cars and trucks must meet mandatory performance requirements, FMVSS
performance tests.  BEEP is BMC's initiative to provide a widely accepted
protocol to interpret these FMVSS requirements into recommendations for
aftermarket brake performance, Morse said.

    The Council appointed the Friction Materials Committee (FMC) to develop a
test procedure and performance recommendations to address aftermarket brake
material quality.  FMC members include Dana Corp., Federal-Mogul, Fritec,
Honeywell, Morse Automotive and Performance Friction.

    This group established SAE J2430, a new single-ended dynamometer brake
material test.  SAE J2430 is a cost effective and timely alternative test that
is comparable to FMVSS tests.

    The SAE J2430 procedure allowed BMC to create BEEP as the methodology that
correlates this test to certain key criteria of the FMVSS performance tests.
Results are presented in an easy to read format that identifies the brakes'
performance levels.

    Another important feature of BEEP is its ability to present the testing
data in a format that shows the performance of both front and rear brakes in
stopping performance.

    "This information is invaluable to both the technical and non technical
brake product purchaser," said Morse.  "The BEEP guideline program provides
the means for benchmarking friction performance."