Meritor WABCO Offers RSSplus Retrofit Kit, Bringing Advanced Roll Stability Technology to Trailers With Mechanical Suspensions
ORLANDO, Fla., (Feb. 8, 2009) – Meritor WABCO, a joint venture between ArvinMeritor (NYSE:ARM) and WABCO Vehicle Control Systems (NYSE:WBC), has announced its independent stability enhancement system for trailers, RSSplus, is now available as a retrofit kit for trailers with applications for both spring and air suspensions.
RSSplus is part of the SmartTrac™ family of stability control products such as Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Roll Stability Control (RSC), and Automatic Traction Control (ATC) offering advanced functions to enhance vehicle stability.
RSSplus retrofit kits are backed by Meritor WABCO’s comprehensive warranty of one year/100,000 miles parts and labor. They are available immediately through ArvinMeritor’s Commercial Vehicle Aftermarket authorized outlets.
“Mechanical springs are the predominant suspension in several market segments that
have shown great interest in rollover mitigation,” said Jon Morrison, president and
general manager of Meritor WABCO. “These are fleets that want to enhance the value and performance of their existing equipment. Now Meritor WABCO gives them a costeffective way to apply this technology to trailers already in service no matter what type of suspension they have.”
RSSplus is an advanced two-modulator stability system that integrates with the
trailer’s antilock braking system (ABS). It continually calculates the trailer’s roll stability threshold based on lateral acceleration (side-to-side movements) and individual wheel speeds. When conditions indicate that a rollover may occur, the system will apply the trailer axle brakes to slow the vehicle and assist the driver in maintaining control of the vehicle.
Meritor WABCO offers different retrofit kits to accommodate a wide range of braking
system configurations, including 2-sensor/1-modulator (2S/1M); 2-sensor/2-modulator
and 4-sensor/2-modulator (4S/2M); trailers equipped with Meritor WABCO ABS; or
trailers with non-Meritor WABCO ABS or no ABS at all.
Installation involves replacing the ABS ECU/valve assembly with the RSSplus ECU
valve assembly and mounting an electronic sensor to measure the defection of the
suspension springs. If the trailer is equipped with Meritor WABCO ABS, existing
wheel-speed sensors and cables can be reused to reduce the installation expense.
A typical retrofit installation of RSSplus for mechanical suspensions takes approximately four to six hours. Meritor WABCO’s field service team is available to
train and qualify technicians who will perform the installations.
RSSplus for mechanical suspensions functions precisely the same as the version for
air suspensions, providing consistency and familiarity for drivers and technicians.
“While an alert, skilled driver remains the most important element in its safe
operation,” said Morrison, “stability controls for trailers are proven systems that can help the driver maintain control of the tractor-trailer combination and reduce the likelihood of a rollover.”
Meritor WABCO1 is a joint venture of ArvinMeritor, (NYSE:ARM) and the WABCO
Automotive Control Systems, Inc,. (NYSE:WBC).
WABCO Vehicle Control Systems (NYSE:WBC) is a leading supplier of safety and
control systems for commercial vehicles. For over 140 years, WABCO has pioneered
breakthrough electronic, mechanical and mechatronic technologies for braking,
stability, and transmission automation systems supplied to the world’s leading
commercial truck, trailer, and bus manufacturers. With sales of $2.6 billion in 2008, WABCO is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. For more information, visit
www.wabco-auto.com.
ArvinMeritor, Inc. is a premier global supplier of a broad range of integrated systems, modules and components to the motor vehicle industry. The company serves
commercial truck, trailer and specialty original equipment manufacturers and certain
aftermarkets, and light vehicle manufacturers. ArvinMeritor common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ARM. For more information, visit the company's Web site at: http://www.arvinmeritor.com/.
1 Meritor WABCO products are available in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
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