Meritor says it’s about to begin production of PlatinumShield II, a second-generation aftermarket brake-shoe coating that features an advanced formula to prevent rust-jacking. The original version was launched in 2009, and the company says more than 15 million remanufactured shoes with this coating have been shipped since.

The second-generation coating is distinguished by its lighter platinum gray color. It will be used on new aftermarket brake shoes with new Reduced Stopping Distance (RSD) friction materials. PlatinumShield II will also be used on remanufactured brake shoes.

The coating was developed to resist micro-abrasion caused by the movement of the brake lining against the shoe table during normal use. Rust-jacking occurs when rust forms on bare shoe metal under the lining, causing it to lift and crack.

Used shoes are cleaned, shot-blasted and processed through a five-stage wash and pre-treatment process before the PlatinumShield coating is applied. The benefit is lower overall maintenance costs, says Meritor, by the elimination of premature brake jobs resulting from cracked linings.