Offered to the global defence and security market, this caliper allows OEM’s, fleet managers, maintainers and vehicle modification companies to fit an off-the-shelf, military special brake system. The CIR46 significantly increases braking performance and reduces both weight and cost in comparison to existing alternatives.
Developed to fill a gap in their current defence and specialist vehicle brake range, the newly launched CIR46 brake caliper sits between their existing CIR15 and CIR55 calipers. Alcon can now offer bespoke braking solutions for every type of defence and security vehicle from armoured SUV’s, such as the Toyota Land Cruiser, all the way up to 8×8 type armoured giants, such as the Patria AMV. The new CIR46 is expected to be used on military vehicles based on commercial off the shelf chassis, such as the Ford F550 and Mercedes UNIMOG.
The caliper has been designed to enable as many configurations, with regards to torque capacity and installation, as possible. Both lug mount and radial mount options are available to be machined from a single set of castings. 10 different piston configuration options are available giving maximum working torque values from 9,513Nm to 15,561Nm (piston diameters from 47.6mm to 57.2mm). The caliper is centre split to allow fitment over a variety of disc thickness with disc diameters between 370mm and 410mm. The fully hanging, high friction pads are fitted with an anti-rattle system and the caliper and seals are protected to cope with the harsh military environment. The six-piston arrangement gives a lower profile than existing four piston calipers in this torque range allowing them to be fitted in tighter wheel envelopes. The caliper will be available for both brake fluid and mineral oil systems.
Already firmly established in the defence and security vehicle marketplace, Alcon braking solutions have been sought out by some of the world’s finest Special Forces vehicle manufacturers. Amongst other key defence players, Supacat, the designers of the Jackal vehicle, BAe, Ricardo, Patria and Jankel have turned to Alcon to obtain bespoke, tailored braking systems that fully meet the demanding requirements of the challenging, high-performance, modern-day battlefield.
Jonathan Edwards, Group Sales Director at Alcon said: “this new caliper fills a gap we had identified in our range of brakes. We’ve already successfully developed and delivered bespoke solutions to both the light and heavy ends of the defence market but the new CIR46 will allow us to also solve braking problems in the medium weight range”. He added: “as well as marketing our brakes directly to vehicle developers and manufacturers, we see our customers for CIR46 being axle manufacturers who are selling their axles to the defence and security OEM’s. Using the technology and capabilities we’ve developed in motorsport allows us to offer significant performance benefits to the military and specialist markets, including crucial weight savings. Our automotive production experience allows us to deliver quality and value for money to our customers, globally”.
