Alcon Components launches its new brake upgrade kit for Ford F550 used by defense industry.

According to a press release published on January 20, 2021, Alcon Components Ltd, the highly acclaimed UK-based brake and clutch company, has announced the launch of a new brake upgrade kit for the Ford F550 to support the performance off-road, specialist, armored and defence vehicle sectors.
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Alcon Components launches its new brake upgrade kit for the Ford F550 to support the performance off-road, specialist, armored, and defence vehicle sectors. (Picture source Alcon)

The 6-piston caliper and pad kit is compatible with the stock OEM actuation and stability control system, so is easy to fit but has been fully “ruggedised” to ensure extreme levels of robustness and performance are balanced with the requirement to keep weight to a minimum.

The new Alcon F550 kit offers many advantages for serious off-road use. The cast iron housings allow the calipers to be fitted in many standard wheels, where aluminium calipers will not fit, allowing large specialist off-road tyres to be used. The calipers are extremely stiff, giving improved pedal feel and the additional brake torque available reduces the increased brake efforts required when the vehicle is fitted with specialist tyres, with larger than standard rolling radii. As well, the sealing technology and dirt protection is the same concept as used on Alcon’s off-road motorsport product – a proven WRC Championship winner.All calipers sold for serious off-road use will be plated and painted for optimum corrosion protection and performance styling.

When optimised for specialist, armoured and defence vehicle use, the Alcon F550 kit offers improved brake torque allowing the vehicles to be armoured or modified to greater Gross Vehicle Weights. Reduced brake fade and enhanced corrosion protection combine with discrete styling to avoid attention being drawn to the fact that the vehicle has been armoured or modified. In addition, the secure design with bleed screws only on the inboard side makes them less likely to be tampered with and the materials and technology used is common with products already sold by Alcon to major global defence vehicle and axle manufacturers, that are now in use by security services and armed forces across the world.

In addition to the F550 kit, Alcon brake kits are available for a wide range of other SUV’s, including, but not exclusively: Ford F150-based Raptor and Ranger platforms; Chevrolet’s Suburban and Suburban HD; GM’s GMT K2-based platforms Tahoe and Escalade; Toyota’s LC 200, LC78-79 and Hilux; Mercedes’ Sprinter; and VW’s Amaroc and Crafter. All of the armoured or specialist variants of these base platforms have significantly increased Gross Vehicle Weight, often by over 30%. Alcon is able to offer a ready-made solution for the essential brake upgrade required to accompany armoured modifications and other specialist and performance vehicle applications, where the stock braking systems become challenged.

Alcon has over 25 years of experience in engineering brakes and clutches for specialist vehicles; from F1, World Rally and prestige performance cars to 30T-plus military armoured vehicles. This places them at the forefront of developing and delivering high-performance braking solutions for sectors where only the absolute best can be accepted. Alcon’s off the shelf brake kits allow both OEM’s and vehicle modification companies to overcome the challenges posed by modifying vehicles for performance off-road, defence, security, and other special purposes.

Jonathan Edwards, Group Sales Director at Alcon said: “We’re very proud to be launching this new Ford F550 kit today. We are offering proven and reliable brake performance enhancements to those wanting to seriously operate the vehicle off-road, in specialist roles, or in the security and defence sectors, where the F550 base automotive elements are often used in up-armoured and bespoke military vehicle designs”.