Metalix Brake Shoes by Bendix Corporation

Product Description

Metalix brake shoes were a line of friction braking components manufactured by Bendix Corporation, one of the most prominent names in automotive and industrial braking technology throughout much of the twentieth century. Bendix was a diversified industrial manufacturer with deep roots in transportation, aerospace, and heavy equipment sectors, and its brake products were widely distributed across commercial, industrial, and automotive markets in the United States and abroad.

Brake shoes are curved metal components fitted with friction material on their outer surface. When a braking mechanism is engaged, the shoe presses outward against the interior of a brake drum, generating the friction necessary to slow or stop a wheel or mechanical assembly. The friction lining bonded to the metal shoe is the critical performance element of the component, and it was this lining material that historically incorporated asbestos fibers in many Bendix products, including those marketed under the Metalix line.

Bendix Corporation developed significant expertise in friction materials and held a dominant position in the brake lining market for decades. The company’s products were used not only in passenger vehicles but also in heavy trucks, industrial machinery, and a range of commercial equipment applications. Metalix brake shoes, as part of the broader Bendix friction product catalog, reached mechanics, maintenance workers, and industrial operators across many sectors of the American economy.

Asbestos Content

Asbestos was a preferred material for brake friction linings for much of the twentieth century due to its exceptional heat resistance, durability, and low cost. When a brake shoe engages a drum, significant frictional heat is generated. Asbestos fibers could withstand those temperatures without degrading, making them practically ideal for bonded and woven friction applications.

Litigation records document that Bendix Corporation incorporated asbestos-containing materials into its friction products, including brake shoe linings associated with the Metalix line. Plaintiffs alleged that chrysotile asbestos, the most commonly used variety in friction applications, was present in these linings and that workers and end users were not adequately warned of the associated health hazards.

The asbestos fibers in brake linings were typically embedded within a resin-bonded or woven matrix. However, litigation records document that during the normal service life of these products—and especially during service and replacement—the lining material could release asbestos fibers into the surrounding air. Plaintiffs alleged that this release occurred during routine brake work and that repeated or prolonged exposure created a meaningful risk of serious respiratory disease.

How Workers Were Exposed

Industrial workers represent the primary exposure population documented in connection with Metalix brake shoes and similar Bendix friction products. Exposure pathways were tied directly to the handling, installation, wear, and removal of these components across a variety of occupational settings.

Brake Service and Replacement: Workers tasked with inspecting, removing, and replacing brake shoes were placed in close proximity to worn friction material. Litigation records document that grinding, sanding, and blowing out brake assemblies with compressed air were common practices that could aerosolize asbestos-laden brake dust. Plaintiffs alleged that these activities created concentrated exposure conditions, particularly in enclosed service bays or poorly ventilated industrial environments.

Machining and Fitting: In some industrial and commercial settings, brake shoes required cutting, drilling, or grinding to fit specific drum configurations. These operations on asbestos-containing lining material were alleged to release particularly high concentrations of respirable asbestos fibers into the breathing zones of workers performing or nearby such tasks.

Accumulation of Brake Dust: Brake drums and associated assemblies accumulate dust generated by the wear of friction linings during normal use. Litigation records document that maintenance workers who opened brake assemblies for routine inspection or service encountered this accumulated dust, which plaintiffs alleged contained asbestos fibers shed from the lining material over time.

Adjacent and Bystander Workers: In industrial settings, workers who were not directly performing brake service could nonetheless be exposed to airborne asbestos dust generated by nearby activity. Plaintiffs alleged that bystander exposure in shared workspaces—such as maintenance shops, factory floors, and equipment yards—contributed to cumulative asbestos dose for workers who never directly handled the brake components themselves.

Lack of Protective Equipment and Warnings: Plaintiffs in litigation against Bendix alleged that the company was aware of asbestos hazards associated with its friction products but failed to provide adequate warnings to workers or to recommend appropriate respiratory protection. This alleged failure, plaintiffs argued, left workers without the information needed to protect themselves during decades of routine brake service.

The industrial worker population exposed to Metalix brake shoes and related Bendix friction products spanned a broad range of occupations and industries, including fleet maintenance, heavy equipment operation, manufacturing facilities, and general industrial maintenance operations.

Documented Product Identification

The following details are drawn from public asbestos litigation records, manufacturer catalog pages, technical manuals, and corporate history materials. Each item reflects the product as documented in those sources.

Documented asbestos-use period: 1930-1987

Corporate context: Bendix manufactured brakes and brake linings from 1930 through 1987. The company is now part of Honeywell International, Inc., which handles service of process through Illinois Corporation Service Company in Springfield, IL.

Brand identification: Bendix, BULLS-EYE, ECLIPSE, EDF, FK / FRICTION KING, FK II, Marshall, Marshall-Eclipse, S.L., SLADE

Documented asbestos components: brake linings, brake blocks, brake shoes, disc brake pads, clutch facings, arcuate segments.

Documented asbestos-component suppliers: the public records lists the following external suppliers of asbestos-bearing packing, gaskets, and seals used in conjunction with this manufacturer’s equipment — North American Asbestos Corporation (1970-1974).

Industries served: Automotive (cars, trucks, trailers, buses), Farm equipment, Construction equipment, Aviation (airplanes), Golf carts, Military vehicles.

Documented product lines:

  • Bendix Hydraulic Assemblies & Shoes (1934-??). Hydraulic brake assemblies and shoes for automotive applications — asbestos components: brake linings.
  • Bendix Brake Blocks (1948-1988). Brake blocks for automotive braking systems — asbestos components: brake linings.
  • Bendix Brake Linings (1939-1988). Replacement and original equipment brake linings — asbestos components: brake linings.
  • Bendix Brake Assemblies & Lined Brake Shoes (1932-1988). Complete brake assemblies with lined brake shoes — asbestos components: brake linings.
  • Bendix Lined Disc Brakes & Shoes (1966-1988). Disc brake pads and shoes with friction linings — asbestos components: brake linings.
  • BULLS-EYE Brake Linings (1939-1948). Brand name brake lining product line — asbestos components: brake linings.
  • ECLIPSE Brake Linings (1939-1987). Brand name brake lining product line — asbestos components: brake linings.
  • EDF Brake Linings (1946-1987). Brand name brake lining product line — asbestos components: brake linings.

Bendix was the exclusive brake lining supplier for Ford light trucks for over 20 years and supplied 100% of Ford brakes from mid-1960s until disc brakes emerged. Also sole supplier for military jeeps and M-151 vehicles, and 100% of AMC/Nash drum brakes.