Abstract: A wheel assembly for a non-driven wheel includes a rotating wheel hub with a shaft portion supporting a bearing inner race. A magnetic encoder is mounted for rotation with the shaft portion. A non-rotating component radially surrounds the shaft portion and has a bearing outer race. A cap is secured to the non-rotating component and covers the outer and inner races, the shaft portion and the magnetic encoder inboard of the races to seal an inboard side of the outer and inner races. A sensor is mounted to a non-rotating vehicle steering member externally to, not covered by, and not extending through the cap. The sensor is configured to deflect to be biased into continuous contact with an outer surface of the cap to read the magnetic encoder through the cap without extending through the cap.

Abstract: A method of forming a low-friction coating on a metal substrate includes ferritic nitrocarburizing the metal substrate to form a surface of the metal substrate, wherein the surface includes a compound zone and a diffusion zone disposed subjacent to the compound zone. After ferritic nitrocarburizing, the method includes oxidizing the compound zone to form a porous portion defining a plurality of pores, and, after oxidizing, coating the porous portion with polytetrafluoroethylene. The method further includes, after coating, curing the polytetrafluoroethylene to thereby form the low-friction coating. A low-friction coating system includes the metal substrate having the surface including the compound zone and the diffusion zone disposed subjacent said compound zone, wherein said compound zone includes the porous portion defining the pores, and a cured film formed from polytetrafluoroethylene disposed sufficiently on the porous portion so as to at least partially fill at least one of the plurality of pores.

Abstract: A method for improving corrosion resistance in FNC cast iron substrates without the need for additional coating or painting. The exemplary methods remove a portion of the FNC coating applied to a cast iron substrate, preferably through polishing, to expose the epsilon phase portion of the compound area. The epsilon phase portion is thought to provide improved corrosion protection as compared to non-polished FNC cast iron substrates. One exemplary product that may be provided with improved corrosion protection according to the above method is a brake rotor having a FNC treatment.

Abstract: Ferritic nitrocarburized surface treatment of cast iron brake rotors providing oxidation resistance, good braking performance and absence of distortion. Machined brake rotors are pre-heated, then immersed into a high temperature molten nitrocarburizing salt bath for a first predetermined dwell time. After removing the brake rotors from the nitrocarburizing salt bath, the brake rotors are directly immersed into an oxidizing salt bath at a lower temperature than the nitrocarburizing salt bath so that the brake rotors are thermally quenched. After a predetermined second dwell time in the oxidizing salt bath, the brake rotors are removed therefrom and further cooled to room temperature, either by water application thermal quenching or slow cooling in air. A fixture provides stable holding the brake rotors with a minimum of contact during placement in the salt baths.