In the fight against the fakes, JURATEK is encouraging garages and technicians to ensure they are using high-quality products for all jobs, as fitting poor-quality parts can lead to short lifespan and poor customer service.

To assist in the quest for quality, JURATEK is helping technicians and motor factors identify what to look out for to remain compliant with R90 regulations. 

It is now well over 20 years ago that R90 was introduced, initially for replacement brake pads and linings, and more recently, for replacement brake discs and drums. The regulation is a safety standard that sets minimum levels of performance for replacement brake products. Product is tested against the equivalent OE product for the applications concerned. Product that meets the required standards is granted an approval number. 

While the performance of the product is the priority, it is not the only thing that the approval covers, the packaging and product markings are important too. For example, the label has to show the approval number, the suppliers part number and in the case of friction products, the material type that has been tested. In addition, the regulation also requires ongoing checks on the conformance of production to ensure that each batch of product continues to perform at the same level as when it was first approved.  

To ensure R90 compliance it is recommended that fitters and suppliers check if the label has an “E” mark approval number, which looks something like E11 90R-02A01234/46789. The product in the box should have exactly the same approval number. Users should also check that the box is tamper proof. 

ECE R90 does not test for is longevity and noise. Cheaper alternatives could wear out faster and be overly noisy, which is why the OE industry, and some aftermarket companies like Juratek, go beyond the regulations to check for long life and low noise.

For more information, please visit www.juratek.com/R90. 

Juratek brake parts are distributed in Ireland by Strongline Autoparts and available from factor stockists.