LAS VEGAS, November 2, 1999 - The United States Auto Club (USAC) has certified what people at Tenneco Automotive have known all along - Monroe® Sensa-Trac® shocks and struts with the Safe-Tech™ System offer an increased margin of safety versus standard shock absorbers. Thanks to Sensa-Trac's groove-tube technology, driver and passengers benefit from smoother piston travel in the shock absorber making the vehicle more responsive to changing road conditions.

In a series of USAC-certified tests, Sensa-Trac shocks with the Safe-Tech System were shown to improve braking distance by an average of 10 feet in a 60-0 mph braking test performed on a dry, bumpy surface. The test compared the performance of two identical vehicles: one vehicle equipped with four new Sensa-Trac shocks, the other with three new OEM shock absorbers and one 50 percent degraded original equipment shock absorber. The results were clear - Sensa-Trac shocks provided significantly shorter stopping distances and better handling.

What makes the Safe-Tech system special is the incorporation of a Fluon™ piston band that offers several major advantages when compared with conventional cast-iron rings or Teflon® bands. The Fluon band, comprised of Teflon and glass-reinforced composite material, delivers enhanced durability and a longer usable product life when compared to other materials.

The groove-tube design of all Sensa-Trac products feature tapered grooves in the pressure tube that act as an additional stage of valving for optimum ride tuning. The Fluon piston band design works in conjunction with the Sensa-Trac groove-tube technology to enhance sealing of the piston and pressure tube for even more consistency of shock absorber damping forces. The band has been incorporated across the Sensa-Trac product line in struts and shock absorbers designed for passenger cars and light trucks.

In addition to the Fluon band, the Safe-Tech System also features a piston and valving design that provides improved rod response by maintaining a tight piston-to-cylinder seal. The result is firm tire-to-road contact and excellent vehicle control. The assembly also lessens friction in the pressure tube, resulting in smoother rod reaction.

Tenneco Automotive is one of the world's largest producers and marketers of ride control and emission control products and systems, which re sold under the Monroe® and Walker® global brand names. Among its products are Monroe® Sensa-Trac® shocks and struts, Rancho® shock absorbers, Walker® Quiet-Flow™ mufflers and DynoMax™ performance exhaust products, and Monroe® Clevite™ vibration control components.