Towing west to midwest. Need ideas

[NIsaacs]

Nick

If I had to go down a hill real slow so be it.

This is true if you are going slow enough, then yes, just being in that low of a gear will give you drive axle braking with compression. But if you are traveling down a slick hill at a safe speed, say 30 mph and need to slow or stop because of an obstruction, you need to use the jake because the trailer will lock before any air is applied to the drivers. You will need all tires on the ground in braking mode to slow or stop. Of course you take into consideration how steep it is, how icy, what gear you are in and what rpm you are at and if you are running chains.



I was talking about big trucks but small ones are simular.



Nick

 

[RVTRKN]

Another pass that was mellowed out was Tioga Pass into Lee Vining from Yosemite, I rode down it with a bike club on my Harley and was disappointed to see that it had been straitened out, it used to be a series switch backs all the way down out of Yosemite.



Nisaacs, I always turn off my exhaust brake in inclement weather and the beauty of a proportional brake controller is the brake signal comes from hydraulic pressure so my trailer brakes are applied in balance with the truck. If the Semi has its Jake Brake set up in stages then 1st stage only in rain.

 

[mfurrh55]

Company i drove for, wouldn't allow jake brakes, so you had to drive by the seat of your britches, especially coming off Donner pass, Couple of places over in Virginia that could make you hump up, 8% grades , I use my jacobs in my little 3500 alot though, but not in inclement weather, Monte

 

[NIsaacs]

Nisaacs, I always turn off my exhaust brake in inclement weather and the beauty of a proportional brake controller is the brake signal comes from hydraulic pressure so my trailer brakes are applied in balance with the truck. If the Semi has its Jake Brake set up in stages then 1st stage only in rain.

Yes, your brake contoller is a dandy but on a big truck the air is about 60 trailer/40 truck so you have an imbalance and in certain conditions you must use the jake to help. Since even a true Jake will retard less than the what your HP will pull, you can usually use it if you are careful. I will always use it if I can and you can usually tell just by the "feel" of everything around you, if it's possible.



Nick

 

[NIsaacs]

Company i drove for, wouldn't allow jake brakes, so you had to drive by the seat of your britches, especially coming off Donner pass, Couple of places over in Virginia that could make you hump up, 8% grades , I use my jakcobs in my little 3500 alot though, but not in inclement weather, Monte

Yes, if you don't have one you have no choice:-laf I hauled logs off the mountain near Phillipsburg, MT. with an old '63 Pete that didn't have one. It would require 1st and under all the way down and you still needed a little brake.



Nick

 

[RVTRKN]

NIsaacs, I know there is a difference between the two different systems, I was just pointing out the advantage of the proportional controllers over the motion sensing type. The reference to the Jake is an example of being able to use the Jake in inclement weather, but not on our CTD's, they should be off.

 

[NIsaacs]

but not on our CTD's, they should be off.

I disagree but thats cool if you do. There is no way the exhaust brake will cause traction loss at highway speed in rain or snow loaded or empty. At lower speed in lower gears, in snow or ice, than yes it can but thats what 4x4 is for, why save it. In rain the slower you go the better the traction so use the exhaust brake. There are times when you can't use it but it is rare.



Nick

 

[RVTRKN]

I'll concede your point about in the rain, except when near freezing and crossing bridges, but in the Snow or freezing temps, no way will my EB be on. Everyone has their own ways, but when driving in snow or freezing temps, my EB will be off. I respect all opinions and can learn from them if you have an open mind. I have driven in white out blizzards, on solid sheet ice, downpours you couldn't even see your Hood let alone the road, I hit Fog so suddenly at 75 MPH that you could't see the road. I can say my Over the Road trucking was short lived, but it was during the winter in the NW, and the experiences I have learned over the 40 years of driving helped me through it. I can respect your opinion when it comes to Trucking and OTR trucking, but my EB will be off in snow. No disrespect intended NIsaacs.