06 Jake Brake Install Question

[JimBob24]

Hello all. My question pertains to the installation of a Jacobs exhaust brake on an 06 with auto transmission.



I just installed the Jacobs brake and everything works great! However, I am not real excited about the supplied stalk swith which is attached to the shift lever. I would like to install an in-dash switch instead.



Looking at the wiring diagram (p. 25 in install manual) it looks like the switch is a DPST switch and one side of it is just the LED indicator light. It looks like the red wire from the stalk switch, which taps onto the grey 12v switched wire at the TIPM just supplies power to the LED. The yellow wire from the switch apparently grounds the yellow wire going to pin B39 on the ECM, enabling the ECM to control the vacuum solenoid. I did a test by disconnecting the black ground wire from the stalk switch and the exhaust brake still operated correctly but the LED did not come on (which you really can't see very well anyway).



So, it appears that I just need to use a switch for green and yellow wires to control the exhaust brake. It looks like the red and black wires only supply power to the LED indicator and I could use them for a separate LED if I wanted.



Anyone have any thoughts or have changed to a different type of switch?



Thanks for any suggestions.



Jim



BTW, a DIY install is a little challenging but well worth the money saved. It took me about 5 hours for a first time job. You DO NEED someone to help you when you install brake unit itself. Someone has to move the exhaust pipe around while you line up everything and install the clamps. Removing and installing the serpentine belt was about the most difficult part for me.

 

[ENafziger]

There was a thread on here maybe 3 or 4 weeks ago about some people trying to convert to an in-dash switch. Apparently, the '07 model trucks have the switchin the dash. You can order this switch, and the bezel to mount it fairly cheaply, but the wiring won't work with previous year models.



Sorry I can't help you out more, but maybe searching around you can find the thread. Someone bought the '07 bezel, and then used a square switch from radio shack. Someone else actually mounted the stalk switch in the dash. Mine's still laying in the floor until I get around to figuring something out! --Eric

 

[TowPro]

I had the same switch, but mounted on my shifter (6 speed). The rattle drove me crazy so I took the switch out of the plastic mount and installed it in the console.
I think your console is different so where I put mine don't matter.
I just drilled 2 holes, one for the switch, a smaller one for the LED. I took the nut off a radio shack switch and it was the same threads as the Cummins switch. Works great!

 

[JimBob24]

Thanks for the replies. I have the 07 bezel and was planning to put a switch in it.

TowPro - when you took the switch out of the plastic mount, was there just two poles on the switch? I could just use a standard rocker switch and mount the LED separately like you did.

 

[ScottLewis]

I bought the '07 switch and bezel and I'm going to make it work, eventually. In the interim, I installed a dpdt rocker from Radio Shack in the '06 bezel between the seat heater switches. I tried the stalk switch in the same location but to my eye it was ugly. I used the DPDT since I wanted an indicator lamp which I installed next to the switch. Here's a picture:





__________________

 

[JimBob24]

Danavilla - That looks like what I had in mind. I saw your other posts about using the 07 factory switch (which I also bought and have been working on) and have been experimenting with a latch circuit using a 4013 IC to power a small relay. Until then I will probably do what you did. Thanks for the picture.



Jim

 

[JHenry]

I have an '06 with 6 speed. Where I live, in Idaho, there are enough hilly conditions that I leave the Jake on all the time, whether I am towing or not. About the only time I turn it off is if I am on the open road somewhere at higher speeds and don't want it slowing me down when I back off on the fuel. The location of the shifter would not really matter to me, as I don't use the switch a lot anyway. Maybe you will find that true, also.

 

[ScottLewis]

Since my last post, I've put about 5K miles on it, mostly towing. The DPDT switch has performed perfectly although I haven't turned it off much at all. I'll be home next week and will be working on the '07 switch and bezel install. I plan to use a 555 timer and relay to make a latch circuit. We'll see how that works.



Ddan

 

[JimBob24]

I just built a circuit using a CD4013 IC flip-flop latch. I use it to trigger a 5A DPDT relay. It works very well with the factory push-button switch. The LED and panel light in the switch work like they should. The factory switch schematic shows an internal ballast resistor with the LED, but it is probably for a 5V computer voltage. With 12V the LED was very bright so I added a 2. 2K resistor inline, which made it look normal.



The only problem with my setup is that on power-up the IC can randomly latch or not. I want it to be off on power-up. I think there is a cure for that and I am working on it. I am also experimenting with a 555 circuit as well as a transistor only switch.



The 555 has the advantage of having an output of 200mA or more which will drive a small relay directly (30-60mA). The CD4013 only puts out about 5mA and needs a transistor or MOSFET after the output to drive a relay.



Keep us posted on your progress and we can compare notes.

 

[nps]

My 2nd gen Jake brake came with a dash switch. I put a push-pull switch on the shifter. I figured my 3rd gen shifter stalk switch was an upgrade - why have to lean into it to turn the switch on and off?

 

[JimBob24]

My 2nd gen Jake brake came with a dash switch. I put a push-pull switch on the shifter. I figured my 3rd gen shifter stalk switch was an upgrade - why have to lean into it to turn the switch on and off?

Mostly a matter of personal preference. I also had the stalk switch that came with my Jake mounted on the shifter. I think it is a little unsightly. I really don't have to lean to reach the '07 in-dash switch, and I can see the LED indicator light on it easier than the one on the stalk switch.

It just looks neater to me. Besides, it was a challenge ... I needed a project to work on!



I think the stalk switch was originally designed for a manual floor shifter since the Jake brake was not approved for autos until '06. They just added some bushings to adapt it to a column shifter. The '07 in-dash switch came after the stalk switch, so it looks like that would be the upgrade.

 

[jelag]

Its my suggestion that you do not use a lighted switch for the exhaust brake... . or at least one that uses the circuit of the brake switch itself to turn on the light...

The ECM is looking for a ground at one of the terminals that you connect into... . that when that ground is made, the ECM knows that you want the brake to work and when all the conditions have been met the ECM turns on the brake... .

The other connection to the ECM is the ground to the relay that turns on the brake... . one side of the relay is supplied 12V to the coil of the relay and when conditions are right for the brake to come on, the ECM grounds the connection from the relay and the brake functions.....

Feedback from a lighted switch might do some damage to the ECM as we don't know the voltage that is being used to trigger the ground... .

Hope this helps. .

 

[RDecker]

Here is the latching system I used for my 07 Jake brake switch. The yellow wire goes to pin B39, blue to dash lights, black harness ground, and red to harness power. The black shrink on the plug is a resistor to lower voltage for the led in the switch (Thanks for the reminder Danavilla).

 

[JimBob24]

RDecker, I think you have just kept me from having to re-invent the wheel! I didn't know such an item existed. Looks like the answer. I ordered one to give it a try.



jelag - Thanks for your tip. It looks like if I attach the LED+ to the 12V source from the TIPM and the LED- to the module switched ground it should isolate the LED from the ECM brake circuit.

 

[ENafziger]

Looks like the answer. I ordered one to give it a try.

Sorry for the simple question, but what item did you order? Pac brake interface or a Mopar item? Could you give ordering info if you have it?



Would this work with an '06 truck as well? Thanks! Eric

 

[JimBob24]

It is a PAC TR-7 Universal Trigger Output Module. It is a multi-function electronic device which, among other things, will allow you to use the '07 style pushbutton exhaust brake switch on an '06. You can research it at Authorized dealer info. You can find it relatively cheap on ebay (but the manufacturer has a disclaimer that they will not give tech support or warranty if bought thru ebay). It has both +12V and neg. outputs, so you could use it to switch to ground, like the '06 Jakebrake requires, or you could energize a relay to operate another brand of e-brake.



Thanks to RDecker for his post!

 

[ScottLewis]

Brought this to top to tie it to another related thread.

Dan