Banks brake?? Where's the beef??

[PRout]

Originally posted by LarryB

ShortShift



I don't see any exhaust mods in your sig. Are you running stock pipe? Maybe that's why. How high a back pressure are you running on your brake? I have mine set at 45psi and it works good in the taller gears and great in the short gears.

Larry,

Youre right. My exhaust is all stock. Also, set the pressure per the instructions (25psi @ idle - if I remember correctly). Dont know what it is revved up.

 

[PRout]

Also, at 25 psi idle, it has good slowing power in the lower gears, but wish it had a little more in the taller gears, but waaaay better than without having one.



Now, Im kinda wondering why mine doesnt hiss. Maybe my cheapo pressure gauge is junk, & its closed off more than i think? It did take some adjustment to get it to 25.

 

[BFaoro]

haha

Rusty, I beleive that it would be a whole lot more than a whistle if my Exhaust was blocked. :{ Oh sorry were talking about our trucks ... right ? My Pacbrake whistles at idle, but it sure slows down the ol 20' gooseneck stock trailer. I would not want to haul with out it !! The Rockies get a little steep at times !

 

[LarryB]

Rusty

I had something blocking my exhaust once, it wasn't no butterfly!







Shortshift

A well known highly respected diesel expert on this site advised me that since I have the 60lb valve springs I can tighten up the brake to about 45psi to help it work better. He was right.



You wrote>>

>>Now, Im kinda wondering why mine doesnt hiss. Maybe my cheapo pressure gauge is junk, & its closed off more than i think? It did take some adjustment to get it to 25. <<



You may not have it closed enough. Your gauge may be reading high and it is not building enough pressure. This would explain the poor breaking and lack of hiss.



I have 12volt solenoid that switches the 60lb boost gauge feed from the manifold to the exhaust backpressure port on my brake. When the Brake is triggered by the throttle switch it also energizes the solenoid switching the gauge from boost to backpressure. I can check the backpressure anytime the brake is on and don't need another gauge. works slick. I am in the process of adding another solenoid to switch the same boost gauge to check the fuel pressure with the press of a button.



FWIW

 

[cswanger]

i put the jacob brake on my 2001. 5 and a shift switcher from BD, wouldnt have it any other way.

 

[bschmidt]

Well it all seems clear to me now! All Exhaust Brakes sound like pooh, whether they have a hole in the butterfly (Banks & Jacobs) or not (Pac and BD)... With that said I feel a whole lot lighter, but maybe that has to do with removing all that backpressure from MY exhaust!!!!!! Therefore I'm glad I spent the extra money for the Banks and Touch Tec VI switch controls... I wouldn't have it any other way either!!!!

-Brandon... . now if I could just stop the rotation??

 

[rmknizner]

When you guys are talking about the sound of your exhaust brake, don't confuse what we put on our trucks with what the OTR trucks call a Jake Brake. A Jake brake is an ENGINE brake, not an exhaust brake. Go to the Jacobs web site for a good description of how these brakes work.



Unfortunately, our exhaust brakes will never let out the manly BBBRRRRAAAA sound of Jake Brakes on the big rigs. OH WELL... .





Bob

 

[bschmidt]

O Yeah! Thanks for pointing that out!

 

[Reddog1]

I would hope the guys would not be to embarrassed to comment on any product. Learning from the experience from others is the main reason I became a TDR Member.



Guess my hearing is on its way out. I thought my exhaust brake only worked in the winter. I would hear BBBRRRRAAAA, thought it was the brake, was just the wife, I leave her window down to hear the turbo.



“brake hisses @ idle but work's *****en @ hi r. p. m. ”, what am I missing? I haven’t used my exhaust brake when I am stopped.



I bought my Ram after it was broke in. It had an exhaust brake. The brake sounds ok, but I don’t know if it works. With a stock TC how could it work? Was the original owner ripped off or am I to ignorant on exhaust brakes to use it?







Wayne

 

[PRout]

Originally posted by LarryB





I have 12volt solenoid that switches the 60lb boost gauge feed from the manifold to the exhaust backpressure port on my brake. When the Brake is triggered by the throttle switch it also energizes the solenoid switching the gauge from boost to backpressure. I can check the backpressure anytime the brake is on and don't need another gauge. works slick. I am in the process of adding another solenoid to switch the same boost gauge to check the fuel pressure with the press of a button.



FWIW

Oh Man! That's the ticket! Great idea!



Yea, would much rather see the pressure while its under a load. 45 sounds about right.



I've gotta do that. Now to find a solenoid that'll do the job. Thanks Larry!

 

[carson6]

below freezing

REDDOG1... My pac brake hisses @ idle, I use it to warm the engin quicker and to slow the rig!

 

[Pat@BD]

banks brake

All anyone has to do is check out the rpm that the banks chart starts at. Then look at the rpm where the peak braking performance is, then ask yourself how often am I braking at that kind of rpm??? Just a few things to think about. :--)

 

[Reddog1]

Carson6,



I will have to try using the brake to warm the engine. Lately, it has been about 25 degrees here in the AM. I will also check out the hiss.



I bought my Ram after it was broke in. It had an exhaust brake. The brake sounds ok, but I don’t know if it works. With a stock TC how could it work? Was the original owner ripped off or am I to ignorant on exhaust brakes to use it?





Wayne

 

[carson6]

down hill warm up!

reddog1... . I live on a hill here in big bear ,when I Leave in the mourning I start my truck in neutral and turn on the brake after 30 sec. then I drop it in gear and idle a half mile down hill in 2nd. (no lockup). buy the time i get to the bottom i have a head start on the warm up time!

 

[bschmidt]

WARM UPS



I installed an auto-start capable alarm on my truck... so about ten minutes before I'm ready to leave I start the truck from my kitchen window, and once she's running I turn on the E-brake (I made it the accesory button on my alarm remote)... this helps somewhat with my warm up time, but I especially love those still mornings when I first step outside and I smell that wonderful aroma!!!



-Brandon



Just can't leave it in gear, otherwise bye-bye!!:{

 

[LarryB]

Originally posted by bschmidt

WARM UPS







Just can't leave it in gear, otherwise bye-bye!!:{

Isn't there a neutral switch in there somewhere that can be tied in somehow?

 

[bschmidt]

Larry,



Actually there isn't on this particular DEI model... and I'm not sure of any with a neutral switch... DEI is usually the leader in alarms so that is an interesting option. It does have a emergency brake safety but I didn't bother tieing that in... I enjoy electronics but alarms are just too tedious.



-Brandon

 

[Reddog1]

Carson6,



I used the brake to warm the engine today. It was about 45 degrees in the AM, so I can’t say if it helped or not. My driveway is about 850 feet uphill. With the brake on, it is idle only (no up hill). The engine thinks a potato is in the exhaust.



I checked the sound going down a steep grade. It sounds like a muffled Jake Brake , with no hiss. If the brake slowed the truck, I could not tell from the seat of my pants.



This brings me back to my first statement and question:



I bought my Ram after it was broke in (pre-owned). It had the exhaust brake. The brake sounds ok, but I don’t know if it works. With a stock TC how could it work? Was the original owner ripped off or am I to ignorant on exhaust brakes to use it?





Wayne

 

[LarryB]

bschmidt



Ah, I see. Scary thought though, having it start in gear. These things have so much torque they will do a lot af damage even at idle. The governor will actually open the throttle if the revs drop below set idle RPM giving it enough power to go through a house. That'd be a bummer! I have scared the snot out of myself starting in gear before. As easy as this engine starts, it's off and running before you know what happened, even at 10,000lbs. In my conversion I have no clutch lockout so must be extra vigilent. I've almost cleared out the garage door a couple of times.

 

[LarryB]

Originally posted by Reddog1

Carson6,



With a stock TC how could it work? Was the original owner ripped off or am I to ignorant on exhaust brakes to use it?

Wayne

My understanding is to make it work you need somekind of switch to hold the converter locked going down hill. I think there are a bunch of different ways to accomplish this. Some homebrew, some commercially available. I have heard people mention "Mystery switch" before for doing this. Does your have any mysterious switches anywhere?



I,m a gear shifter type guy so I'm just relaying what I have read. None of those "car" transmissions for me!