Best exhaust brake for 2003?

[BillGotthelf]

Anyone have any comments on exhaust brakes for their 2003. I ordered a 6 speed just for using a brake. I need something simple.

 

[Casey Balvert]

I really like my Jacobs brake. The kit is high quality and the instructions are very well written and illustrated. One of the main reasons I went with the Jacobs is the warrantee in the event of engine damage, however unlikely that might be. If it damages the engine, DC fixes it and the brake. The others require proof that the brake caused the damage and they will stand by you through the arbitration process. Check the warrantee statements before you commit. However that is my personal opinion and I am sure that the others such as Pacbrake, Banks or BD will do that job for you.



Casey

 

[Dean Upson]

I would say the same as Casey. My Jacobs brake has been on for a couple of weeks and I really like it. I had one on my 98. 5 and never had a bit of trouble with it. The vacuum pump doesn't look like an add on (nor does the rest of the installation). Everything looks like it belongs there. I think Jacobs makes a good product, but that's just my opinion.



Dean

 

[Fireman]

RED

 

[ntenna]

Likewise.



The Jacobs brake pluses: fit, ECM compatibility, quality and waranty.



Works with cruise control, can stay engaged full-time.





The minuses: slight engage delay to allow for shifting. Does not disengage with clutch down. Price (depending on where and how you buy it).



I have not found the delay to be a big deal. It releases instantly on acceleration, so the clutch is not a big deal either.

 

[Casey Balvert]

Originally posted by Fireman

RED

ROFLMAO Oo.

 

[SilverFox]

I have the Jacobs brake on order or at least the dealer told me I would get the third one that came in. However, I've looked over all the exhaust brakes and like the BD because it produces maximum braking at 2200 RPM. The Jacobs requires 2900 RPM to reach maximum braking. If I'm going down a 6 or 7 mile hill I'd rather have my engine turning 2200 RPM than 2900 RPM. What am I missing here? Is it something in the way it works that makes the BD undesirable? I know it uses an electric compressor rather than a vacuum pump. Would some of you guys tell me where my thinking is wrong on this.



Oh yes, I ask my dealer if the BD brake would void my warranty and he said "only if the BD brake caused the problem".



Hank

 

[phassing]

How about spelling out the abrevaiitions. Example RED - what does that mean? Sorry to be dense but not clear.

 

[Dean Upson]

Silver Fox,

My thoughts on the Jacobs brake were that it was designed by Cummins and carries the warantee by Dodge/Cummins.

It stands to reason that the more rpm's you are turning, the more effect any brake would have. The "Driving Instructions" that came with my Jacobs brake state:



"Driving with the Jacobs Exhaust Brake



To obtain the optimum braking performance from the

Jacobs Exhaust Brake, it is necdessary to keep the engine RPM as high as possible, But NOT TO EXCEED 3200 RPM.



Select a gear that will cause the engine to operate as near to 3200 RPM as driving condidtions permit".



The exhaust brake is engaged whenever the switch is activated and your foot is off the accelerator pedal. This is true no mater what your RPM is. The more rpm you are turning, i. e. lower gear, the more effective the brake will be. I cannot see how the physics of the brake's operation would differ between manufacturers. I belive the principal is the same. I cannot believe that the effectiveness of the brake would differ at 2200 rpm with a brake from any of the manufacturers. You are blocking the exhaust at a certain rpm and that is what slows you down. The vacuum or compressor or hydraulic or electric or whatever just activates the brake. It is simply the energy used to perform that task.



I just wonder how long it would take in litigation to see what caused the problem. I suspect that DC would have quite a lengthy sermon on that.



Dean

 

[SilverFox]

Dean,



This is the way the BD web site explains the effectiveness of the BD exhaust brake. The BD exhaust brake uses "variable orifice technology" to control braking at the lower RPM. I think it works something like this.



The BD exhaust brake's butterfly valve closes when the brake is activated and remains closed until the exhaust pressure is at a preset maximum. Since there is no hole in the butterfly valve the max pressure comes at 2200 RPM. When RPM goes beyond 2200 RPM the butterfly valve begins to open so as to not exceed the back pressure limit. The way the Jacobs exhaust brake works, as I understand it, is it has a 5/8 inch hole drilled in the butterfly allowing exhaust to escape throughout the braking process. That's why the RPM must be higher with the Jacobs brake to achieve the same braking.



As far as warranty work goes, I don't think my dealer will give me any trouble unless the BD brake is truly at fault. I know if you order an ISB engine in a Medium Duty Truck Cummins has no issue with the use of a BD brake or a PAC brake as far as warranty is concerned. Also according to the BD web site, it was the first company to offer an exhaust brake for the ISB engine as installed in the Dodge.



I'm still not sure which brake I'll end up with. My truck should be here today but the dealer hasn't called yet. It's been in Dallas at the rail car unload point since last Thursday.



Hank

 

[Dean Upson]

I just looked at the bd site and a couple of things stuck out.



1. They said that the warranty on the Jacobs brake was for 2 years thru Cummins only. It is a 3 year 100,000 mile warranty made by Cummins and Mopar.



2. As I read on the comparison, they say that their design allows the highest pressure possible at 1800-2300 rpm. That does not mean that they get the highest braking at that rpm, only that they get the highest possible pressure at that rpm because of their variable oriface design. They still would require more rpm to achieve more braking effect, the higher the rpm the more braking effect, regardless of design.



I certainly cannot argue the engineering, but variable oriface means more moving parts to me.



I'll bet that if we tried out a new Dodge with either brake, we couldn't tell the difference, they both must be pretty good or they wouldn't be in business for as long as they both have been. I think the warranty on the Jacobs unit, backed by Cummins/Mopar is worth considering. That was the real selling point for me.



Dean

 

[SilverFox]

Well I called BD. Would have liked to talk to Blair but he is on vacation for the next two weeks. The chap I talked to must have been having a very bad day. He was short, in a heck of a hurry, and I never did get a definitive answer out of him. What he kept saying was at between 1800 and 2200 RPM you get 100% braking. I kept saying so at 3000 RPM you want get any more braking. He never would say that's right or yes but would answer with the question, how can you get more than 100%.



Dean the 100 RPM difference in your post and my previous post is because there is a difference on the BD web site. In one place the web site says 1800-2300 RPM and in another place, when they are talking about the 2003 model, the web site says 1800-2200 RPM. That 100 RPM is insignificant anyway.



The difference in warranty doesn't mean that much to me since I figure if it last 2 years it'll probably last 3 years. I know I won't put 100000 miles on my truck in 3 years so the mileage is not an issue.



One other thing I don't like about the Jacobs is that the vacuum pump runs all the time. That has to put wear on the fan belt and rob you of some HP. I can't help but feel that is not as good as an electric compressor.



I think both units have advantages and disadvantages and in the end I'll probably go for the Jacobs. It's definitely the most popular.



My truck didn't come today, maybe tomorrow...



Hank

 

[Dean Upson]

Hank,



Waiting for the truck is much worse than trying to make up your mind about the ebrake . Good luck with your new truck .



Dean

 

[yogibear]

I started with a Pacbrake on my 00, then had to go to BD's 4" remote when I went to the B-1 Bomber turbo, have the Jacobs on my 03 now, by the seat of pants, can't tell any diff. , they all worked good. The 2 sec. delay is a little hard to get used to. When I went from Pac. to BD didn't change foot pedal micro switch or vac. actuator switch, as they were both same.



Larry

 

[jelag]

There is some miss information listed above please let me try and clarify... .....



1 - all brakes which have the same back pressure at the same RPM have the same retarding HP... ... This is a physic's formula. The real test is to put a pressure gauge in your brake on your engine on a dyno and test it... ..... at installation we test all brakes with a guage before delivery to the customer...



2 - some brakes like the PacBrake are dyno tested and preset for maximum retarding HP based on specifications from DC and Cummins... ... Changing this setting by changing the butterfly in the valve can effect the operation of the exhaust valve springs and cause the exhaust valves to open at the wrong time... ... (the piston strikes the valve) I don't know of an exhaust brake manufacture who exceeds Cummins specifications..... so if one vendor states his builds more back pressure, etc etc go to 1 above.....



3 - since the PacBrake and the Jacobs get their signals from the same computer in the same fashion they are going to work the same... . I haven't looked at the wiring of the BD or other brakes to know..... but if we see them connect to the ECM and don't use other circuits in their equipment to control their brake its all hype. .



4 - the early trucks had a 3 second delay before the computer turned on the brake..... so with the brake engaged you could shift the truck with your foot off the fuel pedal and the brake wouldn't come on..... this delay has been removed on the 03's... . This delay was a program feature of the ECM..... PacBrake has chosen to install a clutch switch to interupt the brake at the time of shifting for those of you that shift faster than the system can react.....



5 - I'm aware of only PacBrake that builds 100% of thier exhaust brakes in house, others farm out the machining of the casting and butterfly, the 2 most important parts..... I'm aware of only PacBrake and Jacobs that have several full time engineers. I'm aware of only PacBrake and Jacobs that build a complete line of exhaust brakes and engine brakes world wide... .



6 - I'm sure that either Carlton Bales, or myself would be happy to answer any questions you might have.....



Have a great day... ...



Jim

 

[SilverFox]

Jim,



Thank you for your very informative post.



Hank