Cross country towing - Exhaust brake

[JKao]

We will be relocating from Boston to Phoenix later this fall and I'm wondering if I would need an exhaust brake. I will be towing a 16ft 7000lb cargo trailer with electric brakes loaded to the max likely traveling on I80, I70, I44, I40 and I17. There are likely some hills on these highways but I don't think my load will be heavy enough to justify spending at least $1k for the brake kit. What do you guys think?

 

[McLaughlin]

I don't know if it would be justified for just the trip or not but if you aren't planning on getting rid of your truck when you get to Phoenix then you would continue to get benefits from it for a good while. The route you take to get there will have some impact but if you don't go through Colorado and take 40 accross the worst hill I know of will be between Flagstaff and Pheonix. There is a pretty long steep downhill section that can be tough on the brakes. Personally, given the option I'd rather tow with an exhaust brake then without one.

 

[RColston]

Get one, and love it!!!

 

[klenger]

I wouldn't get one just for the trip out here, but if you plan to tow heavy on a regular basis once you are here, then it would be worth it. Enjoy AZ. You are coming at the best time of the year.

 

[jelag]

I agree with Klenger..... If is just one trip... . and all you'll ever tow is under 7,000 lbs the truck and trailer brakes will do it just fine..... The key to an exhaust brake is the extended life of your brake shoes and the extra comfort of knowing you have service brakes to spare on those long down hill grades with heavy loads.....



Hope that helps... .

 

[Red360]

Exhaust Brake

I have one for sale if interested. Everything is posted on the classified board.

 

[WStephens]

I pulled a 26' trailer with a curb weight less than 5K and found out that I needed more breaking power when I came out the west end of the Eiesonhower tunnel on I-70 in Colorado. I have been driving in the mountains most of my like and I learned real fast that I need to drop at least two gears to control the speed coming down.

 

[damar]

The only really really bad section you will run into is when you turn south on I17. I've smoked the brakes on an 18 wheeler without a jake a couple of times on I17. It's also a realy hard climb up out of Camp Verde. I've seen 18 wheelers down to 20-25 MPH climbing the hill. You might consider taking I27 south at Amarillo, Tx to Hwy 60 west, then at Clovis, NM pick up Hwy 70 and take it to I10 and then come in to Phoenix from the south. It's 4 lane all the way from Amarillo. I take it to Omaha, Ne all the time, leaving this Saturday. The only downhill you will have is at the Organ Mountains Pass just east of Las Cruces, NM. I've gone down it many times at least a dozen times without a jake with my 34 ft travel trailer, CGVW just over 16K. I lock my auto in 3rd and have never have a problem. As you can see, I don't have 4 wheel disk brakes. Running Streets & Trips, it only adds 38 miles to the trip. At least you have a choice.

 

[steved]

I wouldn't get one just for the trip out here, but if you plan to tow heavy on a regular basis once you are here, then it would be worth it. Enjoy AZ. You are coming at the best time of the year.

I agree... I have towed almost that same route towing over 8k with my 99 215HP CTD slushbox and didn't find anyplace along that route that I found the need for a extra brake...



steved

 

[Bob Cochran]

Nope don't need it for the one trip and so little weight. Just slow down before starting down the grade and be sure to start down in a lower gear. Should be no problem. I tow 14,000# 5er all over and would not be without my exhaust brake but for your situation I would not put out the $'s to get one.

 

[BHaden]

We will be relocating from Boston to Phoenix later this fall and I'm wondering if I would need an exhaust brake. I will be towing a 16ft 7000lb cargo trailer with electric brakes loaded to the max likely traveling on I80, I70, I44, I40 and I17.

I've travelled that same route from San Diego to Flagstaff and back both empty and with a 5-6000 trailer 6 or seven times with my 06. Retirement home in Flag that our daughter is renting for the moment. One nice thing about it (not sure about your 04) is the interaction with the cruise control. Just set your downhill speed, select the right gear and steer. The cruise and the e-brake will keep you constant all the way down with out you having to constantly play with the pedals and/or shift. I also use it all the time around town in San Diego for commuting or whatever. Once you get the timing down, you can slow down on off ramps, stop lights, slowing traffic, without touching the brake pedal. It does make a large difference in service brake use and just makes driving nicer. It's probably on 70-80% of the time. I love it, towing or not.



Personal story about that route. The others are right about the grade in and out of Camp Verde; it's really nasty, being long and pretty steep going into the town and REALLY steep climbing out (southbound). The town is right at the bottom between the 2 hills.

I had my new 06 CTD on order, but was still driving my 03 QC 4. 7 gasser, empty on that trip except for some stuff inside the camper shell. Going up the southbound hill I always needed to select 3rd gear in the 5-45rfe to hold 60-65 or so and watch my gas pedal pressure like a hawk or it would go to second and give me about 4500 rpm. That trip I looked in my right side mirror and saw an 05 QC long bed dually pulling about a 30 foot bumper pull car hauler that looked to be loaded. He matched my speed all the way to the top and didn't appear to be working hard at it!! Now I can do that too!! Oo.



You need to find a way to just stop when you get to Flagstaff. WAY nicer scenery and about 25 degrees cooler in the summer than Phoenix!

 

[jnelson]

Tell your wife or girlfriend you need one and enjoy!!! (although you really dont)

 

[MRiley]

You don't "need" one. I live in Flagstaff and like the ouhers have said I-17 has some real nasty sections. I travel it all the time for work and tow my 5er (about 12000 lbs) down it often as well. I do not have an exhaust brake. I would like one and intend on getting one when funds allow. That being said go slow and pay attention to the signs. When you see 6% down hill next X miles large trucks use lower gears take it seriously. If you gear down and slow down befor you hit the grade you will not have to put too much on the brakes.

 

[Ragain]

In '02 I went down that hill ,without jakes,pulling 20,000# without trailer brakes! I started @ the top doing 25mph and just had to occasionally apply light brake pressure. Kinda nerve racking though. The worst trip I had was going down Pipestone Pass, Montana with 28,000# & no trailer brakes. Luckily I had Jakes then, but still started down doing only 10mph on the shoulder & never had to touch the brakes! *WHEW*

Anyways..... one trip w/ 7,000# to PHX? Use the money to buy a nice gift for family!

 

[JWChessell]

Between Feb. '06 and March '07 I towed a 16' dbl-axle enclosed cargo trlr -- GVRW 8,000 lbs -- 22,000 miles between so. California and NW Washington State. The route was always on I-5, with mountains in the California "Grapevine," between LA and Bakersfield, and the Siskiyou Mtns, stretching on both sides of the California/Oregon border. Both have long 6% downgrades. My truck is an '03 HO QC LB SRW, auto trans & 3. 73 rear end; NO exhaust brake.



I generally towed at about 61 MPH, and had NO problems. I now have 84,000 miles on the truck; at a recent service the brakes were inspected and the tech said I still had around 40% on the fronts, and about 60% on the rears. IMO, you don't need an exhaust brake.

 

[Desperado]

You don't need one, but if you have one, you will love it.