De-gunking my Pacbrake...

[mconstable]

Had my truck in for a new clutch, and asked them to look at my intermittently working Pacbrake, they said it was just "gunked" up, and they cleaned it and got it unstuck, it worked for a few days, but now back to not.



Question is, what can I clean it with/where the heck do i need to clean it?



I've heard that any harsh degreasers will do damage?



Thanks!

 

[icman95]

I'm going to start off by saying that I'm not a perfect expert on this situation, but do have some valuable info. I'm sure there will be other opinions.



I drive commercial trucks with the 8. 3l Cummins and Pacbrake exhaust brakes. We have many of them that have exactly the same problems you describe here. For a while, our mechanics did what you said. They took them apart, cleaned them, and put them back together. They worked for a while, then quit again. Some wouldn't engage, some wouldn't disengage. The truck I drive was one that fell victim to this. The owner of my company called the dealership where he bought the trucks and they were of no help. Apparently they had heard the story before and didn't know how to deal with it. There's nothing you can do was the best they could say.



A few years ago I was telling this story here on the TDR when the then warranty manage of Pacbrake (Harold) read the thread and offered his help to my boss. I put them in touch with one another and some interesting things happened. I found out that Harold admitted to my boss that they produced a bad batch of exhaust brakes. They didn't use enough nickle in the metal casting of the exhaust elbow which causes this problem. However, the company, of course, doesn't want the word to get out, lest they have to pay for replacements/repairs. Harold did, however, work out a deal with my boss where he sent us 2 new replacement units and we sent back 2 bad ones so that Pacbrake could examine them in their lab. The two new units worked fine, but then Pacbrake stopped sending us replacements. My boss was happy with the 2 new ones, but unhappy that no more replacements were coming. Harold has since moved on from Pacbrake and I'm told that my boss got nowhere with his replacement. Our shop has disconnected the control wires from the defective Pacbrakes and we simply do without them.



It would be nice to have them, but I guess Pacbrake doesn't want the business or good press that making us whole would have provided.



I'm sure there are guys out there that have found ways to fix theirs, but this is my experience.



Good luck.

 

[Wingate]

Well, after reading that, it sounds like its time to remove it, take it apart, and haul it to a local machine work and see if you can make a marginal product better.

I would have a machine shop check to see if one of the housing bores has pulled out of alignment. (which is what I suspect. )

A good machine shop can remedy this situation by reaming the holes back into alignment if its not off too far. Or it can be fixed by oversizing the bores and then bushing it back down to standard size for the shaft. Finish it off by reaming the bores and its fixed for good.

There are also high temperture bushings that can be purchased and installed that might help... you would just have to disassemble it, talk with a machine shop and see what they have access to and what they reccomend.

 

[icman95]

If it were up to me, I would take the damn things off and replace them with Jacobs brand brakes, but I'm just the driver, not the boss. He's simply washed his hands of it and has moved on with more important things. It's one thing when you have only the one in your pickup to deal with, but when you have a dozen or more bad ones and time is money, other projects take precendent. Oh well, life goes on.

 

[jelag]

The pacbrake unit is blackened the same way a gun barrel is blackened to prevent rust, if you have a lot of soot than your not using the brake all the time... . any of the early units painted blue might give you problems... take them apart and clean them and use the lube mentioned below...

I own several trucks and can tell you we've never had ours off the truck for cleaning... the only way to clean the brake is to remove it from the truck and clean the bushing from the inside making sure you don't remove the butterfly... .

This can't be done from the outside and if you remove the butterfly it won't work correctly as its been factory set for the correct clearance and back pressure... if who ever has touched it in the past has removed the butterfly have it tested with a gauge before extensive use... . there is a 90% chance if the other guys have removed the butterfly it will not work correctly... ...

Once it cleaned a very high temperature silicon lubricant can be used to lubricate it... . all of my trucks, have never been apart nor have we used the lubricant but we use the brakes daily..... any other lubricant will cause the system to degrade and will give you grief at the lubricant you used turns to ash in the bushings... . they really work better dry... .

Icman will learn that the Jacobs unit will do the same as the pacbrake if not used..... he sounds like the rotten apple in the barrel.....

If you have other questions call pacbrake directly, their phone number is on their adds on this web sight... .

25 years of sales and service of this product is where I speak from... I'm guessing I've sold and we've installed more than most of you put together... . but today I'm retired and have closed my business... . BTW we used to a Jacobs dist... and changed something like 25 years ago... .

 

[MMeier]

The pacbrake unit is blackened the same way a gun barrel is blackened to prevent rust, if you have a lot of soot than your not using the brake all the time... . any of the early units painted blue might give you problems... take them apart and clean them and use the lube mentioned below...



I own several trucks and can tell you we've never had ours off the truck for cleaning... the only way to clean the brake is to remove it from the truck and clean the bushing from the inside making sure you don't remove the butterfly... .



This can't be done from the outside and if you remove the butterfly it won't work correctly as its been factory set for the correct clearance and back pressure... if who ever has touched it in the past has removed the butterfly have it tested with a gauge before extensive use... . there is a 90% chance if the other guys have removed the butterfly it will not work correctly... ...



Once it cleaned a very high temperature silicon lubricant can be used to lubricate it... . all of my trucks, have never been apart nor have we used the lubricant but we use the brakes daily..... any other lubricant will cause the system to degrade and will give you grief at the lubricant you used turns to ash in the bushings... . they really work better dry... .



Icman will learn that the Jacobs unit will do the same as the pacbrake if not used..... he sounds like the rotten apple in the barrel.....



If you have other questions call pacbrake directly, their phone number is on their adds on this web sight... .



25 years of sales and service of this product is where I speak from... I'm guessing I've sold and we've installed more than most of you put together... . but today I'm retired and have closed my business... . BTW we used to a Jacobs dist... and changed something like 25 years ago... .

Jim, when did you close up shop ? Your choice, or did the economy make up your mind ? Bit off topic, sorry .

 

[icman95]

Jim,



I would have assumed that the personal attacks should be reserved for the current political ads running across the country, not for a well rounded discussion here. Your wonderful customer service attitude is exactly what caused my boss to stop doing business with the shop that sold us the trucks/Pacbrakes. To blame the user and not the defective part is really off base. We have about 80 trucks in out fleet (give or take) and some have Pacbrakes that have never had a problem but this is a different batch from the ones that do have the problems. They are driven in the same manner as every other truck in the fleet. Every driver who had a problem with their Pacbrakes did use them frequently. I know I used mine every day right up until it refused to disengage right in the middle of the highway. Let's just say that the traffic behind me wasn't too happy about this. I managed to get it off and left it off until it could be looked at.



Many of our drivers had the same experience. To blame the drivers just doesn't fit the truth of the situation. There should be no shame in a manufacturer admitting there was a problem and in correcting it for their customers. This kind of customer service happens all the time with product recalls, warranties, and TSBs. When it does, it renews the customer's faith in the company. It makes the customer feel good because the company is watching out for their customer. In this particular case, Pacbrake was watching out for itself and has caused it to lose a customer. Simply calling Pacbrake as you suggested only helped us when Harold was working there. The current person in the position wanted nothing to do with this.



While lubing it up properly probably helps, it shouldn't need to be done. The Jacobs in my CTD has been in for 9 years 5 months and 2 days without a single failure. Luckily, my truck doesn't need the aftermarket vacuum pump supplied with later Jacobs models as I've heard that these pumps can go. However, even in that case, it isn't the sticking problem we're talking about here.

 

[AH64ID]

I have noticed on my Jake that engagement is slower the more city driving I do. Then after a few miles of some hot EGT's the brake works like new. Soot builds up on them regardless of use when the EGT's are lower, strap a load to it and clean it off.

 

[Motorhead]

25 years of sales and service of this product is where I speak from... I'm guessing I've sold and we've installed more than most of you put together... . but today I'm retired and have closed my business... . BTW we used to a Jacobs dist... and changed something like 25 years ago... .

I tried to get a hold of you SEVERAL times to purchace a Pacbrake and there was NO response. If you are or are not selling the product atleast have the cortesy to reply to us long term members.

 

[mconstable]

Thanks for the info Jim... I got mine from you a few years back, it isn't painted as far as I remember, and before it quit, I used it pretty much all of the time, loaded or not.

I know the guys that put in my clutch just cleaned the outside, so I'm OK as far as the butterfly goes, I'll take it apart before I tow again, clean it good and lube it just in case.

... again, thanks for the info!

 

[mconstable]

Correct me if I'm wrong on this one... I haven't checked the pump by just connecting an air nozzle and hose to it to see if it's even pushing air.
If it's not, then it has to be the compressor or wiring to the compressor, correct?

 

[mconstable]

Hello... Chris, Pacbrake??

 

[Pacbrake]

Hello, this is Chris from Pacbrake technical services. It would be a good idea to check the air system. Without air, the brake will not be able to activate. If the brake isn't used for a long period of time it could stick. This could be part of your problem. If you would like some help troubleshooting your system give me a call at 1(800)663-0096.

 

[mconstable]

Thanks Chris... got your pm, just haven't had time to give you a call with enough time to troubleshoot... your advice is appreciated, I'll give you a shout this week.



Thanks again!

 

[Diesel Gunner]

Jim helped me out with a sticking brake after Pacbrake told me that I would have to replace the unit many years back. He was on the road and told me to call his shop and ask for the lubricant. After just a couple of drops on the actuator shaft and exterior pivots the thing has worked perfectly for ten years. I put a drop or two on it maybe 2x's a year.



I have shared the lube with others and have enough to last for quite a while. By the way, I believe that it is a Pacbrake product.



Thank you, Jim. I would buy from you again if you were still in the business.