E-Brake damage Trans?

[RottnDogue]

Will putting an E-Brake on a 12V Auto with a stock transmission cause any trouble with the transmission?



Darren

 

[Archive]

It may. Your question is best directed to someone like DTT and BD and several others.



About a year ago, Dodge had Cummins offer to buy back all e brakes sold to Rams with automatics. Dodge said it was due to the problems they caused with the transmission.

 

[ARARAR]

e-brake

It' not the transmission you should worry about but the valve springs. That's why the newer models have 60lb valve springs, to handle the load of the backpressure produced by the e-brake.

 

[DRR-24V]

Mark Chapple on the TST site says you need at least to install a lockup switch to keep trans temps down when using the Ex. Brake.

 

[Archive]

I am sure there is a way to use them with the 30lb valve springs... you just have to buy the appropriate brake. PacBrake makes one. (or at least they did!)

 

[JohnE]

An automatic needs 2 things during engine breaking, a lockup on the TC clutch and enhanced pressure on the clutch packs. Torque converter rotors & stators are meant to apply power from the engine to transmission,. Low throttle position will drop clutch pack levels to idle or nearly nonexistant levels on a stock trany. Changing to 60# springs does give you greater engine braking. Running the backpressure too high will float springs, in any engine. <small>Ever read the fine print on Pacbrake? The highest engine braking is from a 12v with 60# springs. </font>



Bill, You can slap me if anything is offbase.



I've been debating the engine brake myself. Not enough hills around here to consider. The biggest problem is idiots that ignore stop/yield signs.



Cheers;



John

97, 2500, auto

<font size=1> I am not an employee of nor affiliated with DTT, BD, or Pacbrake. </font>

 

[EMDDIESEL]

I too have heard you need a TQ lockup switch to use an E brake on an Auto. But i also heard, no matter what, unless you upgrade the TQ and Valve body, you are going to shorten your transmission life considerably. I am waiting till i can buy a DTT setup before i get my E brake.

 

[Joe G.]

I was thinking about upgrading my PacBrake to 60 lb version and installing 60 lb valve springs. I changed my mind. The 35 lb brake works fine and doesn't put the load on the trans that the 60 lb version does.

 

[dewdo]

On a 94 Ram 2500 I had a U. S. Gear "decelerator installed and did not have a lock up or a transmission temp gauge. Went through two tranmission replacements and twice I had to replace all the fluid that came out past the plastic connector that connected to the cooler when the heat softened it.



I am a firm believer in Exhaust brakes since I do a lot of mountain driving here in the Northwest, but on my current truck I had the BD brake and the auto-loc installed and a transmission temp gauge. I also have the DTT valve body and TC installed. Keeping the transmission temp down is the most important thing to a prolonged life of your transmission.



Dewdo in the other Washington

 

[Loren]

Dewdo,



I can't believe that someone else has had exactly the same problem. I had my transmission overheat going downhill with the exhaust brake engaged. The plastic connectors let go, and I was stuck beside the road with a big fifth-wheel trailer. It happened twice on the same trip.



When we got home, I saw Mark at TST Products and got a torque converter lockup switch installed. I think that this is the MINIMUM that must be done to use an exhaust brake with an automatic. A better torque converter and valve body are both good ideas.



By the way. My transmission was rebuilt with only about 75,000 miles on the truck.



Loren

 

[dewdo]

Loren:

I think if you took a poll of the people that do any towing with a vehicle that has that plastic connector in it, and an exhaust brake you would find probably 80% have lost all their ATF at one time or the other. I never lost the transmission going up the grades, it was always when I started the descent that I lost the fluids.



In my case the two times I totaly lost the transmission I had to have the truck and the 35' fiver towed 55 miles. Then I had to sit for 10 days in Eureka, CA. while they replaced it. The other time was coming down Emigrant Pass (Deadmans Pass) in Or. Spent another ten day in Hermiston OR. waiting for a replacement to arrive. Not an exciting place to be stranded.



Dewdo in other other Washington

 

[Joe G.]

The plastic fitting connectors are a time bomb just waiting to blow away the transmission. Mine started leaking real bad once in NV (I was not towing) and it took a case of fluid to get me back to Eureka. It happened on a Sunday naturally. I replaced the plastic fittings with compression fittings and have had no trouble since. The fittings were the cause of a safety recall for the gassers but NOT for the diesels. If you have these fittings and don't replace them then expect expensive trouble!!!

 

[Dkevdog]

I recently Spoke to BK about this..

FYI- I spoke with Bill K about this before having my upgrades done, as we do a fair amount of mountain camping/driving and was concerned about the 8000lb 5er. He told me you DO need a TC lockup "mystery" switch, upgrade TC/VB and even then- he reccommends minimal use. He said it will shorten the life of the transmission if used (too) much. Don't know about the valve springs, but it makes sense. .



Kev

 

[Extreme1]

Upgrade the lines!!

The latest upgrade from DC gets rid of all the plastic crap masqurading as a hydraulic connector.



You need to lock the TC and increase line pressure to hold it. You need the valve springs to increase braking power in certain applications.



Bill K has a trans controler that sounds like the way to go to control TC lock up. For a cheaper version (manual switch) at least add a throttle switch to the circuit so if you do forget to turn it off you won't wreck the TC when you stop.