Exhaust Brake on an Automatic for towing

[socal_rattler]

I am buying a 25ft Airstream travel trailer to tow behind my CTD. The trailer weighs about 6400lbs. My truck is an automatic and I wanted to get some input from more experienced towers about the desirablity of having an exhaust brake for safety and brake/driveline longevity reasons. I have read articles tho (I think by Bill Kondalay among others) that seem to indicate that exhaust brakes are not a good idea on the automatics.



Will I need one? Has anybody with this setup had problems? Any other insight appreciated.

 

[Joe G.]

The main problem with using an exhaust brake with an automatic is that it is worthless without some modifications made to the torque convertor clutch control. The reason for this is that the TCC lets go shortly after you lift and the engine drops close to idle speed just when you need it for the brake to work. Do a search on this topic and you will find tons of stuff about it. The best thing is to get a Smart Controller from DTT or some other after market vendor.

 

[WMeyers]

I pull a 7300 lb 5th wheel with an automatic without an exhaust brake all over in Oregon Cascades and also through northern Idaho and into Montana and have never felt the need for an exhaust brake. I'm sure I would if I had a bigger heavier 5th wheel however.

 

[socal_rattler]

Thanks... this is the kind of feedback I was looking for.

 

[Crowhurst]

Rattler, you will see from my signature that I have the same rig as you plan to use, 25 ft Airstream plus auto CTD. I chose to fit a BD exhaust brake and Autolock. As stock, the CTD autos unlock the TC just when you need it locked up, such as beginning a steep descent. After nearly 40 years using stick shifts to downshift on descents with a load, I just can't get comfortable with that behaviour, with the consequent total reliance on brakes for slowing down. Okay 'till the brakes fade, or some fault occurs. Just my humble opinion, but I regard that $1000 as well spent, particularly with a truck full of loved ones. Nick.

 

[Joe G.]

I think the risk is too great because of brake fade to tow my trailer without an exhaust brake. I use it all the time even when I'm not towing.

 

[WMeyers]

Crowhurst -- not disagreeing with your experience but in my case I've never had to use the brakes so much that I was anywhere near to worrying about brake fade although I'm sure the road exists somewhere that would make that a possibility. Like socal_ratler I've read the input from Kondalay (as well as Dodge) and that makes me feel that I'd need to spend more than $1000. That is that if I added the exhaust brake and the controller I should also upgrade the valve body and torgue converter and then I THINK I'd be in the $4000 neighborhood. At one time I thought about just adding one of the many ways of locking the converter, without adding the exhaust brake, but I haven't really even felt the need to do that.

Edit - Forgot to add that I'd spend $4000 in a heartbeat if I felt at all unsafe.

 

[Dean Upson]

socal_rattler should have the heavy exhaust springs, my 98. 5 24 valve came with them. I have had the Jacobs brake on my last 2 CTD's and I wouldn tow without one. My own trucks have had standard trannies but I have driven an auto with the Jacobs brake and the TC modified and was impressed. Both of the trailers that have used the exhaust brake with weighed 12-15k.



Dean

 

[Mtngoat]

Maybe a dumb question but I don't have a clue. How much will the Smart Controller help braking without an exhaust brake?



Robin

 

[RustyJC]

Not much. Without the exhaust brake, diesels don't have much compression braking compared with a gasser which has a throttle plate in the intake.



Rusty

 

[dewdo]

Rattler:

I tow a 15,000 lb fiver and have done so all over the country. Not knowing what I was doing and not aware of this web site I made a few mistakes on a 94 automatic I owned. Went through two transmission on my 94 2500 TD.



After enlisting in the TDR and accessing this site quiet often I learned you can safely tow with an automatic and an exhaust brake. You have to make a few mods though to do so safely.



On my 2000 I installed the BD sysyem along with the Auto Loc. I then installed gauges for transmission, Boost, Exhaust and fuel pressure along with the DTT upgrade of the torque converter and valve body. I also added the VA Box and a 4" exhaust and larger turbo housing.



Not to say I haven't had any problems though. I have on two ocassions had the exhaust brake stick closed on me which caused me a bit of grief. Right now it is still disconnected since I am just hauling a slide in camper, and am waiting to go back up to Abbottsford and have BD correct the problem.



Living on the west coast and doing a lot of travel in the mountains, I feel an exhaust brake is an important addition for anyone pulling a load over 3-5,000 lbs in the mountains. I hate the smell of burning brakes pads!



I was just browsing the Trailer Life magazine recently and read where a motohome user toasted his brakes and it cost him about $5,000. 00 to replace the entire brake system.



Good luck



Dewdo in the other Washington

 

[exfuzz01]

exhaust brake

I also do not have an exhaust brake on my truck. . when I near a downgrade I just shift down to 2nd and take my time going downhill tapping the brakes... . I have driven over most of the passes in WA State without any problems doing this. . If I go a little too slow for those behind me..... too bad... .

 

[Dean Upson]

I have driven over most of the passes in WA State without any problems doing this. . If I go a little too slow for those behind me..... too bad... .

Just get a sign for the back of your rig: "I might be slow, but I'm ahead of you. "



Dean

 

[dmurdock]

Originally posted by Mtngoat

Maybe a dumb question but I don't have a clue. How much will the Smart Controller help braking without an exhaust brake?



Robin

put simply, the exhaust brake keeps the engine from turning real fast and thus the engine slows down the truck... however, in an automatic the torque converter just slips so there is no "slowing down" going on when the brake is on... the engine is spinning slow but since the torque converter slips the drivetrain just keeps spinning. The smart controller keeps the lockup-clutches in the torque converter locked so it can't slip, and thus the engine can slow the truck down.

 

[Mtngoat]

DMurdock-



Thanks!! I am less clueless now!



Robin

 

[amsoilman]

I drove my 94' automatic over 150,000 miles, and had an exhaust brake on for more than 130,000 of those miles. I would NEVER TOW WITHOUT AN EXHAUST BRAKE .



The thing with an automatic is you have to keep the TCC from unlocking when the exhaust brake is activated, or it will not do any good at all. Get a "Smart controller" or what ever you can to keep the TCC locked.



When I first installed my BD Exhasut brake, I used the "Mystry switch" to keep it locked, then I installed the DTT "Smart controller", which would lock it automaticly, and unlock when the vehicle speed dropped to 30 MPH.



My new 03' truck is a 6-speed, but I still installed the Jake brake!



The exhaust brake is a MUST in my point of view!



Wayne

amsoilman

 

[DavidC]

I had the DTT upgrades a few months ago and also the Smart Controller. The first tow with 10K fifth wheel with grades greater than 6% going downhill I noticed the truck actually maintained speed very well with the TC locked up. I did not use the brakes nearly as much as before the mods. With the Smart Controller locking the TC down to 30 mph it also helps around town not leaning on the brakes as much. I was pretty much set on getting the exhaust brake as soon as the trans. was rebuilt but now the way this thing is working it will have to prove to me that I need one. So far that hasn't happened.



Dave

 

[socal_rattler]

Thanks for the great input guys!

 

[Mtngoat]

DavidC-



Thanks!! That was what I wanted to know. .



Robin

 

[damon]

ok, one more twist on this question.



I have been looking at the same options to gain the control of TC lockup and speed when towing my 12000# toyhauler. As much as I would love to drop another $4000 on the driveline, it just can't happen now so I am looking at alternatives.



Will a smart controller really make much of a difference by itself ? Is that alone enough to use an exhaust brake ?



I know that without a VB you can't get lockup in 2nd, but with 4. 10's there are very few situations that I am below 3rd anyway.



I'm really hoping that there is some usable middle ground between stock and the $4000 trans/ex brake combo.



Damon