Exhaust brake opinions?

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I'm about to buy an exhaust brake for my 98. 5 ISB. The three that I'm looking at are Jacobs, Pac brake, and BD. Any opinions? How about cost/benefit. I know the BD is about $300 more than the pac brake but I don't know the price on the jacobs. I do like the look of the jacobs though. Thanks in advance.

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-Steve St. Laurent
'98 Quad Cab Long Bed, 4x4, ISB, 5sp, 4. 10 LSD, Prime-loc remote fuel filter,
boost & pyro gauges, TST Powermax, Permatech spray in liner, Grizzly stainless nerf bars,
BFG 285/75R16 AT KO's
http://my. voyager.net/stevest

 

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Hi Steve,

I just put on a Jacobs E brake on my 94 12 valve. I got mine through the Cummins Atlantic network power booster club discount. I think the discount was around $100. I don't know much about the power booster club, but maybe you have something like that available in your part of the country.

This link should get you close, maybe you could call a nearby distributor and ask them about a discount club.
http://www.cummins.com/distribu/distribu.html

They should stock the Jacobs, I know Cummins Atlantic does.

Dave

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94 3500 2wd E-brake, Less than 50,000 miles!! in beautiful, sunny, Sandbridge VA.

 

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I got the Jacobs brake installed on our 96' truck about 1 1/2 years ago. Cummins South West intalled it for approx. $1100. 00.

I love it! I hate to tow without it. The big hill in our area slows the stock 96' truck to 40 mph when climbing it with loaded trailer in tow. When decending with the brake on in 4th gear (must climb in third), the truck never goes above 55 mph.

I went with the Cummins/Jacob because of the peace-of-mind with using the Cummins authorized brake. I have heard that the BD provides more braking ability, but we only tow less than 10K, therefore, I was not going after the maximum amount of braking.

Later,
Tim

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94' 2500 4x4, std cab, 12v, 5spd, gauges, TST 230/605, 110k mi.
96' 2500 4x4, ext cab, 12v, 5spd, Cummins Exhaust brake, 50k mi, (wifes).
Phx, AZ

 

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I had a Cummins/Jacobs E-Brake installed this summer. It works flawlessly. It was installed by Cummins Great Plains (Omaha) for about $950 complete. Putting the E-Brake in an ISB costs slightly less then putting it in a 12V since it is activated by the ECM and doesn't require a seperate throttle switch.

Pulled my 14000lb fiver through the Rockies this summer and never had a problem holding the speed down on the downhills.


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Big MAK
98. 5 ISB 5spd 4x4 Quad Cab 3500, 4" Exhaust elbow down, PowerMax1
https://www.turbodieseltrucks.com

 

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I have had a Cummins/Jacobs E-Brake in my ram foe about 1 1/2 years. If I had do it again I would purchase the BD Exhaust Brake. It is cheaper in price but higher in quailty. I have had excellent results with all BD products. Just my 1 1/2cents worth...

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1997, 2500 Emerald Green, SLT Larimie, Tan Leather, X-Cab, Auto, 3. 54LSD, Tow Package, Camper Package, Banks Stinger Plus, 2" Rancho Suspension Lift, Rancho RS 9000's Shocks, Bushwhacker Flares, 35" BFG Mudders, 16. 5 x 9. 75 Outlaw II Alloys, Jacobs Exhaust Brake, BD Torque-Lock, BD Valve Body, BD Torque Converter, Rhino Liner, Smittybuilt Step Bars, K&N Air Filter, Rancho RS 5000 Steering tabilizer, 5000lb. Air Bags, Aero Under Seat Tool Box, Mopar Bug Deflector, Emerald Green Century Cap.

 

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I too am very happy with the B-D exhaust brake. I was impressed with the fit and finish, and the quality hardware. I've had it on my truck for approximately 20,000 miles and I've never had a problem with it. I use it every time I'm slowing down and to warm up the engine on cold nights.
Andy

 

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I installed the cummins e brake about a month ago. I love it and it was a fairly easy install(THX, Evan)Although I have read here that other brands develop more braking hp, I went with this one because of the name. I got about $130. 00 discount through the local power boosters club. I read that it can be used to warm up the engine faster on a cold morning, so I will try that next trip to Montana! I really haven't read anything bad about any of the brakes. My fatherinlaw has a usgears brake on his PSD, and he is forever trying to adjust things, etc. Good Luck!

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Rob Hanson
1999 3500 SLT 4X4 Cummins
Flame Red, Rhino, 6 spd
FX Running Boards, Cobra CB, Stinger Bug Shields, Mag-Hytec rear cover, Cummins E-Brake, Torklift Super Hitch

I'd rather be... .
Cummin than Strokin.

 

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I am undecided about putting an exhaust brake on. When I pull my 5th wheel up a hill the EGT gauge goes to around 750 degrees( after turbo ). Going down hill off throttle the EGT goes back down in a hurry. Will the exhaust brake prevent EGT from going back down? I actually have more engine braking than I thought I was going to have. It holds back better than the 350 chevrolet auto that I used to have.

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Paul Somers
1999 QC ISB 5 speed with
boost and pyro gauges.
Driftwood

 

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Has anyone tried the exhaust brake from TST? Do they make their own or is it a remarket of a BD or PAC systm?

 

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I'll second that, Rob H. !!!

I have had real good reults with my Jacobs E-Brake, and I highly recommend it. After all, it is the only factory-approved brake. Mine was $545. 00 with my CPB discount. I did the installation myself, and it took about 4 hours or so. I have an auto trans, and it works pretty good with it. I will be adding a BD TC, Valve Body, and TC switch soon, which will all enhance the braking power.

***Another advantage of the E-Brake, is that you get to say, "Yeah, I got a Jake-Brake on my truck. " (Even though it isn't a true Jake, it is still fun to say #ad
)

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Evan A. Beck

98. 5 2500, 4x2, RC, ISB, A/T, SLT, 3. 54 LSD, Trailer tow, Aux. suspension, Forest Green/Driftwood, 42,231 miles, 10/23/99

4" Exhaust split into duals, with 4" x 20" chrome tips one on each side after the wheels, Jacobs E-Brake, K&N Filter (Scotty style), Auto-Meter Ultra Lite boost & pyro, turbo silencer ring removed, OEM foglamps, OEM 1-ton tailgate marker lamps, Sylvania Cool Blue® 9004 headlamp bulbs, halogen backup bulbs, Husky diamond plate toolbox, Line-X spray-in bedliner, plus other cosmetic modifications

"I'd Rather be RAMMIN' than STROKIN'"



[This message has been edited by Evan A. Beck (edited 10-27-1999). ]

 

[Archive]

I was wandering if any of you with increased hp have seen a rise in egt after adding the exhaust brake, seems if you put a piece of metal in the middle of the opening it has to take up space which otherwise would be venting the exhaust,Would love to have one but egt are high now but love the POWER.

 

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TST sells Pac, which is what I installed on my truck along with the 60 psi exh. springs. The exhaust temp. does not seem to be effected by the brake and the temp does drop off when the brake is applied. If left at an idle it will not drop below about 350 deg.
Pacbrake claims to have the largest opening for exhaust flow.

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Paul A. Schmidt
95, 4X4, SLT 2500, 5 spd. , 4. 10, 270 hp. TST, Pacbrake, Walker muffler,
GearVendor O. D.
Eastern PA.

 

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I have had the BD engine brake inbstalled on my truck for 75,000 miles or so. I have also installed many of these units in other trucks as well. They are very well engineered, and the quality is very high! They work very well too! Personaly, if I were to get a new truck, and I let my E-brake go, I would have to go with the BD. My 2 cents.


Wayne
amsoilman

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94'SLT 4X4 AT/White in color. Factory Tow Hooks & Running Boards. Amsoil By-Pass filter, Amsoil Air cleaner,and all fluids are Amsoil.
BD exhaust Brake, BD Torque Lock, BD Torque Converter, Dr. Performance Stage II Injection Pump. Mag-Hytec Diff Cover,Isspro Pyro, Boost,Oil temp Gauges mounted in 3 Gauge post mount. One gauge monitors Engine Oil, Trans, Diff. Temps.

 

[Archive]

We went with the J-brake as we thought the authoriized version could be a benefit.

I had one installed by Cummins-South at Tulsa about 2 1/2 years ago on my '96 2500 with automatic. I belonged to the Power booster's and ask about the discount but there was a "sale" on that was "supposed" to be less than the discount. Jacobs had just started selling the brakes at that time, as I recall. I think it was just over $1200. 00. I have had one minor problem with it when the on/off switch mounted on the fuel pump came out of adjustment after about three months. Otherwise I think the brake has worked fine.

My son has a J-brake on his 99 QC, 3500, five speed. He has been satisfied with it on the roads of Washington and between Washington and Missouri. He pulls a heavy 32 foot fifth wheel. He preveiously towed with an old Ford crew cab without an Exhaust brake and he feels much safer now with the additional braking. He had his brake installed in August by Cummins-Wichita and I think it was around $900. 00.

Since I have discussed Cummins I want to add a little information that I hope they will read and heed. After my son decided to use the J-brake he called Cummins-Springfield. MO(home base) for information and appointment. Springfield said the exhaust brake could not be installed on the 24 valve engine. My son called Cummins-Wichita and they said yes they could install the brake but did not ask about the engine type. i. e 12 or 24 valve or which transmission, automatic or manual. This was a red flag so he called Cummins-Denver. They wanted to know what the vehicle nomenclature was and after listening to all of the info said "yes, there would be no problem with installing the brake". Now we were really in a quandry as to what was going on and what was the exact story. We felt the best source would be the Cummins www site. we exlained the confusion occurring at the field level. Our request was for the specfic part number of the exhaust brake kit for Engine S/N 56444371. We did get a response but it took Cummins 26 days to answer the simple question!!!!I can not believe that their organization would take that much time to answer. I think what happend and this is conjecture on my part, is Dodge had withdrawn approval of installaton of the the J-brake for 24 valve, automatics. And we just happened to get cought in the confusion at the field level because of poor management and information. Of course that does not releave our heartburn and frustration!