exhaust brake

[SRehberg]

Has anyone towed a trailer (mine is 7000#) using an exhaust brake on an unmodified, stock truck with the automatic? I know there are products out there such as Pressure Loc and the electronic controllers, to help with this. The Pressure Loc seems recommended by Trailer Life; I would like anyones input to their success or problems with the exhaust brake and stock setup. Mine is a 12 valve. Thanks in advance to all.

 

[cwsoules]

My Smart Box is not yet mounted so I can not lock up the TC. Thus my rig has a VB and TC and an exhaust brake. I towed my 10K trailer for 50 miles the other day and did not feel that the exhaust brake did much for me. I'm off again on Thursday and will see a few good down grades so I'll try again. If my opinion changes I'll let you know. Early next month I'll get my Smart Box installed and I expect good things and some good engine brake performance.

 

[SRehberg]

Your experience seems to be what I was expecting but I am surprised with the DTT 89% TC, you didn't feel much retardation, but my TC is stock, so it's pretty sloppy. I'll be interested in your follow up and thank you for the post.



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'96 2wd, auto

 

[plntmgr]

towing

I'm in the same situation as you. 98. 5 auto 354. 12k Alpenlite. John at Huntington Beach Dodge 1-714-847-5515 stated new smart controller available around the holidays is better than the previous one. (including Pacbrake)I'm waiting 'til after 1/02 to see what to do. I don't want to p money away, but I need something to slow me down. Talked to Dunrite Converters(1-626-442-1404) but seemed pricy??? Stay on line as to your modifications as I will also.

 

[corprimo]

We pulled our 28 foot Cardinal 8000 miles with stock engine and transmission. The exhaust brake is a "must have" but it is useless if you don't have a "mystery switch" or one of BD's fancy equivalents - torqeloc. Our rig's total weight is 18,000 pounds, and coming down the mountains, the exhaust brake is fantastic. When I added a TST kit, my transmission started slipping, so then we had to help support the folks at BD by buying a torque convertor and valve body. At least now I can pull into a headwind and stay in overdrive! Last summer we drove to the top of an overlook mountain by Dawson City, Yukon, Canada - very steep, and no place to be pulling a 5er. On the way down, it was too windy to be in 3rd or 4th gear, and my brakes were starting to fade. I finally stopped in a cloud of brake smoke form the front discs, put the truck in low range, and came down the rest of the mountain in 3rd gear, mystery switch on, exhaust brake on - didn't need to touch the foot brake. You could still smell those front brake pads a week later.



Dan Heynen

 

[BillH]

cwsooules,



Don't think you should expect much until you get a Smart Controller installed to lock-up the TC, mine is on back-order from

DTT.



Bill

 

[Fish]

I have the BD Exhaust brake, torquelock and Pressure lock and trans temp guage. If you've got a brake, the temp guage is a must. About a mile down a 6% grade will put your trans temp up to 250 degrees or more and start degrading your fluid. The torquelock gives me about 25 lbs of back pressure which will keep the speed from winding up with only minimum braking on turns. The system operates down to 25 mph and then disengages. It can be re-engaged by goosing the accelerator a little. Pressure lock keeps full pressure on the trans fluid for maximum cooling. Normal is about 1/3 with the pedal released. The system is pricey, $1200 in June 99, but saves a lot on brake systems in truck and trailer.

Don't put an exhaust brake system on a Dodge autotrans truck still covered by an extended service contract or your contract will be cancelled.

 

[cwsoules]

I just towed my 10K 5er over Rt 152 from Gilroy to I5. There we some good down grades. On one my TC was still locked up on cruise control and the exhaust brake gave me all the braking I needed. On hills where the TC unloaded there was little effect.



My EZ really helped. I was able to engage OD over 57 mph (1900 rpm) and tow in OD much of the time. When faced with a steep up hill climb I'd shift out of OD. After 260 miles I filled up and found that I had averaged 11. 1 mpg. On hills out of OD I saw EGT of 1200 and Boost of 18 while maintaining 55 mph. So far I'm happy and looking forward to my smart box to be installed next month.

 

[SRehberg]

I can see why the pressure lock would be a desireable device to keep the TC pressure up when running down hill with the accelerator in the minimal position. I was wondering how the others were doing it without one. My truck is out of warranty, so the mods wouldn't affect that, plus saving the experience of white knuckles going down hill is what I'm after.



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'96 2wd auto, with 27' Alpenlite 5th wheel.

 

[Fish]

I run the system uphill also because there is actually more heat generated on a steep hill, particularly if you are in overdrive and just let it down shift and keep your foot on the floor. What I do is let it downshift and then take it out of O. D. Back off on the accelerator a little until the TC locks up again and gently accelerate as much as you can without it downshifting again. On most hills you can hold 50-60 MPH depending on the weight of your trailer. Just before you crest the hill on a freeway, put the O. D. back on. If you are in the hills on winding roads, leave the O. D. off. The Pressure lock will keep the temps below 200 degrees up and down. What ever you do get the guage put in so you know what's going on in there.

Originally posted by SRehberg

I can see why the pressure lock would be a desireable device to keep the TC pressure up when running down hill with the accelerator in the minimal position. I was wondering how the others were doing it without one.

 

[Stefan Kondolay]

SRehberg,



It's done through the VB. My truck runs high pressures in lock-up(Higher than most aftermarket vb with a pressure lock if not all). Plus with the increase of pressures throughout the gears you get better holding all the time not just in lock-up.

 

[SRehberg]

S. Kondolay, do your aftermarket valve bodies come with the increased lockup pressures as you mentioned, ( for downhill, minimal accelerator pressure) or was yours specially modified? It sure would simplify the process without an add on device if the VB could do the same thing. Good advice for the TC lockup when in OD and shifting down, plus cresting the hill. Thanks!



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'96 2wd auto 27ft. Alpenlite bone stock trans/engine

 

[Stefan Kondolay]

Mine isn't different from what we sell. Anyone can get the set-up that I have. The only thing that some might want to change is the shift firmness. I love it but some might not. It's easy to change, all you got to do is ask. I agree it makes sense to me to do the VB which protects all gears than a lock-up device which only effects lock-up. But it's a little more time consuming to do a VB(2hours).

 

[SRehberg]

Stefan, thanks for the reply, it sounds like a good set up to me plus minimizing the parts that have to be involved! The shift firmness I don't mind at all, it tells me my trans is living longer.



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'96 2wd auto 27ft Alpenlite 5th wh.

 

[cwsoules]

South on the Grapevine

Went South today on I5 over the Grapevine. The truck had no problem pulling the 5er at 55 mph up the grades. Going down on the LA side with the cruise control at 62 mph the transmission stayed loaded and the speed remained right at 62 mph. On the steepest grades I turned on the exhaust brake for brief periods. Never touched the brakes once. My DTT TC and VB even without the Smart Box worked well.