How to tow without exhaust brake

[bigbob7777]

Ok, now I'm totally confused.



If I wait on the exhaust brake, how would you recommend going down long, step grades without an exhaust brake?



Should I just put it in 2nd gear and brake hard when needed (so as not to overheat the pads?)?



Suggestions truly appreciated.



bob

 

[bigbob7777]

Sorry, I have a '05 3500 drw, 3. 73, auto - pulling a 13k# trailer.

 

[CPG]

Most certanly I would keep it in a lower gear. The manual has better control. I have had both, but as of now, a 48RE which does the job. I DO miss the exhaust brake that I had on my old "93". I intend to be "my own warranty station" when one is put on our 04. 5 here. There are times I am returning to "white knuckle mode" here. Easy on the brakeing and don't brake hard.



Chuck

 

[TX Gooseneck]

Turn your trailer brake controller up as well. I don't have one on my 04. 5 and have been towing heavy since brand new. Just use common sense. The only time I've ever been in a run-away position was when I had the Prodigy controller on my truck - 20 seconds continuous use will short the unit out. I was dropping down Snoqualme (sp?) pass into Seattle. The brakes on my truck were screaming, but I was able to get the truck into 4th and keep it sane. I was around 24k gross.

 

[plongson]

Comment and a thought

Here is something that I have noticed with my E-brake setup... when I had stock 99' exhaust (3"??) and my stock 16" tires my E-brake REALLY worked good... . lower gears with the RPM up... let off and it really slowed you down.



Here is the observation...



With my 4" exhaust and a set of stock 17" tires/wheels from my son's 2005 CTD, I don't have nearly the stopping power. It just dosen't have the same feeling of reducing the speed.



Any others experiance this???

 

[SHobbs]

Guess I have had a good experience with mine. Drove to Oregon and while I was going through northern CA into southern OR I encountered some grades around 6 or 7%. When coming down I dropped the truck into 4th and turn the brake on. It held real well infact it kept me around 50-55 mph with very light taps to the brake pedal. No white knuckles at all.

 

[JKeith]

Use your tow/ haul mode in 2nd or 3rd as needed. Apply trailer brakes for minor speed adjustments. Keep your truck brakes for last resort. Apply brakes gently or they will over heat.

 

[bigbob7777]

Apply brakes gently or they will over heat

I've been told to brake hard for short periods of time; instead of braking slow. Am I misinformed?

 

[JKeith]

Comerical drivers are taught to fan the brakes gentley.

 

[NIsaacs]

I've been told to brake hard for short periods of time; instead of braking slow. Am I misinformed?

Steady light braking is better than heavy short burst's.





"NICK"

 

[PatrickCampbell]

YES shift down as much as you can. 2nd if you have to.



I believe steady brakes is exactly what you are not supposed to do.



On a descent first of all you want to gear down. Try to make the engine do MOST of the work. Lock out OD and look at 3rd or even 2nd in an automatic. The best thing really is to just go slow. Let the engine do most of the work. Let the truck rev almost up to redline.



From there I think you are supposed to pick a speed where you are comfortable... Brake when you reach this speed until you are ~5 MPH slower and then let off. . When you reach your picked speed again, repeat. You should not have to brake hard with this method. Brake for several seconds at a time not hard but steady. Don't sue me on that method but I never use steady brakes for the duration of the downhill.

 

[keimmmo]

I have been towing heavy travel trailers through the steep and twisty mountain roads of Mexico with an automatic and without an exhaust brake for 18 years... and am still here to tell about it. The main thing is not to get in a hurry. DO NOT accelerate between the curves and then have to brake to slow down for them. Maintain a constant speed as much as possible. I often have to go to low gear on the downgrades. A few times when I was REALLY heavy I have resorted to using low range on the 4wd to get low enough gears to control the load!



I let the speed creep up to what I feel to be the manimum safe speed and then brake to slow down about 5 mph... depending on the road ahead. I brake firmly, not really hard, and pause and brake again. I figure that if I am on the brake pedal 50% of the time, I am going too fast and am overheating the brakes.



Take it easy and be as safe as you can.



Steve Keim

 

[dcoffman]

BigBob if you look at a CDL book it tells you if you to hold a light pressure on your brakes all the way down ,they will not heat up as much as hard breaking to slow down all at once. The frist big truck I had had no jakebrake and that's what I did. My last few did and what a diff.

 

[bigbob7777]

Thank you all for the replies. I can see there are several methods to use - but mainly just be safe and prudent.



Can anyone tell me what is a good, safe "redline" to use as a high point? I believe it's about 3500rpm. Is this about right?



One other question: I will be installing EGT, Trans temp and boost guages shortly. I don't wish to do this myself; where would you recommend having them installed? I don't know any reputable truck places personally (again, I'm a beginner - LOL). What type of automotive location would be best?



Thanks again guys (and gals).

 

[jelag]

One thing that I didn't see..... school bus drivers are tought and I hope truck drivers are taught the same thing... if you go up a hill in a gear you go down the hill in the same gear and speed... so if you climb the hill at 30 mph in 3 or 4th. . you'd go down the other side at the close to the same speeds and gearing... .



I use a stick... . but if I go up a hill at 30 mph in say 4th gear I try to use that gear going down the other side... and I use the exhaust brake to hold it... without the exhaust brake I slow the truck with a firm pedal, down to 30 mph and when it gets back up to 38 or 40 I start the process over again...

 

[smd]

I don`t mean to highjack this thread but:

Someone touched on the tow/haul mode w/auto 48r. Do you down shift then use it, I`ve heard to just hit it the button then it will hunt for the proper gearing for you! But on the downhill run with the tow/haul mode engauged, do I use the brakes as well?

Will hurt if I give my prodigy controller to give a short blast to the trailer brake with the tow/haul mode on?



12500lbs load 3500 `05 auto stock, the dealer is my warranty center for now

 

[Mhannink]

fwiw i have been around 18 wheelers and even tho they have jakes we often find ourselves useing the service brakes the thing that has be stressed to me is do not drag your brakes as in keep lite pedal applied the trick to going dow a steep hill w/ lots of weight and a weak jake or in your case no e brake is to 1 use a lower gear and too stand on the brakes to bring your speed down to about 5 or 10 below the speed limit let off let it build to about 5 to 10 above or whatever is comfortable and repeat keeps the brakes from being smoked and still keeps you slow tho it will drive the little cars behind you nuts but who cares about them

 

[Bob Cochran]

Okay here is the thing. Start slower and in a lower gear than you think necessary better safe than sorry. After you have done the grade once you will know what gear and speed to use next time. Don't worry about those behind you and if you are going to slow for them etc. to bad. As for the rule that you use the same gear going down as you do going up a grade. I have heard that but also to use on gear lower going down. Better safe than sorry the first time. The theroy about holding light brake pressure was the idea by basically pumping brakes would allow oxygen in and a fire coudl be started because of extreme heat and oxgen. Gosh have nto seen an honest to god brake fire in years. I think the brake pads and shoes are have better material and this very rarely happens anymore. So use a low gear and star slow and stay slow until you are familiar with the grade the second time. The do as advised and brake until 5 mph below the safe speed then release let build to the safe speed then apply again. Then be happy when you are down. If you ever have smoked brakes and they fade and won't stop you!! You will know the term low and slow is the way to go. Hope this helps.

 

[Eric_77]

Expanding on a couple of points that were touched on.



Gear one gear lower that going up: with new engines with higher hp this is needed if no exhaust brake and even with some exhaust brakes.



Brake to coast time: Coast 15-20 secs brake for 10 secs basically 2 secs coast to 1 sec of braking. If you must brake longer then you are going too fast.





The light pressure thing from CDL book has me confuseed as I have never read that in any air brake related manual all have said roughly "apply firm pressure to desired speed and release. "



I would use a s a max with the new motors about 3000-3200 rpm for a sustained period to leave some wiggle room for straights or oops; no reason to overrev the motor.

 

[RClark]

It really helps if your trailer has disk brakes. Mine does and it really slows down.

CAn't wait till my powertrain warranty runs out so i can upgrade the transmission and install a exhaust brake.