Mountain Towing

[kat0]

I was wondering about using the gears while I'm going down hill. I have a 2004 Ram 2500 and tow an 8,000 lbs toyhauler. I've been towing down some two lane roads lately and using the gears to control the speed. Some areas were steep enough that in first the motor was up to 3k rpm. Are there any negatives to doing this or better techniques I should consider?



thanks,



kato

 

[seafish]

Adding an exhaust brake would definitely help control your downhill speed without using the service brakes.

I am not sure which model exhaust brake that you can use on your truck--
Please give more info about your truck in your sig. and I am sure that many more people will chime in

 

[PFlory]

The jake brake on my truck suggests that more braking power comes at higher RPM's, but not to exceed 3,200. Although using the jake I've never had do downshift to first to control my speed but if it's ok with an exhaust brake I can't see why it would harm anything running high RPm's without the brake.

 

[AClayton]

The jake brake on my truck suggests that more braking power comes at higher RPM's, but not to exceed 3,200. Although using the jake I've never had do downshift to first to control my speed but if it's ok with an exhaust brake I can't see why it would harm anything running high RPm's without the brake.

As long as the convertor is locked of course..... I am assuming the OP does have a manual though.



Alan

 

[HBarlow]

I cannot envision descending a grade so steep that a manual six speed truck would be running 3000 rpm with throttle closed with a trailer behind pushing. My guess is he's talking about an automatic.

Edit: The original poster was talking about being in first gear at 3,000 rpm. I was also.

 

[CUMMINZ]

As long as the convertor is locked of course..... I am assuming the OP does have a manual though.



Alan

2004 RAMS are not compatible with E-brakes if an auto 48re. His sig did not tell us what type transmission he had. No matter what is in the truck, downshifting the transmission is not going to do much good. Use more trailer brake.

 

[Grizzly]

I can't tell if he does have an auto Harvey. Sounds like he has a 6 speed NV5600.



If the trans is a standard, a good rule of thumb is to go down the hill in the same gear you went up the hill.

 

[WStrmiska]

Comeing off Sonora Pass in California you can go way past 3000 rpm with throttle closed, that is why I installed a exhaust brake, it's almost like haveing 12 speed instead of 6. Exhaust brake makes a big differance when towing heavy in the mountains. I will never be without one. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[HBarlow]

2004 RAMS are not compatible with E-brakes if an auto 48re. His sig did not tell us what type transmission he had. No matter what is in the truck, downshifting the transmission is not going to do much good. Use more trailer brake.

Cumminz,

I also think the OP has an automatic and if he does, I agree with you that it is not exhaust brake compatible but if it is a manual transmission an exhaust brake will absolutely solve his problem.

 

[jelag]

If he has an automatic he can install an exhaust brake that will lock up the torque converter during de-acceleration.....

Without an exhaust brake there is no effect in down shifting either an automatic or standard because of the way a diesel engine breaths during de-acceleration. .

An exhaust brake mentioned by most of you is the answer. . I'm currently sitting in an RV park in Yuma after close to 4000 miles on this trip towing my 5er... it weighs just a little over 14,000... I've been from Spokane, to Carson City, Las Vegas, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, now Yuma and will head back to Spokane later this week... I've been down to Laughlin, across the divide and at this point have not had to use the brakes descending hills with the exhaust brake ... and of course back to Vegas, Salt Lake, into Montana and finally Spokane...

All my trucks do very well towing with the PacBrake...

 

[Mark31]

What has to be done to an 04 48RE to make it exhaust brake compatible? Mark

 

[Regcabguy]

I had an exhaust brake on my '98. 5 w/DTT and Smart Controller. It was a necessity with just my popup. However,with the manual on my '07,I rarely used the brakes on our trip from San Diego to Oregon and back. The diesel does not provide the compression braking that a gasser does,but combined with a manual transmission its a heck of a lot better than an auto. If I had a heavier camper or towed,an exhaust brake would be mandatory with either.

 

[CUMMINZ]

I don't think they made 48re compatible till 05 trucks.

 

[HBarlow]

During '03 and '04 Cummins/Jacob's Exhaust Brake engineers tried very hard upgrade the ECM/PCM to enable lockup of the 48RE so they could authorize installation of an exhaust brake on automatic-equipped trucks and so they could sell MOPAR/Jacobs Exhaust Brakes. Carlton Bale, a Cummins/Jacobs engineer, kept TDR member posted for a couple of years and was subjected to considerable abuse for his efforts.

Ultimately Carlton advised us on TDR that the '03/'04 had insufficient computer capacity to allow the software upgrades necessary for handling all the details required for the factory to authorized installation of the EB. Later, he reported that the '05 had adequate memory capacity for the programming changes but their testing determined that a reverse thrust washer in the '05 and earlier 48REs was not capable of handling the reverse thrust created by constant deceleation with the exhaust brake activated. He didn't offer details as I remember but we can assume that the engineers determined the transmission would not hold up for the warranty period with an exhaust brake.

Finally, for model year '06 addition of the Jacob's exhaust brake was authorized for the automatic or manual. I ordered one of the early '06 Rams with Cummins engine, 48RE automatic, and Jacobs Exhaust Brake. The exhaust brake was a line item on the dealer order and the MSRP but it was not actually installed at the factory. It was on the backseat floor in the original box for dealer or owner installation. Mine worked great for 230k miles I owned the truck and towed heavy.

 

[CKelley1]

ok first things first get a bd or pac not the jackobs the bd and pac are new technology and hold 65 psi to idle. you need to learn to drive like we do with our tractor trailers. watch your rpm each gear step is different. when you approach the start of downgrade slow down and shift to a lower gear do not let the rpm exceed 3,000 on shift or any other time. with a little practice you can determine the gear needed to descend the grade with out touching the brakes. the bd or pac will allow one gear higher. jelag before turbos the rule was to go down the grade in the same gear that it took to climb it. but with the turbo and cr a good rule of thumb is to descend two lower gears than it took to climb. i use down shifting and exhaust or engine brake on all size trucks loaded or empty with or with out trailers. i have a td25 dozer that weights 119,00 lb and a 400 hough loader that weighs 145,000 lb the truck and trailer weighs 71,000 lbs that is cgw of 215,000lb there is a hill from cloudcroft nm to alamogordo that drops a mile in altitude in just a few miles i can go down the grade with out ever touching the brakes. i hate automatics but i watch my neighbor fight maintenance on his he has a well drilling service if yours is a automatic get bd to do a complete upgrade on it and install the bd exhaust at the same time. some of my rams have over 1,000,000 miles on them driven this way. it is many times safer and many thousands of dollars less maintenance. one more point there are only two proportional brake controllers on the market it is the smartbrake and the maxbrake the others are toys in comparison. if you tow a lot they are worth the higher price and considerably safer. going back to the auto, just shift it like a manuel. and the next truck you get a real transmission in it. some say i might be slightly biased aganst the auto

 

[CKelley1]

i left out a 0 on 119,000 and mispelled a couple but i think you get the drift

 

[HBarlow]

I'm very familiar with the downgrades west or east out of Cloudcroft. Fun rides with a trailer. With an exhaust brake you never have to touch the brake pedal.

CKelley is absolutely correct about brake controllers. If my six year old BrakeSmart controller died and was unrepairable and new BrakeSmarts and MaxBrakes cost $1000 I would frown and pay it. There is no substitute for quality and no substitute for hydraulic pressure sensing, precisely modulated trailer braking.

 

[CUMMINZ]

I purchased a Jacobs brake from DC (my dealer) and they installed it on my 06'. It worked great but does not have what the 6. 7L has with the built in brake.

 

[kat0]

Thanks for the discussion. As for specifics on my truck it's all stock. I've got a Prodigy brake controller on for the trailer.

I've drive the ALCAN, crossed the Rockies, etc with this rig. I never got concerned until driving two lane roads on the east side of the Sierras. It made me wonder it I should make some improvements.

Kato

 

[Grizzly]

Show your signature on your truck so that we aren't second guessing how it's equipped.