2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Pac Brake Problems

[WPeschel]

Is there a way to rebuild the pac brake??? The brake will hang in the off position. I can see the rod trying to move the butterfly but it just wont. . If I help it with my hand it will then move over on its own. . Really what im trying to say is there a way to take the butterfly apart and clean it up so that it will not hang up???

 

[LeverB]

I took Mine off - cleaned it on the bench - scraped carbon out with a small scraper, soaked the pivot with penetrant, and "worked" the butterfly back and forth till it moved freely!
mine was froze up when i bought the truck - It's been working great since then - (about 10,000 miles) Good Luck!

 

[WPeschel]

Well I sprayed some penatrante on the outside of the pivoting point and worked it a few times ant then it worked like five or six times then it started to hang up again... . I guess I will have to pull it apart to get it perfect... .

 

[LeverB]

Mine was easy, a vaccuum hose, a couple of bolts on the exhaust down pipe and a clamp to the charger.

 

[ed9824v]

Mine was easy, a vaccuum hose, a couple of bolts on the exhaust down pipe and a clamp to the charger.

mine acted that way but when I put vacuum on each side of the cyl. it would work perfect it was hanging up in the solenoid for the vacuum and that would act like it was stuck. I plan on rebuilding the solenoid another time. ED

 

[LeverB]

The solenoid on a pacbrake can be tested by pushing little black button on it with a ball point pen or similar while engine is running.

 

[ed9824v]

The solenoid on a pacbrake can be tested by pushing little black button on it with a ball point pen or similar while engine is running.

If I recall correctly it would activate the pacbrake and then return but still have an internal sticky solenoid issue when used in the normal manner mine will stick closes then I have to open the hood and just lightly push the plunger on the brake down and off I go.

 

[Joe G.]

Two things. Use it all the time and it won't carbon up. At least once a year take the vacuum solenoid apart and clean it. It you only use it when your tow something it will eventually carbon up and you have to clean it. There is a little bottle shaped piston in the vacuum solenoid that can get dirty and stick.

 

[WPeschel]

Which is the vacuum solenoid?? Is it the switch that has the wires hooked up too it??

 

[Joe G.]

yeah. It has a wire to it and a wire from it to ground. It has two small vacuum hoses to the Pacbrake and a large hose from the vacuum pump.

 

[WPeschel]

yeah. It has a wire to it and a wire from it to ground. It has two small vacuum hoses to the Pacbrake and a large hose from the vacuum pump.

What is the best way to R&R it???

 

[95REDRAM]

I just bought a bottle of lubricant made by PacBrake at my local Cummins dealer. Haven't tried it yet and don't have the part number handy but will post it ASAP.

 

[Joe G.]

What is the best way to R&R it???

Take it off the engine and work on it on your work bench. There are little parts in it that you don't want to drop where you can't find them.

 

[95REDRAM]

PacBrake brand Maintenance Synthetic Lubricant. PN C18037. Bought it at local Cummins dealer.

 

[WPeschel]

Well I got it off and cleaned it up... . It actually was not as bad as I thought it would be... I could not figure out how to get the shaft out... I pulled the butterfly out cleaned it and then soaked the rest of the unit in the barsol vat for around two hours... For the most part I got it freed up with some lithium grease but it still had a certain part that it would stick. . I figured maybe the darn thing is warped. . After putting it back on it works so I guess I will have to see how long... . I have not towed anything with it yet but it doesnt really slow the truck down like I thought it would. .

 

[Pacbrake]

When you took the butterfly off you need to reinstall it in the closed postion place 4 . 012 feeler gages around the butterfly and the wall before you tighten up the butterfly bolts. this will ensure you have wall clearance to prevent sticking.

 

[Richterno1]

anyone ever have the problem of it not alway engaging in colder weather? i was told i would have to replace the vacuum cylinder. it be my second one not happy.

 

[ed9824v]

mine will get stuck with the plunger closed. Mine is all in the solenoid. I put a separate vacuum pum on both sides of the cyl. to test it might me a good Idea for you. or just use the vacuum from the truck disconnect the main vac. line and test on both sides of the cyl. Ed

 

[WPeschel]

Well about 4k miles with no issues so far... I was wondering if there is a way to make it work better?? I noticed that I do not have the HD exhaust springs which I will be installing in the next couple weeks. . I remember the butterfly in the pac brake had two holes in it for the air to come through one of the holes had a bolt in it can i put another bolt in the other hole or is it not designed for that??? I drove my buddys 08 dodge with oem brake and that thing will almost put you into the dash... .

 

[AHuska]

From what I read here the PacBrake lube is a special synthetic that won't burn off. I'm not sure about the heat tolerance of lithium grease, but the PacBrake stuff is cheap, like $5 a bottle, and I found it at my local Dodge dealer in the accessories dept. Mine was stuck open when I bought the truck, but after taking it apart (without removing it from the truck, just disconnected the exhaust components), oiling it liberally, and working it by hand for a good 10 minutes it freed up nicely. After that it suck open once on the first test drive, but not a problem since. I try to play with it at least a little every time I drive.



Andy