Towing without a Exhaust Brake

[Cohomojo]

Here's my question. How many of you are pulling heavy trailers such as 5th wheels, big boats or hauling a camper and do not have an exhaust brake installed? What precautions should I take when pulling a big boat across country? Currently I have a boat weighing approx 5,000 lbs, but plan in the future to have a slide in camper installed. I'm concerned about the hills!!!

Any ideas, comments or suggestions? What do you pull or haul without being able to have an exhaust brake installed? Thanks in advance!

 

[Suprmn]

Well, gassers dont get to ever have an exhaust brake so it is not an essential piece of equipment for heavy towing, just real nice if you have one. Just make sure your trailer brakes are adjusted correctly and drive conservatively. The free wheeling nature of a dodge transmission when coasting can be a pain in the but. There are ways to manually lock the torque converter that would be helpful going down hill. I have used a dodge diesel, no exhaust brake, with a 12 foot camper and about 6K worth of trailer in the hills without any problems.

 

[JRMora]

Here's my question. How many of you are pulling heavy trailers such as 5th wheels, big boats or hauling a camper and do not have an exhaust brake installed? What precautions should I take when pulling a big boat across country? Currently I have a boat weighing approx 5,000 lbs, but plan in the future to have a slide in camper installed. I'm concerned about the hills!!!

Any ideas, comments or suggestions? What do you pull or haul without being able to have an exhaust brake installed? Thanks in advance!

Well, "towing heavy" is a relative term. We originally towed our 36' (14k) fifth wheel without an exhaust brake and on 5-6% grades, it became a little "uncomfortable". I have since installed a PacBrake, and let me tell you, it makes a BIG difference. I pretty much leave it on all the time as it helps reduce the load on my service brakes even when i am not towing.



Diesels don't make back pressure like a gasser, so all you are really doing is dropping a gear or two and letting the engine revs provide some slowing effect (not really a good thing to do). With the exhaust brake, you are providing that source of back pressure. If you have an auot, you'll probably need a device that keeps your torque converter locked up to slower speeds, or you just wear your transmission faster. With a manual, just install and enjoy.



Juan

 

[RustyJC]

Well, gassers dont get to ever have an exhaust brake so it is not an essential piece of equipment for heavy towing... .

Gassers have throttle plates that turn the engine into a vacuum pump on each cylinder's intake stroke which creates negative (retarding) horsepower when the throttle is closed. Diesel engines don't; therefore, they use an exhaust brake that, when closed, makes the engine function as an air compressor on each cylinder's exhaust stroke which creates similar negative (retarding) horsepower.



Rusty

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Cohomojo you should be fine just towing the boat. But adding a slide-in and towing the boat you'll probably be wanting a brake. I towed a load of hay weighing almost 12,000 lbs and found myself wishing I had an exhaust brake. Really got the brakes hot slowing down for a turn.

 

[Nate]

I tow an 8500lb trailer and I've never felt I needed an exhaust brake. I'm sure it's nice with a big trailer though.

 

[KennethS]

I have been towing for 40 years and never had one

Until now. To me the trailer brakes are the most important to be safe. I always double check my trailer. This new truck has a jake brake. I play with It a lot but if the truck did not have it I would not miss It that much. Now In big mountains driving Yes but other wise?

 

[daytripper63]

I towed for years with my 98 without a exhaust brake but went thru plenty of brakes and rotors but with my 03 I installed a Pacbrake after wortk 1 night and love it! i should have done this a long time ago, I just about leave it on all the time towing or not and when not towing I have people pull up beside me saying my brake lites are not working ( it's because I am not using them )

Get the pacbrake or any Exhaust brake!

 

[Cohomojo]

Thanks for all the advice. Big problem I have is the fact that the truck is an automatic and unable to have a brake installed. I guess you can do it with the new 06's, but not with the 04's. I really wish now that I would have bought the truck with standard trans vice auto.

 

[Boondocker]

Big problem I have is the fact that the truck is an automatic and unable to have a brake installed. I guess you can do it with the new 06's, but not with the 04's. I really wish now that I would have bought the truck with standard trans vice auto.

You can install an exhaust brake on your truck with something to lock up the torque converter. Whether or not it could become a warrenty issue is another question.

 

[BHolm]

Still, a 5000lb boat is nothing for these trucks. Even if you add the camper you are probably still just fine unless you regularly run in the mountains. Like others, I went for years without one and now have one on my '06. It was really nice to have when I scaled at 23,900 lbs and had to run several passes on I-70 in Colorado. I've pulled more with my dually and no Jake on the same trip. You just come down the hills much more slowly. With the jake you can run faster yet with control because you are not heating up your service brakes.

 

[starkmr]

Hey daytripper, those brake lights are so the other idiots on the road will know what your are doing, so even if you are using the e-brake, just touch the brake pedal so that Joe Gasser (or Fred Ford ) doesn't try to crawl up the back end of your truck!!



The e-brake sure is nice to have, you'll wonder why you didn't use one all along!!!

 

[JOblenes]

Hey daytripper, those brake lights are so the other idiots on the road will know what your are doing, so even if you are using the e-brake, just touch the brake pedal so that Joe Gasser (or Fred Ford ) doesn't try to crawl up the back end of your truck!!



The e-brake sure is nice to have, you'll wonder why you didn't use one all along!!!

I hope i am not hijacking the thread too badly but I have a farily relevant question. I currently have a prodigy brake controller. I wanted to get a brakesmart but they were not available for a brief period of time last spring when I needed to buy it. I plan on getting an exhaust brake and was wondering if in fact the prodigy is the better option to use in conjunction with an exhaust brake because it is accelerometer based and will sense the deceleration due to the engine brake unike the brakesmart which responds to brake pressure?



Jonathan

 

[brownc1]

I pull an 8000 pound car trailer with car and gear plus 1000 pounds or so in the bed. No problem at all,including serious hills. However, anticipation is key. Braking technique makes a real difference. Smooth, and lighter and early works well for me. Trailer brakes are well maintained as are the tires all around. Its the tires (and their pressures) that stop the rig.

 

[donnier]

The one gripe I have is the E Brake that Dodge offers will work on the 06 model. The 05 has a prob with the electronics not working right.

I considered a electronic brake unit from US Gear I believe.

I dont know if there will be a warrenty issue using the electronic unit or not.

Might be worth checking out.

 

[MMeier]

Just get the brake and bomb your trans accordingly! Have 136k hard miles on mine and the brakes are still at 75 %.

 

[DHamblet]

Thanks for all the advice. Big problem I have is the fact that the truck is an automatic and unable to have a brake installed. I guess you can do it with the new 06's, but not with the 04's. I really wish now that I would have bought the truck with standard trans vice auto.

Exactly why I am trading my 05 truck in on an 06 with a MANUAL transmission. I pull a 14,500GVW Toy Hauler. It was either that or invest $6000 beefing up my transmission to take the ebrake then fight with Dodge if I ever had warranty issues. I'm taking an $8000 loss but gaining a sun roof, a long bed, and the ability to use an ebrake. Anybody want deal on a nice 05 3500 Laramie QC shorty 4wd?

 

[NStates]

Exhaust Brake

I tow a heavy 5 th wheel (17,000 lbs) and would not be caught without an exhaust brake. On most steep Interstate grades I reduce down one gear and let the exhaust brake hold me on the hill. When you learn the load and watch the posted grade you can drop down the grade without even touching the brakes.



Norm



My Truck – 2005 RAM 3500 SLT Quad Cab 4x2 Laramie Sport Bright White 6-Speed HO – Limited Slip - Edge Juice Attitude –PacBrake – 65 gal. Toolbox/fuel tank – Starboards – Recon Smoke Cab Lighting - Pulrite Super 5th – Kenwood TM 261 –Towing A Teton Fifth Wheel

 

[Suprmn]

Gassers have throttle plates that turn the engine into a vacuum pump on each cylinder's intake stroke which creates negative (retarding) horsepower when the throttle is closed. Diesel engines don't; therefore, they use an exhaust brake that, when closed, makes the engine function as an air compressor on each cylinder's exhaust stroke which creates similar negative (retarding) horsepower.



Rusty

Correct, however the difference in retarding horsepower of a gas engine vs. an unbraked cummins is relatively negligible in my opinion from actual use in the hills, as long as you can keep the converter locked. The point is there is no option to increase it on a gas motor through any means, yet gassers are out there pulling plenty heavy loads in the hills every day.



Once you have had an exhaust brake it hard to live without one.

 

[dwillmoth]

Pacbrake

Just installed the Pacbrake PXRB on my 06 Megacab with 48RE, it is unbelievable, this is my 3rd CTD and my fisrt brake. Our weekend tows are usually the Cumberland plateau region, narrow, winding Forest Service roads poorly maintained. Our 35' 5er is a different tow with the brake, I'm sold.



Don Oo.