nascar-co

They do not tell you that you have to have a welder to modify your down pipe and in my case the method they have in the instructions is a real pain. They give you 4 wire ties ( you need about 30 to 40 ) The wire lead for the shift mounted switch is not long enough.
When cutting the down pipe a stock turbo dumping into an after market 4" pipe has a section that starts at the turbo as 3" and then flares to the 4" sections. They don't tell you that this whole section needs to be removed at the 3 to 4 " weld. This is also where the 4" adapter ( sold seperatly ) gets welded to the 4" exhaust.
Did I say what a pain this was? Had to seperate the down pipe from the exhaust pipe to cut and weld on it. Did I say what a pain this is?
Had to align the 4" adapter on the 4" section of the down pipe with the pacbrake bolted in - instructions say tack weld it ( right ) like there is enough room to do that. Just marked it with a marker and removed it all to weld it. Did I say what a pain this was?
It is in and working first time so after 2 days of work I hope it is worth it.
By the way the new bolts for the brake to turbo attacment were not worth using. Very small star socket needed for them. Not sure they could be tightened well enough.
Sorry to rant but for 1200.00 I would have expected greater attention to details and better instructions.

Clayten

This does not sound right, something is not right. They are a bolt on. As all of them are.

johnh

mine was! although i had to take it off when i upgraded my turbo

TB1

Sounds like you bought or ordered the wrong one ?

infidel

I've installed several Pacs and never had any problem but if you don't have a stock turbo or downpipe or plan on upgrading either one you need to buy the inline brake that goes further downsteam in the exhaust system.

runningbird

which modle brake did you get? all three of mine bolted right up. including the 96 truck with the 4" exhaust. and both my 5spd trucks the wire was plenty long enough.....something is just not right here.

nascar-co

The kit ordered was C44074 - Pacbrake C44074 is a High Performance PRXB Exhaust Brake kit designed to provide maximum
retarding throughout the RPM range of your 1998½-2002 Dodge 24 valve Cummins with a manual
shift transmission.
Plus This
(4" aftermarket exhaust systems require Pacbrake Part #C11342).
Trucks with aftermarket exhaust systems larger than stock 3” O.D. require a different exhaust adapter.

Step 25 From below the vehicle, remove the header pipe by removing
the exhaust clamp at the header pipe connection to the
intermediate pipe. Once the header pipe is removed from the
vehicle, loosely install the elbow back onto the header pipe.
Loosely assemble the Pacbrake at the adapter for measuring
purposes. Lay the two assemblies side by side to determine
the correct location to cut the header pipe. The Pacbrake
adapter is expanded to fit over the header pipe, consider
this in your measurement. Cut the header pipe to length.

Step 27 Install the shortened header pipe into the rear Pacbrake flange
and intermediate exhaust pipe. Adjust the assembly to attain
maximum clearance and a good pipe fit. Trim the firewall insulation
to attain a minimum clearance of 6" to the exhaust brake and
header pipe. Tack weld the Pacbrake adapter to the header pipe,
remove the V clamp and then the header pipe for welding.
Re-install the header pipe and torque the “V” clamp to 12 ft-lbs.
Re-install the original exhaust clamp at the connection between
the header to intermediate pipe.

I do not belive I got the wrong kit and the instructions were directly from those provided.
I am thinking that the inline system would have been easier but you would not gain the 4" out put from the turbo.

zukota

Did you happen to take any pictures?

nascar-co

No, afraid not I was not thinking that far ahead. I also had to remove a cross member to get access to where the down pipe and the first 4" exhaust section needed to be seperated.

SWC

I have heard from a very reliable source that a turbo mount PRXB on a second gen is more work. The problem as nascar-co says is having to weld the adapter to the down pipe.
My old vacuum Pacbrake has been giving me problems. I asked a supplier about the PRXB thinking I would make the upgrade. He made me aware of this issue.
I am in the process of converting my vacuum actuated Pacbrake to air as I already have air on the truck. That is another thread.
Stan

rebal

something is a miss I have installed a lot of pacbrakes and all of them went in easy?

TB1

Here are the install instructions for the Brake. As said above it's air actuated not vacuum. It does look more involved

http://www.pacbrake.com/PDF/L5913.PDF

nascar-co

My point is not to flame the product but to make others aware that for some reason Pacbrake has not included in their adds the need for the cutting and welding on this generation Dodge.
The lack of wire ties sounds small but if you do this youself I think everything to do a first class installation should be included or listed as being needed in the instructions.
The need to seperate the down pipe adds at least 4 to 6 hours while you have to decide how to get it off and not spend 110.00 to get a new one after you distroy it during the seperation.
This ended up to be a two day project for one person (me anyway)
I can't wait to see how it performs pulling my doubles.

Ironforger

Hello, thanks for the post. I'm considering this kit, and just want to be sure before I purchase.

Did you have a 4" aftermarket pipe (larger than the stock 3")? And were you running the stock/factory turbo?

Was your aftermarket pipe 4" all the way up to the turbo? Or was there a 4" to 3" reducer just before it mounted to the turbo?

I have a 4" exhaust, but it's 3" off the turbo, then it goes to 4" via a 3" to 4" reducer. So basically the 3" section that mounts to the turbo is just like stock factory (and yea, I'm runnin the stock factory turbo too)

SIXSLUG

May not see a reply on this one IronForger, the post last circulated ten years ago....