Barry Smith

I just installed a Pac Brake on my truck. I also installed a new set of Bridgestone dueler Rivo's. I normally haul from 26000# to 30000# on a dual tandem GN. I was rotating my tires after 6000 miles an my back tires were half wore out "HALF" after 6000 miles? Has anyone else seen this kind of tire wear with an E Brake? Also my fuel mileage seems to have gone down also? I think the E brake is worth this for the safety factor if nothing else I was just wondering. Any feed back would be appreciated!
1999 2500 Quad Cab SLT 4x4 TST PM 2 80000 miles

rattle_rattle

I'm not sure about tire wear, but it makes sense that the rear tires would wear out sooner. As for the mileage, mine definately dropped after installing the PacBrake. If it's used all the time, a lot of energy is being lost every time it engages. I wish it had different settings. Let's say when I'm unloaded, the brake should have a setting that only closes the butterfly half way. I find that when I use it unloaded, I kill too much speed a lot of times and have to accelerate. In other words, I think it "over-brakes" when unloaded. Interesting topic.

RustyJC

My truck has spent probably 80% or more of its mileage towing a 13,500 lb 5th wheel - we hit the road at 10,380 GVW (10,500 GVWR) and 21,180 GCW (21,500 GCWR). Our e-brake is used whenever we tow.

At approximately 19,000 miles, the rear Goodyear Wrangler tires (never rotated) have probably 3/8 to 1/2 the tread remaining. With my setup, I think acceleration is more responsible for tire wear than engine braking!

Rusty

jermey1980

i also eat my rears tires off they only have 15000 miles courser a/t my fronts are good

rharveysr

Could this have anything to do with it???? This is the reason that I removed my elbow mounted exhaust brake. It did work but after I took it off I did see an inprovement in the response of the truck. Now I have a remote unit that is way down stream far enough away that the swirling has slowed down.

http://www.bankspower.com/brake-dodge_comparison.cfm


Rick

ddestruel

Its that water-ski you have hanging at the bottom of your leg, at least that my problem my gunboats are a little heavy.

Harder to hold them up and back off the throttle than it is to let it rest and push on the throttle.

my conversion truck has 1/4-1/8 tread on the rear and 2/3-1/2 tread on the front never rotated and i have a little more than 24000 miles all towing till she was retired. With and without the Inline US Gear exhaust brake that is how it has always been if i dont rotate.

BigBlue

I still don't understand how an exhaust brake could eat up the rear tires like that.

phox_mulder

Beat me to it.

An exhaust brake decreases the need for regular brakes, and prevents overheating of said brakes.

How does this wear out the rear tires?


Could it be the fact that most who use an exhaust brake do so because they are towing something heavy?
All this weight on the rear tires would contribute to wear.
The tires would wear faster without the E-brake as well.


phox

wannadiesel

Because the exhaust brake does all its braking through the rear tires. If you use the exhaust brake as intended, you will wear the rear tires faster than the fronts because the rear tires do all the driving and most of the braking. Without an exhaust brake, the front tires do most of the braking, which tends to keep them wearing even with the rears. My work truck is rough on the drive tires, they wear around 30% faster than the steer tires.

BigBlue

Makes a little sense.

ddestruel

OK if you say so. i use my ebrake except on hills a fraction of the time the rest of the time im on the throttle trying to pull the load which is positioned over my tires.
I agree the rear tires do most of the work but he resistence provided by the e-brake seems not to be enough to place a shearing load against the rubber enough to wear at least. Seems more like the force being used to accelerate is more of a culpret but thats just MP&HO I understand the therory and the facts i just have a hard time mathematically figuring out how so little use can be made out to be so detrimental.

Oh well

cfar

I have an ebrake I use all the time, 90% unloaded, I have more wear up front than in back. 58k on the original mich'es. Can't seem to wear the darn things out.

rattle_rattle
The higher the rpm the more braking force applied. Sometimes its hard to find the right gear to maintain the speed you want.

The first time I drove mine with the ebrake, I hit the off ramp at 65 turned on the ebrake realized I was going too fast grabbed 5th (6sp), didn't think I was slowing fast enough, grabbbed 4th, was going sideways. So I found out an ebrake will lock up the rears.


On edit:

Seems like most people reporting excessive wear are towing most of the time.

Barry Smith

I live in Tenn. So if your going your going up or down all the time, Slowing a load is causing friction somewhere with the ebrake it's the back tire against the road so I think that is where some wear is happening. I agree with RustyJC I think alot of it is acceleration also cornering with 6600# on the rear axle. And anyone with a 1999 Dodge knows the back brakes never work! That maybe it the shock to the rear tires to acually be helping to stop the truck! Thank you guys for your input it is greatly appreciated!

Barry Smith

Also most of the grades around here (Tenn.) are 6 to 8% for 2 to 6 miles and with 28000# that takes alot of work not to get to the bottom before you want too!

Barry Smith

Another thing real quick is there any truth to carbon building up on the butterfly if you don't use your ebrake all the time?