i installed a pacbrake on my 94 dodge 5speed.now i installed the 60lb springs.and i plugged up the small hole in the butterfly.now can i plug up the other hole?or plug the big hole and unplug the small hole?it just dont slow down like i thought it would.i know there is someway to test back pressure what is that?how do i do it?now i know some brakes dont even have a hole in the flap at all.thanks

 

I don't know a lot about Pac Brakes so someone more expert can jump in. The hole in the plate of many brakes is a over pressure relief. Plugging it may cause a problem. Others use springs of certain strength as protection.

If there is a port in your brake above the plate like there was on my BD Turbo mount, you can install a line with a guage there that will give you the back pressure. I installed a gauge inside my '98 so I could observe how much pressure it was developing. BD uses that port to test and adjust their brake. There was an adjustment on the actuator arm that let you increase or decrease the spring load against the valve. Increase meant more back pressure, etc.

Also, keep in mind that braking efficiency is directly related to RPM and that the brake workes better with the revs up.

Dan

 

2100 rpm will give you optimum braking on the old style turbo mount brake. Anything more than that sounds cool, but won't really do much, anything less, the braking power decreases proportionally.

The PRXB from pacbrake, although more costly, is a progressive rate brake, that allows near full braking power across the RPM range. Properly set up, they will allow you to brake it down nearly to a stop.

I run the older turbo mount on my 01, and have no problems with slowing down. As long as you keep the revs happy, the brake will do its job, only requiring service brakes for the final stop, and to hold.

As suggested, plumb a pressure gauge into the elbow, and see what kind of back pressure you are getting. If the pressures are within spec, at about 21 - 2200 rpm, then you are in the ballpark, and merely need to adjust your driving style accordingly. If they are not in spec, then there is most likely another problem. These are simple units, and I am sure you will find out what is wrong without too many hassles.

Somethign else to check is the solenoid valve. If it is dirty or dried out, it can hang, and this could cause a bit of an issue. The valve is easy to clean, and although it normally results in a sticking issue, either on or off, there could be other things related to it. Also check your hose connections for leaks.

Good luck