Looking to get some advice on whether I should be investing in an exhaust brake. This is my first diesel truck and we just purchased a new fiver last year and it has a GVWR of 8844 and pin wieght of 977. I know this is not much compared to what some of you guys pull but I have not had any experience pulling in the mountains and we are planning a trip to the west coast this year with more trips like this planned in the coming years as well.

If you don't think I need an exhaust break perhaps you could give me some pointers on mountain driving.

thanks in advance

 

You can also post your question over on the RV.NET site under the 5er threads. I wonder if you have weighed the pin weight or is it dealer stated ? it seems a little lite. I have a Motor home with a cummins 12V it weighs in at 21000 lbs. I have travels the US and throughout the Mtns with it. I rely on the exhaust brake. I don't have experience with the EB on a DTD and the 48re trans. I will yield to the guys that know more than I in these matters. My best guess is that you would greatly benifit from an exhaust brake. PAC brake has some new products out that look good.

 

I have a BD exhaust brake....the brake works great, the torque convertor clutch lockup box could use some work.

Basically, if the torque convertor is not locked up, you get VERY little braking. So, BD made a box which will hold the torque convertor clutch engaged, IF the Dodge electronics has requested it be engaged.

It's very flukey when my Dodge engages the TCC clutch. Sometimes I feather the throttle and it cuts in, other times, it doesn't. Perhaps I'm not going fast enough...in 2nd it works great, but not in 3rd or OD. I'm going to make a timer to cut it in for 2 seconds each time I get off the throttle, and the ebrake is on.

I tow a 12.5K boat, and the ebrake is great when going down steep hills. Between the ebrake and the trailer brakes, I don't touch the truck brakes.

Without one you can still use the gearing, but watch the revs. It's ok, but not as good as the ebrake. Aslo, note that aftermarket ebrakes and cruise do not play well together...you get 1 or the other.


Chay

 

Get a Pacbrake and you will never regret it!

 

I too have a Pac Brake and have used it for several years traveling through mountains on average once or twice a month with a 15,000# trailer. First, I think Green Machine explained perfectly the weakness of the Pac Brake-- sometimes you need to accelerate a bit in order to slow the truck and trailer. Sometimes this mild acceleration will yield successful engagement of the Pac Brake and sometimes it won't. In short, you have to almost outsmart the Pac Brake to get it to work consistently.

Having recognized this weakness, and to the OP's concern, I would never have another truck without a Pac Brake no matter how much or little weight I intended to tow because once the brake does kick in, it is the best feeling as it reminds you that your vehicle is very much under control. For 9,000# you would probably be fine with good trailer and truck brakes and no Pac Brake. However, if you did install the Pac Brake, I don't believe you would ever regret it.

 

I recently installed the pac brake,love it,i,m at 23000lbs GCW, it will hold on a 6% grade at 60/mph with no problem ,it really saves the brakes and is very relaxing to drive in the mountains .Your tow haul feature will handle the wt you are pulling with no problem,if you have the dough to spend,put one on ,it makes towing a real joy.

 

Most aftermarket exh brakes work with vacuum, mine uses the air pressure created by the turbo-stored in a air cylinder attached to the trans cross brace- to operate the small BIMBA air cylinder that in turn closes the stainless steel butterfly plate in the exhaust pipe just downstream of the turbo.
I didn't have the money to buy the $1100. brake that was available on the market back in 2009 so I built my own from stainless. It works with a solenoid valve run by two switches... one switch is on the APPS assembly and will accuate only when the throttle is in the idle position. The other is a simple pressure switch also attached to my TCC lockup wire which basically engages only after 20 mph. Since governor pressure in the automatic is 1 psi per mph... 20 psi is 20 mph so that's the switch rating.
The torque converter locks up as well if the brake is engaged and the speed is faster than 20 mph. Pretty simple and certainly not prone to issues with electronics and computer interfaces but it is crude although completely functional. My brakes lasted well over 100,000 miles and I would say the exh brake is a very good reason why.
Oh, we pull a 3-axle, 40' enclosed 5th wheel car trailer and when fully loaded for race day we top the scale around 22-24,000 gross. My brake holds us at around 45mph on a 6% grade in 3rd gear, TCC loacked.

 

I pill a 6K TT and take several trips a year to the mountains here in Colorado and other western states. It really saves on the truck brakes and will hold where I set the cruse. Coming down into Denver. If I'm set at 55mph it may go to 59mph depending on the grade and then bring it right back to 55.
I wouldn't be with out it. For me it's a matter of safety. I always run in tow-haul mode when pulling a trailer and I always have the e-brake turned on even in town. I have 79K on the original factory truck brakes and they still look good.

 

Thanks for the info guys please keep it coming.

I was wondering if there are any issues with using the Pac brake in the winter? Common temps where I am can be -30C and lower. I don't do any pulling in the winter but I have been reading that it helps warm the truck up faster.

Also if you have any mountain driving techniques without a brake to pass along it would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

It all depends on your truck and trailer. I have pulled with and without. Presently I have a small 22' fifth and I have no problem holding speed down on hills but I have also pulled with a larger 5th and loved the control of the Pac Brake. Try it first on a good hill then decide. 9 years on the road and loved every minute.

 

PM (really long - sorry) sent for driving from Calgary to Okanagan. Hope some of it helps.

 

Green Machine pleas tell me how to do that again I have A hard time with the PB working sum time it wont work for me I need help I'm A

 

it doesn't get that cold here, but i start the truck, engage the exhaust brake, bump up the high idle and it will be up to temp in 5 minutes. it helps out immensely, i have 2 little kids and i dont like putting them into a cold truck that takes forever to get warm on its own. my pac brake allows me to not let my truck idle for as long, and have it warmer sooner.

 

Pac brake all the way, I pull maybe once a month. Just riding around empty it helps alot because unless you have to come to a complete stop you don't have to use your brakes to make a turn from one road onto another or into a parking lot etc..

 

It works as good at -30 as it does at +30. An added bonus is that is helps the engine warm faster. I don't usually use it for this though because I have a Espar on mine.
Get the pacbrake and don't look back.