The TDR forum has some info on this subject but my search here didn't turn up anything. Have a 2003 3500 SRW HO 4x4 sitting in our driveway with 260 miles on it--and a dealer-installed Jake Brake. Now find out that Dodge won't
warranty the tranny with an exhaust brake installed. Dealer will take it back and replace with a 6 speed and Jake but it isn't the color we prefer. Anyone wlse caught in this situation? Dealer will warranty the 48RE to 70K miles, but husband is afraid to take the chance.

Linda

 

Get it in writing from the dealer that full warranty is on the truck/trans. Get it notarized by some legal dude. Then drive. Their screwup is your gain.

 

Got the verification an hour or so ago--they will take back the white truck with the 48RE and exchange it for a Graphite/Silver 6 speed they have on the lot. The Jake will move to the new truck and they will add the whell well liners and the tow hooks that are on the white one. At least the second truck still matches our Arctic Fox travel trailer! We prefer white--but this will have to do. They had installed our Prodigy brake control as part of the deal so it will have to move also. Thank goodness we hadn't installed/ordered the other add-ons--canopy (custom built), running boards, mud flaps, and on and on!

 

I think you are better off with the 6spd. Glad the dealer worked out for you. Enjoy your new truck.

 

Glad to see a dealer was willing to work with you. Congrats on the new addition. Your going to love it...Happy RVing...
Big dawg

 

Maybe the dealer realized that he screwed up installing the Jake on the 48RE and had to fix the problem.

 

I don't know much about Jake brakes and wondered what the disadvantage was to having one with the auto? I am going to be buying either a 2500 or 3500 and thought the Jake would be a good idea. Any help would be nice.

Daren

 

Information from DC this past spring indicated the Jake was OK to use with the 48RE. We got one on this information and on the fact that our fleet manager got the answer from the service manager that it was OK. Go to the TDR forum:
www.turbodieselregister.com/forums and then to 3rd Generation--Driveline and Engine. Look for Jake Brakes: Good News/Bad News (or something similar). There is a statement from Cummins there. Ialso posted the following message which came in our new TDR magazine yesterday:

"Final notes in the on-again, off-again world of official factory approvals, the installation of an exhaust brake for use with the new 48RE transmission is not yet approved (6/27/03). The engineering community is working to make sure that there is not the possibility of the exhause brake being operational in a scenario where the torque converter is not locked up. Without torque converter lock up the fluid in the torque converter is "sheared" as the driveline works against the engine. Sheared fluid gets hot in short order which can lead to transmission problems. Not to mention, without the torque converter locked up there is not full braking effect--again, all you are doing is shearing (heating) the transmission fluid. We will post updates as we have them."

Page 52, Issue 41, Turbo Diesel Register

 

That follows most of what I have read and heard about the Jacobs brake for the 48RE auto. Jacobs is working with DC to get it approved, but approval hasn't happened yet. There supposedly will be a Jacobs brake for the 48RE soon.

The big problem I see here is that the brake for the 48RE auto is likely to be different than the currently available brake for manual trannies. Putting the brake for the manual on the auto seems like it could be a really bad idea.

If somebody really wants an auto and a brake, I would call Jacobs and ask them how confident they are that DC is going to approve their brake. If you are convinced that it is going to happen, I would buy the auto and wait for the proper brake to be available.

 

Check out the Cummins info in the previous message I posted. The changes are in the hardware and software in the computer--and this "fix" will not be available for trucks with 48RE's in them for the 2003 year. The change is "scheduled" to be in the 2004/5 models--after 1 Jan 2004.

 

If you really want a little help with your auto tranny then go to http://www.bankspower.com/index.cfm and check out their SmartLock trans brake for auto trannies.
Maybe this will help.

 

We thought we were going to get a 6 shooter in place of the truck with the 48RE. Turns out that truck was sold--the salesman had money on it but didn't mark it and move it off the lot. All the paperwork is done for a buy-back by the dealer earlier today--but think we will take them up on their offer as given to us today: 1) They will provide, in writing, that THEY will guarantee the tranny for 70K miles. They will also reimburse us if there is an excess fee our tow insurance doesn't pay in the case of a tow due to tranny failure. 2) They will reimburse us the $1295 paid for the Jake Brake and installation and leave the brake on. If DC comes out with a retroactive fix and a warranty that includes our truck, we will pay them the $1295 back. We listened to a conversation he had with a DC engineer this morning. It SEEMED to say that if the installation followed the standard instructions (no TC adjustments) it would probably be OK. The question is much like stated in the TDR article: using the Jake when the TC is not locked up. I think the change in 2004 will be that the computer is tied to the lock up to prevent human error.

There was only one truck in the zone that met criteria for a 6 shooter--and it was the wrong color and in eastern Washington. We just decided a few minutes ago to go ahead and keep the truck. The dealer has been more than fair in solving the problem. The actual purchase price was below invoice, less $3000 rebates ($500 Farm Bureu) by the time you figure the value of the things my husband got thrown in--wheel well liners, oil and filter change, serpentine belt, and a few more goodies. We do recommend Withnell Dodge in Salem, Oregon, Eric Jacobsen, Fleet Manager.

 

Here is a direct quote from Jacobs website as of today:

"Jacobs Exhaust Brake will be available for 2003 Cummins-powered Dodge Ram trucks with the 48RE Automatic Transmission. Stay tuned for approved release date."

TDR is an awesome source of info, but not perfect. In this case, I would look for info from Jacobs. Jacobs is owned by Cummins, so any info from them should be trustworthy. I don't think they would post info that is contradictory to the parent corporation. That tends to be frowned upon. >

 

Thanks for the information. I looked it up myself and posted it on the TDR site.

 

Info on the Jake Brake web site was old and has been removed. Robert Patton, the head guy at TDR, posted some excellent information at the TDR site at
www.turbodieselregister.com then to 3rd Generation: Drivelines and Engines, then Jake Brake: Bad News/Good News.