Re: Engine exhaust brakes on diesels

Posted by Hugh MacKay on September 07, 2006 at 04:02:16 from (216.208.58.97):

In Reply to: Engine exhaust brakes on diesels posted by Mike Veen on September 06, 2006 at 19:50:43:

Mike: Engine brakes, either kind can be very useful. The biggest problem with them is too many jokers have used them for nothing more than to make noise, and that gives them a bad rap.

I have never used them in mountains, but I expect they can give huge savings both in wheel brakes themselves and in time it takes to let wheel brakes cool down.

I never drove trucks until I was 50, so I still don't know a whole lot about the internal workings of the engine or exhaust brake. I do know they can save your wheel brakes big time. I drove a 500 hp Peterbuilt (Cat) pulling 140,000 lb. gross load, 120 mile round trip. 10 miles of that each way was city driving on industrial throughfares. The city already had engine brake restrictions on all streets 30 mph and slower. Our route was 40 mph, thus you were allowed to use the engine brake, but many city residents were complaining.

I along with others were asked to try this 10 miles both with engine brakes and without. Most of us were hauling in excess of 100,000 lbs. This route was dotted with traffic lights, thus it was stop and go traffic. I found without engine brakes, I had to travel slower, allow more space in front of me, which city car drivers grabbed anyhow. At the end of the 10 mile cross city journey, wheel brake drums were so hot you couldn't lay your hand on them. With engine brakes you were able to drive much more with traffic and at the end of 10 miles the brake drums were not hot.

At a safety meeting after that we were asked our opinions. I told the group, small country villages hate the noise of engine brakes, and we should act on their wishes. Most small country villages don't have more than one or two traffic lights, thus heat build up on brake drums is not a factor. The city is much different, you will get the finger much quicker, holding up traffic than you will making a bit of noise. Keeping wheel brakes cool is much more important than a bit of noise.

Replies:

• Re: Engine exhaust brakes on diesels thejdman01 05:49:16 09/07/06 (9)
  • Re: Engine exhaust brakes on diesels Hugh MacKay 07:00:53 09/07/06 (3)
    • Re: Engine exhaust brakes on diesels RodInNS 08:03:04 09/07/06 (2)
      • Re: Engine exhaust brakes on diesels Hugh MacKay 08:38:24 09/07/06 (1)
        • Re: Engine exhaust brakes on diesels RodInNS 10:51:55 09/07/06 (0)
  • Re: Engine exhaust brakes on diesels massey333 06:28:27 09/07/06 (4)
    • Re: Engine exhaust brakes on diesels ncdies48 09:06:50 09/07/06 (2)
      • Re: Engine exhaust brakes on diesels massey333 18:22:17 09/07/06 (1)
        • Re: Engine exhaust brakes on diesels ncdiesel48 13:02:33 09/08/06 (0)
    • Re: Engine exhaust brakes on diesels RodInNS 08:24:03 09/07/06 (0)

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