Exhaust brake operation

[Revspan]

Was pulling my trailer yesterday and got the thought.  Why is the exhaust brake a feature that you have to turn on?  I really cannot imagine a time where you would not want this engaged when you are pulling a trailer.  For that matter, it could be something that you may want even unloaded.  

 

Any thoughts?  Is there some downside that I am not aware of?

 

 

[EXSlider400]

 Deceleration is not as smooth with it turned on and you may not need it for every trailer. 

[Icutmetl]

I would not want it on all the time; in winter on sloppy, slick roads- no way. I do think it would be nice for it to be a toggle switch versus a momentary, so it didn’t have to be turned back on each time the truck is restarted.

[Mikey52]

I switch mine on every time, towing or not.

[redwngr]

If you're accelerating  and decelerating a lot, you'll use more fuel with it active -- because it will reduce the amount the truck coasts (slow you faster) so there will be more 'accelerating' required to get back up to speed.  

 

Steady speeds, it doesn't make any difference. 

[2017HD]

I love it for long downgrades - when used with the cruise control - it keeps my truck and trailer at the set speed - don't have to touch the brakes. I usually engage it along with tow/haul mode every time I tow my TT.

[doverarjim]

The engine braking on my 19 is not as fast as it was on my 11 truck, I turn mine on as part of the start up of the truck every time.  I drive the same route to work and with the 11 truck at 45 mph I would cancel cruise about 1/4 mile before the first stop light and if the light was turning to red the truck would just about come to a complete stop with out me ever touching the break pedal, with the 19 truck canceling cruise at the same spot it might drop to 40 mph!!  I played with it for the first couple of months that I had the truck and got to where I've started turning off the cruise about a mile before the light and using the foot feed more.  Just my $0.02!! 

[xps800doo]

i'm curious to wear and tear on the exhaust brake? my experience is on class 8 trucks, you have a rebuild kit for the Jacobs brake system, are the exhaust brakes on our trucks the same and need a tune up?

[redwngr]

The 'exhaust brake' on the HD's is the variable gate/nozzle on the turbo.

 Not the same as a Jake on a class 8. 

 

 

Fwiw, on the 2020's, it sound like the truck can be programmed for several trailers, and the exhaust brake on/off setting will be maintained after shutdown - depending on the settings for the connected trailer. 

 

Of course, we will know better when a few of them get into customer hands.

Edited June 22, 2019 by redwngr

[xps800doo]

The 'exhaust brake' on the HD's is the variable gate/nozzle on the turbo.
 Not the same as a Jake on a class 8. 
 

So does that equate to basically a wear free brake? Of course anything mechanical can break or fail, but likewise the Jakes on class eight Can I wear out with you so need to be rebuilt


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[Icutmetl]

1 hour ago, redwngr said:

The 'exhaust brake' on the HD's is the variable gate/nozzle on the turbo.

 Not the same as a Jake on a class 8. 

 

 

Fwiw, on the 2020's, it sound like the truck can be programmed for several trailers, and the exhaust brake on/off setting will be maintained after shutdown - depending on the settings for the connected trailer. 

 

Of course, we will know better when a few of them get into customer hands.

It has nothing to do with any nozzles; it’s closing up the variable vanes.

[redwngr]

58 minutes ago, Icutmetl said:

It has nothing to do with any nozzles; it’s closing up the variable vanes.

Yes the variable elements are vanes. 

 

Not the best choice of description on my part.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 22, 2019 by redwngr

[BLW]

First time posting i really need some help.                                                                                I have a 2019 HD3500 Denali dually. I tow a 25ft gooseneck total weight most often 17000lbs travel 120 miles round trip though the mountians can be fairly steep my exhuast brake does NOT work on gravel roads at all get up to 40-45 mph trying to set it then as soon as i hit black top it works.Do these trucks not work on gravel,risking my life.Any help would be really [email protected]

[Icutmetl]

8 hours ago, BLW said:

First time posting i really need some help.                                                                                I have a 2019 HD3500 Denali dually. I tow a 25ft gooseneck total weight most often 17000lbs travel 120 miles round trip though the mountians can be fairly steep my exhuast brake does NOT work on gravel roads at all get up to 40-45 mph trying to set it then as soon as i hit black top it works.Do these trucks not work on gravel,risking my life.Any help would be really [email protected]

I think you answered your own question; it doesn’t work on gravel, but it does on pavement. Well; it works on both surfaces...you just don’t feel it on gravel, because there’s less grip. That sounds like it might be a better application for hill decent control, if your truck has it. 

[BLW]

Thanks for the reply my truck doesn't have hill decent option.These hills can be 1/2 mile long and if im not riding the foot brake an manually activating trailer brakes id go over the cliff and even doing this front brakes were smoking like there were on fire,truck does not hold back with exhaust brake at all.So i wonder if it works when it normally [pavement]i can hear/feel the torque converter engage.I do try using the cruise control but i must be going 40mph for it to set then manually lower it be getting to 40mph is not safe on these roads.Just to fast

 

Edited April 28, 2020 by BLW