[redneckemt]

I'm new to the site, and have found a lot of great info on here. Just as the title says, I have a 5 ton bumper pull trailer i use once in a while, and a 35' gooseneck i use on occasion for farm equipment. I am getting ready to buy a 35' fifth wheel camper and im a little concerned if we decide to go in to the mountains. I guess what my question is, who uses an exhaust brake, and is it reccomended?

 

[Ram3500Dually]

After having the factory one in my 08 and my 2010 I wouldn't want to pull without one....

 

[DmnDvo]

Have towed same trailer in trucks with and without one and its definately an advantage. Saves riding your brakes and IF they are rode hard and long enough you get a loooong list of nasty effects (brake fade, warped rotors, etc...)

 

[TRUCKON]

After having the factory one in my 08 and my 2010 I wouldn't want to pull without one....

Same here:thumbsup:

 

[troll3193]

I have the Mopar kit on my 06. I never turn it off even when empty...

I also have a 9500lb bumper pull trailer and it works great for towing as well...

Bryan

 

[JoeRandall]

Its on everyday whether towing or not. But mine is factory as well.

 

[redneckemt]

thanks guys, anywhere i can buy a kit for my 06?

 

[MPD106]

thanks guys, anywhere i can buy a kit for my 06?

pac brake, bd diesel or the expensive mopar kit... Ive seen them on ebay several times, take in mind the bd and pac are better and dont rely on the super expensive pump that the mopar one has.

 

[DieselWorkin]

I have no experience with any aftermarket brakes, but the 6.7 VGT brake is no joke. I agree with the guys above, I can't imagine owning a diesel with out an exhaust brake now. The control you have down a hill is a great feeling. You also end up using way less brake on flat land. It doesn't hurt that it sounds pretty cool too.

 

[waynemontana]

exhaust brake

I have one in my 2011 1 ton pull a lot in Mountians with a 29 foot 5th wheel and 17 Lund boat. Love the exhaust brake use it all the time. But as the manual says watch out on ice.

 

[NDanecker]

pac brake, bd diesel or the expensive mopar kit... Ive seen them on ebay several times, take in mind the bd and pac are better and dont rely on the super expensive pump that the mopar one has.

I had the Jacobs with the vacuum pump since new. Worked OK but pump died around 80k miles and because of the replacement cost I removed it. My suggestion to OP is to look at pac brake or BD over the vacuum style Jacobs brake.

 

[Hitparade]

I love mine. Especially when I borrow a trailer that doesn't have working trailer brakes.

 

[troll3193]

I had the Jacobs with the vacuum pump since new. Worked OK but pump died around 80k miles and because of the replacement cost I removed it. My suggestion to OP is to look at pac brake or BD over the vacuum style Jacobs brake.

Vacuum pump replacement from dealer is really costly for sure... I had one fail and got a replacement straight from Cummins for about $200...

And now there is a company offering a rebuild kit...

Nice thing about the mopar brake is there is no preventive maintenance on the brake itself...

Bryan

 

[Motorboat]

Pacbrake here, wouldn't tow heavy without it.

 

[carl48]

the bd has a small advantage over the pac. both are many times more reliable and better stopping power than the jake. learn to use gearing and eb loaded and empty and your brakes will last a very long time. while you are at it get a maxbrake controller, it is the safest and only true proportional one made.

 

[Bionic Man]

I had the Jacobs on my last truck. Best upgrade I did to it. The vacuum pump is the weak link. I don't remember how long mine lasted, but I do remember it was EXPENSIVE when I had to have it replaced.

If you go the Jacobs route, you can buy & have it installed by a Cummins shop for considerably less then Dodge charges.

 

[rasteck]

The PacBrake was the second best thing I did to my truck with the Goerend trans being the first best. They work great together! I've come down 10% grades with my 5th wheel and never had to touch the service brakes.

 

[Crazy Cooter]

I don't know what kind of hills you have out there, but we have some good ones here.

I started with the Jake, but was disappointed with it after I installed a Pac for a client.....so I got a Pac!

On the way over to the coast on a humid 110 deg day, the Pac compressor overheated and went into thermal shut down about 50 miles out of town. I figured no biggie, people tow without exhaust brake all the time........wrong! Grossing 28K is no joke....... 1st gear riding the brake down the hills and still over reving the engine.

Pac had fixed that issue by changing the location of the intake breather for the compressor and have since gone to an even larger compressor. Happened one time in 50K miles.....

Gave it a good work out in Death Valley last week. There are some 17 mile long 10% grades there.

 

[MPD106]

I have no experience with any aftermarket brakes, but the 6.7 VGT brake is no joke. I agree with the guys above, I can't imagine owning a diesel with out an exhaust brake now. The control you have down a hill is a great feeling. You also end up using way less brake on flat land. It doesn't hurt that it sounds pretty cool too.

6.7 Cummins Towing Using Exhaust Brake Down Mountain Road 2 - YouTube

:drool2: that sounds really good

 

[redneckemt]

Thanks everyone, now i just gotta do shopping, how do these brakes work, i see they work on a vacuum?I thought it would be a simple electric selenoid with a butterfly in the elbow, they look complicated......