Is anyone using a Banks exhaust brake and if so what do you think of it?  I'm looking for a little help in down hill braking but not something that will overwhelm the transmission.  The Banks is less expensive than a PAC or BD E-brake but need to splice in there down pipe.  The truck and trailer are under 15,000 pounds.

@dripley, I appreciate your response.  I just don't want readers to think that EGT's would go to dangerous levels if the throttle and the exhaust brake were applied simultaneously.  Obviously, it is not something that should be done, but there is a condition that can occur (and has occurred to me more than once over the years) in which the exhaust brake does not release and you will have to drive the truck some distance to get off the roadway.  This condition could occur even if throttle and clutch switches are installed.  Just want readers to know that they aren't going to hurt the engine to get the truck safely off the road.

 

1 hour ago, dripley said:

Do your egt's not rise from idle temp under braking? to

 

Yes, they do - typically up to around 500 - 600 degrees if I stay under 2000 rpm while using the exhaust brake.  The highest I ever reached was just under 800 degrees one time when using the exhaust brake at about 2500 rpm with a heavy load..  It is normal for EGT's to rise during exhaust brake usage because the engine becomes an air compressor with a restricted outlet.

 

It is just my opinion, but I can't see how EGT's could rise to dangerous levels (1300 degrees for example) under any condition using the exhaust brake. 

 

Thanks for hearing me out.

 

- John

@TractormanI am always up to learning other folks experinces. I had already read it was not good to run with it stuck shut and the one time it happen my egt's shot up quickly. I limped back to house and fixed the issue. I never tried pushing it to see what happen, the instance just reinforced what I had read. 

 Just another day of living and learning. Bet the mileage sucks driving it like that.

 

Dave

Edited March 13, 20205 yr by dripley

My mileage sucks too when my exhaust gets blocked 

Edited March 13, 20205 yr by dave110

6 minutes ago, dave110 said:

My mileage sucks too when my exhaust gets blocked 

More of this will help with that. Quiets injectors also.

m

6 hours ago, dripley said:

Bet the mileage sucks driving it like that.

 

My mileage didn't suffer because I went back to where it happened and shoveled up all of the soot the exhaust spit out and put it back into the fuel tank.

 

@dripley, seriously, I do appreciate your input.

 

- John

 

 

8 hours ago, Tractorman said:

 

 

8 hours ago, Tractorman said:

 I do appreciate your input.

 

- John

As I do yours my friend.

@IBMobile don't know if you got a brake yet but today i called Pacbrake and talked to them. Very helpful and nice. Answered all my questions and looked up part numbers for me to verify. 1st impression was very good. Talked to me about building my wiring harness and options for vacuum solenoid.

 I ordered their vacuum solenoid today. Kinda blew my budget but after 6 leaking valves from Amazon i gave up. If my 2nd try at wire terminals doesn't pan out ill be ordering a wiring harness from them also. 

 Got flange and cylinder mounted on truck with vacuum line holding it open for time being. Hope to have it working in about a week.

21 hours ago, Gregturley said:

@IBMobile don't know if you got a brake

Thank you for the heads up.  No, not yet. A PacBrake set up would cost over$1700,  A BD e-brake is over $1050, and a Banks e-brake is over $750.  I just spent over $3,900 on a transmission and will be spending over $1,000 for a new RV roof along with another $1,000 for a 3 week trip.  So, unless I find a killer deal on a new/used one this project is going to the back burner for now. 

26 minutes ago, IBMobile said:

Thank you for the heads up.  No, not yet. A PacBrake set up would cost over$1700,  A BD e-brake is over $1050, and a Banks e-brake is over $750.  I just spent over $3,900 on a transmission and will be spending over $1,000 for a new RV roof along with another $1,000 for a 3 week trip.  So, unless I find a killer deal on a new/used one this project is going to the back burner for now. 

That's okay since chicken's on the back burner  

 

Did you find what you're looking for as far as the RV roof supplies? Hope I steered you the right way anyhow.

Edited March 18, 20205 yr by JAG1

@IBMobile i get it completely. I wanted one but can't afford to buy new then found this one. The guy i traded with didn't even mention it until we met up. You can get every replacement part from Pacbrake except the exhaust flange/butterfly valve. They don't make it anymore. I could have bought the harness, solenoid with fittings, etc. from them but I'm doing this on the cheap. Found the correct terminal for the ecm and got the wire in it today. 

 Look for one used and build your own. Looks simple enough and so far has been. 

Edited March 18, 20205 yr by Gregturley

1 hour ago, Gregturley said:

Look for one used and build your own.

Thanks, I've been looking.  I called all the truck wreaking yards from the Mexican boarder north to the next county and Craigslist but no joy

 

1 hour ago, JAG1 said:

Did you find what you're looking for as far as the RV roof supplies?

No joy there either.  One place didn't carry it and the metal place wanted almost 1k for the basic of materials.  Call me.

6 hours ago, IBMobile said:

 

 

No joy there either.  One place didn't carry it and the metal place wanted almost 1k for the basic of materials.  Call me.

Taking Wednesday off (tomorrow) I will call you after doing some more research for product. I bet I can do good to find it. Need to talk with some more folks. Some RV places supplying strictly professional items aren't kind to do it yourselfers. I will find the go to company.

@IBMobile guy in Taylorsville ky had one listed few weeks ago on Facebook marketplace. Looked last night can't find it. If i see one I'll message you. 

Just out of interest is there any difference between gen 2 and gen 3 on turbo outlet as I came across one here but listed for gen 3 ? 

7 hours ago, Gregturley said:

if i see one I'll message you. 

Thanks again, I'm not on Facebook but my wife is so I'll use her account to look around. 

@wil440 if they use the same 5 bolt pattern (think they do but can't say 100%) i would think you could make it work. Control side is probably different but Pacbrakes wiring for 2nd gens is very simple. 

 The newer ones seem use compressed air instead of vacuum so you'll need a compressor.

 When i make mine and verify operation ill post a wiring diagram.

38 minutes ago, Gregturley said:

@wil440 if they use the same 5 bolt pattern (think they do but can't say 100%) i would think you could make it work. Control side is probably different but Pacbrakes wiring for 2nd gens is very simple. 

 The newer ones seem use compressed air instead of vacuum so you'll need a compressor.

 When i make mine and verify operation ill post a wiring diagram.

I'll take a look at my truck when I get home but the one I found has the chamfered surfaces pulled together with the large clamps same as turbo housings

@wil440 look like this? Use a v band clamp at both ends?

If so you could probably make it work as long as the flange that mates to the turbo is the same diameter as the turbo outlet but you will have to modify your downpipe. Or maybe use a downpipe from a 3rd gen on your 2nd? But i am only guessing this. Lot more work than finding the right year stuff. Looks like anything from 94-02 will work with the correct wiring.

Yes V clamps.... my truck has a 2 bolt flange exhaust side so it won't fit, the one I found is actually a Mopar part made by Cummins, brand new but only the brake

@wil440 I'd do some measuring of your turbo and the brake before I bought it. I think it would fit in the space but downpipe would be biggest issue.

 Is it air or vacuum canister? If you don't have onboard air that can get pricey fast. As far as the wiring its easy. I'm getting ready to draw up a diagram and post it in my used pacbrake install thread if you need it.