Shopping for an exhaust brake, what do you have?

[jlongjohn]

My truck is a daily driver and I tow a 30' camper and various equipment on my 10k trailer several times a month. I would like to install an engine brake. Looks like Banks, Jacobs, Pacbrake, and BD are the primary options. I have also read that some turbo setups offer some braking ability. I would like to tune and setup for better low end power and towing. I would like better spooling down low also, so a different turbo may be in the works. My exhaust off the turbo looks like it necks to 3" out of the turbo housing and then up to 4", would like to make that one size if possible.

 

So what would you all recommend? I searched this forum and others and most replies were from ~2012 so I thought a new discussion might benefit others also. I would like to know what options are nice, how to engage it, air vs vacuum, manual switches, ecm control, apps signal, anything to consider. 

 

I also hear the brakes may help spooling, egt's, and power curve?

 

Any and all info is greatly appreciated. 

 

-longjohn 

[Me78569]

HE351VE here, built in EB.  It is very hard to find a better turbo for sub 450 hp when towing.  You can find them all day long for $500, few hundred bucks for a controller from lilbb.com or make your own with my code and off to the races you go. 

 

 

Edited October 3, 2017 by Me78569

[TFaoro]

Too much power / torque down low when towing breaks things. Head gasket, trans, etc.

With that in mind, I think @Me78569 has a great setup.

[Dieselfuture]

I have a BD that bolts to turbo with 5 bolts, it comes with a flange that replaces stock one. It is a 3" and not sure if there are any that come as 4" only inline ones are bigger. That's why I had a turbo built out of hx35 to be 62/67/12 not as good on spooling as hx35 but moves more air at same psi and I got to keep my exhaust brake. I'm pretty happy with it. If you're planning on bigger exhaust and different turbos in future maybe worth going with inline set up. I do have a 5" exhaust, comes out of turbo as 3" and right of way changes to 4" for down pipe and then to5.

I do think that @Me78569 has a great set up that I looked into but decided to go the way I did. If you want good spool up I would say check it out 

 

Edited October 3, 2017 by Dieselfuture

[Mopar1973Man]

I've got the Jacobs Brake from Dodge bolted to the back of my HX35/40 turbo (3" inch outlet) with 4" exhaust now. With my current tune on the Quadzilla I've got a hard time exceeding 1,200*F EGT's even towing. Tunning is more important than exhaust size. I'm towing 8,000 pound RV with +75HP (7x0.0085) Injectors from DAP.

[dripley]

I have a Banks. I worked great for 7 years but something in the actuator let go about 2 months back. Bought it because it bolted on to the Banks package I put on 11 years ago. Easy to install and worked great for 7 years.

Edited October 4, 2017 by dripley

[WesHawkins]

I’ve had a PakBrake system on my 2000 for several years now.  Tow a 7700lb TT and it’s work great.  

[01cummins4ever]

I've been wondering about this set up myself, Glad somebody shining some light on it. My long term goal is to have an exhaust brake with a standard transmission and ditch the 47re when it goes out, because I know its heading that direction again.

@Me78569 are you saying that the extra expense for a 47re smart controller is not necessary if you do the lock up switch mod? 

 

Also how much built 47re do you really need for the EB. and about 350-400 HP?

[NIsaacs]

Turbo mount BD brake on my '01, early turbo mount Pac brake on the '91 and 5" industrial Pac brake on the Ford conversion. Pickup sized brakes were not available at that time. Still running stock valve springs on the Ford and the '91 so I limit my back pressure to 40 psi. 50-60 psi on the '01. Air cylinder on the Ford and vacuum on the '91 & '01.

 

Cruising off a 7% grade with the '01, 4th gear and about 23k GCW. It holds back really well. You can hear the sound change and watch the mph slow on the video when I get on the foot brake. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd_8MSUtOq4

[Marcus2000monster]

I have heard that the Pacbrake is the cats whiskers these days. 

[pepsi71ocean]

On 10/26/2017 at 3:07 PM, 01cummins4ever said:

I've been wondering about this set up myself, Glad somebody shining some light on it. My long term goal is to have an exhaust brake with a standard transmission and ditch the 47re when it goes out, because I know its heading that direction again.

@Me78569 are you saying that the extra expense for a 47re smart controller is not necessary if you do the lock up switch mod? 

 

Also how much built 47re do you really need for the EB. and about 350-400 HP?

 

the PacBrake locks up the Torque converter. As for a build, what do you have currently done on the transmission..


As for me, I just dropped the $1,800 for a Pacbrake PXRB. But I have a 99 with the HX35 turbo.

Edited November 27, 2018 by pepsi71ocean

[portlandareae28]

On 10/3/2017 at 8:27 AM, Me78569 said:

HE351VE here, built in EB.  It is very hard to find a better turbo for sub 450 hp when towing.  You can find them all day long for $500, few hundred bucks for a controller from lilbb.com or make your own with my code and off to the races you go. 

 

 

How will the HE351 do on a mild truck in your opinion?  Maybe RV275 or 50hp/75hp injector?

[Me78569]

I would throw more fuel at it.  It is my believe that 7 x .010's are the injector of choice for a vp44 truck that is DD'd    However it would still be good with little injectors.

 

 

I ran my he351ve with 7 x .012's   It loved it...but I also had the quadzilla to tune with.

[01cummins4ever]

1 hour ago, pepsi71ocean said:

 

the PacBrake locks up the Torque converter. As for a build, what do you have currently done on the transmission..


As for me, I just dropped the $1,800 for a Pacbrake PXRB. But I have a 99 with the HX35 turbo.

I have considered that pacbrake set up, it looks to be a one stop shop and be done, I know $1,800 is hard to swallow but even worse is a totaled rig because you can’t stop, I have got by with the trailer brakes in the past but even they can fail and with a 20,000 GCW and 9 mile long 6-7% grades I’m burning brakes. So now that I’m upgrading to a different camper and boat I’m going to be adding a few thousand pounds, I’m going to be grossing around 23k, so that’s why I don’t want to cheap out on my stopping power. 

 

As as far as my tranny I had it rebuilt in 2011 and at the time I didn’t  think I was going to keep the truck around and had them build it stock but did go with a single disk billit converter other than that’s its pretty much stock including shafts. I do have some parts gathered to do the lock up switch mod, but right now Im just can’t figure what direction I want to go with this EB set up,

 

Since Im due for a turbo upgrade (still got the hy35) I’m also considering the HE351ve that @Me78569 has the write up on,  so   decisions...decisions  got to figure which way to go 

[pepsi71ocean]

On 11/26/2018 at 10:16 PM, 01cummins4ever said:

I have considered that pacbrake set up, it looks to be a one stop shop and be done, I know $1,800 is hard to swallow but even worse is a totaled rig because you can’t stop, I have got by with the trailer brakes in the past but even they can fail and with a 20,000 GCW and 9 mile long 6-7% grades I’m burning brakes. So now that I’m upgrading to a different camper and boat I’m going to be adding a few thousand pounds, I’m going to be grossing around 23k, so that’s why I don’t want to cheap out on my stopping power. 

 

As as far as my tranny I had it rebuilt in 2011 and at the time I didn’t  think I was going to keep the truck around and had them build it stock but did go with a single disk billit converter other than that’s its pretty much stock including shafts. I do have some parts gathered to do the lock up switch mod, but right now Im just can’t figure what direction I want to go with this EB set up,

 

Since Im due for a turbo upgrade (still got the hy35) I’m also considering the HE351ve that @Me78569 has the write up on,  so   decisions...decisions  got to figure which way to go 

 

I would upgrade the internals, a billet input shaft and a flex plate, and an output shaft as well. Unsure about the billet single disk, you'll know when you hook a brake to it. A built auto will easily hold up to a comparable manual transmission(i believe), especially since your trans never saw boosted line pressure. Allot of the time the stock transmissions are 55--60psi at idle and about 100psi under load. My built auto runs 75 at idle and 180psi down the road. Big difference in terms of pressures to keep the clutches and lock up happy.

I have no complaints about the HX35, and I may go mikes route with a HX40/35 combo down the road. This is why i went with a turbo mounted brake.

 

I don't think you will be unhappy with Me78569's set up either. Ive heard that Fleece makes a great controller. Although, I have my qualms about the exhaust brakes on the 6.7's after running and towing with an 08 dodge. I don't know if it will be the same, but I would have to ask @Me78569 about that.

[Me78569]

fleeces setup is trash, and no longer made or supported.   lilbb.com is the way to go if you want a he351ve controller than isn't dyi