PacBrake Exhaust Brake Installation

[Koa Man]

I finally did something I wanted to do for a long time. I got an exhaust brake on my Dodge pickup. I looked at the various brands and finally settled on the PacBrake, although it was a few hundred more than the US Gear DCelerator, which I installed on the International I had.

The PacBrake is a much more difficult installation than the US Gear. US Gear is simple, just cut the exhaust pipe and hook up the wires. The PacBrake requires you to also cut the exhaust pipe and connect wire and hook up an air compressor and tank and run air lines. The advantage is I now have on board air to clean stuff on the job or inflate tires and run an air horn on my truck.

The installation took me about 10 hours, reading the instructions, figuring out where everything was supposed to be mounted. PacBrake does give very detailed instructions and pictures. Now that I have done it and know exactly what to do, I could probably do the next one in 6 hours, maybe less. The kit comes with an accessory kit for the on board air. Anyway, I love it and the air horn sounds really good too.

 

[squisher]

Nice. Have you tried it out on the road with a load yet?

 

[stehansen]

Enquiring minds want to know.

 

[rumination]

I'll bet you did it just for the airhorn Wesley.

 

[Koa Man]

Tried it out but I need to fix an exhaust leak between the turbo and exhaust pipe and weld the connection between the exhaust pipe and the brake. The instructions say to weld this joint. I used a band clamp but I can feel the exhaust leak with my hand so right now it is not getting full braking power. It needs to hold 60 psi. I intend to do that this weekend if the rain lets up. Got my mig welder ready to go. This is supposed to be the strongest exhaust brake on the market.

 

[Dave Shepard]

The Jacobs available from Dodge is also 60 psi for 24 valve engines. The 12 valves are 30 unless you uprate the exhaust valve springs. There is a delay in the Dodge unit however, as it uses the TPS info to actuate the brake, and it takes about a second for it to "zero" out. Pacbrake may use it's own TPS, and actuate quicker. I think my Jake was around $900 installed at the dealer on my new truck. I went 125k on my front brakes and have 167k on the rears, without ever being inspected so far. It's money well spent, even better if you do a lot of heavy towing.

 

[sotc]

I have a pacbrake also and don't have an aircompressor I wish I did, then I wouldn't need a seperate compressor for my airbags. 130somethingthousand miles on original brakes. I won't have another diesel pickup with out an exhaust brake

 

[Koa Man]

The delay on the PacBrake is 3 seconds if you use the pin to plug into the #20 port on the Dodge ECM. You can purchase an ECM by pass kit to make it instant, but a 3 sec. delay is no big deal when using it to slow down on hills. If it becomes a problem I will buy the by pass kit.

Willie,
You probably have the older model which used vacuum instead of compressed air to actuate the brake cylinder. The new ones all use compressed air. The on board air is very nice to clean saws with on the job.

 

[sotc]

Yup, mines vaccuum. 6 or 7 years old. It has the clutch and throttle switches, a stick switch and a master for snowy weather

 

[Dave Shepard]

The Dodge one didn't come with the clutch switch, just the throttle. It came with a master switch just below the aux. 12 volt port, but I put a two-speed button on the stick, much better. I like the idea of air operated, but that must have added a ton of money to the kit.

 

[sotc]

Mine came with both pedal switches, i added the stick switch, very clean

 

[Koa Man]

I got the switch for my stick shift as well. The new one sits off to the side and clamps on the shift lever.

I fixed all the exhaust leaks by taking off the exhaust pipe and brake, separating them and then welding the connections. The turbo to exhaust also had a leak due to a faulty V clamp, which I changed. I could not feel any leaks with my hands and took it for a drive unloaded. Huge difference and I like the 3 second delay with the ECM connection. It is great when running the truck with the e brake constantly on. The on and off when I press and release the throttle is a lot smoother than if it came on instantly.

I got a small job down the hill from where I live (small grade), and I will be towing the 23GT so it should give me an idea of how well it works towing. Unloaded it feels like you downshifted a gear or two with a gas engine when the e brake comes on.

 

[brendonv]

That's pretty sweet. Luckily Ford has a EBPV (exhaust back pressure valve) which is inline with the exhaust which is controlled by the computer that opens and closes a valve to aid in warming the engine in cold temps. You can get this on a custom tune which I planned on getting anyhow.

I didn't realize it would save that much on brakes though.

 

[sotc]

I warm my truck with it in the winter also.
Wesley, rpms are your friend when you want real braking, the more rpms the better the brake works

 

[Koa Man]

I tried the Pacbrake out towing the 23GT and it works just great. I wish I had done this when I first bought my truck. Tomorrow I get to try it out on a big hill. I am positive I won't even have to touch my service brakes unless I need to come to a complete stop.

 

[Dave Shepard]

Pretty much need them for complete stops and emergency braking.

 

[darkstar]

Sotc you truck is so clean i wonder how you get any work done.
Where is the saw dust ?
Even the helmet looks clean.
Really clean.
Sorry to go off thread fellows.

 

[sotc]

I try to keep the sawdust out, hard hat is brand new. I hate funky hard hats so I replace them after a few washings. This one has replaceable liners so it may last a bit longer

 

[Koa Man]

I put a hand towel over my head before I put on my hardhat. Hardhat doesn't stink and liner never needs washing.

The ebrake worked very well on the big hill today. Did not have to touch the service brakes until I had to stop for the red light at the bottom of the hill. Previously I had to hit the service brakes every few seconds to keep the speed under 50 mph.

 

[sotc]

 

[stehansen]

I have to drive about 30 miles to find a hill here.

 

[Koa Man]

Where I live is full of hills and mountains. I live on the top of an extinct volcano.

 

[brendonv]

Hows that roll off system holding up? Any pics loaded, dumping, ect?

 

[Koa Man]

That was been working just great. It is so much more useful than a lift gate for loading stuff and also for hauling and dumping debris. Really great to be able to put the box on the ground. I don't have any pictures of it in action, but I will go take some. I have gotten very favorable comments from people seeing it work. I don't think I will buy a standard type dump anymore. I am planning on buying a 15K gvw truck next year and it will be a hooklift. It is just so much easier to load, especially since I don't have a chipper and don't intend to buy one.

 

[Strikermike]

I have seen a lot of hooklifts in use up here in the residential construction industry. You can set up a box as a small shop move it to the jobsite and do all your millwork onsite. Haul all your own debris. Figure you can save 100 dollars per dumpster. plus the flexibility on type of box or Flatbed. Very useful truck.