exhaust brakes; 2002 Ford 7.3 psd, yes/no? - Montana Owners Club

Montana_2194 · 03-06-2005, 12:47 PM

I'm a newby (still) about to pick up my Montana 2000 3255 hardly broken in, and am trying to decide if I need exhaust brakes, and if so, what should I buy. I bought a Ford 350 Dually Diesel 2WD, and am using a Husky Hitch with Easyrider air tech.

Opinions are mixed about the need. Mr. Reigle who is a Ford fan, suggested that the 7.3 diesel would benefit from the brake, but he was also advising that he hadn't towed with a 7.3 diesel. His last two Fords were 6.0 L diesels. He wasn't sure if this was good advice, so I'm asking the forum.

Thanks. My final tune-ups to my truck will be in the next 7 days, so I hope to get helpful direction soon. We're going on the maiden voyage around the 25th of March to the southern States.

Please advise.

Jhadley Trenton, ON, Canada

Trailer Trash 2 · 03-06-2005, 05:06 PM

Well there are many out there that swair by them. I do not think the engin was desined to have the exost restricted, I do know that I wrote Ford and asked them the same question they do not recomend it, if any thing gets damaged because of the exost brake your warintee is void, but of corse you will have to prove that the EB did not cause the problem.
If they were so good why dosen't the manufactures Ford, Dodge, and Chevy offer it as an option from the factory. I pull a 2980RL and have not the need for the application I take it out of OD and down shift if needed.

lightningjack11 · 03-06-2005, 05:34 PM

jhadley,

When you put after market stuff on you always take a chance of voiding the engine warranty. Mine is out of Warranty.

With that said I converted my EBPV valve into an exhaust brake and installed a manual torque converter lockup circuit for the Auto tranny.(about 35dollars)

I don't use it very much. But I drive to PA twice a year and I usually have two 8 percent grades to go over. With TC lock on and exhaust brake on I can go down the grades at 50mph without additional braking. But as Sreigle has pointed out it is nice to tap the brakes for the person behind you.

On those grades I am glad to have the brake. If you are not climbing moutains, you do not need the exhaust brake. If you plan on going down steep grades I would get one.

stiles watson · 03-06-2005, 07:41 PM

Lightningjack,
Can you give detailed plans for the conversion? I would like to put the exhaust brake on but don't know how to configure. I have seen some kits for about $150.

lightningjack11 · 03-07-2005, 01:52 AM

Stiles,

I have nothing but handwritten notes that are not good. It is a sketch more than a schematic. I combined the designs I have found on the web mainly the dieselstop.com and made my own design.

I have been wanting to make a clear copy but just haven't done so. If you want what I got send me your e-mail but I would have to talk to you about it by phone. I have unlimited at home so it is no problem.

I have it wired to the accelerator IVS so when you press the accelerator the exhaust brake cuts off as it should. But this is the biggest problem area because people try to draw too much current through the switch and it destroys the switch so you can't accelerate at all. I use a low current relay. It only draws 75mils to engage.

So that is one of the dangers. Works great on my 97.

lightningjack11 · 03-07-2005, 02:07 AM

Oh details.

I cut one of EBPV lines going to the solenoid and run through my relay contacts. The EBPV works using oil hydralics but is actuated by the solonoid.

the coil of the relay is wired through the on/off switch and onto the IVS sw. When IVS is closed 12V is lost to relay opening the brake circuit.

I put fused 12v through the relay contacts as a source to actuate the solonoid.

installed on/off light.

For TC
The relay has two sides so I run a grounding switch through the relay to the P/Y wire out of the transmission. The color is actually lime green. The Torque converter locks when this wire is grounded. Normally the computer does it but the computer unlocks it as soon as you put on the brake. I keep it locked going down hills. When I hit the accel computer takes over.

awaywego · 03-09-2005, 05:41 PM

J
I have a 2001 Ford F359 7.3 and installed a Western Diesel Turbo Brake on it two months after I bought it.
It does not work on the exhaust it shuts the air off to the turbo and works great.
I used it in the Rockies and I leave it on all the time towing or not.
The only drawback is the speed control won't work if the brake is on.
I never use the cruise control anyway and if I do I just switch the brake off.

Montana_2304 · 03-15-2005, 12:14 PM

We have the Banks exhaust brake on our 02 7.3 F-550, works great!
Charlie and Sue

Montana_2785 · 03-15-2005, 12:49 PM

I have the US Gear exhaust brake.

I was not comfortable hanging an extra 6-12lbs of wieght on the side of a REALLY hot turbo housing. The US Gear unit mounts just ahead of the muffler. Also, the US Gear unit will regulate the back pressure and provide better braking effort at lower RPM than most others.

I got it after experiencing trailer push down a steep grade in TN. We had taken our E150 5.8L van with the same TT two years before so I could directly compare the engine braking ability of both TV's.

We were planning a trip through mountains the next year and I wanted some extra help.

Last fall, we came down a long 5 mile 5% grade (with the US Gear unit installed). We stopped at a rest area at the bottom to check our maps and walk a bit. Just after we parked, a 1 ton duelly pulling a large enclosed trailer parked beside us. His front brakes were smoking enough that I was expecting them to burst into flames at any moment. The driver got out & just looked....

I pointed to the smoke and told my wife "That's why I spent $1,300." Her reply was something like "I understand now..."

Eric

Montana_657 · 03-15-2005, 01:56 PM

Also use the US Gear... I added a brake pedal switch... now it works in "cruse"... I really don't know why US Gear doesn't supply the brake pedal switch. Cost a whole $10

Bill Hill · 03-15-2005, 02:47 PM

We have the BD exhaust brake on our Duramax, and I think it's well worth it. Regarding the lock out of the E/B when cruise control is on is more of a safety feature as it was explained to me by the installer.

Montana_657 · 03-15-2005, 03:14 PM

Well.... now ya got me... how can making the exhaust brake inoperative under cruise be a safety feature??

You touch the brake... the cruise dumps... the exhaust brake is enabled...

You select manual, the exhaust brake engages when you lift the foot off the accelerater... you can't coast exhaust brake armed....

With the cruise/brake linkage, you can coast, the exhaust brake doesn't engage until you touch the brake. On a long hill , you use the manual exhaust brake engage, so the trailer brakes don't activate. You get a lot more service out of the exhaust brake... no fuss... no muss...

Jim · 03-15-2005, 03:33 PM

We have a BD Exhaust brake on our 02 F350. Wouldn't be without it. Came down the Cajun Pass in CA. and down the 6% grade for 6mi. into Pendleton. OR. without touching the brake pedal. In our country in the western Rockies it would be crazy not to have it.

Bob Pasternak · 03-16-2005, 01:52 AM

Guess I'll have to put my 2 shekels worth in. I see everyone that has responded to the exhaust brake thing drives either a Rice Burner or a Power-less stroke. It seems to me when I got this Dodge I read in one of Dodge's manuals that the Ram3500, with a 5 or 6 speed tranny, an exhaust brake was required and factory installed. I have pulled our 2955RL over 31000 miles the last 2 years and never smoked my brakes and I've been from sea level to Wolf Creek Pass.

skyguy · 03-16-2005, 07:59 AM

Of course it all depends on where you'll be hauling your Monty! We live in Colorado Springs which sits on the edge of the Rocky Mountains. We haven't towed all over Colorado, but get along just fine, so far, with one exception: Monarch Pass. Haven't been over Wolf Creek with the big rig, haven't come down I-70 into Denver either. I think if I did have EB's, I still wouldn't want to be in that throng on I-70 unless I absolutely had to!!

Many years ago, we had a mini-MH, and towed a 18 foot boat over Wolf Creek, headed to Navajo Reservoir on the Colo/NMex border. I started smelling hot brakes, remarked to my wife about it, and quickly noticed they were mine!! We pulled over pronto!

Coming down Hiway 24 is just perfect, I can loaf along in high gear right at the speed limit (60), and down to 45 in the last curly stretch coming down Ute Pass.

Monarch is another story - I have to use low gear, and still use some brakes to avoid over reving. Any higher gear, and I would be doing Mach 3, if I could keep it on the road! And of course, I may make an occassional driver mad at me - but I figure, what's the rush, the scenery is gorgeous!!

For now, we'll skip the brakes and just take it easy....

Montana_354 · 03-16-2005, 08:20 AM

We've had an exhaust system on all of our trucks. This one is the Banks system. Living and traveling in the Colorado Rockies we wouldn't be without one. Ours is a 2003 F-F350 Powerstroke 4X4. You wouldn't catch me riding shotgun on any of our passes here without one.
Kalamity

Montana_2194 · 03-18-2005, 12:12 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Kalamity

We've had an exhaust system on all of our trucks. This one is the Banks system. Living and traveling in the Colorado Rockies we wouldn't be without one. Ours is a 2003 F-F350 Powerstroke 4X4. You wouldn't catch me riding shotgun on any of our passes here without one.
Kalamity

Thanks Kalamity,

We're from southern Ontario, but want to explore Canada and the USA before we croak, and I don't wanna do so pre-maturely (croak). These two countries seem to include a fair amount of mountains, and I recall watching movies in the 50s and 60s with runaway trucks and faded brakes.

Who needs it. I'm with you.

Jack and Penny Hadley and 4 kitties.

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