zing
Platinum Member
I am wondering about how much you guys like the exhaust brake on your pickups for towing. I like them to some extent, but find the way they work problematic since I feel like they over-rev the engine. I have a 6.7 L F-250 and have also done some long distance tows on two different dualie Chev 3500's, and found the issue to be the same for both brands. Maybe a bit more pronounced in the Chev's. Haven't driven a Dodge diesel so I can't say if it is the same.
I like them when towing most of the time because when the truck/trailer is going downhill the exhaust brake will do a good job of maintaining speed downhill without forcing the truck brakes to be over taxed with the heavy load downhill. Touch the brakes a bit and the truck gears down so engine revs go to 3000-3500ish and no real load goes on the brakes. This is when it works well and I like it. Long braking down a long hill heating up the brakes is hard on equipment, but pulse braking that allows the brakes to cool is jerky and hard on the horses. The exhaust brake is smooth and doesn't jerk the horses around too much during those long hills.
When I don't like it though, is when the hill is just that little bit steeper and the truck is still speeding up downhill or I have to slow down for slow traffic in front of me or to exit the hwy. Even a small extra touch on the brakes and the truck will often gear down again to 4th, and then the engine revs hit 4000+. The Chevs would regularly hit 4500 rpm. That is a lot of revs for a diesel IMO to be running at the whole way down the hill where big hills in mountainous regions may run for miles. I would rather the truck let me do a small bit of braking and take advantage of small touches the truck/trailer brakes, and keep the revs in a reasonable range for the exhaust brake. I often find myself turning the exhaust brake off so the truck engine will go back to a more reasonable revs, and then turn it back on and try again to hit the sweet spot between engine revs and truck/trailer brakes. All the while trying to keep the speed under control down a steep long hill and not jerk the horses around too much.
Basically I would rather use a combo of exhaust braking and some regular braking when required, but the truck seems to want the exhaust brake to do it all. As soon as I increase the brake pressure a bit more it will nail those rpms way too high for my liking. Anybody else find the diesel exhaust brakes too aggressive for their taste, or are you guys fine to just let it rev up over 4000 rpm and let it do what it wants the whole way down the hill?
I like them when towing most of the time because when the truck/trailer is going downhill the exhaust brake will do a good job of maintaining speed downhill without forcing the truck brakes to be over taxed with the heavy load downhill. Touch the brakes a bit and the truck gears down so engine revs go to 3000-3500ish and no real load goes on the brakes. This is when it works well and I like it. Long braking down a long hill heating up the brakes is hard on equipment, but pulse braking that allows the brakes to cool is jerky and hard on the horses. The exhaust brake is smooth and doesn't jerk the horses around too much during those long hills.
When I don't like it though, is when the hill is just that little bit steeper and the truck is still speeding up downhill or I have to slow down for slow traffic in front of me or to exit the hwy. Even a small extra touch on the brakes and the truck will often gear down again to 4th, and then the engine revs hit 4000+. The Chevs would regularly hit 4500 rpm. That is a lot of revs for a diesel IMO to be running at the whole way down the hill where big hills in mountainous regions may run for miles. I would rather the truck let me do a small bit of braking and take advantage of small touches the truck/trailer brakes, and keep the revs in a reasonable range for the exhaust brake. I often find myself turning the exhaust brake off so the truck engine will go back to a more reasonable revs, and then turn it back on and try again to hit the sweet spot between engine revs and truck/trailer brakes. All the while trying to keep the speed under control down a steep long hill and not jerk the horses around too much.
Basically I would rather use a combo of exhaust braking and some regular braking when required, but the truck seems to want the exhaust brake to do it all. As soon as I increase the brake pressure a bit more it will nail those rpms way too high for my liking. Anybody else find the diesel exhaust brakes too aggressive for their taste, or are you guys fine to just let it rev up over 4000 rpm and let it do what it wants the whole way down the hill?
