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Old 05-25-2016, 05:53 PM   #1
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Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
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Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
Pak brake questions.

More braking sounds like all kinds of a good idea every time I drive down the mountain to go to town, so pak brakes come into consideration. This isn't a specific question about pac brake use. It's more of a physics question.
Many of us are stuck with the 545. I'm not complaining about that here either, but the combination of the 545 basically freewheeling on downhills and the pak brake sound like they wouldn't actually work. The 545 doesn't deliver energy back to the engine for braking purposes.
Point is the engine is basically idling while the vehicle is coasting down the hill at what feels like near zero resistance because the transmission does not effectively transfer power from the wheels back to the engine. There is no back pressure for the pak brake to work with from the engine.

Does anyone using a 545 actually have a pac brake? Or is this a well know problem that I'm just now catching up on? It just sounds like with this transmission a pak brake would be a poor investment. Haven't priced retarders yet, because I understand they use a lot of electrical power which I didn't associate with braking previously.

So is this another brain fart or did I have a moment of clarity? That's not the actual question, but feel free.

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Old 05-25-2016, 09:04 PM   #2
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Virginia
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Why not look into one of these electro-magnet driveline retarders. Reduces stress on the engine, tranny and brakes and claims to make the brakes last up to 10 times longer. Also no moving parts to heat up. Very interesting video.

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Old 05-25-2016, 09:07 PM   #3
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Location: Montana
Posts: 1,626
Year: 1995
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Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
Quote:
More braking sounds like all kinds of a good idea every time I drive down the mountain to go to town, so pak brakes come into consideration. This isn't a specific question about pac brake use. It's more of a physics question.
Many of us are stuck with the 545. I'm not complaining about that here either, but the combination of the 545 basically freewheeling on downhills and the pak brake sound like they wouldn't actually work. The 545 doesn't deliver energy back to the engine for braking purposes.
Point is the engine is basically idling while the vehicle is coasting down the hill at what feels like near zero resistance because the transmission does not effectively transfer power from the wheels back to the engine. There is no back pressure for the pak brake to work with from the engine.

Does anyone using a 545 actually have a pac brake? Or is this a well know problem that I'm just now catching up on? It just sounds like with this transmission a pak brake would be a poor investment. Haven't priced retarders yet, because I understand they use a lot of electrical power which I didn't associate with braking previously.

So is this another brain fart or did I have a moment of clarity? That's not the actual question, but feel free.

I'd say you are 100% on.
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Old 05-25-2016, 09:57 PM   #4
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Join Date: Mar 2010
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Engine: DT466
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dgorila1 View Post
Why not look into one of these electro-magnet driveline retarders. Reduces stress on the engine, tranny and brakes and claims to make the brakes last up to 10 times longer. Also no moving parts to heat up. Very interesting video.

Welcome To TELMA USA
Those are awesome... and very expensive new. They do show up used frequently, however.
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