[mudram]

Any of yall have exhaust brakes on your rigs?Ive been looking at them for awhile now,they all claim to be the best.I only seen some installations in magazines.But there are quite a few out,jaccobs,banks,bd,pacebrake.All claim to be better than the rest.How to choose the right one is frustrating.They seem to be priced around the same to.Any help from Yall would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Ram3500Dually]

Heard nothing but good about the Pacbrake. Seems to be the one of choice on a diesel site I frequent.

 

[mudram]

Thank you,what diesel site is that,if you don't mind?How is that factory exhaust brake on your 08 6.7 ctd?Does it make a noticeable difference when descending steep grades?Just trying to see if they are worth the money.The big rig guys swear by their (jake brakes).

 

[Ram3500Dually]

I love the EB on my 08. I drove truck for 30 years before retiring. These are only Exhaust Brakes and nowhere near as powerful as a true Jake but they do the job and do it well. Its a Cummins Forum I am also on.

 

[mudram]

Thank you for the info,will look for the cummins site.Been reading in diesel power mag,sounds like Banks has a good set up,tranny controller for the autos and brake controller that turns on the brake when you let off the throttle,cycles at cold starts to prevent sticking and is supposed to be maintenance free.Still researching.

 

[Ram3500Dually]

Most will tell you Banks stuff is overpriced for what you get. You don't find too many Banks supporters on forums.

 

[Meierznutz]

I have the Banks brake and love it. Yes, it was expensive but then again I bougt it when they first came out and the guy I got it from was not an authorized dealer (didn't know that at the time) but the kit was easy to install and when I had an issue they sent the parts after the first call (a small weld let go and they sent out an entire shaft). Mine has been on for almost seven years and I use it nearly every day.

 

[ram02]

I have a Banks brake to. Never had any problems with it.It really helps the warm up time in the winter.Especially if you have a big exhaust.It worked like a champ coming through the rockies with my 5 th wheel.It made a huge difference.

 

[Daytrepper]

I have a Jacobs brake on mine. Works great, never any issues. Love having it on the highway especially in the hills.

 

[Locosway]

The deal with Banks is they do a lot of research and make sure their products meet all emissions standards. I really appreciate the work they're doing, and they're one of the largest supports of the diesel aftermarket.

If everyone keeps blowing black smoke and running dirty tunes then we're going to have a real problem. All it takes is one politician to not like it (as in California) and suddenly diesels are outlawed for sale except in commercial settings. Banks is trying to make tuning more friendly to those who are against diesels.

They may not be the cheapest, but they do offer a good product, and they do have the research and know how behind them to really excel at what they do. On a side note, I think BD specializes in exhaust brakes, but the Banks system looks neat because it's more than just a brake.

 

[mudram]

Never thought choosing would be so difficult,was going between banks and pacbrake.I also found the us gear decelerator,it's a little cheaper,read mixed reviews though.Do all the heavy duty brakes need to have the 60 lb exhaust valve springs put in for good braking?Just read this on a cummins forum.I also want to run a 4" down pipe,will the banks bolt up to the bigger down pipe?Thanks to all you Ram owners.

 

[ram02]

Yes the Banks is made for the 4" down pipe,my exhaust is 4" from the turbo back.Will bolt right up.

 

[mudram]

Did any of yall put the heavy valve springs in your trucks?Really curious if this really helps and is it necessary for the best braking.Anyone?

 

[Meierznutz]

I like the Banks products and agree they are going the "enviornmental, P/C route" but there stuff is as fast as a scaulded cat too! After initially going a little nuts with the truck, I had to start watching pennies (2 kids will do that the the toy budget) but I like the way the truck runs now. My brake has let me go 53k miles on one set of front pads. I'm not shy about towing/plowing/hauling either. It deffinately makes a difference as well as using the correct pads (NAPA pads suck, I went back to factory stuff).
I did not do the valve springs as Banks did not reccommend them at the time. I would be interested to hear if others have used them and how they help. The trick is to not expect the brake to work at redline, you have to let it pull from mid-range down or the cylinder pressures will be too high. Just my .02