Opinions on 4"remote pacbrake pxrb and 4" vacuum remote BD

stillsmokin

stillsmokin

all out of fuel
I'm going to buy an exhaust brake for my 1993 W350. All I really do with it is pull a gooseneck lowboy and occasionally run cross country with it 12 hours or so a few times a year. It's a manual transmission truck FWIW.

I'm curious if anyone is running the 4" remote mount BD vacuum brake and what they think of it. I grew up in the 70s and 80s so I'm just a little leary of a vacuum actuated engine brake... BD doesn't actually make a kit with a 4" remote mount air actuated brake.

The pacbrake is air actuated. Both products are within $10 in price. But the only kit that is offered in 4" remote mount is for a 24V motorhome.
 
I've used the vacuum BD and a 4" pacbrake with the air compressor. I can't say I noticed a difference between the two. The pacbrake was the one for the motorhome. I had to adjust the back pressure with a drive pressure gauge to make it work correctly. I suppose you could make both more aggressive if you were running heavy springs.
 
The most important part here is installing the stronger exhaust valve springs. When you close the butterfly valve, the drive pressure will open the other exhaust valves.

As long as you shut the exhaust brake, one should work just as good as the other. I did the 4" pac-brake with air because I already had on board air from a remote mount 12 volt compressor. I simply installed a little air switch on my shifter (removed from an old Kenworth heater control) and eliminated all the electronics.

I have to turn the air compressor off if my dad drives the truck. He can't half hear and has big 'ol ham hocks for hands so he will accidentally hit the air switch under a load. Not good. lol

When installed correctly, they are a wonderful addition.

We are currently working with Wayne on the "Thunderbrake" to try to get this thing of theirs to market. Then, people will really hate the old 12 valve. LOL
 
Truth be told I'd rather have the thunderbrake. If the thunderbrake people are looking for a really nice first gen W350 dually "test bed" I'd volunteer. The thunderbrake is what I really wanted... I just can't buy one yet. A lot of us older truck owners are willing to put money into these antiques, the reliability and maintenance cost is better than a new emissions choked version in my opinion.

For now I'll settle with an exhaust brake. I am currently working on an Eaton Fuller RTO6610 swap with a 241D (passenger drop) to offset the weight gain. No more transmission problems!
 
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Bodacious said:
The most important part here is installing the stronger exhaust valve springs. When you close the butterfly valve, the drive pressure will open the other exhaust valves.

As long as you shut the exhaust brake, one should work just as good as the other. I did the 4" pac-brake with air because I already had on board air from a remote mount 12 volt compressor. I simply installed a little air switch on my shifter (removed from an old Kenworth heater control) and eliminated all the electronics.

I have to turn the air compressor off if my dad drives the truck. He can't half hear and has big 'ol ham hocks for hands so he will accidentally hit the air switch under a load. Not good. lol

When installed correctly, they are a wonderful addition.

We are currently working with Wayne on the "Thunderbrake" to try to get this thing of theirs to market. Then, people will really hate the old 12 valve. LOL
Click to expand...

I have money's set aside for one of these, hopefully this is soon?
 
We are working on the lawyer stuff right now. Everyone wants to make sure to CYA. lol

I told Wayne a couple years ago I figured they would sell themselves. We are going to find out in a little while. I have no release dates at this time. ...just that things are happening with the "thunderbrake".
 
Bodacious said:
We are working on the lawyer stuff right now. Everyone wants to make sure to CYA. lol

I told Wayne a couple years ago I figured they would sell themselves. We are going to find out in a little while. I have no release dates at this time. ...just that things are happening with the "thunderbrake".
Click to expand...

Hopefully it's expensive enough that the yeeyees can't afford it. Can you imagine every hackjob 2nd gen running around throwing a brake on at the slightest opportunity? :doh:
 
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