What's different about the engine brake in newer freightliners?

They don't seem to like shifting gears with this engaged, as the older versions did just fine. I double clutch, so it isn't me. Here's what Jake has to say, for reference: "While shifting gears, the engine brake is automatically deactivated when you depress the clutch pedal. If the engine brake is on, shifting without using the clutch or double-clutching (to use the engine brake to reduce engine rpm--also known as “Jake Shifting”) is strongly discouraged. Serious powertrain damage or engine stalling/loss of vehicle control can result."

With the newer Cascadias, versus the original ones (or Columbias), the brake does not seem to be disengaged by the clutch, causing a mis-shift. Was this done purposely, or what? It's kind of a ##### to switch it on or off with a button on the steering wheel to shift around curves (because I'm trying to steer).

 

I don't know, I shift them both the same way with different results, and the owner's manual recommends double clutching, besides I have yet to see one truck driver float gears smoothly around town.

 

I think it happens especially on upshifts with that newer model. Well, I don't tell anyone not to float gears, that's the manufacturer, what do they know?

 

Maybe that accounts for the shifting difference, I didn't see a similar description of clutch disengagement for the Jacobs exhaust brake.

 

I don't think it's any harder on the trans, when disengaged by the clutch, as it is to switch on in the first place, but I was cornering downhill and upshifting out of the turn to decrease inertia (or actually looking for the switch on the steering wheel to turn it off and upshift in that case, with an exhaust brake, I guess).