How do you use the jake brake on a truck with an automatic transmission?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by expedite_it, Oct 22, 2020.

  1. Dockbumper

    Dockbumper Road Train Member

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    For the record. I really like the AMT. Have driven the Freightliner Cascadia and the KW T680. Trained in a 10 speed. Have been issued an Auto since. Drove local beverage for several months in a single axle day cab with a 7 speed manual. Pulling dry freight OTR, the Auto works just fine for me.
     
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  3. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

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    On your second sentence that I quoted here, I think that you mean that the gear should shift higher and the jake brakes should come right back on with the higher gear. Am I correct that you are saying that if the RPM is too high, all I have to do is tap the accelerator for an instant, temporarily disengaging the jake, and then the gear should shift higher and the jake brakes should come right back on with the higher gear?
     
  4. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

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    Do you notice that there is an implied contradiction between what you wrote here and both what singlescrewshaker wrote in post #5 and what Roguefox wrote in post #9 on this thread? Any thoughts on that?
     
    Last edited: Oct 25, 2020
  5. piston865

    piston865 Bobtail Member

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    Put the tranny in manual mode and pick your gear it will stay in that gear
     
    expedite_it Thanks this.
  6. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

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    I know how to put the tranny in Manual mode, but how do you shift gears in manual mode?
     
  7. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

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    Here is a photograph of my tachometer:

    Tachometer.jpg

    As you can see in the photograph above, the dial of the tachometer does not go into the redline until the RPM's reach 2300.

    As I recall, the RPM's did not go into the redline when I first tried using the jake brake a year ago, but the RPM's went over 2000 RPMs, which is close enough to the redline that i got nervous and became afraid to use the jake brake.
     
  8. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

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    Are you sure that 2200 RPM's is just about right for MY truck? The redline on my tachometer is at 2300 RPMs, which is VERY close to 2200.
     
  9. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

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    You requested a picture of my shift lever. Here is a picture of my shift lever:

    gearshifter.jpg

    As you can see, I have the manual transmission option as well. I still don't know how to shift gears in manual mode on my truck. How do you shift gears in manual mode?
     
  10. Roguefox

    Roguefox Light Load Member

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    Then put a new tach in it. DD15 with a DT12 transmission is getting a 3 stage jake at about 2200 rpm.
     
  11. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

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    The tachometer is just a meter. The tach does not do anything except tell a person what the RPM's are. If it is dangerous to the equipment for the RPM's to be at 2200, it is still dangerous to have the RPM's at 2200 even if I put in a tach with a redline that starts at, say, 2500 RPM's.
     
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