No Engine Brakes???

Mercedes engines are designed to use the engine brake at high rpms. I drove one for three years, and read the manual. I didn't use the rpms Mercedes suggested, because I didn't need to. Here is a quote from antest drive article.

http://www.todaystrucking.com/article.cfm?intDocID=15768

 

Thank you for the explanation on how jakes worked, I've been wondering for quiete a while.

Retarders over here are almost all hydraulic since the early 90's, they are much better than electro magnetic retarders and much lighter (only 30 kilos) although telma are still popular in Spain where they actually fit them to their trailers through a drive axle fitted to the trailer, telmas are also very popular for bus operators

 

I have heard the sound myself when i was in the States but on modern engines(with the original exhaust),it hardly makes a noise.
It might be something that the "big open pipe crowd" could concider.
Quieter trucks might be advantages to all, if we as longterm truckers want to avoid extra rules and laws.

Jake's on modern engines only work in very high revs.
In fact they only really work in the revs that engine isn't allowed to be in when it is pulling.

The following in the best advice given here:

Sadly,most drivers don't do this basic step.

 

There's another way to run mountains and keep your brakes under control.
I have only seen this in the south off the Phillipines,on the island off Mindanoa.
Most trucks run overloaded on that island which has a lot off mountains.
Some very old trucks are running there(we are talking old JB Hunt International COE from the 80's)
If they had Jake brakes,those are long broken and the bosses will not repair them.
(there are trucks running there that no longer have a lock on the door,driver has to either hold it closed with his elbow or use a piece off rope)

So how do they do it?
They have ,ranging from 10 to 50 gallon, tanks on the trucks and trailers.
Run small waterpipes to each drum.
Have waterfillingstations just before every big downhill.
Open the valves as they start down.
End the end off the slope,it is very impressive to see them with steam coming from the brakes.
But it works.............the brakes don't overheat.

 

With these new little "pickup" motors on the new trucks (maxxforce) ... 'Jakes are about useless at 45000 anyway.

If your company hires lots of students, newbies tend to overuse, and have a false sense of security with them running down grade, and tight ramps - how many rollovers happen.

 

Ive been to the Philippines , I haven't seen that but I've seen some fair hairy antics, Alot of old coe freightliners , a door missing wouldn't be an issue, I dont doubt you for one second, I was on a passenger ferry to borocay there that was powered by an isusu engine and gearbox and the changed gear by string, I even have a video of it, fantastic people though!

 

Back in the 40's-50's my dad was a log truck driver on the West coast. (Northern Cali.) They used water on the brakes and had chain drive w/ gas motors for power. Tri-plex trannies. Now that was a hard work'n driver.

 

We have no idea what hardship really is!

 

I know your right. At 25 I drove a 6&4 set of sticks w/ walking beam suspension and a 318 Detroit hauling logs. I never really recovered from it..........

 

My Dad hauled logs on the west coast (southern BC) from about '64 until he retired in '96 and they were still using water on the brakes then. You can see the steam coming off the brakes on this Pacific ('65 IIRC), picture taken in about '67