Leave engine brake on?

Loud pipes is what happened. Dudes get to love that roar and leave it on so they can cruise for chicks.

OTHER than using the jake for its original intent, for safer descent and controlling speed on long grades, using the jake can help on flatter terrain for slowing down. For those occasions I engage it as needed, choosing to coast and apply service brakes lightly for most situations. I generally turn it off to shift and reengage as needed, but also know how to up or down shift with the jake (requiring a different rhythm and careful control of the throttle).

Another purpose for leaving the jake on is when you have cruise control set and you want to minimize the chances of getting over speed when you want to drive mindlessly. I much prefer "being present" while I drive and leave the jake off unless I need to engage it to control speed on descents in rolling hills. The advantages of only engaging the jake as need when in cruise control is that you get a smoother ride and can get closer to maximum allowed speed. Many "mega" companies have trucks governed so low that activating the jake will keep your speed well below what the company allows for maximum speed. On gentle downslopes you often end up with the jake kicking in and kicking off repeatedly, giving you that "rocking chair" lurch. I much prefer to allow downslope speed to build to a point where I engage the jake with the cruise control still on at a speed where the jake will be on continuously and will control speed just below allowed limit. If the downslope is enough to require braking (which will deactivate the cruise control) then I simply brake smoothly with the jake on to get to target speed. The ride is smoother and I pay more attention rather than just daydreaming with mindless driving.

 

what he said....I agree totally

 

I may not have as much time driving as you, but I am a smooth bore chemical tank driver and control my rig quite nicely, thank you. The Jake was designed for slowing us down the hill. It does a great job,and using it outside of that helps in an emergency and saving on brake replacement costs...

 

I find that avoiding tailgating greatly saves on brake replacement costs and over use of the jake brake.

 

I love a good debate...

 

I'm a little lost here, as I agree with all this. My point about vehicle control related to the comment about unintentional slowing too much with the jake on when operating in traffic. Any competent driver should be able to easily and smoothly go from power to coast to jake with throttle control alone, and if they were having issues with slowing too much, they had larger issues of control and situational awareness that needed to be refined, and the jake wasn't at fault.

I haul cars, we have enough issues with brake life due to the higher temps we deal with because of restricted airflow around the axles' that I rarely turn my jake off. I've never cared for using it to shift, especially as quick as any of the RTLO's shift, but barring overly slick pavement, it stayed on just about any time I was in high range.

And you're right, pulling a smooth bore will teach you right quick how to be smooth. 10 years of tanker yanking in my past.

 

Properly used, the engine brake wont hurt the truck or the fuel economy. Leaving it on is a drivers choice kinda like coffee some like it strong others dont.

 

And there it is, right there.