Legalize Engine (Jake) Brakes

On snow or ice, a jake brake is only slowing the drive tires, not the steers or the trailer axles, so you're looking at a potential skid. Seems to me you want even pressure on all wheels in that situation.

I've been driving for 15 years, I only turn mine on when coming down a hill. If I'm in the midwest where it's flat, I never turn mine on. After my last post. I just got done looking for hard data on the effect of stopping distance, I couldn't find any. So the guy might be right, but my instinct says there is no substitute for slowing the eff down in hazardous situations, and on slick roads, I'd NEVER use one, the dangers outweigh the benefits. I agree with Condocruiser that once your foot hits the brake pedal, it really makes no difference at all. The best way to use the brakes on snow or ice is not get yourself in a situation where you need to use them. Increase following distance, and assume traffic is going to stop in front of you at any time. In other words, drive slow, and drive as if you have no brakes at all.

 

Yes, they would have. Good luck with your trying to maintain following distance from traffic not in your lane and traveling in the opposite direction.

 

some guys really use their engine brake way too much.
I think they just like how it sounds. They want to sound cool.

I mean you don't need the jake on an exit ramp, or a slight hill.

A 13 mile mountain decent, sure, but not a little half mile hill.

And Don't drive with the jake on all the time. I hear guys pulling into truck stops with thier jake still on. If your going 5 mph, you don't need your jake anymore.

 

Amen to that. I live right next to busy railroad tracks, and I'm not shooting off lawsuits or writing letters to the local government. Is it noisy? You bet. Did I know that moving in? Absolutely. Can't beat the price.

If I ever decide I don't like it, I'll move. Simple as that. People these days just expect everyone else to take care of their problems.

That said, there is such a thing as stupidity. Take whistler tips, for example. Sometimes noise ordinances are justified--it's all a matter of drivers' tact.

 

I'm not telling anyone to break the law, but?, If Im heavy and going down a steep grade, sign or no sign, the jake(engine)brake goes on, well?, actually, it's never turned off

 

My truck has different levels of ingine braking. I use the lowest level up here in North Dakota in the winter. The highest level can and will cause a skid of the drives. But you have to use your brains on ice. it is not the same as driving on dry roads. You have to pick and choose when to use your engine brakes. The only time my truck has been off road is when I was out on a back road trying to get to a growers (farmers) yard. Trying to make a tight 90 degree left hander and the snow was deep and got sucked into the ditch at a crawl. But then the farmer came out to me and his pickup got sucked into the ditch also. LOL.

I don't have a problem with the no engine brake signs on level roads. But some places it can be annoying. Like Valley City ND coming in from the west on I94. At 96,000 lbs (legal here in ND with 7 axles and proper length), you will be going well over the 75 mph speedlimit ,unless you are letting the smoke roll off your brakes or letting the engine brake howl, by the time you get down to the bottom of the hill.