Less Jake and More Brake?

Hello we live near a shallow grade on the edge of town. It's a 2 lane state highway and about 50 percent of the trucks coast by. The others use compression brakes that are pretty quit. Some have stacks that rattle the windows and it sounds like 5 percent of the truckers are playing a song with the Jake brake.

The state is expanding the highway this summer and the Engineer said he would put up a now unmuffled compression brake sign that would quite things down a little. I was thinking if we have them put up the sign the noise would get worse. Do you guys even worry about those signs? We don't want the noise to get worse. Thanks for your hard work.

 

Are you talking about hwy 14 on the east end of town? If I was worried about noise, I would rather have the sign up than not have one up and I think most truckers obey them (this one does) but cant really say for sure. Out of curiosity why do you think the noise would get worse if they put signs up?

 

I obey the signs and respect the residents wishes. Unfortunately there are big kid truckers out there that get excited everytime they hear them. There's even some that will sound off in truck stop parking lots while we are sleeping.

 

I have a muffled compression brake, it is not loud anyway. I will put it on low in town just to limit the sound even more. But It is rare that I turn it off totally.
My truck is quiet, and my issue is more with the switch.
I have always turned them off before unless it was a real grade that needed it. But in the prostar I am in now the switch is on the steering wheel and more of a pain to hit in a hurry if I need it. So I leave it on.
i do however see the signs and limit use.

 

Ditto for me

 

I don't' use mine below 25mph. There's no need. They are there as a safety device and above 25mph they help save your brakes for when you need them. Is the speed above 25mph? If so you'd better get use to them. They are used to slow down the truck and I for one would rather hear a truck slowing down then worry that he is speeding through or has hot breaks.

 

Yes. I am talking about Highway 14 east of Salmon Falls. I was doing some searching on Google and found a post where a trucker stated that he and others would use the Compression brakes more when they saw the sign because he new that the police had a hard time enforcing the sign. Thanks for your help.

 

That's not a trucker but just a steering wheel holder.

 

In a word.. Yes, If it is posted "No Jake Brake" noise ordinance I will not use it. I run in an area that has "lots" of hills, Canyons where the echo is a problem as well.