shifting.....

upshifting makes the truck go faster. the jake brake makes it go slower. you need to pick one or the other.

 

it's way cool ok. not to be smart, but it is one of them things that if ya got to ask, then maybe you should stick to the clutch for a while longer. miss a shift and it is a good way to chip a tooth or break a gear. either would be hard to explain to a good wrench.

 

The rpm drops faster while upshifting with the jake. The driver has to make the gear change quicker and probably must shift without the clutch. Personally, I think jake shifting will result in a jolt to the drive line because the rpm is still changing even though there was no clash of gears. I understand that patting the accelerator as the gear is engaged will turn off the jake, and you are on your way. Your employer will catch you if you park the truck, go home, and the jake switch is on. Nobody would drive my truck that way and keep their job. I would look for a driver who was not treating this as a game, but who took pride in a technique that prolonged the life of the equipment and tires, and achieved acceptable fuel mileage. Of course, if you own the truck, you can do whatever you want to.

 

I hear shifting with the jakes on will damage the engine and/or tranny over time.

 

assuming you shift without the clutch just leave the jake on you need to wait for the rpms to come down anyway this just makes it happen a bit faster so you need to shift pretty quick it takes a bit of practice to do it without jerking the truck pretty sure thats bad for the drivetrain I find it works best at lower rpms on the flat when the truck isnt pulling too hard

 

Have to be good at floating gears to do it right. It is fun once in awhile, but I never made a habit of it.

 

Jake shifting would be helpful when upshifting on an upgrade, similar to use of the clutch brake. Other than that, I put jake shifters in the same category of cowboys who grab every gear, and they ain't even out of the truck stop.

 

I don't see how the switch on will make someone think they was shifting with the jake one. Maybe they slowed down and used the jake and then turned into the yard and forgot to turn it off. I read somewhere I think this is an option with the ECU but you can program the jake to only come when you hit the brake thus no need to turn it off to shift since it would only come on when you hit the brakes until you turn it off with the switch, resetting the cruise, or getting into the throttle.