the unnecessary usage of j-brakes, why????

loud pipes saves lives

 

As a former Greyhound driver, here's my two cents. All the newer Greyhounds with the Detroit 60's have Jakes. and they're used all the time in residential areas, parking lots, prohibited areas and every where else it suits the drivers. Got away with it for one reason. Good mufflers. When the Jakes on, the engine sounds different but not any louder and was very quiet to begin with. I went by dozens of cops in prohibited zones with the Jake maxed and never got so much as a glance. Instead of regulating Jake brakes, just inforce noise and muffler ordinances.

 

Okay, drivers -- help me out here.

Brake retarders (or J-brakes, I assume) were what initially brought me to your forum. There's a nearby town that prohibits their use, and I had no clue what they were. I learned here.

However, I'm still confused. What exactly do they sound like when used?

I've lived only three places my entire life -- one was near the railroad tracks, and the other two were on state roads with a fair amount of truck traffic (and both at places requiring vehicular traffic to reduce speed substantially). Maybe I'm so accustomed to noise that I don't hear them? What do I listen for? The only sound from trucks that draws my ear is when the wheels seem to lock (or whatever) and they sound like they're bouncing into the curve. I'm not sure what is happening there, either, but I always send up a quick prayer that everything is okay.

I guess I just don't understand what all the flap is about. They can't be THAT loud, can they?

 

I only used them when I was running mountains, or on occasion when some 4 wheeler would pull out in front of me just so they would know that they messed up. I am surprised that you have never heard one. Seems to me like I remember hearing them everywhere. Heck I have even heard some retard using his retarder in a truckstop when I was trying to sleep!:smt003

 

There sound is similar to having an exhaust leak on the manifold of a gas vehicle or glass packs if your familiar with that. It mainly depends on the pipe size and muffler if there is one. I love the sound personally and I live on the backside of a hill runnin through a town. Every now and then a good and loud truck can rattle the windows lol.

 

Thanks for your explanations! I'm sure I've heard it -- in fact, it's probably common enough here that I don't really "hear" it. It's simply part of the background noise. Plus, my house is situated between two large open fields, and the sound probably dissipates more rapidly than it would in a residential area.

Now that I know what to listen for, I'm going to be more attentive to the traffic. Send me one of those trucks with the straight pipes. Just once, tho, please. LOL

 

I'm a 'big machine' kinda guy! Love all that power, and like to hear it too! Can't beat the sound of those old, unmuffled jakes!!! You should have heard the 'glass packs' on my 1967 Camaro (327 CI/4-bbl/dual exhausts, etc.)...LOL

 

I got glass packs on my 460 bbf and my stock car is cut off after the firewall. Ive been raised around loud cars and trucks to some its noise to me its music. Open headers on a small block wrapping around 55rpm puts a smile on my face ear to ear.