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Exhaust brakes

2K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  robdog 
#1 ·
My FIL bought my '02. He just acquired a 10k 5th wheel travel trailer and wanted to know if he should look into an exhaust brake.

I seem to remember there not being a lot to gain for an exhaust brake on the 7.3, but am I wrong?

It is a manual 6spd truck and he will be pulling all over CO and beyond.
 
#2 ·
I have no experience with exhaust brakes, but it the trailer has brakes on it, he'll probably be fine. The 6 speed has better engine braking capabilities than an auto tranny IMO. Others may have different opinions.
 
#3 ·
I tow a 36' 5th wheel with my 2002 7.3 6 speed. I looked into exhaust brakes, expensive beasts they are. DP-Tuner talked me into trying their tune that allows the use of the EBPV as an exhaust brake. It works well. I can come down Eisenhower and Vail in 4th gear with the EBPV on and never touch the brakes.
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the comments. I passed them along and he can make the decision from there. If someone has actual exhaust brake experience on the 7.3, I'd still love to hear from you!
 
#5 ·
I have a PacBrake direct mount on my 99.5 with a six speed. Lots of heavy loads and just a heavy truck, but still have the original brakes at 130000 miles. As long as you are willing to downshift and let the engine spin it works great. The pacbrake that was on my 96 was better, but I had 4.10 gears in it. It also had a nice rumble to it!
 
#6 ·
I have the BD exhaust brake. In my opinion the best one available. It is adjustable to what percentage braking you want. It comes set to 60% , which is max recommended on a stock truck. It held real good, and I do have an automatic. I also have a full set of DP tunes giving complete control of the transmission gear and torque convert lock. My motor is built, I spent a lot of cash on the build and its pretty much nuclear bomb proof, not just bullet proof like stock. So I have it pegged at 100% braking. Its loud as hell, like a rig, but it holds down my 41ft Fifth wheel threw the mountains of BC. I don't know anywhere in North America with stupid climbs like we have. Even Colorado mountains look like speed bumps here. The tunes that use the back pressure valve work ok, but that valve is wimpy as heck, and if your towing any real loads it wont last long. Some have, most wont. My case is some what extreme since my motor is valued at 40k and I tow way over the legal limit ( fifth wheel 18k loaded, Backhoe lowbed 26k). The amazing thing is the transmission is unhappy, but still intact. Automatics don't like the exhaust brakes, and they total the coast clutch system unless your transmission is built as well. I vowed to rebuild it when it goes thinking that would be soon with the power and braking. But it wont blow! For a crappy transmission, I sure got a good one some how.
 
#8 ·
I have a banks exhaust brake and trans lock set up I removed from my 2003 F550, it was installed new with the Fontaine Classic Traveler pkg and its all there I just have no need for it and its for sale.
 
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