Smoked the brakes yesterday-update on test

DanLefoot wrote:
Hi Folks.
We have a 38' diesel pusher with cummins 350 and Allison trany. Built in 2008 and has 25,000 miles.
Yesterday we had a 11 mile, 3500 foot winding, descent averaging about 8%. We used the exhaust brake as usual and have made the trip many times over the years without a problem. We pull a Jeep without aux braking.
When we arrived at the campground at the bottom of the mt there was a noticeable smell of smoked brakes which is the 1st time for us.
I wasn't paying much attention so I guess I could have been descending faster than normal and used the regular brake more often.
But if not, what do you think it could be? Air in the system was normal.
Last summer in Colorado the emergency brake wouldn't release in forward gear. I put the rig in reverse, heard a loud clunk and the brake released. Could that be the problem?
The exhausted brake was working but as I recall I had to brake more often to get the speed down to 20mph on some of the curves. Can the exhaust brake work but not well enough?
Again, the problem may have been operator error. Just not paying enough attention.
But if it is something mechanical I need to know what it can be.
Thanks for you help.
Dan