2016 Silverado 3500 - Ike Gauntlet Pull
Looks like the Chevy still outperforms the Ram on the time up the Gauntlet and more importantly outperforms in exhaust brake performance too. Link
Forum Discussion
ShinerBock wrote:
Not exactly, as I said before the EB in full brake mode will not downshift to keep speed like auto mode will in certain situations. Full mode will downshift as you gradually slow down (as it naturally does without the EB)if the exhaust brake is strong enough to slow the truck down in the gear it is in. If it is not strong enough to slow the truck down in the gear it is in then it will NOT downshift to become stronger like auto mode will.
For example, say you were coming down the Ike towing 20k at 60 mph as the truck weight and grade was overpowering the EB in 6th gear and you start to gain speed. The exhaust brake in full mode will not downshift to become stronger when you are gaining speed and you have to apply the brakes in order to slow down in these scenarios where the force of the weight and grade is stronger than the force of the EB in high gears.
In auto mode it is a different story. If it is set at 60 mph and you start to gain speed, the EB in auto mode will automatically drop down a gear or two (since the higher the rpm the stronger the exhaust brake is) to keep you from gaining speed helping you slow down without touching the brakes.
This is only in certain extreme situations like the Ike where the load and grade is more powerful than the exhaust brake is in 6th or even 5th. About 99.9% of the time (or 100% of the time for most people who don't live by mountains) the full mode EB in 6th gear is strong enough to slow you down or at least keep speed without the need of a downshift like you say you usually experience.
Sorry bud but you are wrong on this. It will downshift very aggressively In TH mode (RPM limited) with the exhaust brake in full on mode when a couple things are met. One the truck has a predetermined deceleration rate and you can't be slowing down any faster than that rate. The other is you HAVE to put your foot on the brake pedal (don't have to apply brakes just light your brake lights) for the truck to know that you want to slow down. It will then begin to downshift and apply the amount of exhaust brake needed to decelerate at the programmed rate that is in the computer. I have seen my exhaust brake gauge as high as 150 braking hp. When you have it in auto mode it will do what ever it needs to do to hold a curtain speed but once it slows to that speed it will adjust to keep to that speed instead of like the full on mode that will continue to slow the truck until around 20 mph.
I agree with you that FLT did not get the full effect of the Ram's exhaust just because of the way they conduct their test. They consider brake touches as a deduct even though you don't have to apply brake pressure you just have to touch the pedal for it to work.
