Air brakes

Electric/Hydraulic disk brakes are a proven system that gives superb trailer control.

Why reinvent the "wheel"?

Traveler II wrote:
Even though I’ve never heard of air brakes for a fiver, the idea is kind of intriguing. Having a compressor could be used to operate the slides, the self-leveling system, or the brakes. Semi trailers have air brakes, so this might be a good idea.

An air over hydraulic brake system is fairly simple. A air brake chamber works the master cylinder. But you have to have a truck that has a air brake system. If you don't have air brakes on the truck, then there are electric over hydraulic systems that are also available.

Manual on my brake controller (prodigy) says to readjust after brakes have been used a couple times to get to temperature. As another post mentioned they build some heat and things swell a bit.

I, too, have a Pac Brake on my Dodge diesel. It works really well on downgrades, especially when I've put the tranny in Tow Haul.

KD4UPL wrote:

WyoTraveler wrote:

KD4UPL wrote:
As a former truck driver I can tell you that air brakes shouldn't be used frequently. That's a good way to run out of air. Less applications for longer durations are preferable to lots of short applications. Further, you should be using gear reduction and engine braking to do most of your deceleration.
What TV and FW are we talking about?

In post he said 98 Volvo with Cummins towing 36' TT or 5er

Where did you read that?

I have no clue how all that got put together. As the 2nd poster to the thread, I have a '98 Volvo truck I pull my 5th wheel with. People are reading what they want and assuming a whole bunch.

As for the OP, PacBrake makes an exhaust brake for your setup. Works great, I had one.

Even though I’ve never heard of air brakes for a fiver, the idea is kind of intriguing. Having a compressor could be used to operate the slides, the self-leveling system, or the brakes. Semi trailers have air brakes, so this might be a good idea.

rhagfo wrote:

ScottG wrote:
Any chance you can get an exhaust brake fitted to your Cummins?

Some early have issues with exhaust brakes, but can be over come. I seldom use the service brakes on down hill grades EB only!

Oh ya, I forgot about the valve springs and trans not locking up.

WyoTraveler wrote:

KD4UPL wrote:
As a former truck driver I can tell you that air brakes shouldn't be used frequently. That's a good way to run out of air. Less applications for longer durations are preferable to lots of short applications. Further, you should be using gear reduction and engine braking to do most of your deceleration.
What TV and FW are we talking about?

In post he said 98 Volvo with Cummins towing 36' TT or 5er

Where did you read that?

Depending on what kind of grade you are talking about will dictate the best way to handle it with a diesel TV and fiver.

Unless it is just some rolling hills I won't use cruise control.

Always stay in tow/haul mode when towing.

If it is a moderate grade I will limit the max gear available. In my Ford 6-speed I can toggle down for example so that the transmission only has 3 or 4 gears to use, locking out 5th and 6th.

If it is a extremely steep grade I will use my transmission in strictly manual mode. What gear I lock in depends on speed and how steep of a grade.

The bottom line here is what others have said, and it is really not much different weather you are talking about electric brakes or air brakes. Let the engine/tranny keep your speed where you need it, not the brakes.

I am towing around 16,000 and have only experienced a couple really steep long grades out west that I had to use some brake. When I do I only get on them for 4 or 5 seconds to take a few MPH off and then stay off of them. If you ever experience total brake fade you won't want to have it happen twice.

ScottG wrote:
Any chance you can get an exhaust brake fitted to your Cummins?

Some early have issues with exhaust brakes, but can be over come. I seldom use the service brakes on down hill grades EB only!