PacBrake Exhaust Brake on a Cummins 5.9L

[CharlesinGA]

I just finished installing a PacBrake exhaust brake system on my '03 RAM 2500 Cummins 5.9L HO engine. Test driving it, it seems to work rather well. Tomorrow I head up into the Tennessee mountains (GSMNP) and will get to try it out for sure.

Does anyone else have a PacBrake installation and what do they think of it. It was almost $1500 and a LOT of work installing it, as it is the exhaust brake itself (not too difficult), an electric air compressor (again tedious but not too difficult) and a host of wiring, and relays that could not be installed in the suggested location, and a lot of laying under the dash to run one wire.

I will add to this later, with a few pics I took of the installation. It uses the compressed air to operate the brake butterfly in the exhaust, and the side benefit is having onboard compressed air to top off tires, inflate beach balls, air mattresses, etc.

Charles

 

[Oldgator73]

I had one on my 99 Ram 2500. Mine was installed at a Cummins garage. Worked fantastic.

 

[Utclmjmpr]

In 2016 I upgraded my Pac-brake to the new PRXB model,, it was being promoted by Pac-brake and with a rebate only cost $120.00.. I installed the unit and really liked the upgrade,, it holds full back pressure down to 1200 RPM which provides a 60% improvement over the older one..>>>Dan

 

[CharlesinGA]

Yes, this is the PRXB version, I think the old model is discontinued now.

Am at Look Rock Campground in GSMNP leaving tomorrow and the 7 mile steady downgrade on the Foothills Pkwy will be the test. It worked great coming up here but this downgrade will allow it to show it's mettle. We hit the tail end of the leaf peeping perfectly. Saw several black bear, momma and cub, and others.

Will report further when I get home. Would like to hear experiences with it, good or bad.

Charles

 

[CharlesinGA]

Well returned home from Look Rock (GSMNP) today and had a lot of chances to use the PacBrake, more so than on the trip up. I just need to learn what gear works best depending on the grade but it looks like 5th for shallower grades and 4th for steeper grades. There is one really steep (and I do mean steep) grade on the campground loop and in second, the truck almost came to a stop!

This will make it possible to make trips out west without worrying so much about the steep grades. I'm ranking this as a must have item for someone towing in hills or mountains with a 5.9L Cummins (or, I suspect, a 6.0L Ford also).

Now comes the issue that I have a Tradesman model and it has a "measly" 136 amp alternator and I have just added a compressor that runs frequently and draws 20 amps (I measured it with a DC clamp amp meter and it was 18 amps up to 22 at full pressure). So I guess a 240 amp Mechman alternator is now the next want list item.

Charles