Alison Tranny Retarder vs Jake Brake

[Just Plain Jeff]

I really don't know what I am talking about (as usual) so bear that in mind.

However, our Angola had a retarder which was almost useless. That bus just did NOT want to stop. Witness the knuckle-marks on the steering column and my footprint on the brake pedal!

The Vogue had a Jake Brake on it and it sounded kinda cool (now we are Series 60 land), but I didn't see any big difference in stopping power with it.

Our new camper has kind of a neat deal. On the right hand side of the steering column there is a lever with a 4-position adjustable retarder. I was goofing around with it the last few days and as the tranny downshifts and you change the range of effect on the retarder, you slow down mighty quick.

I wasn't looking at the temperatures as I try to watch the road, mostly.

So that's my 2 cents worth.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

This may be a rather difficult concept for a postal worker to grasp, but since he is alone and presumably desirous of avoiding trouble, and with the lady of the house tending to the welfare of New England, maybe he might want to spend spare time with a good book, like the owner's manual.


That unknown device to the right of the steering column is not the RH turn signal switch, but a supplement to your braking power. Since you may be driving that rig in close proximity to mine, please read what neat things like that thing does. It just may keep you from bumping into me.

[Just Plain Jeff]

Jon:

Thanks for the good idea.

However, I don't see very well, so the manual is a problem.

I use the 'Audio Parking Method.'

When you hear it crash, step on the brake. That's the one left of the GO pedal, right?

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Whoa......That's all I say and it stops. Whoops, that is one of Deb ponies. I don't know how to stop the bus. I haven't gotten that far in training.

[Orren Zook]

They told me that was why there are those little rubber bumpers on the Prevost Car Chassis now, for supplimental braking while operating or parking close to other vehicles.

[garyde]

I am still on the fence with my Trans. Retarder. I was not using it correctly to begin with, and then when i knew more about it and the Heat issue , I became more frugel.
Troy at Liberty said I would really enjoy having the Retarder, and I can say it works great on off Ramps, Stop Signs, and Stop and Go Traffic, and emergency stops.
On down grades, I brake to about 55 or 50 MPH and then apply the Trans Retarder to the 1st or 2nd position. I then cruise until the speed exceeds 60 to 62 MPH , then I brake again and start the process over agan.
I leave it off most of the time except on grades.
The temperature climbs to 290 on long downhill grades.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Gary,

When we first got ours I was reluctant to really engage it because I could see the transmission temperature gauge racing upward.

But....I think I have a good compromise the way I use it now. First I leave the switch on, but do not put the lever in any of the "on" positions. What this does for me is it brings the retarder into play if I have to do any braking.

When I encounter hills and want the retarder to help hold me back I put the lever in the second position. That seems close to the help I got from the Jake on our first coach, and unless I get on the brakes temperatures range up to about 210 to 220. If the hills require braking, I just watch the gauge and try to limit it to 230. That is just my limit because I know high oil temps are hard on the transmission and the oil. Allison proves this with their reduced oil change intervals when a retarder is used.

BTW, I do not wait until I need the retarder. In hilly country I leave it in the second position as soon as I see I will need it and it manages temps nicely. It also downshifts by itself to make the retarder more effective.

The only thing besides temps I dislike is the brakes lights come on and that must drive anyone following me nuts.

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Gary,

The only thing besides temps I dislike is the brakes lights come on and that must drive anyone following me nuts.

The brake lights coming on when the retarder slows the bus down, seems like the proper thing to do, I mean the guys behind you got to know your slowing that animal down?

You wouldn't want anybody running up behind you and kissing your rear end, cause they didn't know you were slowing down.

Thanks Jon, and everyone else for the information on the Retarder, and Jake brake.

I can honestly say now, when we find the right bus, it won't sway me one way or the other if it has the Retarder or not, but I still kind of like the Retarder idea over the Jake.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Gary S.

The brake lights are annoying at night to those following. With the retarder on simply lifting your foot from the accelerator with the retarder on lights the lights, and even with them on you may actually be accelerating down the hill.

Day or night with them constantly coming on when the retarder is engaging (cruise control on or off) eventually a vehicle following treats them as meaningless and when you really have to get on the brakes what will alert those drivers other than the brake lights that have previously been meaningless?

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Thanks Jon, now I understand.