huddle

I am going to purchase an Exhaust Brake for my 06 Dodge Mega Cab 3500 with the 49RE trans. 14,598 miles on the truck and I pull a KZ Toyhauler loaded at 14,500#. Not interested in performance mods, love the truck the way it is. I have searched and read what I believe to be every thread on this forum on this topic. Doing other research I would prefer the BD brake. This is my problem - seems as though the only brake approved by Dodge Waranty is the Jake. The warranty is important to me as the wife and I travel the U.S. alot and I cannot only rely on the approval of my local dealer alone. Don't to be in in another state break down and hear those dreaded words voided warranty. Those of you towing larger loads with the Mopar Jake Brake what is your honest experience and opinion with the unit. My dealer will do the Jake install for $1350.

Thanks, Huddle

Buckshotmckee

My understanding is they all work the same. The difference is the size of the butterfly/flap used to apply the back pressure. The BD and Pac-brake have the biggest flap and that's why there more desirable then the Jacobs.

CD in NM

I have a 2006 truck just like you do and nowhere in all of my warranty stuff does it say that the Jacobs Exhaust Brake even would have a warranty when installed on my truck, even if a Dodge Dealership installed it for me. Have they told you they would warranty it? AND also put that in wiritng? While it is standard equipment on the newer 6.7L models, and covered under their warranty, I would be curious about it on the 2006. They ARE probably considered a warranty station for the Jacobs Brakes since they do sell them and also do repair. That may really be where their claim of warranty coverage comes from.

I did a lot of research on eshaust brakes, Jacobs, BD and PacBrake. My dealership would have installed any of them for me. I was told that since it was not a stock item, was not offered as a factory accessory choice for my model year truck, whatever warranty the brake itself had by it's manufacturer and their network of warranty repair stations would be what applied. Now I realize that since that time Dodge now offers the brake as standard equipment, but it was not offered as standard on the 2006 models, so if I were you I would get clarity before I proceeded with a brake I would have not chosen first.

In answer to your question for an honest opinion of the Mopar Jake Brake, and since I do not have first-hand experience with one, I can only respond with what I know in a second-hand opinion or relay of/from my friends - I have 3 friends with the Jacobs brakes, all 3 like them and say 'when they are working-they do a good job', all 3 of them have had compressor problems, 1 of them has had compressor problems twice in under 5K miles. All of them now carry a spare belt to bypass the compressor, guess it's a just in case(??)-something to do with having to bypass, must be a bearing freeze up or something with the compressor(??) don't really know, didn't ask them for particulars.

I installed the PacBrake, I felt it was the better choice for me. If your dealership is telling you that all the dealerships will warranty it, AND that it does not affect your truck's warranty, furthermore being the reason for your consideration of it's install and all that will satisfy you, go for it and have it installed.

When Dodge installed an exhaust brake as standard equipment, they opened up the market to the aftermarket products. They cannot claim that by having an exhaust brake voids a warranty since they themselves put on there too. The only warranty they do not have to honor is BDs or PacBrakes, and that was not enough to push me into buying the Jacobs.

CD

Utundra

Hey Huddle,

I went with the Jacobs for the warranty reason. From the warranty page that came with my brake, "Mopar or Cummins will pay for all parts and labor needed to repair damage to the Product or Cummins Engine due to Warrantable failure". The warranty is 100,000 or three years on the brake and 36,000 or three years on the other parts.

While I have yet to haul a heavy load the brake does seem to work well. Though my seat of the pants tells me it is not as effective as my buddy's PacBrake on his '03.

$1350 seems like a good price. Local dealer here quoted me $1800. I did do the install myself, cost of the brake was just under $1000.

I have also read about vacuum (not compressor) pump failures with the Jacobs. The kit comes with a new serpetine belt so the old belt can be carried as a spare; though I would hate to have to change it on the side of the road.

I think all three brakes are great products, best of luck with whatever you decide.

shep1

I got the Jacobson exhaust brake as a dealer/factory option when I ordered my truck from them. It was $1400.00 installed. It was shiped from the factory with the truck and installed by the dealer. If you can find a brochure for the 2006 model trucks it's listed as an option item and is covered by factory warranty. It is also covered under the extended service plan. If you go to the Cummins web site there's a link to the Jacobson exhaust brake, that gives all the specs and info about the unit. At the time it was the only one aproved for the Dodge/ Cummins. I haven't had any issues with it or the vac. pump, works very well. Although I don't tow heavy loads it does an exelent job of holding back my truck an 5800# TT comming down out of the mountais here in Colorado. I wouldn't want to do it whithout it. Also there's a web site for Jacobson.

justcampin

I have one and works great but the vacumm pump went out last week at 60000 miles, price from dodge was $634 + $200 to install, I bought it from cummins for 93.30 and installed it myself in 20 minutes

vzdude

It comes with a new belt, because the belt is a different size after adding the pump right? The new pump has to have it's own pulley by my understanding. Been a while since I put one on, but is was on a 2nd gen that already had a vacuum pump, so...no extra pump was needed on that one.

Utundra

I looked online for a replacement out of curiosity and saw a replacement pump for $113. Wasn't sure if I was looking at the right part number. Thanks for the heads up! Might be worth having a spare at sometime in the future.

Exactly.

Dharris

I have the Jacobs on my '06 that came installed by the dealer. I tow a 5er that will gross at 14000 and when decending +/- 6% grades it has preformed as expected. Remember you have to drive the truck not let the truck drive you. By that I mean choose your gear/speed/cruise control setting appropriately. When set correctly my Jacobs will engage and disengage to maintain speed within the desired range.

I only have approx 20k on my truck but I have had no trouble.

Festus

My PacBrake seems to have more woe power by the seat of the pants than on a buddy's 6.7 QC factory installed Jacobs.

Jeff in TD

I have the Jake Brake that I installed myself and I really like it. If you have one installed have them give you the factory belt so you have a spare (it can be installed with vacuum pump in place, it just won't drive the vacuum pump).

It really works well. I like the fact that it's controlled by the ECM. There is a couple second delay after the APPS goes to idle position, which allows you to leave the Jake switch on while accelerating and shifting (stick) w/o it coming on. Also I think the couple second delay is designed to let the turbo spool down a bit before the valve slams shut if you were suddenly to go from full pedal to stop (like something jumped out in front of you climbing a grade). Also when using it to warm up at idle, the computer will turn the Jake off when speed is zero and coolant reaches a preset temp.

The other option I would consider is the Pac Brake. It works the same way, except it is driven by an electric air compressor and storage tank instead of a belt driven vacuum pump. This would make sense, as you can use the source of compressed air for other things (airbags, air hitch, whatever). They also have a variable opening thing, little spring loaded door in the butterfly valve that is supposed to provide more braking at lower RPM without reaching unsafe pressure at higher RPM. What it doesn't have is Dodge and Cummins parts numbers.

Anyway, I like the Jake brake, but I think powering the brake by air pressuer makes more sense. Vacuum actuation made sense when trucks already had a vacuum pump, but now that they don't...

Festus

My PacBrake cuts in instantly when I take my foot off the go pedal. I have a clutch switch sitting on my table to be installed so it doesn't cut in while upshifting.

Jeff in TD

Yeah, I think pac brake has an optional kit to bypass the ECM...

Casey Balvert

I bought the Jacobs due to warranty concerns when I bought my truck over five years ago. I installed the unit myself. The warranty covers any damage to the engine as well and I did like that. When I questioned another vendor (I think it was BD but not sure it has been so long) it came down to that they would assist me in taking DC to court if DC denied engine warranty if they said it was due to the vendor's EB. I was not prepared to go that route. However, I have not heard of any engine damage caused by an exhaust brake.

I tow a heavy fiver just under 18K and the Jake works great. Going down the mountain grades I very rarely need to touch the service brakes at all. When slowing down for intersections and for stops, the service brakes are used only for the last few yards. I have NOT had a problem with the vacuum pump; however a friend of mine had one fail and he bought a replacement from a Cummins distributor for 85 bucks and installed it himself. So far mine has worked flawlessly.

Casey

PoorMansCat

I've been researching this same option since I bought my truck. Had I known that it was available on the truck from the factory, it would have been on there when I took it home. Anyway, Thru all the reasearch I've done, it seems that the PAC BRAKE is actually the best, but DC doesn't recognize the PACBRAKE as a warrantable part. That in itself doesn't bother me, but them giving me hassles about my engine warranty because of the PAC DOES bother me. I would much rather have the on-board air compressor than a vacuum pump.
All that being said, I've ended up with the Jackobs E-Brake kit. Haven't installed it yet........ Too cold outside and got too many other things to work on right now. Sometimes, being the only mechanic in the family really is a bad thing!!!!