[Peter]

I always leave the jake on I never turn it off in the other coaches I had , it’s just my opinion, and I always pull a trailer it has worked for me for the last 25 years and over a million miles in a prevost , the coach I have now has a trans retarder I like it a lot better , the prevost only has a two stage brake it’s not a lot , in the trucks I have they are three stage and they have more slowing power I would turn it down but never off maybe to number one but never off , I drive all over the USA and Canada 1000 miles to 2000 miles a week and not even a fender bender in 30 years of being on the road , it’s just my thoughts ,

Edit. If you have to stop fast in a emergency try and turn jake on and brake and steer it won’t be your first reaction unless the jake is on the steering wheel which it’s not , that is why I always leave it on when on the road, with the trans retarder I always leave the master switch on so,it will work in a emergency

[Archived]

Tom and Peter got to this quicker than me and their comments are valid.

When I am negotiating hills, up or down, I am manually shifting. I am also manually working my retarder stalk. We all should be doing that so we maintain control of the coach. That is why we are called drivers and not steering wheel holders.

[joel]

I have the 6 speed Allison, also. I had wiring damage from rodents and had Inland Truck in Dallas do the work. My Jake was programmed to come on in 4th gear. Very large jolt. I had them reprogram to 5th. Very smooth transition and I believe easier on the equipment.

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1999 XLV X-6872,  liberty #440

[AL]

ERNIE: My experience is the same as yours…you need to watch the temps a bit but I’ve gotten to know pretty well what combination of gear/grade/retarder selector position will result in the target temp/speed. My target max is 250F.

Bottom line, I’ve owned coaches with both types and I wouldn’t let the jake/retarder issue be a deal breaker.

[Archived]

Per, I’am confused in KC.

How did the jake work before ?

Could you explain the reason you have done this change ?

[Archived]

Al,

The Jake Brake had a target gear of sixth when the Jake was turned on. Which means you get no real braking from the Jake unless you manually downshift. You can reprogram the transmission to any target gear you choose–simple software change. Early versions of the transmission used second as a target gear, but folks complained about the downshifts, and the target gear was gradually increased over time to sixth. Anyway, I’ve used second gear as a target gera for the last 15 years, and that’s the way I like the setup. In heavy traffic where you may need the Jake at a moment notice, I kept my finger on the Jake switch, so I could engage it without taking my eyes off traffic. Placement of the Jake switch could be better in a Prevost–I would prefer to have it on the left console. I tried it out coming back from Stewart and Stevenson, and I loved the setup. Tried out manually downshifting when we brought the coach home, and I found it cumbersome. Of course, the all-disc brakes on the Prevost is lightyears ahead of the drums on the old coach, so service brakes take care of panic stops.

P.S. Al, since your coach is only three numbers from our coach, maybe you have the same setup. I have an electric heater (110 V) in the utility compartment that is plugged into a switched outlet. There is no power to the outlet. How do you turn the outlet on?

[Tim]

I agree that the switch location for the Jake on the two Royales I have had is less than ideal. I have wondered, and looked, to see if someone made a switch that was a lever like the transmission retarder with three positions: off, 1, and 2. Never found one. Any ideas?

[Archived]

Per,

I may be wrong but if you leave the jake or retarder engaged 100% of the time when you have to slam on the brakes during a panic stop it is there for you. I think it is wishful thinking to believe in a full blown panic stop, when braking is needed the most you are going to have time to find a place to poke your finger to engage the jake.

You are going to have both hands fully occupied pulling up on the steering wheel while you are trying to push you leg down onto the brake pedal. And while you are doing that your attention is going to be further diverted listening to every thing behind you, from dishes to furniture attempting to move forward.

Those of us that have experienced those kinds of stopping efforts are not prepared to look down to see which button to push.

[Per]

Per,

Thanks for your inputon the jake change. I understand your custom that is comfortable for your use. I’am not sure about doing that on our bus.

I agree with Jon on this one, I’am not hunting for a button.

Who ever put the dash buttons on the dash has not driven a bus. You use the jake switch all the time but the rabbit switch is easy to punch and that’s used only when you stop. Go figure.

With the electric heater question …look for a tripped ground fault on one of the power switch boxes.

[AL]

Our preferred method of switching on the Jake brake is with a foot pedal switch on the left side floor, like our 4 previous Monaco Executives and Signatures had. My left foot needs something to do. Its on my to do list.

The top 2 pics in the link below are good examples.

http://search.aol.com/aol/image?q=jake+foot+switch&s_chn=prt_bon&v_t=comsearch

[Archived]

I still don’t get it, why turn off the Jake?

I have a million miles plus in trucks and would never have turned off the Jake, it’s there full time to assist in braking and provides longer intervals between brake pad replacement and components. Slight braking is always there with the Jake or Retarder with no use of the foot brake.

[Per]

Peter and Tom wouldn,t be benificial to turn the retarder off on slick roads?

[AL]

Tom, I am with you on this. I never turn off the retarder in this bus, nor did I ever turn off the Jake in the other one.

I sure did not want it banging back to a much lower gear either…hard on both the transmission and drive axle.

One of the first things I do when starting out on the road is to make sure the retarder is turned on. I never shut it off manually.

[AL]

Having the Jake always on so you have slight braking when you don’t need it increases your fuel usage.

[AL]

Per, I doubt you can measure the difference. Seriously, I have been measuring fuel consumption for several years now on the present coach to determine the impact of changes on mileage.Feel free to develop a couple of 10,000 mile controlled blocks of miles, same speed, same toad, same driving locations, etc. And report back on how much more or less fuel you use with the Jake on. If fuel consumption is such a serious concern as to risk your safety I am concerned for you.

The question about the use of the retarder or Jake is a very valid concern. Don’t rely on either under slippery conditions. But do not interpret that to suggest they should not be used. A jake provides you with braking only when engaged and you lift your foot from the accelerator pedal. That creates a downshift normally and depending on the setting it can put as much as 50% of your horsepower on the drive axle as braking force. I would use the Jake, but only if I modulated it by hand and never relied on it. Clearly the first clue of slippage, it has to be disengaged.

The retarder is a different story. You not only can modulate it it by hand, if the stalk is in the O position it is not contributing to the braking except to assist in braking when the foot treadle is used. If braking causes a skid, stop braking. Tom speaks truth. Leave the jake on, but in slippery conditions leave it off unless and until your hand is there to work it.