Towing in Mountains

[Mike Clay]

Boy thats the truth we were in Deadwood one year during the rally i think my son got an education that day. lol

[tschmalz]

With the six speed manual you just put it in 3rd or 4th, depending on the grade, and turn on the exhaust brake (Jacobs) and take your foot off the brake pedal. Best investment I made for my truck. No more white knuckles in the mountains.

[Mike Clay]

That is one of the biggest things I miss about my last truck 6 speed and exhaust brake

[Chief409]

With a Ford automatic, and Tow/Haul selected, you'll get all the engine braking you'll need. I've driven all three of the engine choices the Ford SD Trucks have, starting with the 2005 F250 trucks, I currently drive a F250 4X4 5.4 for work and my own F350 FX4 diesel dually with the automatic transmission. Since 2005 I've put over 300,000 miles so far on Ford SD trucks. And my mileage is growing at 2,000 miles or more a month on the work truck. With ANY of the engine choices, the engine braking is more then adequate. Or the shop is lying to me when they say how much of my brake pads are left when I go in for the 5000 mile service! PS: They aren't.

I don't know about the Chevy's, i drove a 1996 C/K3500 SRW, it had NO engine or transmission braking, every year it needed new pads, every other year it needed the front disks turned or replaced, the rear drums and shoes had to be replaced every other year. The 2500 HD 4X4 (2 of them) Chevy's, well they fell apart. The 2500 trucks were a 2002 and a 2004.Then there was the Astro AWD and a couple of Blazers. Kindest words I have for those is POS.

And working in the Mojave Desert, a truck that fails when you're working miles away from anywhere... I won't recommend a truck that I've had problems with!

[Mike Clay]

Well the Chevy engine brake works ok i have about 24k on the truck now and 98% on front pads but its nothing like my old Dodge 6 speed with exhaust brake.

[bilmorvn]

Just had a fun time taking the auto road up to the top of Mt. Washington in NH. finally got a decent day without too many clouds and great visibility. It was very interesting. DW didn't enjoy it very much, especially when passing cars going the other way---some of them were trying to use our side of the road! Does anyone know how to get scratch marks out of the dash?

Going down there was a lot of traffic in front of us who were very "cautious" to day the least. I got to play with the manual mode and easily maintained speed by shifting as required and seldom used the brakes. Of course no 15,300 # Cardinal to make the truck and me work.

[campswithcritters]

Does anyone know how to get scratch marks out of the dash?

Can not help in getting out the scratches, but you can do as I do to prevent further scratches, just install mittens on your spouse before mountain travel!

[Rob & Cathy]

Does anyone know how to get scratch marks out of the dash?

Can not help in getting out the scratches, but you can do as I do to prevent further scratches, just install mittens on your spouse before mountain travel!

Or a blindfold!

Rob

[haulin Shamu]

Any recommendations for a 2004 Dodge Automatic and one BIG whale of a bird?
(no exhaust braking and I don't think I can with the automatic)(correct me if I'm wrong)

If you can't tell from the profile picture, thats a full Semi truck hiding behind Shamu

[campswithcritters]

Any recommendations for a 2004 Dodge Automatic and one BIG whale of a bird?
(no exhaust braking and I don't think I can with the automatic)(correct me if I'm wrong)

If you can't tell from the profile picture, thats a full Semi truck hiding behind Shamu

You can do an exhaust brake and it comes with a new transmission controller to lock the torque converter during brake operation. Here is the link to Dodge manual & automatic applications of pacbrake http://www.pacbrake.com/uploads/Dodge%202009.pdf just flip thru pages to automatic vehicles. I had one on a 05 Dodge and it worked very well.

[Shields]

As do I have a Pac Brake on a Dodge 03.5 automatic. Works great, big load off the brakes.
I did have to touch the brakes going down a 10% grade about a month ago, but more to ease my mind than needing it.

[tschmalz]

Just keep in mind that if you have any warranty time left on your drive train that the installation of an exhaust brake on that year vehicle could void your warranty. If no warranty time left I would recommend installing one of the brakes.

[Shields]

Chrysler has no problem with a Pac Brake. I had a small engine problem and a drive shaft warranty, no problem with the warranty from Chrysler. In fact, most dealers will install a Pac Brake on in-warranty truck.

[BMullins46]

Chrysler actually offered the pacbrake as an option on the 06 models. I went with the Banks mainly because I got it for less than the after market add on one from Chrysler. I really envy you guys with the new Dodges with the 6.7 Cummins cause the come standard(?) with the exhaust brake, so no add on problems.

[teallen]

Well I am out west and have had a lot of driving in the mountains, I had some problems at the beginning of the trip but have learned very fast to use my engine braking as much as possible, the Sylvan Pass in Yellowstone was not bad and the Targhee pass going to West Yellowstone did not even have a downgrade that I could remember. This Ford Diesel sure pulls nice.