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Exhaust Brake weak

18K views 32 replies 15 participants last post by  Onebaddemax 
#1 ·
Having turned in my man card I went and bought the 16 3500 denali and have,noticed since I purchased that the exhaust Brake is nowhere near as strong as my old 2011 3500 ram. Empty it works ok but loaded, forget it, same Trailer and weights being pulled. I discovered have questions smarty jr on ram and maybe that contributed to better exhaust Brake performance but come on it's a $70k+ truck. What do I need to do to get this to keep my brakes on the truck from frying?
 
#2 ·
You may have an issue with the turbo. - Mine works like a fucking champ on my 2015. I regularly pull a fully loaded 5th wheel camper, @ 17K and change and my Exhaust Brake controls the load very well, I only need brakes when on a steep grade, or under 14mph where it dis-engages.
 
#7 ·
I initially found the same as I had a 2011 Ram 2500. The Duramax just needs to rev a bit higher than the Cummins to get the engine brake to work. When I'm hauling my skid steer around town the engine brake works fine. On the highway it's pretty good too but havn't done any hills. I'll downshift manually at 2000-2200 rpm and get the next gear at 3000 or so. Just have to get used to it.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Didnt the new GM turbo break destroy Rams and Fords in testing?


Yup, it did kill it. Love mine and regularly tow through the western rockies without any problems, with the cruise control set it keeps the target speed very close.
 
#11 ·
Hi Sweet16,

We see that you are seeking the input of other forum members, so we would like to offer our assistance as well. Please allow our team the opportunity to look into your situation a bit further. To do so, please send us a private message that includes your VIN, full contact information, and your preferred GM Certified dealership. Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you.

Bret B.
GM Customer Care
 
#13 ·
Ok dmax I watched the whole video and they only talked about downhill, not during downhill as they would not have been heard over the motor at 4,000 rpms getting ready to pop at any second. I don't care what they said I've now owned both and the my Ole 11 ram eats this things lunch, period.
 
#14 ·
Umm, ya at two minuets and thirty seconds. They are going down hill and the tach was at 3500 rpm, the GM only needed two brake applications vs the Rams seven... Instead of crying about it, take it in and see what the dealer has to say.:|
 
#21 ·
:drinnk

Haha, peace. Just kiddin around.

As a general FYI, just cuz someone drives one thing, it doesn't mean they haven't driven a whole lot of other things. Maybe even a ton of miles in other things. You know, the ole ass-u-me thing. And ya did post that on a chevy forum, in dissent from the ostensibly "apples to apples" testing that shows chevy as the clear winner. I'm gonna go back to the playoffs now :)
 
#22 ·
I never saw the OP talking about the application of the brake to activate the turbo brake , on LML motors the turbo brake needs input from the brake as well to decide how aggressive the braking is as well as when it is working with the cruise. It honestly is not as good as my Banks Speedbrake was as to getting it to do what you want but it does work very well once you get the "setting" it figured out and for the most part it has held about any speed down any hill with any load. Just saying the "engine was going to pop" indicates to me it is either not working or he does not know how to work it.
 
#23 ·
You know you guys need to read your manuals , with the exhaust brake on works good ,with th on works awesome. If your want things to work below 20 use the downhill grade switch on your dash just over from the exhaust brake works awesome . I have an 16k toyhauler Loaded , I never have any problems
 
#24 ·
I came from a 13 ram 3500 and the duramax exhaust brake is no where near hold back power as the cummins. i just have my mastercraft boat i pull and hills where i used to need to keep applying the throttle from time to time to get me back up to speed because the cummins just held back so well, i have to ride the brakes most of the way down with the duramax. I drive both the same. both in tow / haul, and i have no difference from exhaust brake on to exhaust brake off. i have the same stopping power in manual mode, exhaust brake off and just manually select lower gears with the duramax.
 
#25 ·
You dont know how to work it! I can go down 6% grade at 25 to 30K gross and the turbo brake has no trouble holding a set speed with NO braking.
I am not saying the cummings does not work I am saying the Duramax TURBO brake does!
 
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#28 ·
It took me awhile to master it as I had a banks speed brake where it had a lot more versatility than the factory one. It outperformed the Ford and the Ram apples to Apples so I am guessing its either not working or is operator error, I want you to be happy with it cause I know what it can do and it truly sounds like you are not getting the max out of it. You can't set the cruise and let it go , it takes input from the brake to "set" the speed , the harder you push the brake and the more times getting to the speed you want once you get there if you want to set cruise you can, Its honestly a poor design on GM's part to activate it ( Not the turbo brake design is poor) just the way GM activates it. i.e.: I come into a hill at say 65 , I want to go 40, Brake is on and in tow/haul - I apply the foot brake several times and get it to 40, then it pretty much stays at 40 if I find its slowing more I set the cruise and it holds at 40. Now if the hill is steeper and the load is heavier than what the truck will hold there is nothing you can do just like a Jake on a big truck sometimes you have to settle for a lower speed and gear to hold it. Remember the cummings is a Exhaust Brake and the Duramax is a Turbo Brake the same but very different ! I hope this makes sense and helps.
 
#29 ·
is the duramax not a variable vane turbo like the cummins ? When i come to a hill at 60 and want to continue to go 60, i dont speed up to 80 and hit the brakes to bring me back to 60 so my truck knows that that is the speed i should go.I just want it to continue at the speed in which i was travelling and hold me to that speed. It just has never been able to do that. Im also used to the cummins and no load on the truck, I could have the exhaust brake on and bring me to almost a complete stop without the use of the brakes. Thats with tow/haul on and exhaust brake ON and not in smart mode. Smart mode did require a quick tap of the brake pedal (just push enough so it would activate your brake lights, not very much at all). Exhaust brake on the cummins worked even hard when there was a load
 
#30 ·
BC4X4 , I did some reading and depending on how new a Ram it does have a variable Vein Turbo and maybe even more , it is not to clear , the duramax is also a VVT brake. It sounds like the Ram has a much better application system with more options, I still stand by the Duramax Brake works really well but also its application process is done poorly, if your going 60 and want to maintain 60 it is difficult to not slow more to get the brake working , maybe if someone on here has figured it out better they will chime in. I would be curious if the 17has improved the controls of it but either a repair or a learning process is in order so you can take advantage of it cause it does work good once it gets activated properly.
The Banks Brake had 3 power levels / activate when living off the throttle / or manually setting a speed on the screen but it did not work with the cruise control, maybe they need to come out with a control for it as it does not work on the LML and later trucks.
I have a driver that just bought a 16 Ram 3500 and he loves the exhaust brake!
 
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