| Author |
Message |
Larry Baird (Airhog) (206.114.251.71)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2001 - 1:59 pm: | |
I have a MCI-7 with a 8V71 & 4 speed trans. I would like know if anyone thinks having a Jake brake is worth the trouble and how much money it is worth? I love the bus but not the brakes. |
bob77AMG (216.51.108.254)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2001 - 3:19 pm: | |
Larry,
if you run in the hills/mountians very often
i would say a big yes.
If you run nothing but flat country,no..
A good used jake installed is between
800-1200 dollars. |
Donald Peter (Don) (172.171.235.28)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2001 - 6:25 pm: | |
My 4104 fully loaded and hauling a Jeep Wrangler will go down a 6% grade in 4th gear and hold 60 MPH with the jake on. I never have to touch the brake pedal. I wouldn't be without it. -- Don |
dougthebonifiedbusnut (24.147.157.103)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 11, 2001 - 5:14 pm: | |
hey larry
have to know why you say you dont like the brakes can tell you i have been the heavy trucking ind for 26 years have driven many a truck with and without jakes or the correct term engine brakes and can tell you if the air brakes are working properly you should not have a problem with the stock service brakes i would say if you are not happy with the brakes have them checked by someone and then see if you really need a set of jakes ya they are cool but not a thing you have to have to stop your bus satisfacturally(?) |
Buswarrior (Buswarrior) (205.188.193.37)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 11, 2001 - 9:56 pm: | |
Hello Larry.
I'll echo doug.t.b.b's encouragement to get your brakes checked. There are a lot of busnuts running around with defective brakes. Just because it stops when you ask it to, doesn't mean it will stop you properly in a down hill, high speed situation, or stop you properly in an emergency stop.
How old are the linings? How many miles do you put on a year? When were they last looked at by a pro? Are they properly adjusted? Are they even working? Ever do a brake test with a meter onboard? (stow the dishes!)
Some might argue that Jakes are NOT a good idea for the low milers. Low milers should be USING their brakes. They'll glaze/rot before a low miler will wear a set out. Also, for the Jakes, cost per use or cost per mile will be outrageous, if you are counting pennies. You'll have to replace those linings before you wear them out anyway. Which way do you want to spend your money?
As FF is fond of reminding us, and I'll paraphrase here: if you can't afford the high maintenance costs, you can't afford to be in a bus.
As noted before, your MC7 should have no problem going down the big hills, IF the brakes are up to spec and you are going down at an appropriate speed.
Go get the wheels & drums pulled and have a look!
happy coaching!
buswarrior |
RJ Long (24.130.101.25)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 11, 2001 - 11:39 pm: | |
Larry -
I'll agree with Bob's comments above: If you run a lot out here on the West Coast, or over the Rockies, and you pull a toad, then a jake is an added safety bonus.
I also agree with Doug's comments, in that your brakes should be in excellent condition, and that you drive appropriately for conditions.
Fast Fred's points previously made that the installation and maintenance costs of a jake brake vs the cost of a complete brake job is questionable unless you're running 30,000 or more miles per year and doing a lot of mountain work are quite valid.
Finally, as a point of reference, Greyhound gets 100,000 miles per year or more out of their coaches, none of which are equipped with jakes. According to their maintenance schedule, unless something goes wrong, the 100K mark is when the bus gets a complete brake job, along with other services.
This maintenance schedule was developed over hundreds of millions of miles operated in the last 75+ years, because this is the kind of stuff big commercial fleets track very closely. . .
Don't forget, though, that 'Hound runs their buses thru a major service depot approximately every three days, and the braking system is one of the very first things checked and adjustments made, if needed. Not too many bus nutz run their coach over a pit before/after a trip, or even do a complete and proper pre-trip air-brake check*, for that matter. BIG difference.
Bottom line: YOU have to decide what's best for YOU based on YOUR driving conditions.
RJ
PD4106-2784
* If anybody would like a pre-trip air-brake check guideline, please email me directly. |
FAST FRED (209.26.87.86)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 12, 2001 - 2:13 am: | |
AM a GM type , so dont know if this is valid ,for your coach, but its free to check.
ON some coaches the treddle valve { the brake pedal} is set to produce LESS than full pressure to the break system, to make smoother , easier stops.
AS we drive in traffic with mental children , who have been taught there entire skool life , that their "self Esteme " is the most important thing in the universe, better breaks are needed.
BY replacing the treddle valve with one that DOES give full line pressure , the ability to stop is improved.
Just get a gage and hook it up to the front brake , and step on the treddle .HARD
IF it reads 20 to 30 lbs less than line , get thee to the truck store.
You might be able to figure this out with Da Book and a good parts cross ref. , but the gage wont lie.
FAST FRED |
Janet Lewis (216.202.56.3)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 12, 2001 - 3:48 pm: | |
Thanks for the offer of a pre-trip air-brake check guideline. I'd like to have one, but I don't have your e-mail address. If you could please reply to lewisej@direct.ca. Thanks a lot! |
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