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Old 04-09-2018, 10:14 AM   #1
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Exhaust brake question

Hi folks, just picked up our Cardinal 3350 5th wheel, towing with a 2016 Ford F350 Super Duty Diesel. 300 mile trip home. The truck tows like a champ. I'm new to a diesel engine, and my question is should I just have the exhaust brake on throughout the trip (which is what I did), or wait until I reach a downhill grade to engage the exhaust brake?
Thanks for your help!
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Old 04-09-2018, 10:18 AM   #2
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Originally Posted by GilnJo View Post
Hi folks, just picked up our Cardinal 3350 5th wheel, towing with a 2016 Ford F350 Super Duty Diesel. 300 mile trip home. The truck tows like a champ. I'm new to a diesel engine, and my question is should I just have the exhaust brake on throughout the trip (which is what I did), or wait until I reach a downhill grade to engage the exhaust brake?
Thanks for your help!
I leave mine on all the time when towing. Mine will only activate if I let off the gas and then hit my brakes. Not sure how aggressive the fords are. From driving bigger trucks, they recommend not using the brake in wet / snowy weather because it could induce a skid.
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Old 04-09-2018, 10:27 AM   #3
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I leave mine on all the time while the trailer is attached. It downshifts the transmission each time I tap the brake to help save wear on the brakes.
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Old 04-09-2018, 10:57 AM   #4
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As long as I have the tow/haul mode switch "on" the tranny will automatically downshift when going down grades with cruise on, or when I start to apply the brakes. I don't always have the exhaust brake on, but it will always downshift in tow/haul mode. I turn on the exhaust brake when traveling through the mountains, but because the engine and exhaust are pretty quiet, I'm not really sure when the brake engages. I need to pay more attention!
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Old 04-09-2018, 11:01 AM   #5
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Tow/haul and exhaust brake on all the time the trailer is connected. Comes on when needed, not when it's not needed.
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Old 04-09-2018, 11:12 AM   #6
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Exhaust Brake ON ALL THE TIME. There is absolutely no reason to ever turn it off. Well, there actually is one reason. Slippery conditions like ice and snow it should never bo on.
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Old 04-09-2018, 11:20 AM   #7
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I am with donniedu on this one.
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Old 04-09-2018, 11:37 AM   #8
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Yeah, I will often leave it off when the crusie is set on a highway because it will come on if I start to roll down a hill and the cruise is trying to slow me to the set speed. Other than that it is probably on 90% of the time.
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Old 04-09-2018, 12:07 PM   #9
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If using cruise control in combination with the exhaust brake, your truck will maintain speed without needing to touch the brakes, even on the steepest down hill grade.
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Old 04-09-2018, 12:43 PM   #10
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If using cruise control in combination with the exhaust brake, your truck will maintain speed without needing to touch the brakes, even on the steepest down hill grade.
Tell that to my truck... It will kick on when heading down grade then shut off but it will take a few seconds.
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Old 04-09-2018, 12:44 PM   #11
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I reread.. I will not need to touch the brakes. When the cruise control naturally allows the vehicle to decelerate down a hill it will kick on the exhaust brake. No brakes pressed the truck just does it on its own.
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Old 04-09-2018, 12:48 PM   #12
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Tell that to my truck... It will kick on when heading down grade then shut off but it will take a few seconds.
Mine works like a champ. The only issue I have with it is that the brake won't kick in until my down hill speed increases by 5mph over my cruise control setting.
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Old 04-10-2018, 08:31 AM   #13
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On all the time I am towing. It is nice to not only have the tranny downshift with the tow/haul mode on, but the exhaust brake will also be active to some extent to help. Saves the brakes for another day.

It was funny the first time going down a pretty good downhill grade (one with a dedicated truck lane) without the cruise control on, that after tapping the brakes to get the truck to downshift and the exhaust brake to come on, I had to get back on the gas pedal because they were slowing me too much.

Although I have a Chevy, I am sure the Ford cruise control is similar, in that it will use both the tranny and exhaust brake to control your speed. I am not a gizmo freak, but it is pretty neat.

@timfromma, my Chevy also on a good downhill waits until about 5 over the setting before it does something with the cruise on.

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Old 04-10-2018, 08:51 AM   #14
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I have a Silverado 3500 SRW and when towing I set the tow/haul the exhaust brake on and when I get up to the speed I want to run at I set the cruise control on. I believe that with my Silverado set that way if I fell off a cliff I would be doing whatever speed I had the cruise set on when I hit bottom. The exhaust brake is great. Plus if I should ever really need to slow down more the disk brakes on camper are great too. The exhaust brake helps me out some when I’m not hooked up to the camper. The exhaust brake doesn’t know if I’m hooked to the camper or not. On my 2012 Silverado I have a button I have to push to engage my exhaust brake, on my 2008 Silverado 2500 I would set the tow/haul and set the cruise and the truck would act just like my exhaust brake does now.
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Old 04-10-2018, 01:45 PM   #15
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I have a Ram, but I run exhaust brake every time I am in the truck. Keeps the VGT free and moving thru the full range
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Old 04-10-2018, 02:39 PM   #16
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I have a Ram too and when towing I have the Tow/Haul mode on all the time. It worked great going thru the Smokie Mountains, the mountains in WV, Va, Pa, Carolinas etc.
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