Brake Lights with Jake Brake

[Dick Simonis]

Just a curiosity question>>>>Is it possible/practical to have the brake lights go on when the Jake activates.  On the surface it seems like a good idea.  Has anyone tried this???

Thanks
Dick

[Larry and Heidi Lee]

My 05 Monterey brake lights are "ON" when the exhaust brake is "ON". I don't know if I like this feature because it gives everyone behind me a false indication that I am stopping which is not always the case. I could be going down a 4 mile grade with my brake lights on the entire time when I am simply going down slowly. Not sure I understand the reasoning completely....

[Marty and Suzie Schenck]

Thats the way my 2002 Thunder operates now. I'm told it is one of the parameters set to the Cat engine and can be turned on or off. The next time I'm at a Cat dealer I'm going to have it turned off. I don't like the idea of it being on with the jake. My quess is the the previous owner of your coach didn't like it either. Marty

[Gil_Johnson]

My understanding, although I haven't see the reference, is that DoT mandates brake light activation with any braking system engaged to include engine brakes.  This is also why you should not use the brake pedal switch on your TOAD to acticate the TOAD's brake lights.  A TOADs brake lights must mimic the lights of the vehicle towing it.

[Joel Weiss]

So I guess I'm in violation because my toad's brake lights are activated by my ReadyBrake when the Jake is engaged.  The deceleration of the MH is sufficient to trigger the surge brakes.  I guess I should go to my local CAT service facility to get things reset so the Jake will turn on the coach's brake lights.

[Dick Simonis]

Hmmm, now i'm wondering if mine does that but I've never been behind it when the jake is on.  Personally, I like the idea that those behind me know I'm braking whether is the jake or coach brakes.  Beside, this thing slows down like I threw out an anchor with the Jake on high.

Guess I need to have Pat ride in the toad for awhile and she can report back.

[Steve Jewell]

I think it would be extremely dangerous (CO2) and illegal to have someone ride in a towed car.  If you drive at night you can see the brake light reflection on the windshield of the toad .

Steve J

[Dick Simonis]

I think it would be extremely dangerous (CO2) and illegal to have someone ride in a towed car.  If you drive at night you can see the brake light reflection on the windshield of the toad .

Steve J

Steve, I was making a joke.

[Marty and Suzie Schenck]

 Gil, The DOT does not mandate brake lights with a Jake or a PacBrake. It is the manufacturer that specs the parameters. I drove trucks for a living and never had one that the brake lights came on with the Jake. I also worked for one of the major truck manufacturers as a test driver. That is where I found out it can be changed or turned on or off by the engine manufacturer (CAT in my case). The end buyer or user usually sets the specs for a vehicles parameters, in our case it was Beaver that set the specs. Marty

[Gil_Johnson]

Marty,

Thanks for setting the record straight.  As I said, I never saw the reference.

It does make sense that, given the option, that this feature would be enabled.

Thanks again,

[Mike Humble]

We have a 2008 Contessa and someone following us said our lights did not come on when we applied the exhaust brake.  We followed their 2008 Contessa and noted that their coach brake lights came on, but not the toad when they applied the exhaust brake.  Asked an ex Monaco tech and he said it just depended on who wired it and how on the date of mfg.  don't know if this means anything.
Mike Humble

[Randy Perry]

My lights come on with the exhaust brake and would rather it didn't.....just my .02!!

[George H. Wall]

You can put a diode in the line going to the brake lights from the jake to kill the lights. The brakes on a tow dolly work off the brake light activation, so on long downhill grades the brakes would be on on the tow dolly, making them extremely HOT.  This was my remedy.  

[Gil_Johnson]

Randy,

I'm curious why you wouldn't want to signal to those behind you that your coach is being braked, even though it's the engine brake doing it rather than your foot?

Just curious,

Gil

My lights come on with the exhaust brake and would rather it didn't.....just my .02!!

[Jeremy Parrett]

My Jake brake activates the coach LED brake lights which are hooked up to the TOAD brake lights. All these lights are LED  This means you can brake downhill using the jake brake for long periods without worrying about overheating the lights. I like the fact that the jake Brake activates the brake lights......it is a very visible warning to a vehicle behind that you are using some braking effort even if you are not actually slowing down.