BrakeSwitch

[Roy C Tyler]

I did a search on this site and could find nothing on the BrakeSwitch.  Has anyone installed this on their motorhome?  Here is a link to the web site:  http://www.brakeswitch.com/  I am thinking about ordering this as it eliminates looking for the exhaust brake switch every time I want to use it.  It would be nice, being surrounded by hills like I am, to be able to just touch the brake pedal when I needed the exhaust brake and then step on the gas pedal to release it and to also coast without looking for the switch to turn it off.  With this BrakeSwitch installed, you could just turn it on and leave it on all the time. (Except in wet, snowy or icey conditions).  If someone has one installed, I would appreciate a little help in knowing what wires to cut into for the RoadMaster Chassis.  The instructions on the web site and the pictures he has are for the Monaco and are completely different than the Beaver Monterey.

[Dick Simonis]

Before you buy an add on item you might want to check a couple of the features all ready in place.  It took me awhile to realize that if the Jack is on a very slight pressure on the go pedal releases the Jack and the tranny seems to stay in the same gear.  Releasing the pedal re-engages the Jack.  Once I found this little feature I keep mine (on) quite often unless I want the CC.

I have also heard of a programming feature that engages the jack with a touch of the brake.  Not sure of that one but others have brought it up.

[Keith Oliver]

I have a PacBrake on the exhaust, not a Jake, but I leave the switch on all the time.  To engage, I simply touch the brake pedal.  To disengage, I touch the accelerator.  I also leave the Cruise Control switch on all the time.  To engage, I press "set", or if it has been engaged already, "Resume".  It disengages whenever I touch the brake, just like in my car.

I had some trouble with the Allison touchpad last year.  While it was malfunctioning, one of the things it did was to behave more like you are describing.  Once I had it replaced, I was back to the above described condition.  Maybe you need to go to a service centre and have them read the codes in your Allison control pad to see if it is functioning properly.

[Roy C Tyler]

 Keith if I had the program that you have, I would not add the BradeSwitch.  My cruise control will not engage with the Exhaust Brake on.  The BrakeSwitch will work just like your setup does.  I thought about having the Allison reprogrammed but this switch will do the same thing for a lot less money if my transmission can even be reprogrammed.  I have read the manual on my Allison that came with the coach and it is working just like it is supposed to according to the manual.

[Bill Sprague]

Roy,

My motorhome is about the same as yours.  If I leave the brake switch on, the exaust brake engages when my foot lets up on the accelerator pedal.  It also disengages when I press the accelerator.   I don't use it much because in traffic I tend to "feather" the accelerator and there is too much engaging and disengaging for my taste.

[Roy C Tyler]

Bill, that is the reason I have been looking at the BrakeSwitch. It will eliminate the switching back and forth and will allow the coach to coast until you touch the brake pedal again.  It will allow you to also use the cruise control until you touch the brake pedal again.  Right now, as long as the exhaust brake switch is in the on position, my cruise control will not work and if I let up on the gas pedal, the exhaust brake engages.

[Bill Sprague]

..... Right now, as long as the exhaust brake switch is in the on position, my cruise control will not work and if I let up on the gas pedal, the exhaust brake engages.

Mine has worked exactly like that for about 100,000 miles and I've been happy with it.  

[Joel Ashley]

Me too.

I don't use the Cruise in hills where the exhaust brake is needed anyway.  Though it took time to get used to balancing the EBrake and CC when I first started driving the coach, I now don't do much switching back and forth anyway.

-Joel

[Arden Smith]

I installed the brakeswitch on my coach and would not go back to the way it was. I also added a second switch so I can choose between being off or on as it was originally and being on at the touch of the brake and while the service brakes are being used. I love it. I didn't realize how much it improved my braking distance  when I get in a tight spot. I don't have to try and find the switch. I leave it on all the time. Using it in the hills is great, If I am on a down grade, I can coast if I want or I just touch the brakes and it shifts down one and leaves the exhaust brake on until I accelerate. If I continue to use the service brakes it operates as original. I don't have use the service brakes near as much.

[MarcRodstein]

I had the Brakeswitch on my 2003 Monterey and I loved it. It not only simplified the use of the exhaust brake, but it allowed me to leave the exhaust brake armed while on cruise control. A touch of the brake pedal and the exhaust brake comes on. Plus, it is ridiculously cheap for the functionality that it adds. Go for it.

[Roy C Tyler]

Thank you Marc.  Did you have the 6 wire or the 4 wire?  Homer sent me the 6 wire but I only used 4 of the wires after talking to Homer on the phone.  He only has 6 units left and then he is out of business.  I guess after 2006, the transmissions are programed so the BrakeSwitch is not needed.

[Marty and Suzie Schenck]

Roy,  Call Cummins, everything you want to do should be able to be done by changing preset parameters in the computer for the cruise control and the Pak-brake or Jake brake. If a buyer (Monaco,Beaver or whomever) doesn't request certain spec's, they are set at default settings in the computer.
Marty